# BOWL LIGHTS Show & Tell



## Ozydego (Aug 29, 2011)

I used a light for use with paintings from ikea, although they don't have this one anymore, it houses a 10w halogen bulb and now that my bowl is established the plants are loving the light, it seems to look nice as well, I mounted it to plaque that can be found pre made but unstaind at craft stores


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

I just use a 13W CFL 3500K daylight bulb. used to use 5500K daylight. I'll be returning to 5500K the next time I buy bulbs. both produce good growth though.


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

Ozydego - Thanks for helping get this started! So you felt 10W halogen is growing the plants well? I'm going to try to get to our IKEA next week. I think you really did a great job with that plaque & light combo. It's a very clean look.

Newman - May we see the fixture too?


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

The fixture is anything that holds a regular light bulb. Sometimes I use a desk lamp, sometimes i use a lid from my 2.5gal bowfront tank(temporary). The final fixture is going to be a desk lamp though.


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

Newman thanks!

Right now I have my Coffee Bowl under a 4' shop light with some hues plants. it works but, not the most practical fixture for a 1 gl bowl. :hihi: 

I also set a 30" single T5NO strip on it for 1 hr. a day for speak photo period to help the HC get established. Also, not the long term "look" I'm after. :icon_wink

I think I might try your 13w CFL idea in a clamp on shop light fixture if I don't find something I can "McGuiver" when I go shopping on trash day. For now my bowl is in my Aqua-dungeon, functional is all I need.


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## Razorworm (Jul 24, 2011)

My bowl set up with a cheapo desk light from Menards. 13w/65w equiv cfl. The moon lights are experimental. Anachris, c. parva are showing good growth, dwarf swords a bit slow.


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

TIME OUT!!! 

_Moon Lights???_



Tell us about that.


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## frrok (May 22, 2011)

Technically this isn't a bowl but here I use a desk lamp with an 11w spiral CFL. It's working great!


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

Nevermind..


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## Razorworm (Jul 24, 2011)

RE moonlights. I bought a strip of blue led lights, kinda like what one would use to "pimp out" their car interior with, if one was so inclined to do so. ( I did:icon_mrgr ) I retrofitted them into the light canopy and turn them on after lights out for an hour or so. It gives the bowl a kind of eery look and while not a lot of light, I can see the shrimp doing their thing. I'm going to do something similar on my show tank. Doing this to experiment with types and placement.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

you do know that there are CFL bulbs that already have built in "moonlights" lol? still looks great regardless.


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## Razorworm (Jul 24, 2011)

Newman, Im not sure what you mean? The bulb I put in the fixture is a plain old screw in cfl. A bulb with moon lights built in would require a separate switch, right?


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

This is a good thread to watch. All my bowls are powered by the sun. But now im interested in one not near a window so this is great info.
aquascaping in a round container still continues to escape me though.


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## 10gallonplanted (Oct 31, 2010)

Old Photo but thats it. Ghetto.
13W


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## rikardob (Aug 13, 2011)

5,000k, 14 watt CFL in an Engineer's desk lamp.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

Razorworm said:


> Newman, Im not sure what you mean? The bulb I put in the fixture is a plain old screw in cfl. A bulb with moon lights built in would require a separate switch, right?


They sell CFL bulb that have built in LEDs to act as "moonlights". yes they have a switch on the bulb, its kinda cool.


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## philemon716 (Aug 14, 2011)

Hi guys

A bit new to the planted world. I currently am using 9w 3500k CFL bulb on my 7x7x7 tank. Would you guys recommend moving up a few notches or will this suffice? Pics later - thanks!


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## TactusMortus (Jun 28, 2011)

I have one of these ebay lights on my cylinder tank. My tank is nearly 20" tall from light to substrate. I still get plenty of growth however I have mostly low light plants and no HC. Very sleek looking light though as it's total profile is about the size of a small cellphone. I would think on a small bowl there wouldn't be much you wouldn't be able to grow with this light.


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

TactusMortus said:


> I have one of these ebay lights on my cylinder tank.


That interesting, I like the tech look of it, and the LEDs. Post up a pick in use when you get a chance.


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## TactusMortus (Jun 28, 2011)

Well I am at work so I can't take any photos and it is kind of hard to see in these photos but you get the idea of how low profile it is with these shots anyway.


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## doncityz (May 17, 2011)

Whoa! that cylinder is looking awesome. does it have a filter in there as well?


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## TactusMortus (Jun 28, 2011)

doncityz said:


> Whoa! that cylinder is looking awesome. does it have a filter in there as well?


Thanks yeah it has a filter. Lets try to stay on topic though I don't want to hijack dogfish's thread. I have a journal for it in the nano section buried somewhere.


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

TactusMortus said:


> I have one of these ebay lights on my cylinder tank. My tank is nearly 20" tall from light to substrate. I still get plenty of growth however I have mostly low light plants and no HC. Very sleek looking light though as it's total profile is about the size of a small cellphone. I would think on a small bowl there wouldn't be much you wouldn't be able to grow with this light.


I think these lights may be too low in power, I believe the one you are showing is 3.5 watts total and I just purchased that lights little brother it has 18 white and 3 blue and only 2 watts, I purchased it for a 2.5 nano but I don't even think it would light a bowl, I get the tank Sunday so it will get set up next week and I'll report back. I'm going to try mosses and crypts.


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## Ozydego (Aug 29, 2011)

I went to home depot tonight to pickup a new utility lamp for my new bowl, an ozelot sword shrimp bowl, I want to see if I can grow the ozelot emerged. I was looking at bulbs and I thought instead of the standard 13w cfl, why not use a cfl spot light, the glass is reflective at the top to concentrate the light where I want it, and it is also 15w. The bowl is approximately 2.5 gallons, so I will work with the height, but I thought why not try high concentrated light and go from there... So far it looks great, time will tell if it becomes an algae bowl from the high light...


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## sockfish (Jul 11, 2007)

I do the same as rikardbob--got the lamp in silver color for $3.00 at Goodwill, and use the same bulb....



Newman said:


> They sell CFL bulb that have built in LEDs to act as "moonlights". yes they have a switch on the bulb, its kinda cool.


Where can I buy such a bulb?? 


sox


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

anywhere really. just check the section that has all the other CFL bulbs. i saw these at my local grocery store lol! the bulbs are for desk lamps i believe.


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## buffheman (Feb 23, 2011)

Hrrm, I was thinking about just getting this little 4W LED light, under the classic WPG assumptions. But it sounds like you all are going considerably higher than that. Do you think this would be an inadequate light for a 1g bowl?

http://www.amazon.com/Ikea-Black-Ja...VM1I/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1323268160&sr=8-3


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

if its 4Watts then yes it might grow some low light plants or maybe more. using higher powered CFLs, we should be using floating plants to remedy the higher light problem, providing shade and nutrient absorption.


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