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	incandescent lighting
chizunk Enthusiast Posts: 160 Kudos: 164 Votes: 0 Registered: 21-Jun-2004	how much slower will plants grow with an incandescent bulb or will they even grow at all Last edited by chizunk at 17-Jan-2005 15:34
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42
Babelfish Administrator Small Fry with Ketchup Posts: 6833 Kudos: 8324 Votes: 1570 Registered: 17-Apr-2003	Incandescent lighting is not enough for plant growth. It's too low on the kelvin scale and no wheres near the ammount of wattage that is required by plants. If you have a fixture that uses screw in bulbs then buy screw in flourescents . The can be found easily in all home improvement stores, many places like target or wlmrt even many grocery stores will have them. Your best bet is to look for ones marked "daylight". If you can find kelvin listed look for 65,000. ^_^ Current [link=Contest Rules]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/Aquascaping/44382.html?200412022138" style="COLOR: #EB4288[/link][/font][/font]
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42
chizunk Enthusiast Posts: 160 Kudos: 164 Votes: 0 Registered: 21-Jun-2004	if i buy the flourescent bulbs say i buy two 20 watt bulbs is that a good amount of wattage for a ten
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42
Piscesgirl Mega Fish Posts: 1305 Kudos: 892 Votes: 0 Registered: 30-Mar-2003	If you can find the 10Watt compact flourescents at WalMart, made by LightsofAmerica, get two of them and then you will be set. You won't want any more light than that, and even so, you'll do better with some CO2. The Walmart bulbs are in blue boxes and are 6500K. They are excellent for plants and with some Co2, you can grow almost anything in that 10 gallon. Do you have an incandescent hood over it? Piscesgirl attached this image: Last edited by Piscesgirl at 17-Jan-2005 17:34[/font]
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42
Babelfish Administrator Small Fry with Ketchup Posts: 6833 Kudos: 8324 Votes: 1570 Registered: 17-Apr-2003	That'll give you 4wpg which is considered high light. Unless you're supplementing CO2 you may have some algae issues. I'd suggest going with 1 20watt bulb then adding another as you see fit. ^_^ Current [link=Contest Rules]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/Aquascaping/44382.html?200412022138" style="COLOR: #EB4288[/link][/font]
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42
chizunk Enthusiast Posts: 160 Kudos: 164 Votes: 0 Registered: 21-Jun-2004	yea i have an incandescent hood would it be better for me to get a fourescent one because the incandescent one is not all glass where the light shines through there is plastic is that bad i have a flourescent one should i change it Last edited by chizunk at 17-Jan-2005 18:27
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42
Piscesgirl Mega Fish Posts: 1305 Kudos: 892 Votes: 0 Registered: 30-Mar-2003	No, keep the incandescent hood and get the two Walmart bulbs I mentioned above, or the ones Babel suggested if you can't find the Walmart ones. Those will work fine.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42
gcmaiden Fingerling Posts: 21 Kudos: 20 Votes: 0 Registered: 30-Dec-2004	i have an incandescent hood/ 2X 25 watt max. Is it safe to use fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs, and how much does it cost?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42
Shannen Banned Posts: 1160 Kudos: 1686 Votes: 98 Registered: 17-Feb-2004	Yes it is safe. I'm running a 60 watt one a 10 gal. It's the only bulb I can find. The hood is made for 10 watt incandescent bulbs. The floros don't get near as hot, so I've not had any issues running this bulb in the hood. I got the bulb from a drug store near me for 7 bucks.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42
gcmaiden Fingerling Posts: 21 Kudos: 20 Votes: 0 Registered: 30-Dec-2004	thanks, what's the wattage of the fluo bulbs? and do you have something that protects the bulb from the splashing water?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42
gcmaiden Fingerling Posts: 21 Kudos: 20 Votes: 0 Registered: 30-Dec-2004	sorry, I just want to know if you have something that protects the bulb from the splashing water?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42
Theresa_M Moderator Queen of Zoom Posts: 3649 Kudos: 4280 Votes: 790 Registered: 04-Jan-2004	Just wanted to add my .02 I had incandescent lighting in two planted 10g tanks for over a year. Dwarf sag, java fern, anacharis, crypts, and anubias all grew very well. I personally prefer the look of flourescent lighting and have since switched all my tanks over. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ There is water at the bottom of the ocean
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42
Shannen Banned Posts: 1160 Kudos: 1686 Votes: 98 Registered: 17-Feb-2004	It's just a standard plastic hood. It has a piece of glass where the light sits.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42
gcmaiden Fingerling Posts: 21 Kudos: 20 Votes: 0 Registered: 30-Dec-2004	Just got back from Walmart and got 4x 23 watt bulbs(1600 lumens ) only cost around 16$ with taxes for the pack. I replaced my old 25 watt incadescent bulbs with 2 of them(it makes 3200 lumens in total) it looks pretty sweet! now I just got to go to a glass shop to make me a piece of glass so it protects the bulbs from the water, so it will be safe. Can't wait to see my plants grow crazy in that 15 gallon tank with my DIY CO2. thanks for the help!
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42
Shannen Banned Posts: 1160 Kudos: 1686 Votes: 98 Registered: 17-Feb-2004	gcmaiden, Don't go to the glass shop. That will be a little expensive. Go to your local hardware store. I assume since you have wallyworld you should also have a Lowes. Find lexan sheets. They run very cheap, and you can cut it to fit yourself. Using a razor knife and a yard stick score the lexan where you want it cut. Score it deep. Then simply fold it at the score mark and it should snap right off. Do this for all for sides one side at a time.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42
gcmaiden Fingerling Posts: 21 Kudos: 20 Votes: 0 Registered: 30-Dec-2004	Thanks a lot Shannen! I'll do that tomorrow.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:42


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