15 gallon/24" lighting help needed

[jpappy789]

Picking up a 15 gallon but all it comes with is a glass top. I'm looking to grow medium light plants at most, and wont be going really heavy on Co2 (most likely excel at this point) or ferts unless needed down the road. I'd like to stay cheap, as in shoplight cheap, but dont know where to start...

[bigwave]

Buy a clip on lamp (or 2) and some compact fluorescent spiral bulbs that are the correct spectrum, and you shold be set. Not the best way to go, but it would work. I have also seen lots of enclosures that use these little bulbs, you could always rig something up.

For a little more I like ahsupply.com and their light kits. I have built 2 and was really happy with them. They are not too expensive, and if you can do a little work on your own they can look real nice.

[jpappy789]

I've always wanted to go with ahsupply, should I get the 1x36w or 1x55 kit? The 55w fits better. Also, are the lights ok just sitting on the glass top or would I need to house it in a strip?

[Slappy*McFish]

The 36W kit should be more than enough. I have one on my 10g and the plants are growing out of the tank. You will need to house the lights in a strip or canopy of sorts. The kit just comes with the bulb, reflector, ballast, wire and hardware(screws, etc).

[jpappy789]

Hm...well I guess I'll have to start a DIY project...I'm not spending money on a hood thats going to be torn apart anyways.

[Slappy*McFish]

Yup, a cheap wooden canopy would be extremely easy to make in an hour or two.

[67chevelle]

Hm...well I guess I'll have to start a DIY project...I'm not spending money on a hood thats going to be torn apart anyways.
Start a build thread!
I'm interested to see how this works out.

[jpappy789]

They give you a booklet on DIY hoods when you purchase the lights, and they have all the info on the site too...should be interesting, I'm not a handy person LOL

[Riiz]

If you're going to buy a retrofit, I would personally look at the fishneedit.com 24" T5HO fictures instead. You'll only need 1 bulb for low light plants, and fire up the second bulb for a burst or full time with pressurized CO2. Plus you dont need to worry about constructing anything, just plug it in and go, and at $54 it'll be cheaper than constructing anything.


Or another option that came to mind, is finding the old incandescent strip lights using common CFLs, or even those Coralife cfls with more of a linear shape that come in 10 or 20watt.

[jpappy789]

Interesting...I would rather have something lay flat than mounted though, is it ok for the fixture? If not Im fine with mounted.

I'm also unfamiliar with external ballast systems, do they take up much room? This is going to be on a dresser.

If you havent noticed Im all about space...

One thing though, theres only one switch for the 2 bulb fixtures so is it still safe to run without a bulb?

[jpappy789]

Any thoughts?

[Riiz]

Interesting...I would rather have something lay flat than mounted though, is it ok for the fixture? If not Im fine with mounted.

I'm also unfamiliar with external ballast systems, do they take up much room? This is going to be on a dresser.

If you havent noticed Im all about space...

One thing though, theres only one switch for the 2 bulb fixtures so is it still safe to run without a bulb?

Most people mount the ballast to the outside of the hood for cooling and the fact that there isnt much space left after reflectors and bulbs installed. It adds maybe another 1.5" to the height of the hood or wherever its installed. And its fine if one bulb is powered, the ballast only powers a set of sockets when a bulb is present, completing an electrical circuit.

[jpappy789]

ok, that gives me some options for lighting then...I think I'm going to order a fixture this weekend.

[jpappy789]

Ordered the 24" light T5HO fixture with the 6700K bulbs. It looks like I can only get one color temp so I might end up switching out one for a 10000K on my own. Thanks again!