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im going to be getting a 29 gallon tank soon,but i dont know what to do for lighting because im already going over my budget and im not sure how expensive side-by-side light fixture hoods are.because if i went for a normal hood i could only get like a 30 watt bulb in there right??
or should i try to find a compact fluorescent setup with a 6,700k light range??

also,what would be some good plants for a 29 gallon??

[span class="edited"][Edited by fishowner 2004-08-31 18:41][/span]

For the 29 gal only a 24 inch strip light would fit, and they only hold 15 watt bulbs.. I have a double strip so it gives me 30 watts.. Enough for very low requirement plants.. Those new 'power compact' tubes will give you alot more light (and alot more price)..

Your best bet if you want to save $$$ is to look in hardware stores, home depot etc and search for a 24 inch shop light fixture that will hold 4 tubes.. It will give you good light coverage throughout your tank. You'll have 2.? watts per gallon of light and be able to keep a better selection of plants.. Try to get 'daytime' 'plant' 'noon' or 'hi-noon' bulbs at about the 5700K range..

You could also make your own custom lighting fixture to suit your needs.. Or make a fixture fitted with regular light bulb (incandescent) fittings, then use compact flourescent bulbs in place of regular.. Even if you use 6 of those bulbs in 2 rows of 3 you'd have at least 60 watts.. Shoplight method cheaper I think..

Depends how much you want to get into it, good luck !

The Amazon Nut...

My 29 holds a 20 watt bulb...I thought that was standard.

If your hood also holds a 20 watt bulb, you can buy two cheaper florescent hoods and use both on top.

Eric

It that's true, I'm going to have to look around a litte more, 40 watts sounds good to me ! The ones at the LFS were only 15 watts, maybe that's all they carried

Hood - same as canopy, it covers the aquarium.
I believe you're referring to a 'strip light' or a 'double strip light' Eric.
Peace
DaFishMan

The Amazon Nut...

today at another fish store,i found a $35 hood that has double light fixtures.it can take either 15 or 25 watt bulbs.......50 watts should do the trick for my 29gal