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I just bought a new tank approx 34cm in length and I am wondering what type of lighting to get for it.

I am thinking of lightly planting it with low light plants.

What type of lighting can ppl recommend? im not too good at this sort of thing!

thanks!

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

Hi,
If you are going to stick with low light plants, then
use enough wattage light to run about 1.5 watts per gallon.
For good plant growth, use only light bulbs that have
Daylight or Sunlight printed on them. Don't use anything
that has "Warm" or "Cool" on them, and personally, I would
avoid like the plague, anything with "Glow" in its name.

Once you decide upon the hood and how many bulbs it will
hold (I'd use a hood with two bulbs), then go to any
hardware store and pick up the bulbs. They are far less
expensive than the same bulb at a LFS with a different
name.

Do remember that the low light plants do not grow as fast
as the medium and high light demand plants. However,
if you look at Keith's posts about changing his rocks
for drift wood you will see just how much they do grow
over a period of a year or two. Most of the low light
plants attach themselves to objects such as drift wood or
rocks. Very few of them thrive when actually "planted" in
the gravel.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks for your reply Frank.


Is there any particular brand you can recommend? there are so many out there..

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

34cm? Thats only about a 15 inch long tank is it about 5 gallons? 1.5 wpg is the good rule of thumb What are the overall dimensions? Thanks and sorry for all the questions.


mts.gif" border="0"> I vote do you?
My Tanks at Photobucket

The tank is quite small - 30 litres.. not sure what that is in gallons ...
the dimensions are 34cm wide, 29cm high n 29cm deep... im starting my boyfriend off small (it was an impulse buy tank as they always are! ) i might look at upgrading sometime in the near future.. i have unfortunately passed on my fish addiction!

so i need to find a brand that stocks smaller reflectors if thats the best way to go..

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them