# Lights for a 29 gallon?



## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

I have two 13 watt CFL bulbs which, are supposedly to replace a 60 incandescent bulb. I was told that even though it can replace a 60 watt, its light output is only similar to 13 watts, is this true? If so, I'd only have 26 watts of light on my 29 instead of 120 like I'd like to.


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## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

hello


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Hello! Yes it is true! Only 26W coming from two 13W lamps.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Lil' Swimz$ said:


> I have two 13 watt CFL bulbs which, are supposedly to replace a 60 incandescent bulb. I was told that even though it can replace a 60 watt, its light output is only similar to 13 watts, is this true? If so, I'd only have 26 watts of light on my 29 instead of 120 like I'd like to.


Yes, you only take the wattage of the fluorescent bulb into account, not the wattage of the incandescent bulb.

Thus, you have 26 watts of lighting.


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## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2008)

You currently have 26 watts, but the question isn't how many watts you have, it's how many watts of what type lighting are needed to grow what you want to grow. 

Your first move upward in lighting would be two "smaller than ever" 23 - 26 watt -daylight- spiral compact bulbs. That will give you a lot more useful light than you have now. 
Your better upgrade would be a two tube T5 HO fixture. 

Tell us what you'd like to grow, and some idea of your budget and we may be able to provide good suggestions.


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## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

Wow that totally bites.

I've had this tank for almost a month now, with CO2 and ferts more meant for highlight. No algae, just some diatoms.

My budget is low, I cannot afford to get a bunch of T5 or T8's unless it was a single bulb, I have a fixture made by All Glass Aquarium but only has room for one 15 watt T5.

If I could find any CFL bulbs rated high enough that'd be the best bet, but I guess that doesn't sound like an option so. If need be I will save up for a better lighting, but of course if I could get something to add onto that'd be the best. I'd like to stay under $50 or so but if need be I'll go to $100, at the max.

I have a hygrofolia augusta (or something of that sort)
anubuis nana
elodea
java moss
java fern
tiger lotus


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## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

Hey, I found some bulbs that are 65 watts each and is daylight (6500k)

Would this screw into a normal bulb socket? http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

EDIT: Would 80 watts be sufficent for this tank? My current lights are actually 15 so I'd replace the one with a 65 watt, to get 80 watts, which is 2.666666666666667 lol (2 1/2) be fine for this tank? To tell you the truth I don't even have the dough to get both bulbs, I only have $25 and they are $14 each so. It would be fine right? I don't need 120 anyway, I'd hate to break out in algae.

EDIT x2: Dang, my lights say maximum wattage is 40 watts, so looks like I gotta get two 40 watts. I'll see how it goes. Getting lights either tomorrow or the 30th


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## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2008)

That 65 watt bulb isn't what you want. While some of them do fit a standard light bulb socket, and some places advertise them for aquatic use, don't bother. 

You want 23 watt daylight CFL bulbs. Home Depot sells them. 
Here is a Home Depot website hit. 
EcoSmart 27 Watt Daylight, 2 Pack $5.97
They are 5000K and 2.3 inches in diameter. 

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053


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## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

So those would pump out enough light for a high tech? (ish, would be full high tech if I used pressurized Co2 instead of yeast)


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## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

Oh and did I mention I have the lights about 4" away from the surface of the tank, and the tank is 18" tall, so its about...

22" from light to substrate.


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## Armonious (Aug 16, 2010)

Try retrofitting your CFLs from the horizontal position that they are in by default if just swapped in an incandescent hood to a vertial position. This way much less light gets trapped in the space between the side of the bulband the reflector, so you'd be getting much more out of your wattage than you otherwise would be in the horizontal configuration.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Get a pair of these: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 and use them with 23 or 26 watt screw in spiral fluorescent bulbs, and you will have enough light for the plants you have. It will be low light, but good enough to grow those plants well. That's what I am using that I just posted a new thread on, where I measured the light from them.


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## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

I'm very much confused by that, sorry. I'm not very good with electricity and modifying so I bet ya if I have to mess with it too much it will end up shot or I will.

Here is what they look like:


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## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

Hoppy, got something very close to the socket thingy you posted, I got these and very much like them.

Okay, low light it is 

What if I were, to say, go for 30 or so? Or even 40 watt bulbs. (x2)


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Those fixtures are not very good for getting the most out of a light bulb. They are really designed for reflector flood light bulbs. The housings aren't good as reflectors. The Home Depot work lights I gave the link to are very effective at catching the light from the sides of the bulbs and directing it into the tank. The don't look very good, but they work far better than those that you have. Why don't you look for reflector flood type fluorescent bulbs that will fit those. Home Depot has those bulbs, but without much choice of color temperature, if any.


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## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

Okay, I actually have two 100 watt reflector ones, not very good for this setup though, too many watts for the fixtures, bright yellow/orange, and made for reptiles so gets extremely hot.

Those look fine, I guess, I really like these fixtures, they match the rim of the tank very well, look very good I think, so I'd like to utilize them as much as possible. Any way I could get some tinfoil up there, or something similar?


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## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

Ooooh so I kinda read your thread on PAR, and I already have a T5 fixture, 18", so I think I might get one of these: http://www.petco.com/product/5710/C...tural-Daylight-6-000-K-Fluorescent-Bulbs.aspx 

Its HO I believe so that would be like 22.5 watts? And I could hang it over the tank. I don't believe my fixture has a reflector, so I will have to get something to do that job.

I'm actually gonna be running to Menards, not Home Depot, and IDK bout Home Depot but Menards as ALOT of bulbs, but of corse I'll have to get the Coralife bulb at the LFS or PetSmart. But I'll pick up some sort of stand or soemthing to hang it from, and maybe some sheet metal to make the reflector.
Guidance would be appreciated, going either Friday or Monday, most likely not Friday. So I got time to plan 


EDIT: Holy cow, this thing looks NICE, I gotta check how long my tank is but 
Would one of those work nice? http://www.petco.com/product/111939...ar-Fluorescent-Hood.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch

Double EDIT: YES my tank is 30" long so this would fit perfectly.  I don't care if I go over I can always pull out college funds lol.


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## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

Okay sorry old post was a mess.

This is what I'm thinking...

One of these: 30" http://www.petco.com/product/111939...ar-Fluorescent-Hood.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch

and then two of these 22" http://www.petco.com/product/111935...ra Sun Super Daylight Fluorescent Bulb-111935


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## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

Nevermind, I'm not looking forward to spend a tong of dough on some lights. I'm just gonna get my CFL's and that's it.

Oh and for reflectors, what shoudl I use?


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## general923 (Jul 4, 2016)

if you are using 2 x 13 watt cfl's you are using 26 watts. But you ARE getting 120 watts worth of lighting.

Bump: if you are using 2 x 13 watt cfl's you are using 26 watts. But you ARE getting 120 watts worth of lighting.


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