# Cheap, simple lighting solution?



## Hexagonalbolts (Aug 21, 2016)

Hi guys, I had a tank for a few years before and wanted to get back into the hobby with a simple planted tank.

I am not sure if I will need to move abroad in a year's time so I do not want to invest too much money (will buy a used tank off ebay etc.). 

Most of the lighting solutions people talk about on this forum are very expensive or involve intimidating technical DIY (overdriving electronic circuits..??)

Is a simple £20-35 / $30-50 light off of amazon going to be sufficient for a 50-100 litre tank to grow lower light plants such as java moss and pygmy chain sword? Would it be able to grow any more demanding plants? Would placement next to a window help? Is there any point in me doing DIY CO2 / spending time making a peat substrate mix with such light levels?


----------



## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

I try to think of light as being one of the big three things that plants need and they need these three in "balanced" amounts. Light, food( ferts?) and CO2? 
So if you have lots of light, you also need lots of the other two but you are not required to have a light level of any. the higher the levels, the more and wider variety of plants that will grow well. So in your situation, I would suggest looking at the low tech forum and their tanks. In low tech, you can certainly find lots of plants that will grow and look nice without the huge investment of study time and money that high tech requires. 
Lighting can be as simple as DIY CFL twistie bulbs or as high as you want to go. However, try to keep in mind the ballance thing. Upgrade one and the rest may also need more. 
I like the big brawny plants like sword that do well in lower light.


----------



## Slim64684 (Oct 24, 2015)

This is my light for my 10 gallon tank. 2 5.5" brooder lamps and 2 13 watt 6500k cfl bulbs. Reflectors were about $6 each and a 3 pack of bulbs was around $8 I think. They hang off of hooks in the ceiling so I can adjust them all I want. I did upgrade to the 23 watt cfl and they are lower now.


----------



## Hexagonalbolts (Aug 21, 2016)

Ok, interesting! I'm not sure I could hang them from hooks but I could construct a frame to hold them above the tank. 

Are there no issues with fish jumping / could I just buy a piece of glass or acrylic cut down to size with holes for the filter and heater? I guess this would also prevent humidity issues with the lights.


----------



## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

This thread may offer some insight

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/10-lighting/153195-my-inexpensive-cfl-light-solution.html


----------



## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Plastics tend to bow down and I do not use them. Glass does not but it can collect condensation and build up and both cut light to the tank. Consider light diffuser panels (eggcrate) to stop jumpers but let light in? 

CFL twisty are a good way to light that one can adjust fully while getting a handle on what works. My first several tanks used them alone and I still have several tanks where they are used to add light on specific points. Many want total wall-to-wall uniform but my tanks are never that uniform so I want more light at points and ignore uniform.


----------



## Hexagonalbolts (Aug 21, 2016)

Do you do that with standard bulbs hung above them? Do you not have issues with humidity and the lights?

Another question: is there not an issue with electrical safety just clamping normal lightbulbs a few cms above the water? I've seen lots of builds do this, are they using waterproof fixtures, or are they just extra careful?


----------



## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

I would not want to use the normal bulbs without splash guards but then CFL are different. When water hits the hot glass, it shatters but the CFL run so much cooler that i have not had any broken by water. Condensation is not a problem as the warm bulb does not allow it to form. There can be a problem with corrosions after a few years but then the fixture is pretty curable and so much cheaper that I do not worry that part. 
For safety, it is not so much a matter of splashing but the thought of the light dropping into the tank and that drives me to always add a GFCI of some type to the tank equipment. 
There are dozens of way and types of GFCI but this is one that is reasonably cheap and super easy to plug in:
Shop Shock Buster 15-Amp 3-Wire Grounding Single to Single Yellow GFCI Adapter at Lowes.com
I can then add power strips if I want to have multiple plugs. 
Twelve dollars so save a tank and/or my life? YES! I'll do that.


----------



## Hexagonalbolts (Aug 21, 2016)

PlantedRich said:


> I would not want to use the normal bulbs without splash guards but then CFL are different. When water hits the hot glass, it shatters but the CFL run so much cooler that i have not had any broken by water. Condensation is not a problem as the warm bulb does not allow it to form. There can be a problem with corrosions after a few years but then the fixture is pretty curable and so much cheaper that I do not worry that part.
> For safety, it is not so much a matter of splashing but the thought of the light dropping into the tank and that drives me to always add a GFCI of some type to the tank equipment.
> There are dozens of way and types of GFCI but this is one that is reasonably cheap and super easy to plug in:
> Shop Shock Buster 15-Amp 3-Wire Grounding Single to Single Yellow GFCI Adapter at Lowes.com
> ...


Thanks Plantedrich,

What do you mean by a splash guard? Can you purchase special splash guards? Or do you mean having some kind of transparent layer (glass) on the top of the tank?


----------



## Krystle (Aug 20, 2016)

I have this light https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C7OTID2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 on my 20 gallon high aquarium and it seems to be doing a pretty decent job. I have annubias, java ferns, swords, and wisteria all growing just fine.


----------



## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

By a splash guard, I mean just about anything that will keep water from the tank from going to the light bulbs, etc. One use glass but many don't like it on the tank so another way it to use some cover at the light. One that I've used depends on how hot the fixture might be. CFL put out lots less heat than some so I've been able to use just a thin, flexible plastic guard. 
The kind of impossible to tear type plastic stuff comes packed in at times? 
You can buy sheets of it and cut to fit between the light and tank. I had a retrofit tube light that I put CFL in and wanted to add guards at the light so I drills screws through the plastic fixture and squished the plastic enough to pop it in on top of the screws on the inside of the plastic. Kind of bowed down to leave some air to let heat out at the ends and then hung the light rather than laid on the tank. When I needed more light, I just added more CFL bulbs and got higher wattage bulbs.

Advantage? I had the tube fixture and did not want to use it and buy expensive bulbs. Adding bulb holders and simple twisties were on hand. Now I'm finding they are hard to find in my prefferred 6500K rating.


----------

