RFI: Ideal lighting set for plants (under $250)

[Uncle Hack]

Hi All,
I recently moved from FL to OH and had to part with a sweet salt tank. The upshot is that i now have a $225 credit with the local fish store and would like to seriously upgrade my fresh tank's lighting (37 gallon). Could someone provide some insight into the best lighting setup I can get for my tank (fluorescent, halide, VHO)? Right now it only has java ferns, with 5 medium sized fish (acara, fw shark, bowtia, pleco) and 1 small stinkpot.

Long term goals for the tank are to maintain the current population and dramatically increase the plant life (from java fern to biodiversity hotspot).

Thanks,
Chuck

[djlen]

Compact Fluorescent is the way to go for a planted tank. I have what I think is essentially the same tank as you, and light it with 110watts/CF, which yields just under 3watts/gal. Works fine for my application.
If you intend to grow ground covers such as Glosso, Hair Grass or similar, or low growing reds, you might consider moving up to 3.5 - 4 watts, IMO.
There are plenty of ready made lighting set ups out there that you can order or buy out right from a decent LFS for $250 or less that fall into the above categories.
Or you can go to: www.ahsupply.com/
They have units you can build a canopy for and save you a bunch of money in the process. They even sell the shells for the systems now if you're not handy with tools although they are very easy to build.

Len

[geoffgarcia]

dj, I think he said he has store credit he wishes to burn through...

UncleHack, do you have pressurized CO2 for your tank? if not then dont go above 3w pg IMHO, and for a tall tank like a 37+ I'd go with power compact lighting which are the long high power tube lamps.
Personally I use a 250w MH lamp about 2ft above my 29g tank w/ pressurized CO2 and think it looks a TON better than when I put 2x55PC lighting on the tank.
MH just makes it look SOOO much more realistic with water/light ripple effect inside the tank...plus your plants will thrive like hell in that much light.

If you get some CO2 then go for a 150w MH lamp. That would be ace!