# 5.5 gallon tank lighting



## evan (Jul 4, 2003)

how can i get a lot of light in my 5.5 gallon tank. the length is 16". i want at least 3 wpg. is that possible? i don't know anything about doing light stuff. i saw these retrofit kits on the internet. if i bought one... i wouldn't know what to do. o yea and i don't want to use a desk lamp. i saw 2x13 watt retrofit at ahsupply.com but its for a 10 gallon and 17 inches. its too long. so... how do people with 5.5 gallon tanks do their lighting? i was at the gallery for the site and this dood had a 5 gallon tank with 2X11w lighting. im not sure how he accomplished that. o wel. any ideas? im getting a lot of plants on wednesday and there going to die. this is my first planted tank and its going to be a disaster. please help.


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

Do you have a hood for your tank now? Will it take a screw in bulb? If so, Go to Home Depot or your local hardware store and buy a screw in compact flourescent light bulb ,15-20 watts oughta do it, and you're good to go. They're around $5. If they have a daylight bulb that'll fit , get that. Be aware of the dimensions inside the fixture, so you can get something that fits inside.


> im getting a lot of plants on wednesday and there going to die. this is my first planted tank and its going to be a disaster.


Thats the spirit :lol: but seriously, just read the info on this board, ask questions, learn as much as you can,you'll be fine.

Marcel


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## evan (Jul 4, 2003)

nah. i dun have a hood rite now. but i did see a 12 bucks 16" hood at petco which takes 15 watt and 30 watt incandescents. will that fit the compact fluorescent ones that u are talking about from hardware store? i dun know much about lights. are u sure it will fit inside?


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

Thats the money question. Get yourself a tape measure and go measure the inside of the hood for bulb clearance. Then go to HD and measure some bulbs. or do like Rex said and get yourself a flourescent hood with a 15 watt flourescent.

Marcel


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## evan (Jul 4, 2003)

ok. good idea. are all incandescent bulb bases the same size? like for my desklamp with a regular incandescent bulb... is the base the same as the bulbs for aqauariums? cuz if they are it should work. i went on the Home depot website and saw some bulbs that look pretty slim (mite fit) and they have the regular incandescent bulb base. i went to Petco and i think the strip lite accepts 15 to 30 watt incandescent aquarium bulbs. if the bulb bases are the same for regular incandescent bulbs and aquarium bulbs and space allows... i could get like a 27 watt bulbs or sumtin. but it seems that aquarium bulbs are a lot smaller.  i dunno. 
http://www.petco.com/Productlisting...017&ct2=Incandescent+Light+Bulbs&Dept_ID=1017

vs....


http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDU...gki.0&MID=9876&frmSearchStr=fluorescent bulbs


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## evan (Jul 4, 2003)

dood... u got me thinking. my 5.5 gallon tank is on my desk. rite next to it is my incandescent desk lamp with max 60 watts. im just going to stick a 27 watt spring compact fluorescent bulb in my lamp and shine it through my all-glass hood. i think that will be enough lighting even if the the light disperses a little. muahah. i htink this will work. u guy are awesome. o yea. are there 60 watt compact fluorsecent bulbs for regular incandescent desk lamps? that would be blinding. muahahaha. :twisted:


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

In your first post you said you didn't want to use a desk lamp. It seems like the best option for now or maybe forever. :lol:


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## evan (Jul 4, 2003)

hehe. i guess i have to adapt.


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## evan (Jul 4, 2003)

btw... compact fluorescent bulbs for regular lamps seem to have lower Kelvin ratings. with high wattages like 27 watts for a 5.5 gallon tank. should it work even if the kevlin rating is not that high?


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

Check out this thread from a few months back. There's lots of info on different compact flourecents.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=119


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