Lights from a home depot

[wrs]

all i wanted to know if the lights would work like the ones from petstores, which really are rediculosly expensive.

Do they have 18 inch bulbs that are more than 15 watts? Any were? I dont want to have to go and buy a whole new lighting system or what not.

 

[abstract]

all i wanted to know if the lights would work like the ones from petstores, which really are rediculosly expensive.

Do they have 18 inch bulbs that are more than 15 watts? Any were? I dont want to have to go and buy a whole new lighting system or what not.

[snapback]847206[/snapback]​

and i answered that originally - the pet store ones aren't "special" they just have a specific color temp (and intensity as gf225 pointed out) that work best for planted aquariums (which i just assumed you knew about, sorry if you didn't) - if not you should take a look at some pinned topics - gf225 did a good one on lighting recently..and yes they are expensive because they KNOW people will buy them because they think they are special lights lol - but in actuality if you get the correct wattage (at least 1 wpg) and a good temp (5000-6700K or so), then any light will work..

i don't believe there are any higher wattage for that length - usually each length has a standard wattage - without buying more hoods (two double hoods for instance - since it sounds like you probably have two single 18" bulbs right now, right?), or a compact fluorescent setup, you will not be able to get any more wattage out of that size tube

 

[wrs]

yeah, I have the two hoods.

What other ways are there of going about getting higher lighting that doesnt cost alot?

 

[abstract]

yeah, I have the two hoods.

What other ways are there of going about getting higher lighting that doesnt cost alot?

[snapback]847310[/snapback]​

with such a large tank the cheapest most effective way is to buy a compact fluorescent setup really...this will cost you over $100, though....to get the most out of the current lights you can add an aluminum or mylar reflector to each hood...or you could buy 2 more single (or double) hoods and buy more bulbs, but that will cost more than compact fluorescent in the future...

i plan on planting out my 46 gallon sometime in the future and have looked around a lot...compact fluorescent is the only way to go if you want 2 wpg or above....in a tank that size, some things will grow in 1 wpg, but you will be dissappointed in the future, most likely, and will want to upgrade...

 

[wrs]

I hate spending money, it makes me nervous.

Will any plants do good in lighting like that? 30 watts for a 55 gallon?

 

[abstract]

I hate spending money, it makes me nervous.

Will any plants do good in lighting like that? 30 watts for a 55 gallon?

[snapback]847350[/snapback]​

it's one of those things you will just have to try out, i just don't know...it will be cheaper to buy a few types of plants and have them die than to buy a whole new lighting system....java moss will definitly work...java fern should grow very slowly...anubias nana may work....do a search for low light plants on the net and you'll get the best idea of what you could try

 

[wrs]

one more thing.

I had some bulbs growing in my 5 gallon, it had a 7 watt bulb, well when I moved them into the 55 they seemed to die a bit. So would the 7 watts on the 5 gallon make that a higher light setting?

and sence I have such low lighting, would C02 help?

 

[RYO]

Most T8 tubes are a set wattage to length as abstract has stated.
18" = 15w
24" = 18w
30" = 25w
36" = 30w
42" = 38w
The only tubes that are diffrent are poer compacts the 16" are quoted at 36w
21" at 55w

I hate spending money

lol it makes my wife nervous

 

[abstract]

one more thing.

I had some bulbs growing in my 5 gallon, it had a 7 watt bulb, well when I moved them into the 55 they seemed to die a bit. So would the 7 watts on the 5 gallon make that a higher light setting?

and sence I have such low lighting, would C02 help?

[snapback]847381[/snapback]​

in general, those plant bulbs really don't need any special lighting..they are made to grow in just normal tanks reallly....they also usually die off and come back several times a year (some only once a year), so maybe that is why you noticed it "die a bit" or maybe there was a temp/ph shock from switching it over...when it comes to smaller tanks, it takes more wattage so i would say the lighting is relatively similar in both tanks....you would not benefit from co2 injection unless you are at 2 wpg or above...

 

[wrs]

Im going to list the watts per ghallon of all my tanks, could yalll tell em which is the best to have as a planted set up

20 gallon with 1wpg
29 gallon with .69 wpg
10 with 1.7 wpg

I supposed I can stick with the bulbs.

Also, I noticed rotala is a low light plant, how would that do in my 55 with such low lights? I have two that I just got, and 1 that ive had, I think its getting smaller, but its not dying, though that can be from my angelfish who eat all my plants.