# My inexpensive CFL light solution



## Wasserpest

I think that's an excellent option. Some might not like the visual aspects, but it has a bit of a steampunk feel to it. :biggrin: Definitely cheap and effective.

Is that a 29gal tank?

Since you mention the Wasser-Controller, keep in mind that with the DIG 8006 you can only run up to 2 things at the same time (unless you double up on the controllers).


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## jmrmotorhead

Wasserpest- thanks for the positive feedback! I was surprised when a member pled me saying they never had seen this before. I can't remember where I saw this but I thought it was more common. Works excellent for me, and i kind of like the look. It grew on me. Regarding the controller- check out my thread about using a different irrigation controller that allows up to 8 zones active at a time, network scheduling, ect. Really awesome find
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/152882-networked-wasser-controller.html
Matt


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## redmikee

I think that's very clever, and it looks as though it's working great too.
I will try it myself


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## kevmo911

It's in a sticky in the lighting forum, http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/85667-par-data-spiral-power-saver-bulbs.html#post837592

I use 3 of those over a 20L tank, about 4" off the top, with 14w bulbs. My Lowes carries 6500 bulbs in a couple different brands, including Sylvania mini CFL's.


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## redmikee

it looks like a simple lighting solution and inexpensive. why drop a lot of money when you can have something inexpensive but effective for a fraction of the cost.


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## jmrmotorhead

Come to think of it, kevmo, that is where I saw the first use of this when I was researching lighting. Glad to spark some interest here

Matt


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## junko

Perfect! I'm going to start with 2 26 watt 5000K's over my 100g stock tank I just set up and tweak it from there. Thanks for the link, Kevmo- I was looking for that yesterday and couldn't find the fantastic data... I forgot you have to scroll down to find it!


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## slavecorps

This is an excellent option for low budget lighting. I have had this type of setup for years and always get excellent growth from my plants. I use GE 26w 6500K and the light is not only good for the plants, but is also visually appealing.


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## Rich Conley

Looks like this is working great for you.


There's also the equally cheap option of the ikea stainless bowls, and hanging light fixtures (about $8-10 each fixture total)


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## OverStocked

I use these on a turtle tank. I greatly prefer the clamp lights menards sells. They use a different clamp and it sits on the tank much better. Works great from "nano" tanks as well. 

I can'd find a picture of one so I will ahve to take one later. the Clamp looks "cleaner" than the normal ones, too.


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## galabar

I just set up something similar over a 10 gallon. However, I went with a 15 watt LED (4900K) from Home Depot. It is very bright, but I think I will need two of them for the 10 gallon. At $37 each, it is a bit expensive, but should last a while, and, I think they are sealed off from moisture better than the CFLs.


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## galabar

OverStocked said:


> I use these on a turtle tank. I greatly prefer the clamp lights menards sells. They use a different clamp and it sits on the tank much better. Works great from "nano" tanks as well.
> 
> I can'd find a picture of one so I will ahve to take one later. the Clamp looks "cleaner" than the normal ones, too.


Which one do you use:

http://www.menards.com/main/search.html?search=clamp+light

I purchased a goose neck floor lamp from Home Depot, but I needed to reinforce it with PVC because the LED I'm using is too heavy. I might try a clamp light for additional lighting.


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## galabar

By the way, do folks think it is safe for the plastic covered metal clip on the clamp light to be in contact with the water of the tank?


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## OverStocked

galabar said:


> Which one do you use:
> 
> http://www.menards.com/main/search.html?search=clamp+light
> 
> I purchased a goose neck floor lamp from Home Depot, but I needed to reinforce it with PVC because the LED I'm using is too heavy. I might try a clamp light for additional lighting.


http://www.menards.com/main/outdoor...2inch-deluxe-clamp-light/p-1462865-c-7546.htm









Notice the clamp differences? It sits naturally at a perfect angle. It doesn't slip down like the others, either.


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## herns

Hi Matt,

Finally, you got this thread started.
Great job!

-Herns


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## tuffgong

I have these clip on light setup on the majority of my tanks. Very cheap but strong light. I usually just clip the lights on to the back rim of the tank with some of the clip below the water surface.


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## jmrmotorhead

Cool to hear other people have been using this with success. I removed the clamps since they wouldn't hold the light at the right angle for me. For now they sit on my versa tops until I get the Ada style light bar up above this tank. Than I'll suspend them from that and maybe go topless


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## herns

I was thinking of buying another fixture in my small tank to supplement an existing one for a highlight setup. Until I found this on your SnS thread.

I just save $30! :hihi:


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## galabar

Here are a few options.

This looks very interesting, but I'm not sure where to buy it:

http://www.global-b2b-network.com/b2b/87/29/399/page15/194019/clamp_lamp.html

This is probably a bit overpriced, but might be good:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=6186

This looks great, but I don't think it will handle the heavier Home Depot PAR38 bulbs:

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=271939


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## Wasserpest

jmrmotorhead said:


> Regarding the controller- check out my thread about using a different irrigation controller that allows up to 8 zones active at a time, network scheduling, ect. Really awesome find
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/152882-networked-wasser-controller.html
> Matt


You are right, I saw that thread, but didn't make the connection. :icon_idea

Going to post some comments there.


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## jmrmotorhead

Some interesting links- a bit more visually appealing than the domes I use, but I think I kind of like it 

Wasserpest- sounds good, looking forward to some input!


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## jmrmotorhead

I just added a fourth shop light above my 30 gallon tank- looks much better, less of a spot light effect. I still for some reason don't mind the look of the domes on top, kind of an industrial look. I still cant wait to get a bar to hang these on though as it's a pain to take them all off the cover when I want to open it up... Anyone else want to post some pictures of this set-up? I'd love to see what other ideas are floating around here.

Matt


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## wGEric

Here is my version of it for my 29G. Most of the wood/hardware I already had so it has been very inexpensive. It is setup for 3 lights but I only have two in it now. I have wired the two lights into one plug that will go into a timer.











I drilled holes into a piece of plywood. I had to chisel the plywood to make it thinner so that the shades could fit. The plywood fills the space that the clamp usually attaches to the light. Each light has a little ridge that won't fit through the hole so that is how they won't fall through.











Attached to the plywood is 3" wide pine boards to make it look nicer. I would suggest going with at least 4" boards since you can see the wire sticking out the top of the light.

I then used chain that I bought at Home Depot to hang it from the ceiling. I have some S-hooks in the middle so that it is easy to raise and lower the lights.


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## jmrmotorhead

Never noticed your reply- Looks like a good simple way to hang them! 
I have had great success with the addition of a fourth 19w 5000K cfl over my 30g

Matt


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## sergio sinay

I would like to see a post like this about fertilization : )im buying these lights tomorrow : )


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## m00se

Zoo Med Deep Dome Lamps

http://preview.tinyurl.com/7p3tsoc


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## KenRC51

m00se said:


> Zoo Med Deep Dome Lamps
> 
> http://preview.tinyurl.com/7p3tsoc


Looks really nice.

What did you use to hang the light fixture? What type of bulbs are you using?


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## jrman83

Good looking tanks.


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## jmrmotorhead

Moose- every time I see that tank I drool... I really like the matching black domes and the trim...
Here's some recent shots of mine:
















Looking back, I wish I had taken the clamp off the far left light before taking pictures! I screw it back on when I am doing work in the tank, that way I can hook it on to the end and see what I'm doing.

And a nice shot before the big trim, showing the domes:


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## TheJadeShrimp

Ooh very nice. I use a clamp lamp and a cfl on my two nanos. I may try them on a 29 gallon. It looks really nice!


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## m00se

KenRC51 said:


> Looks really nice.
> 
> What did you use to hang the light fixture? What type of bulbs are you using?


Hey Ken,

Lucky for me, hanging was pretty straight forward because I live in a 120 year old factory that was converted into apartments. So, I spent $5 on some clips for drop ceiling frames and 10 feet of black chain at Lowes. I shot this with the flash so you could see it clearly, but in reality it's toned way down in the room and you don't notice it so much. Eventually I'll get around to splicing the wiring together and removing the plug on the end of that extension cord and tidy it up a bit. It's all thrown together really. I didn't want to commit to it until I was sure the plants would like it. So far I'm very happy, and the plants seem to be too... Bulbs are "4 for $6" bulk no brands from Lowes. "Daylight" color temp, which I think is 5K if I remember correctly. Nothing fancy I assure you. I also dry dose ferts, and micros come from Flourish Comprehensive. I run pressurized CO2 through the end of a chopstick into the intake of an FX5 canister. It's a 40 gallon breeder.

Here's a pic:


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## KenRC51

WOW, very nice. I see that your ceiling makes it really easy for you to hand the lights up.


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## herns

I just found out from a Kellogs Chips/ Crakers bag that it was made of a good reflective material like mylar. The material is more thicker than mylar.

I place it for experiment on my fixture and tried yesterday on my tank and it has an excellent result.

Photo shows cut outs were not carefully laid out.


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## accordztech

herns said:


> I just found out from a Kellogs Chips/ Crakers bag that it was made of a good reflective material like mylar. The material is more thicker than mylar.
> 
> I place it for experiment on my fixture and tried yesterday on my tank and it has an excellent result.
> 
> Photo shows cut outs were not carefully laid out.


So did you think the standard reflector in that clamp on light wasnt good enough?


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## herns

It has less strikes that I wanted. 

I search over reflective materials and found a thread that suggest mylar, alum. foil, and flat white paint.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/139063-foil-tape-white-glossy-paint.html#post1410595

I tried Alum. foil and I would say, the foil bag I found inside Kellogs has the best strikes I've tried.

Here's another shot. I tried getting a pics with lights on but were not good photos. There's just too much light.

This shot has more reflection from the camera.
Its not the same from the photo above.


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## jart

What a great thread... lots of nice looking tanks and options for low budget lighting.


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## m00se

herns said:


> It has less strikes that I wanted.
> 
> I search over reflective materials and found a thread that suggest mylar, alum. foil, and flat white paint.
> 
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/139063-foil-tape-white-glossy-paint.html#post1410595
> 
> I tried Alum. foil and I would say, the foil bag I found inside Kellogs has the best strikes I've tried.
> 
> Here's another shot. I tried getting a pics with lights on but were not good photos. There's just too much light.
> 
> This shot has more reflection from the camera.
> Its not the same from the photo above.


One of the things about fresh water planted tanks that seduced me into keeping aquariums again after many years away from the hobby is the fact that they could be as simple or complex as you want to make them. Unlike reef keeping, where you can drop $20k without blinking. So experiment away!


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## herns

jart said:


> What a great thread... lots of nice looking tanks and options for low budget lighting.


I paid only about $14 including the bulb.
Reflective material was accidentally found when I bought a Kellogs chip crackers. 

I can post the exact name of it when I visit grocery next time.


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## jmrmotorhead

I like it, awesome idea.
I'll have to raid the pantry later on...
Matt


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## Snowflake311

*My light is shot I think. Replace or fix?*

Word


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## jart

I think the biggest question I'd have if I decided to go this route would be how many lights are necessary for adequate coverage without any poorly lit spots.

I mean looking at this pic:


m00se said:


>


...well, just looking at the size of the tank would make me think that 2 fixtures might provide enough light.
Trial and error is likely necessary... in any event, the whole project is low cost, and probably fun at the same time.


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## jmrmotorhead

With my 30g I tried 3 8inch domes. They were spaced about 3-4 inches apart, but I could see slight dark areas between them and at the edges. I opted to add a fourth and haven't looked back!


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## m00se

Don't forget you have your lamps sitting right on the glass. The height of the light above the water will make a difference in the overlap. I don't see any areas in my "18 inches front-to-back" 40b that are lighter or darker. The length of my tank is the same as yours (36"). I bet if you lifted your lamps you'd see a big difference.

I just checked and the bottom of the CFL is 8.5" from the water surface. The bottom edge of the shade is 4" from the water surface. So although these shades are deeper than the shades you're using, the spread is much better at the height they're at. 

Also be aware that Fluker make these same lamps, but the inside of the shade is white. I chose the Zoo Meds specifically because they were aluminum inside. Just as a FYI, I'm using 15w 6500K daylights in those. They're generic Lowes house brand. Months ago when I was running DIY CO2 I tried 23w "natural light" daylight bulbs and it was way too much light. I was combating every algae known to man. These bulbs seem to have all the PAR they need to get the job done. roud:

So jart, the take-away of all this is that "it depends" :icon_mrgr


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## herns

What is the lowest height available for this type of fixture?
I measured the 9" diameter I got from HD and the height is about 7".

Does anyone has 5" high model lamp?


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## allaboutfish

ill be doing this on my 10 gallon. 2 20 watt CFL's(a little overboard). ill be using these lamps on a glass hood
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753959


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## m00se

allaboutfish said:


> ill be doing this on my 10 gallon. 2 20 watt CFL's(a little overboard). ill be using these lamps on a glass hood
> http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753959



What makes you choose those bulbs and/or configuration?


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## allaboutfish

m00se said:


> What makes you choose those bulbs and/or configuration?


what do you mean?


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## m00se

allaboutfish said:


> what do you mean?


It was a polite way of asking you why you are interested in putting that much light over a 10 gallon tank, I guess. Meaning - Are you propagating SPS corals in there, or growing plants? Because that much light over that small a surface area, unless they're 24" or more above the tank, will become unmanageable and cause all sorts of problems. The number one problem IMO will be algae. Number two will be moderating temperature. CFL's don't put out a lot of heat, but they do generate a bit. Ten gallons of water is unstable on a good day, and I'm guessing here, but my intuition tells me it will cook that tank if you put those lamps right on the cover glass. I don't mean to be condescending or rude. I'm just curious how you arrived at those wattages.


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## dundadundun

first off... i have to start off by saying this was a phenomenal thread idea. too many people it seems are attracted to "high quality" lighting and have problems because they can't make the necessary adjustments to make it work once they've spent top dollar on their equipment. not that they couldn't add some mounting/hanging hardware....

this thread shows clearly that you can get great results on a budget without the need to feel embarrassed about sharing your frugal nature with the community.

amano fanbois look out. :biggrin: rofl...

anyway... my personal ghetto hanging clamp lamp fixture thingies...









make no never mind that they all aren't the exact same unit. i used what i had on hand and haven't cared to fix what's not broke as of yet.


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## allaboutfish

m00se said:


> It was a polite way of asking you why you are interested in putting that much light over a 10 gallon tank, I guess. Meaning - Are you propagating SPS corals in there, or growing plants? Because that much light over that small a surface area, unless they're 24" or more above the tank, will become unmanageable and cause all sorts of problems. The number one problem IMO will be algae. Number two will be moderating temperature. CFL's don't put out a lot of heat, but they do generate a bit. Ten gallons of water is unstable on a good day, and I'm guessing here, but my intuition tells me it will cook that tank if you put those lamps right on the cover glass. I don't mean to be condescending or rude. I'm just curious how you arrived at those wattages.


well on another forum someone has 2 CFL's 36 watts each on a ten and she has minimal algae so far plus i have a dirt bottom, im dosing ferts, and i plan on doing DIY Co2, plus ill have a large floating plant.
oh and do you really think itd heat the tank? the tanks not heated but i dont want to fry the fish. i also picked the light so i could upgrade to a 20 high.


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## m00se

allaboutfish said:


> what do you mean?


Hey allaboutfish - One other thing. In a post above I describe the difference between the Zoo Med (aluminum) shade and the Fluker (white paint) shade. On the chance that you get a bigger tank you might consider the difference between white paint and aluminum as reflector material. There's not a lot of difference in reflectivity between the 2 materials (aluminum works slightly better), but it does exist. White paint yellows eventually, and there's the stickler. The Fluker does give you the traditional clamp whereas the Zoo Med is designed to be used with their stand so you only get a wire "hanger" with them. You'll have to decide whether or not the clamps are necessary or not. I knew I wasn't going to use them.

I bought from these folks and was happy with the transaction. They were cheaper than anyone else by a large amount when I bought my 8.5" lamps.

http://ozbo.com/Zoo-Med-Laboratories-Mini-Deep-Dome-Lamp-Part-LF-19.html

Good luck!


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## allaboutfish

m00se said:


> Hey allaboutfish - One other thing. In a post above I describe the difference between the Zoo Med (aluminum) shade and the Fluker (white paint) shade. On the chance that you get a bigger tank you might consider the difference between white paint and aluminum as reflector material. There's not a lot of difference in reflectivity between the 2 materials (aluminum works slightly better), but it does exist. White paint yellows eventually, and there's the stickler. The Fluker does give you the traditional clamp whereas the Zoo Med is designed to be used with their stand so you only get a wire "hanger" with them. You'll have to decide whether or not the clamps are necessary or not. I knew I wasn't going to use them.
> 
> I bought from these folks and was happy with the transaction. They were cheaper than anyone else by a large amount when I bought my 8.5" lamps.
> 
> http://ozbo.com/Zoo-Med-Laboratories-Mini-Deep-Dome-Lamp-Part-LF-19.html
> 
> Good luck!


yea i dont need the clamp. i actually have one of the zoo meds so im just going to get another, but thanks!!


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## m00se

allaboutfish said:


> well on another forum someone has 2 CFL's 36 watts each on a ten and she has minimal algae so far plus i have a dirt bottom, im dosing ferts, and i plan on doing DIY Co2, plus ill have a large floating plant.
> oh and do you really think itd heat the tank? the tanks not heated but i dont want to fry the fish. i also picked the light so i could upgrade to a 20 high.


I would be interested in knowing how high that person has them hanging above the tank. 72 watts on a 10 gallon tank? Wow is all I have to say. All of the mitigating information you supply for your tank is good to know, but I'm not convinced you'll be trouble free with that much light. Of course I'm willing to be wrong here!! :icon_bigg 10 gallon tanks are notoriously unstable on many parameters, especially temperature. Again there's no way to know exactly what the temp will do on your specific tank, but experience and general wisdom within the hobby points that way. There's a reason "kits" come with 6-9 watt lights on 10 gallon tanks. Hoppy's got an excellent chart he put together with his PAR meter and various light levels. I don't have the url handy but I think it's a sticky in the lighting forum. I do, however, have this thread saved, and if you drill down a bit, you will discover the outstanding work *i4x4nMore* did examining various CFL configurations and how important just a small adjustment can make in their orientation and height above the tank. He explains it with detailed Powerpoint slides and makes it interesting.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/85667-par-data-spiral-power-saver-bulbs.html

I see this thread is a sticky too! Good! Excellent work!

Here is Hoppy's thread: 

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/105774-par-vs-distance-t5-t12-pc.html

All the best!


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## Hoppy

Here is an article by a guy I know extremely well: http://www.aquabotanic.com/?p=1497


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## jmrmotorhead

m00se said:


> Don't forget you have your lamps sitting right on the glass. The height of the light above the water will make a difference in the overlap. I don't see any areas in my "18 inches front-to-back" 40b that are lighter or darker. The length of my tank is the same as yours (36"). I bet if you lifted your lamps you'd see a big difference.
> 
> I just checked and the bottom of the CFL is 8.5" from the water surface. The bottom edge of the shade is 4" from the water surface. So although these shades are deeper than the shades you're using, the spread is much better at the height they're at.
> 
> Also be aware that Fluker make these same lamps, but the inside of the shade is white. I chose the Zoo Meds specifically because they were aluminum inside. Just as a FYI, I'm using 15w 6500K daylights in those. They're generic Lowes house brand. Months ago when I was running DIY CO2 I tried 23w "natural light" daylight bulbs and it was way too much light. I was combating every algae known to man. These bulbs seem to have all the PAR they need to get the job done. roud:
> 
> So jart, the take-away of all this is that "it depends" :icon_mrgr


Very very true. I have been trying to get better spread, and didn't even think of the relationship between height off the surface and lateral dispersion. I should probably raise these up before I get some nice algae growing... 19w x4 is a lot of light from what I've read... I think I'll start around 5" from the surface and see where that gets me. Remember I have a stupid glass top on there... so I'm sure that reflects some of the light back out.

On a side note my rotala just started to shoot up after the low top trim, can't wait till the l aromatica and reopens start to grow

Do you have a journal for your tank moose? I really would like to look through the progress you've made. It really looks great.


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## jmrmotorhead

dundadundun said:


> first off... i have to start off by saying this was a phenomenal thread idea. too many people it seems are attracted to "high quality" lighting and have problems because they can't make the necessary adjustments to make it work once they've spent top dollar on their equipment. not that they couldn't add some mounting/hanging hardware....
> 
> this thread shows clearly that you can get great results on a budget without the need to feel embarrassed about sharing your frugal nature with the community.
> 
> amano fanbois look out. :biggrin: rofl...
> 
> anyway... my personal ghetto hanging clamp lamp fixture thingies...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> make no never mind that they all aren't the exact same unit. i used what i had on hand and haven't cared to fix what's not broke as of yet.


Thanks Dun, I'm glad we got this thread going, seems to have helped quite a few people get effective lighting with a low budget. I like your tank, what are your light hanging from?

Matt


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## m00se

herns said:


> What is the lowest height available for this type of fixture?
> I measured the 9" diameter I got from HD and the height is about 7".
> 
> Does anyone has 5" high model lamp?


herns: I'm not sure what you're asking here. My lamps are 8.5" diameter at the opening, and 9" tall (at the top of the ceramic socket). There is a narrow deep dome lamp made by both Fluker and Zoo Med. It's 5" diameter. I don't know how tall it is - I think about the same as the 8.5". There are several manufacturers of clamp lamps. They vary slightly in dimensions. If you want to investigate them, when you google include "brooder lamp" in your searches. roud:

I think in the near future you'll see plenty more deep dome style lamps due to the fact that the new CFLs are mandated in the US, and the old shades are too shallow to accommodate them.


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## dundadundun

jmrmotorhead said:


> Thanks Dun, I'm glad we got this thread going, seems to have helped quite a few people get effective lighting with a low budget. I like your tank, what are your light hanging from?
> 
> Matt


i just have them hanging from the kids dvd shelf for now. eventually... if i stick with this lighting, i want to get a vinyl fence post, a couple endcaps and feed the sockets through from the inside and put the reflectors back on. then paint everything flat black and add some hanging hardware.


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## herns

allaboutfish said:


> well on another forum someone has 2 CFL's 36 watts each on a ten and she has minimal algae...


Iam currently experimenting "high light" on my 5.5g. I have 14W CF Oddyssea Lamp and 27W spiral CFL bulb attached to work lamp. That's *41watts* combine.

I got algae the first time I set up this small tank using 14W fixture only. Staghorn and BGA appeard. I reduce photo period from 10 hrs to 5 hours, the algae were gone. Then I found this work lamp idea and installed 14watts spiral bulb. I was not happy about it, upgraded to 27Watts and run 6 hrs. CO2 was set 2-3bps and carefully watch EI dosing.

After two weeks, the plants are thriving very well and pearling like crazy!!!

I'm planning to add fish in few weeks or after plants get robust growth.


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## m00se

jmrmotorhead said:


> Very very true. I have been trying to get better spread, and didn't even think of the relationship between height off the surface and lateral dispersion. I should probably raise these up before I get some nice algae growing... 19w x4 is a lot of light from what I've read... I think I'll start around 5" from the surface and see where that gets me. Remember I have a stupid glass top on there... so I'm sure that reflects some of the light back out.
> 
> On a side note my rotala just started to shoot up after the low top trim, can't wait till the l aromatica and reopens start to grow
> 
> Do you have a journal for your tank moose? I really would like to look through the progress you've made. It really looks great.


No, I wish I did start one. I just got this camera. Before that I had this really horrible cam that came with my $5 phone :icon_wink

My 40b is less than a month old. I had a 30 gallon just like yours. I switched from the Flourite black in the 30 to Black Diamond sand in this one. I think you may have seen that tank in another thread or two that we've both posted in. I really do like the 30 gallon size though. I bought that setup used for peanuts, but the tank was built in 1987 (said so right on the "Made By Billy" tag in the bottom) and there were scratches all over the glass and the silicone didn't owe anybody anything. Like many others, the bug bit and I just had to have what I wanted so I set out to buy myself a "nice tank". Well....

I was all bugged about getting a rimless tank. I spent weeks researching and decided that I could get that nice tank, but then I was stuck with the stand it came with, which usually costs as much (or more) than the already ridiculously priced tank. I don't have the space or tools to make my own any more. I definitely do have the skill - I used to have a full metal and wood shop in my basement. Envious amounts of Tim Tooltime. That was another life. Now I live in an efficiency apartment and those are fond but distant memories. So....

Realizing that a 50 gallon rimless and stand would set me back close to or over a grand I said "Petco here I come!" and drove directly over to their $1 A Gallon Sale! and bought me a 40 gallon breeder for $40. roud: Found an ad on Craigslist for an Oceanic 70 gallon with stand (same dimension as the 40b) so I bought that too. That tank needed re-siliconing but I wasn't interested. Waay too big for my room. I dumpstered it. It was that stand I was after. It was off-pink colored pickled oak... I sprayed it with Krylon gloss black. Like a boss.

You know, sometimes our subconscious works in mysterious ways. This is one of those times. The science and the aesthetic decided not to argue for once. I might have been happier with a rimless tank, but somehow I doubt it. I would have had to put up with one of those fugly stands they come with and I would have had to remind myself every time I looked at it how dearly it came...

So, I was out $200 for the used stand, $48 for the tank (they tax you on $100 when you buy them at Petco!!), and $25 for spray paint, sand paper, and beer...mostly beer... :icon_mrgr


----------



## jmrmotorhead

m00se said:


> No, I wish I did start one. I just got this camera. Before that I had this really horrible cam that came with my $5 phone :icon_wink
> 
> My 40b is less than a month old. I had a 30 gallon just like yours. I switched from the Flourite black in the 30 to Black Diamond sand in this one. I think you may have seen that tank in another thread or two that we've both posted in. I really do like the 30 gallon size though. I bought that setup used for peanuts, but the tank was built in 1987 (said so right on the "Made By Billy" tag in the bottom) and there were scratches all over the glass and the silicone didn't owe anybody anything. Like many others, the bug bit and I just had to have what I wanted so I set out to buy myself a "nice tank". Well....
> 
> I was all bugged about getting a rimless tank. I spent weeks researching and decided that I could get that nice tank, but then I was stuck with the stand it came with, which usually costs as much (or more) than the already ridiculously priced tank. I don't have the space or tools to make my own any more. I definitely do have the skill - I used to have a full metal and wood shop in my basement. Envious amounts of Tim Tooltime. That was another life. Now I live in an efficiency apartment and those are fond but distant memories. So....
> 
> Realizing that a 50 gallon rimless and stand would set me back close to or over a grand I said "Petco here I come!" and drove directly over to their $1 A Gallon Sale! and bought me a 40 gallon breeder for $40. roud: Found an ad on Craigslist for an Oceanic 70 gallon with stand (same dimension as the 40b) so I bought that too. That tank needed re-siliconing but I wasn't interested. Waay too big for my room. I dumpstered it. It was that stand I was after. It was off-pink colored pickled oak... I sprayed it with Krylon gloss black. Like a boss.
> 
> You know, sometimes our subconscious works in mysterious ways. This is one of those times. The science and the aesthetic decided not to argue for once. I might have been happier with a rimless tank, but somehow I doubt it. I would have had to put up with one of those fugly stands they come with and I would have had to remind myself every time I looked at it how dearly it came...
> 
> So, I was out $200 for the used stand, $48 for the tank (they tax you on $100 when you buy them at Petco!!), and $25 for spray paint, sand paper, and beer...mostly beer... :icon_mrgr


Sounds like exactly what my progression will be! I woudl love a rimless tank, but in all honesty I could never afford one, and would probably enjoy making something like yours more. I'm going with the black diamond in the next tank for sure, looks amazing. I start a new job next week, so maybe I'll finally have some funding to get the lights hung and a few things sorted out with this one.


----------



## galabar

Yes, the 40 breeder during the $1/gallon sale at PetCo is the way to do.


----------



## xjasminex

Hello! 
Question, for a ten gallon, would two 13 cfl be sufficient for a low to medium light? 
Thanks!
Jasmine


----------



## galabar

xjasminex said:


> Hello!
> Question, for a ten gallon, would two 13 cfl be sufficient for a low to medium light?
> Thanks!
> Jasmine


Get a couple of 13 watt LEDs instead. They are more expense (around $25 each), but will last longer and are much more safe to put in an open fixture over your tank:

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


----------



## accordztech

galabar said:


> Yes, the 40 breeder during the $1/gallon sale at PetCo is the way to do.


is that happening again now?


----------



## Hoppy

xjasminex said:


> Hello!
> Question, for a ten gallon, would two 13 cfl be sufficient for a low to medium light?
> Thanks!
> Jasmine


Yes, it will be sufficient, if you have a fairly good reflector behind the bulbs. Otherwise it would probably take higher wattage bulbs.


----------



## xjasminex

Alright, thank you!


----------



## binxer

I'm really interested in this cheap method of lighting my first planted tank. I took a look at the link that was posted earlier... http://www.aquabotanic.com/?p=1497

It doesn't say specifically how many bulbs to use other than 2 for a 10 gallon tank. I want to do a low tech, non CO2 tank. I have a 29 gallon... I'm guessing I should use 3 bulbs total at 19 watts each (so 60 watts at 2 wpg)? Or is that too much light?


----------



## herns

binxer said:


> I'm guessing I should use 3 bulbs total at 19 watts each (so 60 watts at 2 wpg)? Or is that too much light?


 It depends how you place your fixture, far or close from your tank that make a 60watts low or high light setting. 

I have 41watts on my 5.5G that would be "7wpg". I placed it close to the tank that made it very high light.

Here's a good thread that explain it further in details.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/85667-par-data-spiral-power-saver-bulbs-2.html#post834956


----------



## allaboutfish

i think ill be doing this on my 55 now. would 4 40 watt CFL's work?


----------



## herns

That would work just fine.


----------



## binxer

herns said:


> It depends how you place your fixture, far or close from your tank that make a 60watts low or high light setting.
> 
> I have 41watts on my 5.5G that would be "7wpg". I placed it close to the tank that made it very high light.
> 
> Here's a good thread that explain it further in details.
> 
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/85667-par-data-spiral-power-saver-bulbs-2.html#post834956


That's a great thread which I just read. It doesn't really seem to help unless I had the exact same tank or a PAR meter. How will I know how far to raise the lights for the right PAR for a low light tank?


----------



## Wasserpest

allaboutfish said:


> i think ill be doing this on my 55 now. would 4 40 watt CFL's work?


Keep in mind for marketing reasons CFL lights often state an "Incandescent Equivalent" wattage, that is, how many watts a regular old light bulb with comparable brightness would consume.

The actual wattage of CFL lights is about 25% of that. Huge difference.

That said, when we talk about wattage, we always refer to the "actual" wattage that a fluorescent bulb draws. So check the package or bulb socket, it might say something like "11W".

In that case, they would be a bit too weak for a 55gal tank. Keep in mind that these CFL lights are not as efficient as a tube which can be very nicely reflected. There is quite a bit of loss due to restrike.

That said, you will easily find higher wattages (say 26W) which would be a better choice for a larger tank like yours.


----------



## allaboutfish

Wasserpest said:


> Keep in mind for marketing reasons CFL lights often state an "Incandescent Equivalent" wattage, that is, how many watts a regular old light bulb with comparable brightness would consume.
> 
> The actual wattage of CFL lights is about 25% of that. Huge difference.
> 
> That said, when we talk about wattage, we always refer to the "actual" wattage that a fluorescent bulb draws. So check the package or bulb socket, it might say something like "11W".
> 
> In that case, they would be a bit too weak for a 55gal tank. Keep in mind that these CFL lights are not as efficient as a tube which can be very nicely reflected. There is quite a bit of loss due to restrike.
> 
> That said, you will easily find higher wattages (say 26W) which would be a better choice for a larger tank like yours.


i actually meant 4 20 watt bulbs haha


----------



## xjasminex

Soo with the articles provided here and this thread:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/85667-par-data-spiral-power-saver-bulbs.html

I have come to the conclusion that if i use two 14 watt CFL bulbs in the clamp on hardware light fixture on top of my ten gallon while also dosing exel three times a week i should be able to grow low-mediumish plants. 
If anyone thinks otherwise please post =] 
Thanks!
Jasmine


----------



## Azarakiah

m00se said:


> Don't forget you have your lamps sitting right on the glass. The height of the light above the water will make a difference in the overlap. I don't see any areas in my "18 inches front-to-back" 40b that are lighter or darker. The length of my tank is the same as yours (36"). I bet if you lifted your lamps you'd see a big difference.
> 
> I just checked and the bottom of the CFL is 8.5" from the water surface. The bottom edge of the shade is 4" from the water surface. So although these shades are deeper than the shades you're using, the spread is much better at the height they're at.
> 
> Also be aware that Fluker make these same lamps, but the inside of the shade is white. I chose the Zoo Meds specifically because they were aluminum inside. Just as a FYI, I'm using 15w 6500K daylights in those. They're generic Lowes house brand. Months ago when I was running DIY CO2 I tried 23w "natural light" daylight bulbs and it was way too much light. I was combating every algae known to man. These bulbs seem to have all the PAR they need to get the job done. roud:
> 
> So jart, the take-away of all this is that "it depends" :icon_mrgr


moose im asking cuz i envy your 40b and u close to me, i went to the lowes on erie couldnt find 6500k bulbs as the twisty cfl or w/e, the only 6500k bulb they had on the shelf was more of a tube shaped, is that the one u used? i have 14 wat 5000k ones at the moment, and im doing 3 10 1/2 inch domes found them for 10 a pop at tractor supply


----------



## m00se

Azarakiah said:


> moose im asking cuz i envy your 40b and u close to me, i went to the lowes on erie couldnt find 6500k bulbs as the twisty cfl or w/e, the only 6500k bulb they had on the shelf was more of a tube shaped, is that the one u used? i have 14 wat 5000k ones at the moment, and im doing 3 10 1/2 inch domes found them for 10 a pop at tractor supply



Haha...I had to un-bury the extra bulb I had to look at the brand... It's a "Bright Effects" Item # BE15T3/D

http://energy-star-lighting.findthebest.com/l/1919/Bright-Effects

That's the bulb ^

I know Lowes has their bulbs scattered all over their stores. It doesn't surprise me that you'd have trouble finding them. They're in a whitish generic looking package. They're cheap!! I paid $7 or $8 for 4 of them. I *think* they were on the floor along the CFL section, but that's a months-old memory and who knows where they might be now. Also, I bought them at the Camillus store on W. Genesee St. in Camillus Commons. I doubt that makes a difference, but who can know, right? 

Don't look in the "premium" bulbs - they're in the cheap seats. If you want to save a trip, call them and shoot them that item # and the person who answers the phone can look up inventory on their computer and tell you whether they have them in stock or not. Good luck.


----------



## jmrmotorhead

Update-
Looks like adding A fourth lamp at 15 inches off the sub was a bad move. Since then I've noticed some algae starting to form (staghorn, hair, and brush). Tried everything from h202, manual removal, upping co2, and double checking ferts, no luck stopping it. It still hasn't gotten out of control, thank god, so I shot a pm off to moose to see his thoughts. He said he thought my issue was too much light, so I double checked my charts and heights, and sure enough I had around 60 micromols of par (as far as I can tell). So today I built a temporary PVC bar to suspend the lamps about 20 inches off the substrate. This should give me around 30 micromols of par, and should lower my demands of nutrients. I hope this will help knock out the algae, and I'll post an update in a few weeks. Just wanted to say be careful, these lights are more than capable of pushing nutrients to the limit, leading to an imbalance.

Matt


----------



## sockfish

*Paydirt!*



Hoppy said:


> Here is an article by a guy I know extremely well: http://www.aquabotanic.com/?p=1497


 
THANK YOU for this link! It was simple enough for me to finally figure out PARs and Watts to decide what I need and how to get it in a low budget style.

Relief. I can finally start my 30 gal.....

sox


----------



## sheathed0117

jmrmotorhead said:


> Moose- every time I see that tank I drool... I really like the matching black domes and the trim...
> Here's some recent shots of mine:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looking back, I wish I had taken the clamp off the far left light before taking pictures! I screw it back on when I am doing work in the tank, that way I can hook it on to the end and see what I'm doing.
> 
> And a nice shot before the big trim, showing the domes:


do you just put them on the glass on top of the tank? if i get 2 of those and get a 23 watt bulb for each of them and use it in my 50 gallon, would it work fine for a low or medium light tank?


----------



## sheathed0117

galabar said:


> Here are a few options.
> 
> This looks very interesting, but I'm not sure where to buy it:
> 
> http://www.global-b2b-network.com/b2b/87/29/399/page15/194019/clamp_lamp.html
> 
> This is probably a bit overpriced, but might be good:
> 
> http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=6186
> 
> This looks great, but I don't think it will handle the heavier Home Depot PAR38 bulbs:
> 
> http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=271939


i've seen that clamp lamp in your first link i'm just wondering if you've ever got to try it casue i'm planning to use 2 of those in my 50 gallon tank. i'll be putting 23watt bulbs in each.


----------



## hedge_fund

Great thread. I'll be doing a very similar set up....just ordered my glass hood and need to hit up Home Depot for the rest.


----------



## m00se

I'll just throw this out here...it wasn't meant to be any kind of a journal in the spirit of the journals on here. It's just a repository for my aquarium pix online, and in no particular order. Don't be too harsh 

http://imgur.com/a/bXI54#0

Those are Zoo Med Deep Dome lamps 8.5" (NOT the narrow ones). These pix are also old now, as I have rescaped a couple of times since the newest pix were taken. The bulbs are 13w 6500K el-cheapo generic 4 packers from Lowes.


----------



## Azarakiah

i use 3 23watt sylvania bulbs 6500k from lowes. these are 10 inch domes. wish i went with 4 8s though


----------



## PeterN1986

I use the same 23W 6500k bulbs from Lowe's and 10" domes, looking pretty good so far. I just built that "stand" this past Monday. I'm trying to get my HC to carpet the bottom. I started from one little pot and it looks like its growing out, slowly but surely. My sword grows a new full leaf per week too. I dose Excel every night and Flourish and dry ferts only once a week. Might up it to twice a week depending on how the plants look.


----------



## Azarakiah

PeterN1986 said:


> I use the same 23W 6500k bulbs from Lowe's and 10" domes, looking pretty good so far. I just built that "stand" this past Monday. I'm trying to get my HC to carpet the bottom. I started from one little pot and it looks like its growing out, slowly but surely. My sword grows a new full leaf per week too. I dose Excel every night and Flourish and dry ferts only once a week. Might up it to twice a week depending on how the plants look.


lol, 10 inch domes from tractor supply huh..


----------



## m00se

PeterN1986 said:


> I use the same 23W 6500k bulbs from Lowe's and 10" domes, looking pretty good so far. I just built that "stand" this past Monday. I'm trying to get my HC to carpet the bottom. I started from one little pot and it looks like its growing out, slowly but surely. My sword grows a new full leaf per week too. I dose Excel every night and Flourish and dry ferts only once a week. Might up it to twice a week depending on how the plants look.



Is that a 10 gallon? Are you running pressurized CO2? How long has your tank been set up? 46w of CFL is a LOT of light for that tank! I was running 23 watters on my 40b and I backed down to 13...everything is MUCH easier to handle and I have about 30 species in there, all growing well.


----------



## Azarakiah

PeterN1986 said:


> I use the same 23W 6500k bulbs from Lowe's and 10" domes, looking pretty good so far. I just built that "stand" this past Monday. I'm trying to get my HC to carpet the bottom. I started from one little pot and it looks like its growing out, slowly but surely. My sword grows a new full leaf per week too. I dose Excel every night and Flourish and dry ferts only once a week. Might up it to twice a week depending on how the plants look.


whats the plant with the red on it in the center?


----------



## Azarakiah

m00se said:


> Is that a 10 gallon? Are you running pressurized CO2? How long has your tank been set up? 46w of CFL is a LOT of light for that tank! I was running 23 watters on my 40b and I backed down to 13...everything is MUCH easier to handle and I have about 30 species in there, all growing well.


 
i think it looks like a 15 tall or a 20 gal im thinking, idk though 

and moose my tank seems to handle the 3 23 watt ones fine =) finally found the damn bulbs at lowes after weeks of going there over and over. all the 6500k stuff was sold out, really i think it was just m00se stocking up lol


----------



## m00se

LOL - their merchandising for light bulbs leave a bit to be desired doesn't it. Looks like a 10 gal to me but I sure could be wrong.


----------



## Nubster

I buy mine at Walmart. Easier to find and probably cheaper too. I get a two pack for around $8.

Anyways, I am setting up a 20L shrimp tank, low to medium/low plants. Should I go 3 fixtures due to length? 13w bulbs off the tank however far I need to go? It will be mostly mosses and Java Fern in the tank.


----------



## In.a.Box

Lowes and home debot doesn't carry 6500k cfl anymore. 
The 65k has been replace by 55k.

You will have to look else where like walmart or order online.


----------



## m00se

13w are plenty of light for a 13" height tank. You might get away with three 8" width lamps. They'll probably be really close together. Walmarts around here only sell the 2700K "soft white" bulbs. One thing to consider is that the bulbs on those brooder lamps stick out the bottom slightly. I had to add opaque plastic "extenders" on the bottom rim of the ones I had or the light really spilled into the room and made looking at the tank difficult from a sitting position. That's why I went with the deep domes from Zoo Med. More money but well worth it to me.


----------



## Azarakiah

In.a.Box said:


> Lowes and home debot doesn't carry 6500k cfl anymore.
> The 65k has been replace by 55k.
> 
> You will have to look else where like walmart or order online.


as of when? i bought my 6500ks like 2 weeks ago...


----------



## Valyrian

I have a question about putting the lights directly over a glass top. Most of them have that strip of plastic in the middle that's a hinge so you can open it right? Do you guys just ignore it when putting the lights and just put it directly on top of that?


----------



## Azarakiah

i have had mine rest directly on top of it, its not a prob, the cool water under the glass keeps the glass cool anyways, the plastic barely even felt room temperature whenever id lift a dome and touch it., also the plastic sticks up like 16th-8th inch, so if the dome is on it in the very middle, the only part of the dome thats touching is where its on the plastic, the rest of the bottom of the dome should be up off the glass that amount which would also act like a vet too. plus if need be u can always drill bigger vent holes in the top of the dome if ur paranoid


----------



## PeterN1986

m00se said:


> Is that a 10 gallon? Are you running pressurized CO2? How long has your tank been set up? 46w of CFL is a LOT of light for that tank! I was running 23 watters on my 40b and I backed down to 13...everything is MUCH easier to handle and I have about 30 species in there, all growing well.


Sorry for the late reply - my tank is a 20g High - 24L x 12W x 16H inches. I went with the 23W bulbs because of the CFL PAR data (http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/85667-par-data-spiral-power-saver-bulbs-2.html#post837592). According to that, with a 23W bulb about 18" above the substrate, I would get around 55 PAR for my HC. 19W or 13W bulbs would provide less.


----------



## PeterN1986

Azarakiah said:


> whats the plant with the red on it in the center?


The plant with the red is this one (I got it from the site too):

http://www.aquariumplants.com/Telanthera_Rosefolia_Alternanthera_reineckii_p/bp031.htm


----------



## PeterN1986

m00se said:


> Is that a 10 gallon? Are you running pressurized CO2? How long has your tank been set up? 46w of CFL is a LOT of light for that tank! I was running 23 watters on my 40b and I backed down to 13...everything is MUCH easier to handle and I have about 30 species in there, all growing well.


Also, I'm not running any CO2, just doing Excel and dry ferts. I don't plan on having any CO2, I like the low maintenance of low tech. I've had the tank set up for two months now (I went with mineralized topsoil capped wit Eco complete). I have had the expected brown diatom algae and some short "hair" like algae on most of my leaves, but I have RCS's and pond snails and an oto that have since gobbled them all up.


----------



## m00se

I think that would put you into the medium-high range actually. I battled hair algae at that light level too until I started pressurized CO2. It's all in what you want out of your tank though isn't it. When I was running the 23w bulbs I had a lot of really fast growth. Since then I've gone to 13w and the deep dome lamps, and it's much easier to maintain. I do want to experiment with the 19w or even go back to the 23w with these new lamps. I might do what this weekend and just see how some of my plants react. 

Cheers


----------



## vvDO

PeterN1986 said:


> I use the same 23W 6500k bulbs from Lowe's and 10" domes, looking pretty good so far. I just built that "stand" this past Monday. I'm trying to get my HC to carpet the bottom. I started from one little pot and it looks like its growing out, slowly but surely. My sword grows a new full leaf per week too. I dose Excel every night and Flourish and dry ferts only once a week. Might up it to twice a week depending on how the plants look.


I'm liking the stand, would you be willing to explain how you made it, materials, etc?


----------



## rezco

I use 6500k daylight bulbs from home depot. I also see very good growth (supplement w co2).

I was able to fit one in a hood made for incandescent bulbs. Had to trim the reflector to fit the spiral bulb. I like your option - less work.


----------



## PeterN1986

vvDO said:


> I'm liking the stand, would you be willing to explain how you made it, materials, etc?


My dad helped me build the stand, it's from some leftover aluminum beams we had lying around in our basement. The beams are "U" shaped, similar to this:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-aluminum-u-channels/=fzriit

A handheld drill and some screws later, and voile, an aluminum stand.


----------



## vvDO

PeterN1986 said:


> My dad helped me build the stand, it's from some leftover aluminum beams we had lying around in our basement. The beams are "U" shaped, similar to this:
> 
> http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-aluminum-u-channels/=fzriit
> 
> A handheld drill and some screws later, and voile, an aluminum stand.


 

Thanks


----------



## Sco

is there any overheating problems with the cfl bulbs with the work light clamp fixtures?


----------



## melissa1977

I was at Lowes on Erie yesterday picking up houseplants and checking out the cfl's. I picked up 1 13w 6500 just to test it and see what it covered. I have it on top of my glass canopy in the cheap 5.5" clamp hood at 1 end. From what it's doing, I' m thinking 2 of the 20w cfl in the nice zoo med deep hoods on my canopy. I know that's gonna give me some dark area's, but I kinda liked the shading in some spots. Do you think that's enough for a 30g low tech tank? I don't want to get involved with c02, but I don't mind dosing with excel.


----------



## dundadundun

Sco said:


> is there any overheating problems with the cfl bulbs with the work light clamp fixtures?


absolutely not.


----------



## mike1v

I have 3 23 watt in HD shop lights, 12" I think.. I wish I had gotten the smaller ones as the spread is too much.. Also I am lighting a 46bf and with the bulb 19" above the surface my light is too low in my opinion( in the lower 20's). I am considering either 40's or even the 55s. The 40's will need to stay within 1 inch of the top, but I can raise the 55's up about 4 inches.. Have to decide which way I want to go. Oh, the 55's are a bit long so the 12 inch reflectors I think work well here cause they are deep. But I may have to look at the reflectors Moose uses as they are deep also.
If you look up BatteriesPlus you will find they carry quite a few 6700k lamps right on up to 55 watts.. they are new items for them so some stores don't carry them yet, but I found one in my area that has them all.


----------



## PeterN1986

So I changed my lights from 2x 23W 6500K to 2x 13W 6500K that is 18" over my 20H and my algae has gone away. My plants are also growing just as well with the 13W, if not, better. Having 46W was sustaining the algae a bit too much.


----------



## Elbowsdeep

PeterN1986 said:


> So I changed my lights from 2x 23W 6500K to 2x 13W 6500K that is 18" over my 20H and my algae has gone away. My plants are also growing just as well with the 13W, if not, better. Having 46W was sustaining the algae a bit too much.


HAHA whoops! I have a 23W over a 2.5 gallon tank! maaaaybe I should downsize... Lots o' diatoms...


----------



## kamikazi

I love the shoplight/ CFL approach. I use them on my 40 gallon. I built an adjustable stand to hang mine on.


----------



## jmrmotorhead

Just set up my shrimp only 10g planted tank and used 2 14w 5000K CFL's in clamp on desk lamps. I think it looks pretty good, once I find a decent stand I will rig up the lights a bit more secure with something for them to clamp onto behind the tank.

















More pictures the other tank, and one more of this one here
Matt


----------



## m00se

That looks awesome! Please take some pix of how you fasten them when you do. Also the 3rd url doesn't work Matt. This one:

http://www.mattsfishstore.radder.org/Mattsfishstore/My_Photos.html

Aight - tally-ho!


----------



## FlyingHellFish

jmrmotorhead said:


> Just set up my shrimp only 10g planted tank and used 2 14w 5000K CFL's in clamp on desk lamps. I think it looks pretty good, once I find a decent stand I will rig up the lights a bit more secure with something for them to clamp onto behind the tank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> More pictures the other tank, and one more of this one here
> Matt


YES! Can you take a picture of the back of those lamps on the 10'. Where did you get them and how do they fit on the tank's back. How the heat?


----------



## Taari

I do the exact same thing over all my nano tanks. I just use a single shop light though, but it works great.


----------



## jmrmotorhead

Sorry guys I'll get you more pics asap. For now here's the right link:
http://www.mattsfishstore.radder.org/Mattsfishstore/Photos.html
Sorry I did somesite work and changed things without editing this post!


----------



## bigd603

http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=1462

Those adjustable lighting hooks might be good for hanging the lights. They come in pairs for about 10 bucks, which is definitely worth it. They allow you to easily raise and lower the lights on your tank.


----------



## m00se

Yes, they're known as Yoyo Grow Light Hangers and you can get them on e-bay and amazon quite cheaply if you factor in S+H to the total price. One guy's got them for $7.00 + $3.65 But It Now price. Not too shabby.


----------



## eelpout

100% newb here.

I've managed to slowly kill lots of plants with the stock light that came w/ my starter tank package. I've also grown some algae. A bunch of online reading later, I think I some what get why. I also think I may have found part of my solution with this lighting set up.

I have a 37 gal. approx 30x12x22...22 TALL.

I'm attempting to get through 2 ft of water that's only 1 ft wide with this lighting.

Do I want the 23 watt spiral "bulbs" as that chart seems to say, or do I want something else? 

Do I want the 10" chicken light fixture, or the smaller diameter ones? I was thinking 3x the 10" but perhaps that spreads the light out too much? Is 4x the smaller ones the way to go? 

How many lamps and how many watts per each CFL "bulb"? I'd like to be able to lay them on top of the tank over the glass top. 
I'll remove the plastic hing strip between the glass pieces of the top.

How much fertilizer? what specific brands/amounts? Hours of light per day? Keep it simple please. Low tech, non dirted, hard/high ph water, HOB POS filter.

I've read many different ways to skin this cat. I need a starting point. 

Thanks all!


----------



## Knox_legend

Wow I'm glad I looked at this thread! I was wondering if anyone had some suggestions for a 135 gallon tank it is 72"Lx18"Dx24"h I was wondering how may of these domes I may need and what wattage bulbs. I plan on having at least a 2" substrate of pool filter sand along with using root tabs for fertz and dosing excel as needed. I am wanting to go for a low to medium light tank.


----------



## eelpout

I went with 3x menards 8.5" chicken lamps for my 37 gal. approx 30x12x22...22 TALL. 

I may have wanted the 10", but with the good clamp on the smaller ones, I have the option of resting them on the glass cover or clamping them to the back of the tank and getting them a few inches higher. 

Since I got no response here, I bought 3x23watt/6500k (100 watt replacement) and 3x13watt/6500k (60 watt replacement) CFLs.

I'm new and confused about the light I need for a low tech tank. One of those charts seemed to say I needed the 23 watt to reach my substrate. Reading previous posts here seemed to indicate that the 23 watt is too much and I will have an algae problem. 

I have to be away from the tank for a week. *Should I use the 23 watt or 13 watt bulbs (on a timer)?*

Thanks


----------



## tlyons01

eelpout said:


> Since I got no response here, I bought 3x23watt/6500k (100 watt replacement) and 3x13watt/6500k (60 watt replacement) CFLs.
> 
> I'm new and confused about the light I need for a low tech tank. One of those charts seemed to say I needed the 23 watt to reach my substrate. Reading previous posts here seemed to indicate that the 23 watt is too much and I will have an algae problem.
> 
> Thanks


Have you started your own thread? You might get more answers if you do. I wish I could help, but I actually came here looking for answers to my questions as well. 
The forum lighting GURU is Hoppy, you could PM him with specific questions. He has taken the time to answer me in the past, as I'm sure he has many, many of us! 
Good luck!


----------



## Daximus

eelpout said:


> 100% newb here.
> 
> I've managed to slowly kill lots of plants with the stock light that came w/ my starter tank package. I've also grown some algae. A bunch of online reading later, I think I some what get why. I also think I may have found part of my solution with this lighting set up.
> 
> I have a 37 gal. approx 30x12x22...22 TALL.
> 
> I'm attempting to get through 2 ft of water that's only 1 ft wide with this lighting.
> 
> Do I want the 23 watt spiral "bulbs" as that chart seems to say, or do I want something else?
> 
> Do I want the 10" chicken light fixture, or the smaller diameter ones? I was thinking 3x the 10" but perhaps that spreads the light out too much? Is 4x the smaller ones the way to go?
> 
> How many lamps and how many watts per each CFL "bulb"? I'd like to be able to lay them on top of the tank over the glass top.
> I'll remove the plastic hing strip between the glass pieces of the top.
> 
> How much fertilizer? what specific brands/amounts? Hours of light per day? Keep it simple please. Low tech, non dirted, hard/high ph water, HOB POS filter.
> 
> I've read many different ways to skin this cat. I need a starting point.
> 
> Thanks all!


Warning! Opinion, not necessarily fact to follow: 

I'm running CFLs on two of my four tanks, and have ran them in some other situations. My personal experience has been about 2 watts per gallon for a nice low light tank using CFLs. Now, if you run around here saying watts per gallon people might freak out and punch you in the head...but for me...on my tanks, when in regard to CFLs, 2 watts per gallon has worked very well. 

I have a 5 gallon tank that's doing very well with one 10 watt CFL just a couple inches above it. I also have a 10 gallon with two 10 watt CFLs replacing the incandescents that came with it and I swear it's the best balanced tank I have...lighting wise. I tried some 13 watt lights in the same 10 gallon and got some algae, so I backed off to two 10 watt bulbs and haven't looked back yet. 

So I would attempt to get any non-Co2, CFL powered tank at or around 2 watts per gallon to start. You might need more, you might need less. There are a lot of variables to take into account and every tank is different. The good news is CFLs are cheap, and if they don't work in your tank they will work around the house, lol. roud:

EDIT: Oh, and to get through that much water I recommend the aluminum "clamp plants". They have surprisingly good reflective qualities.


----------



## Kelbrina

I love this thread! I definitely want to do this for the 30g long I've had sitting around on my desk for the past 4 months. I've been humming and hawing about what to do because I don't want to fork over a lot of money for expensive light fixtures, and I think these look kind of neat and industrial!

I was thinking of mounting a shelf on my wall with these brackets from IKEA: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10136135/

I would then mount the hanging pendants from underneath the shelf. Do you guys think that would work?

Lighting is all very confusing to me, so how many fixtures would you recommend for my tank size? What kind of bulbs?


----------



## m00se

Hey Zed,

Welcome back! Hope the move went smoothly for you.

TTYS


----------



## Azarakiah

m00se said:


> Hey Zed,
> 
> Welcome back! Hope the move went smoothly for you.
> 
> TTYS


yeah everything went smooth just startin work so here in couple months ill be ready for a hook up lol had a heart attack few weeks ago... was in the hospital for few days everything came back fine for some reason oddly enough lol. 

i do def miss having my tank to play with... my hands are too dry


----------



## m00se

Lemme know. Heart attack eh? Sheee-ooo! Careful there Bubba..


----------



## eelpout

Dax,
My previous post was an over-the-top reply to: 
"Now, if you run around here saying watts per gallon people might freak out and punch you in the head" 
What can I say, that struck a nerve at the wrong time. 
Thanks for your constructive input.

Az,

i did and u do....I keed.

I came up with the watt choices based on your tank and other's tanks on this thread. Since your posts didn't mention if your tank was high or low tech, your posts were the least helpful. 

Sincere thanks for your input (less the false assumption) and speedy recovery.


FWIW, my unbalanced, low tech, fish poo saturated, newbie tank had terrific algae growth w/ 3x23 watt CFLs at 2" above the water and 22" from the substrate on 10 hr timer....after a week of neglect. It looks nasty. 
I switched to 3x13 watts resting on the glass cover, on 10 hr/day. Dosing mucho Excel, added Osmo+ fertcicles. Multipule 50%PWCs. Algae is dieing and plants appear to be rebounding, except the vals, my sacrificial Excel lambs. Fish are well...Momma Krib is about to pop. The SAEs are loving the all you can eat buffet.

Eelwattspergallonpout


----------



## m00se

eelpout said:


> I came up with the watt choices based on your tank and other's tanks on this thread. Since your posts didn't mention if your tank was high or low tech, your posts were the least helpful.


high, low...I don't think most people make a determination as to what is or isn't high or low tech because it's such an ambiguous definition. So am I high tech if I have CFLs, or MH, or do I need LEDs? Is it still low tech if I use CFLs and pressurized CO2? Am I high tech if I use a mineralized top soil and pressurized CO2 and MH lights? It's a worthless term in the end. Some people think Diana Walstad's no-maintenance-dirt tanks are the highest tech because they maintain themselves.

I think Az is learning here as we all are. I know his setup was "new" not too long before you joined the discussion. I don't think anyone is intentionally being vague or obtuse or trying to be cagey or otherwise unhelpful. Take the advice here as presented. This isn't a competition and we are hobbyists not professionals, aside from the notable exceptions. And not to sully Az's reputation which I have no intention of doing, but to illustrate how tanks can be fine one day and go south in a hurry: I inherited all his plants and fish when he moved. In my haste I didn't bleach dip those plants and I've been battling BBA ever since, and with a vengeance. It's a leaf here and leaf there now (after 2 months of daily futzing), but there you are. My allowing just one incidence pass without thinking through the consequences has cost me a whole lot of time and trouble.... 




eelpout said:


> FWIW, my unbalanced, low tech, fish poo saturated, newbie tank had terrific algae growth w/ 3x23 watt CFLs at 2" above the water and 22" from the substrate on 10 hr timer....after a week of neglect. It looks nasty.


To be expected. To utilize that much light would require pressurized CO2, a disciplined and accurate, dialed-in dosing regimen, and probably daily wet hands to stay on top of growth and nuisances (like algae) that pop up. You're driving that Mustang with the nitrous wide open as your description indicates.



eelpout said:


> I switched to 3x13 watts resting on the glass cover, on 10 hr/day. Dosing mucho Excel, added Osmo+ fertcicles. Multipule 50%PWCs. Algae is dieing and plants appear to be rebounding, except the vals, my sacrificial Excel lambs. Fish are well...Momma Krib is about to pop. The SAEs are loving the all you can eat buffet.


Osmocote + is really really easy to overdo. Just sayin... And in the long run, 13w CFLs will get you there just fine. Unless of course, you LIKE trimming and re-arranging plants every water change.

Cheers


----------



## eelpout

Agreed Moose. This site has been a wealth of info for me since I started reading it. I've been soaking up info whenever I get a chance. 

My fingers are crossed w/ the Osmo. I added it sparingly against the glass bottom of the tank. My PWC's have been done gently/slowly. No spikes per my master test kit. -all I have to test with. I also put a big bunch of hornwort in to suck stuff out of the water column. I can see it get bigger daily. 

The funny thing is, hornwort or something similar will be all over the pond in front of my place in another couple weeks. I wouldn't dare tell neighbors I actually bought some.


----------



## Azarakiah

eelpout said:


> Agreed Moose. This site has been a wealth of info for me since I started reading it. I've been soaking up info whenever I get a chance.
> 
> My fingers are crossed w/ the Osmo. I added it sparingly against the glass bottom of the tank. My PWC's have been done gently/slowly. No spikes per my master test kit. -all I have to test with. I also put a big bunch of hornwort in to suck stuff out of the water column. I can see it get bigger daily.
> 
> The funny thing is, hornwort or something similar will be all over the pond in front of my place in another couple weeks. I wouldn't dare tell neighbors I actually bought some.


i had my lights 6 inches above the tank rim, not water, i always kept my water lvl with the inside lip of the black trim, plus i have a lil bit of duck weed, hornwort, and a glass lid. lights were on 9 hours a day with only a diy co2 setup running non stop then a air pump pumping into the diffuser at a very low rate at night


----------



## xriddler

Thank you Azarakiah for directing me to this thread. I own a 40g breeder and would like to try my hands on growing hc cuba. Has anyone had any luck growing this carpet plant using clamp lighting? Would also like to find out your lighting conditions/parameters. 13w cfls as i read gives about 35par how much more do cuba's require? Would 4 8.5 inch shop lights with 23w cfls with 1600 lumens each bulb be enough to grow hc cuba? Would the spread of light cover my whole tank back to front? i cant afford pressurized co2 either and i asked my lfs if cuba can grow with diy co2 and they said definately. however i might use diy co2 or just dose excel not sure which way to go yet. Sorry im very new and this would be my first tank >_> please be kind if you need to chew me out for stupidity but please do tell me where i am lacking of knowledge. thank you all


----------



## Azarakiah

xriddler said:


> Thank you Azarakiah for directing me to this thread. I own a 40g breeder and would like to try my hands on growing hc cuba. Has anyone had any luck growing this carpet plant using clamp lighting? Would also like to find out your lighting conditions/parameters. 13w cfls as i read gives about 35par how much more do cuba's require? Would 4 8.5 inch shop lights with 23w cfls with 1600 lumens each bulb be enough to grow hc cuba? Would the spread of light cover my whole tank back to front? i cant afford pressurized co2 either and i asked my lfs if cuba can grow with diy co2 and they said definately. however i might use diy co2 or just dose excel not sure which way to go yet. Sorry im very new and this would be my first tank >_> please be kind if you need to chew me out for stupidity but please do tell me where i am lacking of knowledge. thank you all


dont quote me on it, but as my knowledge form this forum is, hc needs very high lighting, like some t5ho , and pressurized co2. i love the looks of it, but its not worht the hassle AT ALL to me.


----------



## Azarakiah

Azarakiah said:


> dont quote me on it, but as my knowledge form this forum is, hc needs very high lighting, like some t5ho , and pressurized co2. i love the looks of it, but its not worht the hassle AT ALL to me.


also im using 10 inch domes with 23 wat bulbs each. light spread is good. coveres the entire tank. they raised up a few inches look on the previous pages and see what everyone says about their tanks and such


----------



## seandelevan

My 2 ten inch dome cfl's on my 40 gallon Vivarium. Great results.


----------



## jeremyTR

I just went out and bought these but with 50w bulbs. did I go overboard with the wattage?


----------



## allaboutfish

thanks for this thread! im going out tomorrow or monday to get the lamps and CFL's.


----------



## m00se

jeremyTR said:


> I just went out and bought these but with 50w bulbs. did I go overboard with the wattage?













_*This sounds serious....*_

What, exactly, did you buy?


----------



## Azarakiah

m00se said:


> _*This sounds serious....*_
> 
> What, exactly, did you buy?


i know right? everytime i read his post i think "lemme see pics of ur algae"


----------



## jeremyTR

lol, well...i'll probably still get algae but I switch those out with two 20W CFLs


----------



## jmrmotorhead

How have these lights been working for all of you? My tank has been doing very well with them. Rigged up a pvc bar rather recently to hang them from so I could go topless 








If you compare that picture to the first picture in this thread you can see how much the java fern has grown, its crazy!
Matt


----------



## m00se

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk08C0Fog-I


----------



## PlantedRich

I don't want to say it will fit for all but I did this even cheaper! For my first planted tank and with no knowledge, I had no idea where to start for lighting but I knew I wanted to learn more before investing the big bucks. I build all my canopies so that left the field wide open for lights as long as I could hide them under the canopy. Cheap and flexible were the priorities until I learned more what I needed. 

My 20 gallon , first planted, had four temporary construction bulb holders strung along an extension cord inside a wooden hood. It gave me the option of adding more bulbs or different wattage until I found what worked. The bulb and holders totalled about $5 per light but they were as flexible as I wanted to make them. I could clip them on the wire or off to move with practically no effort. 

A good way for me to get some experience for less than $20.


----------



## BS87

jmrmotorhead said:


> How have these lights been working for all of you? My tank has been doing very well with them. Rigged up a pvc bar rather recently to hang them from so I could go topless
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you compare that picture to the first picture in this thread you can see how much the java fern has grown, its crazy!
> Matt


Any pics showing the pvc better? I had something exactly like this planned but can't figure how to securely attach it to the top of the tank. How did you attach it?


----------



## jmrmotorhead

Ill put up some later toda for you. Its pretty simple, just a t at the bottom with legs that go front and back and hang over the front and back rim. The left side was done simpler since I was able to lean it against the right wall for support.


----------



## Rewd

Great thread. Lots of good info.

I have a 55 gallon that's running with some java fern and 1 goldfish as a temporary resident until I decided what to do with this tank. I've decided to go back to tropical fish and do a serious planted tank.

Would 4 or 5 domes with 23w 6500K CLF spirals be enough for a serious planeted tank at the 55 gallon stage or is this only suitable for smaller tanks? I DO plan to do pressurized CO2. I want the full deal, but would love to be able to do the lighting dirt cheap.


----------



## m00se

Clamp lamps will work just fine on a 55. I think 4 would be ideal, since a 55 is 48" long and you can get 10" clamp lamps. I would *strongly* suggest you start with 13w CFLs rather than 23w because your aquarium will be new and you will struggle with the various algaes that pop up. 13w will be more than ample for your needs. I can't emphasize this enough. The #1 mistake people make is over-driving with light.


----------



## Rewd

m00se said:


> Clamp lamps will work just fine on a 55. I think 4 would be ideal, since a 55 is 48" long and you can get 10" clamp lamps. I would *strongly* suggest you start with 13w CFLs rather than 23w because your aquarium will be new and you will struggle with the various algaes that pop up. 13w will be more than ample for your needs. I can't emphasize this enough. The #1 mistake people make is over-driving with light.


That's great advice. Thank you! My only question though, with 13w bulbs vs 23w will the 13 matters be enough light to sustain plants above the low light plant range? I am interested in doing all of the medium to high light plants with this tank. I don't really want to buy one set of bulbs only to replace them again. I know they aren't expensive but I hate wasting money.


----------



## m00se

If you want to dive right in and add high light/high maintenance plants with a moderate to high difficulty level, expect to do a lot more research and a lot of babysitting to keep your tank pristine. Again, the #1 problem people have when working this end of the hobby is not managing light vs. other necessities. This causes imbalance, and ultimately works against you _every single time_. If you scan the posts on this forum you will see that the same questions are asked over and over and over.... They all point to the same thing. Strive for BALANCE. Everything else will fall into place behind it.

As for your high light plants: Do you plan on only high light plants? What about stems? Crypts? See, it's not so simple to just say "sure, use the higher wattage" without qualifying how and why. The lower wattage is still PLENTY of light for 90% of the plants most people use.

Above I show you a video of my tank about 20 minutes after I pruned 2-3 POUNDS of plants out of it. This was 2 weeks ago. I should shoot another vid of it right now and show you how much it's grown in. I swapped out my 23w for 13w again in the meantime, because I just didn't want such high growth. It's still wildly growing everything. 13 watt CFLs are pretty darned bright!

Good luck.


----------



## Hoppy

You don't have to choose between 13 watt and 23 watt, you can also use 19 watt bulbs. As I read the chart for PAR vs distance for those vertically mounted CFL bulbs, at 20 inch distance, 19 watt would still be low light, but enough more than with 13 watt to make a difference for some plants. If you aren't resting the reflectors right on top of the tank, you can always raise them a couple of inches and reduce the PAR considerably. For that reason 23 watt may be best - just raise them a few inches and if that isn't enough light, lower them a little.


----------



## m00se

Ahh yes Hoppy, but tougher to find!


----------



## Rewd

Do keep in mind I'm not a novice to planted tanks. I kept a 75 gallon heavily planted with low light plants for about 6 years. I am not a stranger to pruning and maintenance. 

That said, I am a novice to high light and higher tech systems. Thats why I'm wanting to move in that direction. I've never had the experience of seeing my plants pearl and I'm interested in maintaining that sort of system. I also want to use CO2 to achieve this. Where I work I have easy access to pressurized CO2 so thats another thing I have going for this tank.


----------



## In.a.Box

what do you guys use to clean the dome?
my aint shinnying anymore, water stain. 
my dome site right on top of my air stone.

where do you guys buy your bulb? lowes and HD only carry the 5000k.


----------



## m00se

Lowes has 6700k Sylvanias here. I'm guessing a Scotbrite pad or 0000 steel wool? Can't use acid on aluminum - it'll turn black. Might consider spraying them with clear Krylon when you do get them clean. It'll make cleaning the mist off easier.


----------



## Azarakiah

In.a.Box said:


> what do you guys use to clean the dome?
> my aint shinnying anymore, water stain.
> my dome site right on top of my air stone.
> 
> where do you guys buy your bulb? lowes and HD only carry the 5000k.


 use mothers polishing compound from a autopart store, comes in little white plastic cans, kinda pricey but polishes metals to a mirror shine.


----------



## BS87

In.a.Box said:


> where do you guys buy your bulb? lowes and HD only carry the 5000k.


Home depot for me only carries 5000k. Lowes and, oddly, WalMart around here both carry 6500k.


----------



## Azarakiah

BS87 said:


> Home depot for me only carries 5000k. Lowes and, oddly, WalMart around here both carry 6500k.


yep i use the 6500k sylvania cfl now smaller than ever 13 watt bulbs for all my 10 gal then the 23 watts for my 40b


----------



## chantrycw

*something similar*

I did something similar. only two lamps though on my 46 BF. hopefully enough light!!!


----------



## weidjd

I am trying this on my 58. Three lamps about 21 inch from substrate. I have 18w 65k bulbs. Is this enough light for low tech? I think its right on the edge of not enough.


----------



## tendertouche401

What a great and practical idea....thank you for this great advice....I am going to run with it ...... love it...always looking for ways to trim back on the expense...

Thank you...


----------



## robnixxo

OMG, I'm so glad I found this thread. I switched out the wimpy 15 wt tube fixture with two cheap clamp lights with 23 watt bulbs and now my tank looks luminous!

I have a 26 gallon bowfront, and the 15 wt light wasn't penetrating deep enough for my plants. Now I'm hoping with this new set up my plants will flourish.

Thanks for this thread!


----------



## m00se

*wink*


----------



## robnixxo

Hey, quick question:

Having two 23 watt lamps sitting directly on the plastic cover won't melt it, right?


----------



## Hoppy

I just finished some testing of CFL bulbs in those reflectors. The bulbs get pretty hot, even with the open end of the reflector out in the open. I wouldn't try this with them sitting on the glass/plastic top, because that would restrict cooling air flow around the bulbs. Some CFL bulbs last a very short time when in a closed or almost closed fixture, others last their full life, but knowing which one you have is not that easy. A friend of mine says he knows where to get the ones that can tolerate the closed fixture, but he didn't tell me the "secret".


----------



## robnixxo

Hoppy said:


> I just finished some testing of CFL bulbs in those reflectors. The bulbs get pretty hot, even with the open end of the reflector out in the open. I wouldn't try this with them sitting on the glass/plastic top, because that would restrict cooling air flow around the bulbs. Some CFL bulbs last a very short time when in a closed or almost closed fixture, others last their full life, but knowing which one you have is not that easy. A friend of mine says he knows where to get the ones that can tolerate the closed fixture, but he didn't tell me the "secret".


Hmm... the plastic is getting hot. One of my lights went out when I turned it on for the second time. I'm scared.


----------



## Algae Beater

thesetwo tanks were CFL dome lit and did VERY well


----------



## jmrmotorhead

Wow, algea beater, I love the tanks! They look great. I have had nothing but success with this lighting, I can't imagine spending more on lighting, there's no reason!
Matt


----------



## MVA

Hoppy said:


> I just finished some testing of CFL bulbs in those reflectors. The bulbs get pretty hot, even with the open end of the reflector out in the open. I wouldn't try this with them sitting on the glass/plastic top, because that would restrict cooling air flow around the bulbs. Some CFL bulbs last a very short time when in a closed or almost closed fixture, others last their full life, but knowing which one you have is not that easy. A friend of mine says he knows where to get the ones that can tolerate the closed fixture, but he didn't tell me the "secret".


I bought couple 6" fixture with 23watt bulbs and they get super hot, I could smell burnt plastic in the room. So I drilled few extra ventilation holes right on the top of the fixture.
My tank is 40 tall so to deliver some par through 24 inches of water I probably should get two more lights like that.


----------



## ThatGuyWithTheFish

A single 40W CFL over my 10G grows HC well!


----------



## Only One Haze

Love this thread!

I am just setting up a 5.5 gallon tank. I have a 13 watt CFL in a variation of this lamp:
http://www.ty-downlight.com.tw/product/3237.html

Mine is black with white on the inside. How high should I have it off of the substrate? It is a dirted tank with no other dosing/co2. It is currently 15 inches from the bottom of the dome to the substrate. Too high?


----------



## mach_six

I use a zoomed dual dome reptile light, the sockets are ceramic and can handle the heat of 100W incandescent bulb.

They are 2-3x as expensive but has 2 bulb sockets.


----------



## gus6464

mach_six said:


> I use a zoomed dual dome reptile light, the sockets are ceramic and can handle the heat of 100W incandescent bulb.
> 
> They are 2-3x as expensive but has 2 bulb sockets.


Do you have pics of your setup? How big is your tank?


----------



## StraightAddicted

Great thread here, I'm debating on purchasing FugeRay Ultra Slim LED or going with two 13w 8" clip on lights. I currently have Amazon Sword and Anubis on driftwood and adding... No CO2 but maybe down the road once I learn more. Just looking for input on this decision?


----------



## Andrew H

We are putting four 13w CFls on our 55 gallon tank. Have two on it right now and they look great. Couldn't find 6700k so we got 6500k. The oter two will go in Saturday. I'll post some pics.

Oh yeah we have them sitting right on the glass we are ysing as a tank lif and it doesn't get hot at all or smell of burning.


----------



## Andrew H




----------



## FlyingHellFish

You can always get those reptile dome lights and just add a 23 watt CFL. They normally house heat halogen bulbs that are design to get hot. There is usually 3 - 4 small holes pre-drilled and I think the cost is about the same as Home Depot, Lowes etc.


----------



## wetrelief

I am planning a 40g breeder low tech set-up. I love this method and love the look! My question would be if I am going for low-medium light how many of what watt bulb would I need? The tank dims are 36x18x17" tall, so I would imagine I would need at least 2 bulbs to get coverage.


----------



## mach_six

I had to hang my lights because sitting on top of the glass cause the residue to harden from the heat and it'll eventually block out even more light. There's some residue that not hard but I can't remove it.


----------



## Jjensen187

Recently I set up two of the smaller dome reflectors seen in this thread above my 10G. I'm using 14w 5k CFLs about 14in from the substrate. The lamps are on for 9 hrs a day.

While I have seen an increase in plant growth over the past two weeks, its nothing like most of the posters in here are experiencing. I only have about 6-8 plants in the tank, mostly assorted crypts. I dose excel daily, flourish weekly, and use fluorite substrate. Am I missing something? I've read that heavily planting a tank is the way to go but I am unsure if I want to invest in a bunch of plants if I wont get the growth that I'm looking for. Ill post pictures later today.


----------



## StraightAddicted

So i purchased some 6" clip-on light fixtures with 6500 CFL bulbs... I'm smelling burnt plastic smell as others have. Will this smell go away after x amount of days? Is it just the glue from the stickers that were taken off? If you have any input it would be appreciated


----------



## Andrew H

StraightAddicted said:


> So i purchased some 6" clip-on light fixtures with 6500 CFL bulbs... I'm smelling burnt plastic smell as others have. Will this smell go away after x amount of days? Is it just the glue from the stickers that were taken off? If you have any input it would be appreciated


Yeah if it just the plastic smell it'll go away. Take off the all stickers. Mine had em in the one, outside, and near the switch.


----------



## StraightAddicted

Thats what I figured, how long did it take for it to stop stanking?


----------



## Cilenez

i wanted to thank you for writing this thread... 

today i bought 2 of the CFL bulbs for my 20G tank to try them out.
they are 13W, 800 lumens, 6500K 
i LOVE the way my tank looks now.


----------



## Andrew H

StraightAddicted said:


> Thats what I figured, how long did it take for it to stop stanking?


The four we have stopped smelling after a couple days.


----------



## StraightAddicted

Thanks, and the smell did stop after a few days or I got used to the smell haha jk. And I have the same setup Cilenez. I had Marineland lights before so I do miss the moonlight. But I know lowes does sell color CFL bulbs that I could put on for "show". But maybe down the road I'll buy some. Goodluck with growing your plants, and thanks to everyone for this great thread.


----------



## bbroush

I have a question regarding this strategy for lighting. I currently have an HOB filter and I'm not looking to buy a new one, but I do want to use a screen lid with these CFL lights bc I think it will be much cheaper and better. How do i use a screen lid with my HOB? it's an aqueon 200 and I have a 20 gallon high aquarium. Thanks in advance for your help!


----------



## wootlaws

Is everyone achieving this kind of growth with no co2? :icon_ques


----------



## m00se

wootlaws said:


> Is everyone achieving this kind of growth with no co2? :icon_ques



I'm running my drop checker into the yellow range. So yes, LOTS of CO2. Can't speak for others but with close to 70w over a 18" tall 40b it's definitely necessary.


----------



## Luizin

I have one these lights on my 5 gal


----------



## jmrmotorhead

Hi guys, went official with my new tank. Work lamps hung from conduit!




























Just some food for thought!
Matt


----------



## Bettafins

^^^Nicely done! Looks great.


----------



## Axelrodi202

What size tank is that? What wattage bulbs?


----------



## IDaCookieMonsta

I just set some for my 29g 120watts for only $25 I might downgrade to about 80watts. But anyways heres a couple pictures, ignore my scape havent done much but throw some moss in it.


----------



## micheljq

CFLs do the job but lately I began using led bulbs instead, their prices are becoming more affordable.

I have one 9W - 6500K led bulb over my rotalas right now (and a led fixture too for all the tank).

Michel.


----------



## pwu_1

I picked up a 20L at petco's dollar a gallon sale and am planning to use 8.5 inch reptile lights that are essentially the same as the clamp-on work lights that many are using in this thread. I ordered 3 of the fixtures and due to having a shelf over the tank, I have to put the light right on top of the cover(no way to raise the light further). I was planning on getting 23 watt bulbs for each of the 3 fixtures to try and get to the medium high/high light range but reading this thread has me doubting my bulb choice. Due to the height restriction, the light fixture will have to be resting on top of the cover and since a 20L is only 12 inches tall, 23watts is most probably going to be too much light? I just checked on Lowe's website and they have a 18 watt 5000K bulb or should I just start with the 13watt bulb and go to the 18watt if I find that I don't get enough light? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


----------



## m00se

pwu_1 said:


> Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


What is your goal? Do you want an aquarium, or do you want to sell plants? A LOT of the confusion over this issue stems from the more is better idea. More light is good right? Yea, well, not always. Let me give you my real life experience with planted tanks in 4 or 5 sentences.

I used to have a little tank with fish and plants in it when I was a young kid. My dad did all of "the stuff" to make it work and I just enjoyed the swordtails and the snails and the platy. Then I grew up and wanted my own tank again. I got a marine tank though. Well, after many years and 10s of 1000's of dollars later I had to take all of it down and take a long hiatus. My memory of reef tanks included huge light requirements for acropora corals and minutia that boggles the mind when it comes to hobbyist level aquarium keeping. Heck I had $1500 just in books on the topic! Of COURSE I wanted to have a successful tank! I was bound and determined that it would be a showpiece. 

How little I understood about fresh water planted tanks at that point in time. 

So off I went to the store (e-bay, amazon, local, and specialty online) and got a nice setup that didn't cost more than my car and I set about putting it together. Time goes on and now I have 3 tanks. The main "high tech" tank with the grass and the crypts and the stems that I have to trim every week, a desktop 15 gallon kit tank that has nothing special at all on it. And a fry tank that holds my excess plants temporarily until I get to the ridiculously out of the way fish store that buys them from me. The big tank has pressurized CO2, a reactor for it, dosed EI, huge canister, spray bars...it's got all the toys. That one you might have seen in early posts in this thread - it's got the Zoo Med Deep Domes on it....great tank, lots of maintenance, and a joy when I have time....

The desktop 15 gallon is low light, no ferts, no CO2, and no headaches. Ever. Not. One. I have a school of CPDs in there that produce like rabbits, and plants that although they grow, don't drive me nuts needing trimming every water change. Oh, and ZERO BBA....

So think about yourself in 6 months. Where do you want to be? Do you want to set up a FrankenTank and have to piddle with it an hour every 2 days or do you want to just sit and enjoy it, even if that means those bacopa take a month to hit the waterline instead of 5 days?

Just something to think about...

Good luck (get the 13w Sylvanias)


----------



## FlyingHellFish

CFL? The cheap bulbs they sell at Home Depot? You can't possibly grow plants with that, let alone any carpet plants. You need super expensive lights!

Naw, I'm kidding, here my CFL tank.









=======










Bob Ross approves CFL.


----------



## m00se

I love those swing arm lamps. Great idea. I *just* went through a little piece of hell trying to find a good lamp with a magnifier that didn't cost $150. I finally settled on one from Officemax but it took me a good week of researching and calling and being disappointed with the selection. Funny that. I love those lamps. I might have even chosen them for the 15g if I had thought of it early on....

$16.29 for the ones it looks like you have there at Officemax...


----------



## m00se

Oh and Bob's lookin pretty good!


----------



## FlyingHellFish

^ Thank you. I got them from Ikea for 10 ea. Pretty good bang for the buck.


----------



## pwu_1

hi m00se. thanks for sharing your experience. The 20L is going to replace a 10 gallon that I started around end of October. In the 10 gallon, most of the plants are growing well except the lilaeopsis and cryptocoryne parva seems to keep getting a layer of brown algae. I also have some Downoi which seems to also be getting brown algae too. The 10 gallon is using the stock 2 bulb hood with 1 20 watt u shaped cfl and 1 10 watt cfl and pressurized co2. Initially I was thinking I'm getting the brown algae because I don't have enough light but now that I'm reading through the forums I'm thinking maybe I have too much light?
Anyway, think I'll start with the 13watt bulbs to start and go from there since I cannot raise the light. Thanks again for your help


----------



## pwu_1

Oh here is a pic of my current setup


----------



## m00se

That brown almost looks like bacteria to me. Are you sure it's algae? What happens when you wipe it off? Does it slough off like a sheet or is it more dust-like? What filter are you using? Is it adequate? Ever have a bacteria bloom in your tank?


----------



## pwu_1

m00se said:


> That brown almost looks like bacteria to me. Are you sure it's algae? What happens when you wipe it off? Does it slough off like a sheet or is it more dust-like? What filter are you using? Is it adequate? Ever have a bacteria bloom in your tank?


its like a dust when i wipe it. Its on the rocks too. I did have some green slime algae that would come off as a sheet(that's actually a bacteria from what I read) about a month ago that I treated with Maracyn. Also, one of my neon tetra had fin rot so I treated it with Maracyn Two last week. So if it is bacteria, I don't think it would have survived both Maracyn and Maracyn Two treatment right? I was thinking maybe it is brown diatoms and that's why I'm thinking I need more light.
For filtration I'm using a modified aquaclear 70 that has a aquaclear 30 impeller and a media tray with filter floss in it. I've been doing a 40% water change every Friday and my water stays crystal clear in between water changes. I've been checking my parameters and seems like my nitrates are always kind of high so I only dose once a week right after water change to get 10-20ppm nitrates and 1-2ppm phosphate and I take a guess with potassium since I haven't found a way to test that. Oh and photoperiod is 8 hours a day


----------



## randerson

I started with this setup on my 75 gallon tank. I found that the light wasn't even enough or strong enough so I upgraded to t5HO. I could see them working fine on smaller tanks, but on bigger ones you need so many of them to get it even that it's not all that cost effective. 

I used BlueMax full spectrum bulbs, I liked them visually a lot.


----------



## Mrnbo

I'm considering this for my 75g. I just read above that this may not work so well? What do you guys think? I would be using either this bulb 




or these Amazon.com: GE Lighting 89095 Energy Smart Spiral CFL 26-Watt (100-watt replacement) 1600-Lumen T3 Spiral Light Bulb with Medium Base, 1-Pack: Home Improvement

Also I saw these bulbs GE Lighting Energy Smart CFL 97629 32-Watt, 2400-Lumen Triple Biax Light Bulb with Gx24Q-3 Base, 1-Pack - Amazon.com 
And some floodlight style cfl's. Could those be used?

I was going to get two fixtures because I already have two led floodlights (but I don't know the par or output).

I have co2 and I'd like to use it lol. I would be looking for medium light or high light. I didn't want too much maintenance but I guess that's not an option anymore.


----------



## anthony10292

Mrnbo said:


> I'm considering this for my 75g. I just read above that this may not work so well? What do you guys think? I would be using either this bulb Amazon.com: Feit Electric ESL40TN/D 40-Watt Compact Fluorescent High-Wattage Bulb, Daylight: Home Improvement
> 
> or these Amazon.com: GE Lighting 89095 Energy Smart Spiral CFL 26-Watt (100-watt replacement) 1600-Lumen T3 Spiral Light Bulb with Medium Base, 1-Pack: Home Improvement
> 
> Also I saw these bulbs GE Lighting Energy Smart CFL 97629 32-Watt, 2400-Lumen Triple Biax Light Bulb with Gx24Q-3 Base, 1-Pack - Amazon.com
> And some floodlight style cfl's. Could those be used?
> 
> I was going to get two fixtures because I already have two led floodlights (but I don't know the par or output).
> 
> I have co2 and I'd like to use it lol. I would be looking for medium light or high light. I didn't want too much maintenance but I guess that's not an option anymore.


I have used this diy setup on my 20 gallon and had algae problems but that's only because I didn't keep up with my diy co2. I used spiral cfl from home depot and Lowes. 23watts 6500k. 3 pack is about $12. And for the dome reflectors make sure to spray paint the inside a flat white. I noticed that it offers a more uniform light spread compared to the metal.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


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## Mrnbo

anthony10292 said:


> I have used this diy setup on my 20 gallon and had algae problems but that's only because I didn't keep up with my diy co2. I used spiral cfl from home depot and Lowes. 23watts 6500k. 3 pack is about $12. And for the dome reflectors make sure to spray paint the inside a flat white. I noticed that it offers a more uniform light spread compared to the metal.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


Flat white works better? I have an old reptile light that has a white interior, the black outside looks pretty nice too!

My concern with this method is the size of the tank in over 20" to the substrate, so would any of those 3 provide enough light? With only two fixtures?


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## anthony10292

I actually just put two of these dome lights up on my 20long shrimp tank (12inch height) with no paint and there were darker spots in the middle of the tank and on each far side of the tank. Decided to spray the inside flat white and its seems to completely get rid of those dark spots. Not bad for a $2 can of paint. 

As far as height, my 20 gallon is an old extra high tank. I think its 23 or 24 inches tall with about 20 inches from light to substrate. Pretty much the worst tank you can use to setup a planted tank. And I have algae problems so the light must be getting down to the bottom of the tank. For a 48inch tank I would go with more than 2. 3, maybe 4 would do the job. 4x23watts would give you almost 100watts. And then it just depends on what plants you want to grow. 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


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## Mrnbo

anthony10292 said:


> I actually just put two of these dome lights up on my 20long shrimp tank (12inch height) with no paint and there were darker spots in the middle of the tank and on each far side of the tank. Decided to spray the inside flat white and its seems to completely get rid of those dark spots. Not bad for a $2 can of paint.
> 
> As far as height, my 20 gallon is an old extra high tank. I think its 23 or 24 inches tall with about 20 inches from light to substrate. Pretty much the worst tank you can use to setup a planted tank. And I have algae problems so the light must be getting down to the bottom of the tank. For a 48inch tank I would go with more than 2. 3, maybe 4 would do the job. 4x23watts would give you almost 100watts. And then it just depends on what plants you want to grow.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


How does this compare to the shoplight option - in terms of cost and plant growth?


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## anthony10292

Never priced nor used them. If a T5HO shop light exists that would prolly be the cheapest route

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


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## Mrnbo

Are cfl floodlights any better? 




Been reading up a lot, but for the not so scientifically educated its hard to keep up.


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## m00se

I was just at Lowes and saw these security LED's on sale for $39. Now I know it's hard to tell how bright they'd be over a tank but they sure blinded me when I was looking at them, especially compared to the other lights surrounding it. Color temp was in the 5600k range I believe. 1200 lumens. I am SERIOUSLY considering grabbing a box of these and playing with them.

http://goo.gl/ziU15a


----------



## Mrnbo

m00se said:


> I was just at Lowes and saw these security LED's on sale for $39. Now I know it's hard to tell how bright they'd be over a tank but they sure blinded me when I was looking at them, especially compared to the other lights surrounding it. Color temp was in the 5600k range I believe. 1200 lumens. I am SERIOUSLY considering grabbing a box of these and playing with them.
> 
> http://goo.gl/ziU15a


I have two 20 watt 14,000k led floodlights over my tank right now, lol nothing is growing. Could be color temp, ferts, lack of co2... I have no idea I just started haha. I was looking at these to up the par so that I can use the co2 system I got. These would be supplemental kind of and they were pretty cheap.


----------



## emmynk

Hi! What bulbs do I buy? I got lost in all this light talk ;-; I have a planted tank, and I'm planning to get more plants so before I get more I want to get my lighting correct. Thanks"

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk


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## emmynk

Does it have to be a special type of bulb to support plants?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk


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## pwu_1

emmynk said:


> Does it have to be a special type of bulb to support plants?
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk


I think it is mainly personal preference but most people here use either 5000K or 6500K color temperature bulbs since those bulbs gives off a nice white light that makes your aquarium and plants look nice. Anything less than 5000K and the light starts getting pretty yellow and anything over 6500K starts looking purple. 
Look for the packages that says "daylight". Sometimes the packaging won't say the actual color temperature but if you look closely at the base of the bulb the color temperature will be printed there.


----------



## emmynk

Okay. Is there any particular preference? I'm really not so smart when it comes to lighting, I don't understand if normal bulbs help plants grow. Can someone help simplify it for a lighting newbie  I'm going to re plant my tanks with low -med light plants and want to make sure everything balances well. 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk


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## yashmack

Im using this on my 8g hex tank
got the fixture from walmart, the bulb too
the bulb is a 25 Watt GE Daylight CFL, its rated at 6500k and 1500 lumens


----------



## neilshieh

@yashmack
That is the first time I've seen such an interesting tank!

3 23 watt daylight bulbs using these work lights light my 29 gallon very well. It definitely gives me at least med/high lighting since I can grow HC and ludwigia sphaerocarpa with it. I swap out my bulbs every year, a 4 pack only costs me 10 bucks at home depot!

check my tank journal for the plants I'm growing with these lights.


----------



## jennesque

Ok, so is this a bad idea on my 75 gallon tank? :/ this is what I planned to use but I'm reading it's not enough lights. I just want medium.. Don't plan on using CO2 but I do dose ferts. 

I had these on my 28gal Bowfront tank and that's the only time I ever had any algae problems.. But even then it was pretty minor. Only grew on the driftwood so I didn't mind. This tank is obviously taller though.


----------



## jmrmotorhead

Hi everyone, wow, can't believe this thread is STILL going! It's great!

Honestly, how tall is the 75? It might be too talk to penetrate far enough, however without co2 you dont want too much lighting. Light drives the growth speed, all all other nutrients including co2 much be readily available I meet the plants growth speed. If you planning on growing low light plants slow, this may still work!

I just added a fourth done above my 40b, getting ready to step it up a bit since I'm tired of plain rotala and jungle Val's!
Matt


----------



## serenityfate

Was looking forward to trying out that swing arm lamp flyinghellfish got (looks really nice), but pretty bummed out California ikeas don't carry those around


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## FlyingHellFish

^
I think Walmart sells something similar, or you can always order them online. What you're looking for is a clamp on desk lamp, usually artist use them for drawings. You have to make sure your desk have ledges though. 

What about LEDs? There some great affordable fixtures out.


----------



## AGUILAR3

another option is to use Walmart's clamp on lights. I bought 2, broke off the clamps, and used some old flat stock steel that I cut, bent to shape, drilled and installed on my sons 20h. I could have gone an inch lower to hide the "T" bracket but I wanted the tank and night stand flush with the wall.


----------



## Ricardohc

Should i use two 26w cfl for a 20" long 5" deep tank with hc cuba or it is too much light?


----------



## mistuhmarc

Ricardohc said:


> Should i use two 26w cfl for a 20" long 5" deep tank with hc cuba or it is too much light?


You should do fine. The old rule was "3 watts per gallon" for high light. HC Cuba also loves lots of co2 too.


----------



## FlyingHellFish

AGUILAR3 said:


> another option is to use Walmart's clamp on lights. I bought 2, broke off the clamps, and used some old flat stock steel that I cut, bent to shape, drilled and installed on my sons 20h. I could have gone an inch lower to hide the "T" bracket but I wanted the tank and night stand flush with the wall.


That is by far, the best looking CFL diy stand I seen. It's barely noticeable, very nice.


----------



## NQuaday

Sorry if I missed a similar post somewhere earlier in the post but I am setting up a 90 gallon with CO2 and would be interested in a similar setup. How many fixtures do you think I would need and what wattage for the bulbs to achieve med/high light? Thanks!


----------



## AGUILAR3

FlyingHellFish said:


> That is by far, the best looking CFL diy stand I seen. It's barely noticeable, very nice.


Thanks. Once I get some free time, I'm going to take it down and give it a nice coat of semi gloss black paint.


----------



## lauraleellbp

NQuaday said:


> Sorry if I missed a similar post somewhere earlier in the post but I am setting up a 90 gallon with CO2 and would be interested in a similar setup. How many fixtures do you think I would need and what wattage for the bulbs to achieve med/high light? Thanks!


If you're wanting moderate to high light, I don't think this is the method that will get you there with this size tank.


----------



## Ricardohc

mistuhmarc said:


> You should do fine. The old rule was "3 watts per gallon" for high light. HC Cuba also loves lots of co2 too.


Thank you mitsuhmarc!


----------



## phxkrausehouse

Great topic. I just upgraded my lighting setup on my 90 gallon this weekend. I wanted a cheap alternative. So I went to home depot. Bought two of the white hanging light fixtures for 50 bucks each. Cut some pvc to make it look like a solid setup, painted it black and plugged in 2 100w 6500k 1450 lumen cfl bulbs. I hope I have enough light now.
http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa195/Phatman420/Mobile Uploads/20140511_214444.jpg


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## lauraleellbp

phxkrausehouse said:


> Great topic. I just upgraded my lighting setup on my 90 gallon this weekend. I wanted a cheap alternative. So I went to home depot. Bought two of the white hanging light fixtures for 50 bucks each. Cut some pvc to make it look like a solid setup, painted it black and plugged in 2 100w 6500k 1450 lumen cfl bulbs. I hope I have enough light now.
> http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa195/Phatman420/Mobile Uploads/20140511_214444.jpg


This is going to be an extremely low light setup. I doubt that you will be able to grow much beyond directly below your fixtures. A 90gal tank is a DEEP tank, and the amount of light that reaches the bottom is very little. Especially when using spiral CFL bulbs; the shape of the bulbs themselves mean that much of the light output is lost in "restrike" rather than being directed down into the tank.

I hate to tell you this after the work you put into this really nice-looking setup, but you would have much more usable light with dual rows of T8 bulbs than with this design.

IMO, trying to light LARGE tanks with spiral flourescents is usually a waste of energy. Strips of flourescent bulbs provide much more usable light per watt and overall better light coverage throughout the tank.


----------



## cornbread_5

can you use the standing flexible lamps?


----------



## burr740

cornbread_5 said:


> can you use the standing flexible lamps?


You can use any appropriately rated fixture these bulbs will screw into. How efficient depends on the quality of reflector, mounting position, distance from object, etc


----------



## cornbread_5

i got two of the chicken brooders on my 40 will upgrade to a third one was just wondering since i see people using clip on lamps how good what the ones that stand on the ground be


----------



## AGUILAR3

As long as you're able to place the lamp directly over the tank and its able to handle the watts your cfl is rated for, anything will do.


----------



## umarnasir335

Just wanted to pipe in with my own setup using 5 CFL fixtures on all 3 of my planted tanks.

The lamps used are the typical walmart ones that come in black. I was kind of apprehensive since the fixture is supposed to handle 13w max, but I went ahead and put in a higher wattage bulb anyway :hihi:







I think I can grow anything with this setup on my 20 Long (also running 2x2 liter DIY co2 - soon to be replaced with paintball setup).
The lamps on the left and right run 26w GE 6500K bulbs @ 1600 lumen.
The middle lamp is a Great Value 19w @ 5000k and 1300 lumen.

The 20 High has a Jebo power compact fixture running 48w and I include the lamp with the same 19w bulb for an extra boost for about 2-3 hours per day once I get home from work.

3 gallon on top is running a 14w Great Value bulb, 5000k @ 800 lumen. The pearlweed has already started to carpet after a week


----------



## cornbread_5

Are the spiral cfls ok to use or nah?


----------



## burr740

Here's my 20H grow out tank with DIY Co2. I use it to propagate cuttings and experiment with different things. CFLs have worked great. Had 23 watt bulbs for a while but they were a little too bright. Now using 18 watt 5000K Ulitech bulbs from Lowes. 

Some pics from various stages - 


Recent (18watt bulbs)



















Initial set-up (23watt 5000K Ulitech bulbs)











1 week later


----------



## ichristos

Hi,

I am running 3 x 32W CFL 6500K bulbs over a 50G tank. Tank is 35cm (13,7") tall, lights (lower rim of pendant) is at 55cm (21,6")* from substrate*.

I run pressurized CO2 (bbs beyond count), dose EI, run a 2000LPH (520GPH) sunsun filter on a spray bar at the long side of the tank. Substrate is clay (cat litter). 

I can grow plants, but I am *struggling with Eleocharis Parvula*, cannot get it to carpet. I already "killed" a batch, I am on my 2nd attempt. Its been planted in mid November 2014. Only a few runners. I can see other people achieving a full carpet in less than 2 months... 

I have just about finished the close enough par meter and will be taking readings soon. 

But still, this begs the question: should I rule out light being a problem here?
Ideas & suggestions welcome.


----------



## burr740

First of all what a nice looking set-up you have! Im no expert on dhg, but I wonder if it needs a more nutrient rich substrate? I recently grew a nice little patch in 100% sand, (medium to high-ish light, EI, CO2). It just sat there for a couple of weeks in a state of slow decline, until finally I stuck a bunch of loose balls of Osmocote+ underneath the entire area. Did them one at a time with tweezers. Few days later it started taking off.

I would _think_ you have enough light, but again Im no expert. Very interested to see what your PAR readings are though, please post them when you can.


----------



## ichristos

burr740 said:


> First of all what a nice looking set-up you have! Im no expert on dhg, but I wonder if it needs a more nutrient rich substrate? I recently grew a nice little patch in 100% sand, (medium to high-ish light, EI, CO2). It just sat there for a couple of weeks in a state of slow decline, until finally I stuck a bunch of loose balls of Osmocote+ underneath the entire area. Did them one at a time with tweezers. Few days later it started taking off.
> 
> I would _think_ you have enough light, but again Im no expert. Very interested to see what your PAR readings are though, please post them when you can.


Thank you for your kind words. Dosing water column is supposed to remove need for a nutrient rich substrate. But this is from collected feedback not from own experience. PAR reader is now complete but I have to calibrate it, to dare rely on its response  Will soon post results.


----------



## burr740

ichristos said:


> Dosing water column is supposed to remove need for a nutrient rich substrate.


Not necessarily. Heavy root feeders like swords and crypts still need ferts at the roots. Using an inert substrate means it has to be added somehow, ie root tabs, etc. Im not sure if dhg falls into this category, but mine didnt do anything until I gave them some Osmocote+. I was also dosing full EI with high light and co2.

Anyway, just sharing my own experience with that particular plant. Looking forward to those PAR measurements


----------



## jeffkrol

Can't tell by the photo but did you leave it clumped together? Seems that would be a no no.

I'm guessing light is not an issue.. Planting and types of fert. might be.. Finicky little plant..


----------



## ichristos

jeffkrol said:


> Can't tell by the photo but did you leave it clumped together? Seems that would be a no no.
> 
> I'm guessing light is not an issue.. Planting and types of fert. might be.. Finicky little plant..


Hi jeffkrol, dhg was meticulously separated into max 10 blades each then planted. Learned that lesson 

As far as root tabs are concerned, I found the following: 
*15% N*
- 6.5 NO3
- 8.5 NH4
*6% P2O5*
- 4.8% soluble potash
*12% K2O*
2% MgO
9% sulphur
0.02% B
0.01%Zn
Low chlorine

Suggests application 2-3 times/year so I suppose its slow release. Is this a good candidate for root tabs? I will be ordering some ready made osmocote plus root tabs - if I can find someone willing to ship here


----------



## agro

umarnasir335 said:


> Just wanted to pipe in with my own setup using 5 CFL fixtures on all 3 of my planted tanks.
> 
> The lamps used are the typical walmart ones that come in black. I was kind of apprehensive since the fixture is supposed to handle 13w max, but I went ahead and put in a higher wattage bulb anyway :hihi:
> 
> I think I can grow anything with this setup on my 20 Long (also running 2x2 liter DIY co2 - soon to be replaced with paintball setup).
> The lamps on the left and right run 26w GE 6500K bulbs @ 1600 lumen.
> The middle lamp is a Great Value 19w @ 5000k and 1300 lumen.
> 
> The 20 High has a Jebo power compact fixture running 48w and I include the lamp with the same 19w bulb for an extra boost for about 2-3 hours per day once I get home from work.
> 
> 3 gallon on top is running a 14w Great Value bulb, 5000k @ 800 lumen. The pearlweed has already started to carpet after a week


Your rack frightens me, the amount of bowing you have on those shelfs + that tank on the side with no support to corners. You love to live dangerous dont you?


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## burr740

ichristos said:


> Hi jeffkrol, dhg was meticulously separated into max 10 blades each then planted. Learned that lesson
> 
> As far as root tabs are concerned, I found the following:
> *15% N*
> - 6.5 NO3
> - 8.5 NH4
> *6% P2O5*
> - 4.8% soluble potash
> *12% K2O*
> 2% MgO
> 9% sulphur
> 0.02% B
> 0.01%Zn
> Low chlorine
> 
> Suggests application 2-3 times/year so I suppose its slow release. Is this a good candidate for root tabs? I will be ordering some ready made osmocote plus root tabs - if I can find someone willing to ship here


Without looking up and comparing ingredients, let me just say you have to be careful choosing terrestrial plant ferts for the aquarium. More often than not the source of nitrogen is urea, which is bad, or just straight ammonia.

I do know a lot of people use Job's plant spikes, but from what Ive read you're asking for a nightmare if you ever up root them down the line. Dont ask me why.

Personally I would only use Osmocote Plus specifically, or aquarium brand root tabs. The latter can be very expensive compared to Osmocote+. Also you have the added advantage of making your own tabs with however much you want, or just adding the individual balls. That what I did with the DHG. I took tweezers and poked down single balls all over the place.

Fwiw Osmocote Plus contains both macros and micros. Regular Osmocote only has macros.


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## ichristos

I have put an order for osmocote plus root tabs.
unfortunately I damaged the PAR meter and I am waiting for components to redo. Will return with readings as promised.


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## pinchez

I'd like to do something like this with my tank (55G 39L x 16W x 22H) which I'm converting to a Amazon Biotope with Frogbit and possibly sword but no other plants. What kind of bulb should I get LED or CFL? I do like the shimmer of LED but I'm a bit lost! I basically want enough light for my Frogbit to thrive and the colours in my fish to stand out. Can someone kindly advise on what I need and how many bulbs and shades I'd need?

Thanks


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## AEWHistory

Wow, great minds think alike! When I got back into the hobby in 2008 I got myself a slew of 5&10 G tanks as well as some large plastic containers to grow stuff out and experiment. I needed lots of lighting and this was one of the first things I experimented with. Worked like a charm. In fact, in some containers it worked a little too well and I ended up with a veritable jungle of plants competing for resources. That what I got for trying to do way too much too soon..... I'm glad to see others have latched onto this idea--at the time I didn't even realize it was a new idea in any way.


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## grail63

I bought 2 of the smaller 6" domes for my 20gallon Long dirted low tech tank. I plan on using the 13watt 6500k CFL bulbs. Would this be sufficient for low to medium light plants or should I look to add a 3rd dome?


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## TankFreak420

Sorry if this question was answered but I didn't read the 18 pages of info. Has anyone tried these on a large tank say 120g? I was originally going to do 6 23W CFL's but cutting cost a time by using some 4' T8s I have kicking around. What one would be better? This 120g is 26" tall.


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## AGUILAR3

Just sayin..


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## burr740

That is one sexy dome, AGUILAR! What are it's dimensions and what watt bulb is in it?

Great looking stand too.


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## Xiaozhuang

Decided to add my lot of nanos to this thread; all using 24w CFLs, 2700k/6500k at varying heights from the tank... All low tech nanos with dirted substrate

















































Still growing in...


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## BulletToothBoris

Very cool. Thanks.


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## AGUILAR3

burr740 said:


> That is one sexy dome, AGUILAR! What are it's dimensions and what watt bulb is in it?
> 
> Great looking stand too.


Thanks

It's a 15" dome I found at work. It was on a pallet with some old metal halide lamps. The mounting hole was big enough to where I was able to removed my 8" brooder lamp dome(13w cfl), slipped on the monster dome then screwed the brooder dome back on so it's basically resting on the 8" dome. It was done for sh!t$ n giggles :hihi:

The stand is made from an old pallet I got from work. I cut it down to size, added legs, bottom bracing then stained it.

The light hanger is also DIY. Found some conduit pipe at work, borrowed the pipe bender and winged it on the dimensions. Brought it home and surprisingly, it fit.


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## warhead_71

On my 55gal, I'm using four of the IKEA FOTO 10" pendant lamps... available in several colors. Running 23W 6500K CFLs and the plants seem happy.

These are old pics, I have a bunch of Ocelot Swords, Chain Sword, Ludwigia, Rotala Indica, Cabomba, Jungle Val... everything is growing very well and the Wisteria is out of control.


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## AGUILAR3

Interesting find today. Copper maybe?


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## burr740

Oooh those are cool. Definitely copper, most likely copper clad unless the metal is very soft. They would polish up nicely with some Brasso. That dull weathered greenish look is also desirable though.


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## AGUILAR3

I think polish would ruin the patina on these lamps. There were 7-8 more but I only picked up these 4


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## hitmanx

I'm not sure if I have shared this tank here yet but this 15 gallon column is illuminated by a 23w CFL in a 10.5" brooder dome... non co2, top off only...


15 gallon column by nbtobey, on Flickr

Mainly hygrophila angustifolia with a bed of crypts...


15 gallon column by nbtobey, on Flickr


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## Stelt

Here is my $12 setup. Seems to be working pretty well! Only my 3rd week, but growth is amazing. I have 13w 6500K Walmart specials:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays...08457449064204392210&affillinktype=10&veh=aff


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## robchang

Stelt said:


> Here is my $12 setup. Seems to be working pretty well! Only my 3rd week, but growth is amazing. I have 13w 6500K Walmart specials:
> 
> Mainstays Clip Lamp, Black - Walmart.com


Wow, Stelt - beautiful tank with beautiful shots! What camera/lens did you use?


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## Annie101

*Hello!*

Hi everyone so i'm a newbie in planted tanks and had a few questions so i recently bought Sylvania 23w 6,500k Daylight and i was wondering how many bulbs would i need for a 29g and how would rate these lights? (low-medium,medium-high??)


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## AWolf

Annie101 said:


> Hi everyone so i'm a newbie in planted tanks and had a few questions so i recently bought Sylvania 23w 6,500k Daylight and i was wondering how many bulbs would i need for a 29g and how would rate these lights? (low-medium,medium-high??)


Hi Annie! I'm glad you have revived this thread! So many great lights. The 23w is equal to a 100watt incandescent. That is high light. If you have a wide enough reflector one over a 29g would still probably not cover the length of the tank, so I would go for 2, using the clip on style lamp or some nice pendant reflectors. Just by raising the light, you can change it to low-medium. But I don't think it looks good raised too far from the surface of the tank, because then the area around the tank is illuminated, and the tank looks washed out.


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## Annie101

Hi AWolf, well i was wondering if i put three lights suspended above the tank would it make it into high light or still go low-medium?
I'm asking about three because that's what i thought in my mind the tank would need do you think with 2 it would be enough? 
I was thinking having my lights for my tank medium or medium-high, thank you for replying my first post !!


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## AWolf

Annie101 said:


> Hi AWolf, well i was wondering if i put three lights suspended above the tank would it make it into high light or still go low-medium?
> I'm asking about three because that's what i thought in my mind the tank would need do you think with 2 it would be enough?
> I was thinking having my lights for my tank medium or medium-high, thank you for replying my first post !!


It's hard to say for me, since I don't use reflectors, and have four on my 29g to cover every inch with high light. Silver reflectors may make it work for just 2 or 3. Really depends on the size and type of fixture. You can try just 2 or 3 and find out. I keep my clip on/desk type just inches off of the surface. 4 is of course, 400watts incandescent equivalent, which is ultra high light. You need to be really good with plants and ferts to keep algae at bay. If you can use reflectors with just two 23w CFL's, you'll have less maintenance possibly, and need less expertise with plants and ferts. I'd start with 2 w/reflectors, and go up from there as needed. I'm writing fast because I'm in a boring meeting and hope everyone thinks I'm actually listening...hehehe. So I may sound a bit rambly.


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## burr740

Annie101 said:


> Hi AWolf, well i was wondering if i put three lights suspended above the tank would it make it into high light or still go low-medium?
> I'm asking about three because that's what i thought in my mind the tank would need do you think with 2 it would be enough?
> I was thinking having my lights for my tank medium or medium-high, thank you for replying my first post !!


Mounted vertical in aluminum dome-type reflectors, two 23 watts are going to put you easily in the high light range at 20-22 inches or so (above the substrate)

That will be directly underneath each light. Dead center, between the two will be considerably less.

To get the most even coverage, I'd go with three 8 1/2" diameter domes. This is a common size available at Lowes/Home Depot, etc.

Then you may want to consider going down to 13 watt bulbs, at least in the beginning. You'd still have solid med-range light, enough for most any plant and a whole lot easier to deal with. 

It is a lot simpler to increase the intensity down the road than to decrease it, because usually there is an algae farm by the time you realize that you have too much.


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## Annie101

Thank you again i am going to take your advise about making it work with 2 or 3 three lights and another question has popped up in my mind; by being good with plants and ferts? what do you mean if you can explain it to me  P.s what do you think of these bowls for reflectors? (lol): BLANDA BLANK Serving bowl - 5 " - IKEA

Bump: burr740 So you would recommend 13w instead of 23w and if i have a 29g standard tank that you can buy from petco how many bulbs and would i need and i would still need a co2 system or liquid will be just fine?


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## AWolf

Annie101 said:


> Thank you again i am going to take your advise about making it work with 2 or 3 three lights and another question has popped up in my mind; by being good with plants and ferts? what do you mean if you can explain it to me  P.s what do you think of these bowls for reflectors? (lol): BLANDA BLANK Serving bowl - 5 " - IKEA
> 
> Those bowls should get the job done. If you are just starting out, like most people, you only have a few plants. So liquid ferts once a week and basic lighting starts you off well. As your plants grow, or you add plants, and it become more dense, you need to add ferts and possibly lower the light closer to get to thicker underbrush, which at the same time may cause algae issues. It's inevitable you will have algae. How much, and what type depend on water parameters and light/ferts. Every tank is different, so it's not one size fits all. You have to adjust, adjust, as the weeks go on. Increase or decrease light, increase or decrease ferts, increase or decrease water changes, etc. You want good growth with as little algae as possible. That comes with experience with your tank. All my tanks have green algae on surfaces that I clean up monthly by scrubbing off tank and stuff, getting it in the water column, and sucking it up with an external diatom filter. It is different than potted plants that you just water once a week, and add fertilizer occasionally. Once you get good at it, then it becomes easier to keep things growing well without big algae blooms. Big blooms mean something is off; too much/little light, too much/little fertilizer, swings in pH and other water chemistry issues, etc....You have to keep it 'in between the lines' so to speak.:wink2:


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## burr740

Annie101 said:


> Bump: burr740 So you would recommend 13w instead of 23w and if i have a 29g standard tank that you can buy from petco how many bulbs and would i need and i would still need a co2 system or liquid will be just fine?


The 29 is 30" wide, so three 8.5" domes would give a nice even coverage. 

If you used say, two 10" domes, it's going to be very bright underneath each bulb, but much dimmer in the middle between them, and on each end of the tank.

At roughly 20" above the substrate, 23 watt bulbs are going to push 100 PAR directly underneath. This will definitely require CO2. 13 watt bulbs would be much more manageable, and you may get by with only a liquid carbon supplement like Excel, etc. 

Reflectors make a big difference. All of the above assumes we are talking about using this type of fixture


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## Annie101

Thank you AWolf and burr740 for all your recommendations, i'll do a little bit more research on the plants and decide later on, I still haven't set up the aquarium but at least i was able to find help and find cheap lights compared to the ones i saw on the internet, thank you again so much *-*!!


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## StarsFish

Very interesting thread...
So, I just acquired a 55g that I'll be setting up. I want it to be a planted tank without having to do co2. If I do the clamp on lights, how many should I use, and what size CFL? What about going with some of the new LED bulbs?


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## baker2016

burr740 said:


> Mounted vertical in aluminum dome-type reflectors, two 23 watts are going to put you easily in the high light range at 20-22 inches or so (above the substrate)
> 
> That will be directly underneath each light. Dead center, between the two will be considerably less.
> 
> To get the most even coverage, I'd go with three 8 1/2" diameter domes. This is a common size available at Lowes/Home Depot, etc.
> 
> Then you may want to consider going down to 13 watt bulbs, at least in the beginning. You'd still have solid med-range light, enough for most any plant and a whole lot easier to deal with.
> 
> It is a lot simpler to increase the intensity down the road than to decrease it, because usually there is an algae farm by the time you realize that you have too much.


OoooO. Even that would be high light? Cuz I am sitting here with 4x 40w CFLs ( 150w eqiv ) 26 inches from the bottom of the tank with dome reflectors....this actually could be my problem if this is the case with algae.


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## heatherbee

*Thank you & Sharing!*

I just wanted to share my experience in order to possibly help anyone out there considering options. My issue was not cost so much as less common dimensions to deal with. I have a column tank that is only 13x13 wide but 24" tall (less with substrate). With the height you can't really get away with much as far as plants using the typical .5 LED fixtures. I'd considered using a square saltwater LED light with 3 watt leds but couldn't find one that was exactly what I wanted. I use a cfl in one side of my planted turtle tank so that led me here to this thread. Anyways, this is by the bed and I wanted black domes- did not want to worry about painting. I also wanted adjustability so I ended up with 2 clamp on desk lamps from Walmart. I'm using 23 watt CFL bulbs from Lowe's. "Sylvania 6500k mini instant on" It's been about 6 weeks and everything is going great! I'm adding a couple photos for reference. I do move them around once a day on days I'm here. I've only had a teeny bit of algae on my moss only on the old growth after adding it but that has gone now after trimming . Hope this might help someone out there!

PS. I just moved plants around in the full tank photo so it's still foggy from that.


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## GrampsGrunge

Annie101 said:


> Hi AWolf, well i was wondering if i put three lights suspended above the tank would it make it into high light or still go low-medium?
> I'm asking about three because that's what i thought in my mind the tank would need do you think with 2 it would be enough?
> I was thinking having my lights for my tank medium or medium-high, thank you for replying my first post !!


 I just wanted to add that I'm presently using these LED 5000K bulbs in 8.5" dome reflectors over my two nano tanks.







It gives you an option to go with LED lighting.


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## non quixote

Just setting up a 15 gallon hex tank and even though the thread is really old I wanted to say bravo for all of the ideas in it regarding lighting on the cheap! I've run salts for the last 20 years or so (but no longer) and this will be my first attempt at a FW planted tank. Lots of things to learn about FW and I was having a difficult time finding a light that I could live with. I'm planning on easing into this and I didn't want to go blowing a wad of cash on a hobby that I may not wind up enjoying (enough to spend a wad of cash on!) The bulb that I decided on, if anyone is interested, is a 6500K 2800 lumen CFL. Don't know what the result will be, but I'm sure it will be fun finding out!


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## GrampsGrunge

non quixote said:


> Just setting up a 15 gallon hex tank and even though the thread is really old I wanted to say bravo for all of the ideas in it regarding lighting on the cheap! I've run salts for the last 20 years or so (but no longer) and this will be my first attempt at a FW planted tank. Lots of things to learn about FW and I was having a difficult time finding a light that I could live with. I'm planning on easing into this and I didn't want to go blowing a wad of cash on a hobby that I may not wind up enjoying (enough to spend a wad of cash on!) The bulb that I decided on, if anyone is interested, is a 6500K 2800 lumen CFL. Don't know what the result will be, but I'm sure it will be fun finding out!


2800 lumens? What size in wattage? If larger than the 100 watt equivalents ( 23 watts..) try to find the reflectors with the ventilation holes near the bulb screw in base. The bigger spiral CFL's get pretty hot near their ballast enclosure. 2800 lumens is a lot of light for a 15 gallon.


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## AWolf

heatherbee said:


> I just wanted to share my experience in order to possibly help anyone out there considering options. My issue was not cost so much as less common dimensions to deal with. I have a column tank that is only 13x13 wide but 24" tall (less with substrate). With the height you can't really get away with much as far as plants using the typical .5 LED fixtures. I'd considered using a square saltwater LED light with 3 watt leds but couldn't find one that was exactly what I wanted. I use a cfl in one side of my planted turtle tank so that led me here to this thread. Anyways, this is by the bed and I wanted black domes- did not want to worry about painting. I also wanted adjustability so I ended up with 2 clamp on desk lamps from Walmart. I'm using 23 watt CFL bulbs from Lowe's. "Sylvania 6500k mini instant on" It's been about 6 weeks and everything is going great! I'm adding a couple photos for reference. I do move them around once a day on days I'm here. I've only had a teeny bit of algae on my moss only on the old growth after adding it but that has gone now after trimming . Hope this might help someone out there!
> 
> PS. I just moved plants around in the full tank photo so it's still foggy from that.


Really gorgeous tank. Love it.

Bump:


GrampsGrunge said:


> I just wanted to add that I'm presently using these LED 5000K bulbs in 8.5" dome reflectors over my two nano tanks.
> 
> TCP LA1050KND6 LED A19 - 60 Watt Equivalent Daylight (5000K) Light Bulb - 6 Pack - - Amazon.com
> 
> 
> It gives you an option to go with LED lighting.


I've been looking at those. I have them in my hallway. Scary stark. I'll have to try them over a tank with tannins to see if it is less scary. It reminds me of my Dad when he wore shorts in summer. Those blue/white legs made us wish he would put on pants. You could totally see this man in the dark he was so white. LED Domes...eek.


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## baker2016

Just to show that you can indeed use CFLs to grow plants without anything fancy besides the domes.... here is my one good planted tank with basic 10 inch domes with 4x 23W 6500K CFLs.... 26 inches from the bottom of bulb to the sand










Yes I know I need to re-arrange the plants but that will come with time. I am just working on the right lighting to make sure minimal algae as you can see I still have some.

I am just thrilled I got this tank blossoming the way it is so to say.


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## MCSLABS

I did something a tad different. Built a box, 10 " x 29 " x 4.5 ", lined it with foil and foil tape, added ventilation and 8, T2, 6500k, 1600 lumens philips cfl bulbs lying horizontally. The tank is doing wonderful right now, everything is beginning to green up and I'm seeing new leaf growth. I replaced a single aqeuon 24 inch bulb, way to dark.


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## jimclassic

jmrmotorhead said:


> I was PMed recently about my lighting setup after seeing one of my pictures on the forum. I guess not much attention has been given to the clamp shop-light approach so this thread is simply to show what can be done with them. I know many people may know about this, and I am not taking credit for the original idea, just wanted to share a cheap, effective method of lighting a planted tank.
> 
> Ok, here's a shot of my tank before we start-
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For my tank I decided on three 9 inch clamp on lights from home depot. These are super cheap-usually around 6-10 bucks each. I found them in one of the electrical isles, not the lighting isle, as they are intended as work lamps.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The great thing about this is it accepts cfl bulbs with the normal light bulb socket. I went with 5000K 19w bulbs because I couldn't find any 6500's. Once I find them I'll make the switch though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There are a lot of options with this method, such as hanging them from one pipe of pvc, and wiring all three together, or as I did, just sit them on top and use a short extension cord to plug all 3 into a timer. Once I'm done with my wasser-controller I'll set these up to come on and off one after another to mimic sun rise and sun set.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hope this may help some of you who don't want to spend lot of money on lighting,
> 
> Matt


Considering a tank of 24x12x18 inch and 22 gallon, how much CFL and of how much watt would be required??

Thanks in Advance
Jim


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## NYstyle

I’m glad that I stumbled on this thread before spending $180 on a “specialized” LED light. So after stumbling on this thread I went digging through my old supply to see what I had. Here’s what I came up with. 








My old ZooMed hood with a 23w CFL, and 1600 lumen 5000 LED bulb, because that’s what I had around the house. If I understand correctly the watts per gallon is no longer accurate. I was checking this bulb out on amazon, 
KINGBO 18W LED Aquarium Light 6500K Fish Tank Water Plants Saltwater Freshwater Planted Tank Lights Clamp for Aqua-Plants Coral Reef Fish Nano Tank 20 Gallon Par 38 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RVV55B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5crrCbNM1S9JP
Is that over kill? Would a 6K LED do the trick?

i realize that the last update was almost a year ago, hopefully I'll still get an answer! ha.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## jaz419

NYstyle said:


> I’m glad that I stumbled on this thread before spending $180 on a “specialized” LED light. So after stumbling on this thread I went digging through my old supply to see what I had. Here’s what I came up with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My old ZooMed hood with a 23w CFL, and 1600 lumen 5000 LED bulb, because that’s what I had around the house. If I understand correctly the watts per gallon is no longer accurate. I was checking this bulb out on amazon,
> KINGBO 18W LED Aquarium Light 6500K Fish Tank Water Plants Saltwater Freshwater Planted Tank Lights Clamp for Aqua-Plants Coral Reef Fish Nano Tank 20 Gallon Par 38 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RVV55B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5crrCbNM1S9JP
> Is that over kill? Would a 6K LED do the trick?
> 
> i realize that the last update was almost a year ago, hopefully I'll still get an answer! ha.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




It really depends on what you want to grow. 6000 is good, 6500 is also good...9000 is good... People use a pretty wide spectrum successfully in this hobby. 

That bulb will grow plants for sure. Most likely low light plants will grow really well, maybe mid light that are positioned right in the bulbs primary cone of projection (which is probably fairly narrow). also, if you've only got 1 or 2 over the center, you're definitely gonna have a wide perimeter of really low light around the tank, especially at either edge of a tank that long. 

Do 4 of them and it might be a different story. Or go for 6 maybe? I don't have any experience using compact CFLs or bulbs like the ones you linked, but I do know that people use them successfully, and it also seems like those people usually use quite a few fixtures over their tank. 

It's really hard to say if a bulb that inexpensive from Amazon is even gonna be accurately 6500k. $180 may seem exorbitant but there's definitely reasons for that. That bulb is simply not going to come very close to an aquarium specific light made by a well regarded brand, that costs 10x the price. 



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## burr740

Back in my CFL days 5000K was always my favorite bulb spectrum


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## PlantedRich

For a time, I was using Cfl and all sorts of DIY bulb holders and can say that they do work but then I did find that my preferred bulbs were in the 6500 kelvin range and got too hard to find. I liked the ease of moving the lights around as well as the ease of adding more or less light by simply changing bulbs. 
So my thoughts would be to continue with the CFL if you can find those which you favor and use them over the LED you mention. One problem with the spotlight LED is that it does give lots of light but in a very limited area and that can lead to all kinds of funky problems with algae and growth of plants which may not be getting too little or too much. 
I like flexible items for light and find there are several which are cheap and work for me. I might suggest doing a search on the auction for LED which come in a wide range of size/number of LED and are mounted to place the light on one side rather than the common circle type. I have lost my link to them but I used a bulb which has the metal heat sink built with a regular E27 base and the LED only on one side to direct all the light down into the tank. Being longer, they spread the l9ight more and also make it easy to add more or less by simply moving or changing the bulbs. Part of making it work for me was that i use DIY covers to hide all the ugly part of mounting bulbs!


----------

