# 10 gal aquarium lighting



## Gomer (Aug 14, 2003)

If you have 2x15watts of FLUORESCENT light, then you are plenty good to go. If however these are incandescent (ie, they have a filiment), then they are prettymuch useless.


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## morinfen (Dec 17, 2004)

They didnt have 15 watt flor. bulbs, so i ended up buying 2 10 watt flor. bulbs. Is this ok for a 10 gal tank?


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## trenac (Feb 15, 2004)

Yes, stay with low light plants.


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## lbsfarms (Jan 30, 2003)

Glad to see another new person to the planted tank. I think your lights are ok for your 10g. I have a 10g running with a couple of walmart bulbs, matter of fact I have a couple of 20g running with a couple of walmart bulbs and I really like the looks of them. You're problems are probably either lack of ferts or lack of co2, depending on the plants you picked up at petsmart, it's probably both. If you want to do with out co2 you need to do like Trenac suggested and go with low light plants, java fern or moss, anubias, crypts and I have pretty good luck with vals. If you add co2 (and you can easily use diy for a 10g) you can grow just about any plant you want. The catch here is if you use co2 you should add ferts. You can do a couple of searches on the forum and find out all you need to know about diy co2 and fertilizing. Good luck!


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## morinfen (Dec 17, 2004)

For now i am not trying to spend a lot of money on my 10 gal setup, im going to upgrade to a 29 gal or 30 gal whatever i can get my hands on and get some good lighting on there and put some flourite and all that good stuff in. For now, i am really just trying to keep stuff alive. I am not sure of one of the types of plants i currently have in my aquarium, they look kinda like really long thick blades of grass and they have white stripes in them. They seem to not be doing so hot, i think it is just one of those plants that needs a whole lot of light. I also have this "mystery" plant that just kinda came along, it looked like a couple dead leaves stuck to the other ones but now its growing like a weed ( in the last 2 days with the better lighting it has shot up 2 new leaves) the leaves are real wavy and it is speckled a greenish brown color, it is real odd looking but i really like it. Then i have a red melon sword and it is doing excellent, it even seemed to be doing well before i put flor. bulbs in, its a nice little plant shooting up quite a few leaves (it also grows fast!) and then i got this plant that is grassy looking but its leaves grow up and then over kinda like a palm trees does. So basically i am keeping most the plants in pretty good shape except the ones i mentioned earlier, but im really not liking the look of those anyways. I want to obtain some java moss and java fern but i cant seem to find any around here. Right now i am using CO in the form of "pellets" that i drop into the tank, the odd think is that it seems to cloud my water for a few hours after i use them, any ideas on why that might be? But anyways thanks for the advice...
-nate


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## misa212 (Nov 19, 2004)

I second the DIY CO2, I used a 2-gal vase with eco-complete and 2 (dying) water sprite plants. After an initial goof on my part which filled the tank with yeast/ sugar goop 3 weeks ago, my plants look great and it's cost almost nothing to set up additional bottles for my other tanks. It's worth the cost of the silicon, jello, etc.
Good luck,
Misa


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## trenac (Feb 15, 2004)

Nate... You may have some non-aquatic plants take a look at this link and see... http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_list.php?category=11


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## derekkim (Apr 26, 2004)

I have 2x25 incadescent light bulbs from walmart (Marina)


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

The grass like plant with white in the blades is NOT an aquatic plant. Get rid of it.


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## Convict Mark (Jan 3, 2004)

I actually just set up a 10 gallon planted tank Friday. I got a incandescent hood with the 2 screw in sockets. Took off the little flimsy plastic guard things and put in 2 26W screw in fluroescents, thats 52 watts over a 10 gallon, pretty darn bright. I put in a diy CO2 and all my plants are pearling like mad. I havent event started dosing ferts yet, waiting until after Christmas to get into that


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## morinfen (Dec 17, 2004)

Are you supposed to take those plastic things off? I knew i would get more light that way but i was afraid it would be an electrical hazard? :icon_idea


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## morinfen (Dec 17, 2004)

THOSE RAT BASTARDS! I spent 10 bucks on MONDO GRASS thats why my plants are not staying alive


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## malkore (Nov 3, 2003)

A couple comments:
1. always research plants before you buy them. Many places sell non-aquatic plants as aquarium plants
2. screw in power compacts are good, but you really can't count all the watts, especially if they are the 'spiral' compacts, and not the 'U' shaped bulbs. Too much re-strike and inefficient bulb shape causes light loss. But, again, they are still good, but in Convict Mark's case, he's got maybe 25watts of light actually going down into the tank. Still good for the $10 those 2 bulbs cost.


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## morinfen (Dec 17, 2004)

my bulbs are not the spiral type, they are U shaped, both are 10 watt.


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