higher watt bulb - safe?

[vthokie]

I have a standard 30" hood over my 20 gallon long tank. It came with a 17 watt bulb. I was wondering if it is safe to replace it with a higher wattage bulb, or do I need to buy a new hood? Most of the lamps in my house have warnings about exceeding the posted wattage, but there is no warning about this on my hood.
I'm just looking to have a low-light setup...nothing fancy. Some silk plants and a few low-light live plants.

Thanks for your help!

- John

[charby]

Fluos don`t come in different wattage like incadescent lights. The wattage is usually standard for the length. ie: you won`t find a 50 watt 24 inch fluo bulb.

[Quest]

Flourescent bulbs come in different thickness, known as T-10 or T-12. Those sometimes have different wattage, I think 24" T-10 is 18W and T-12 is 20W (though I could be wrong).
You probably won't have much problem using either type, as long as it fits under your hood. I think most hoods are designed for T-12 (thicker) bulbs.

[pbrack]

I doubt yo can, just to keep it on the safe side. Sometimes fixture aren't meant to hold higher wattage, and it can lead to the fixture melting, or to fire. I think every fixture has a specific bulb or wattage it can handle, and if you want to change the wattage, you have to change the bulb

[pbrack]

sorry "if you want to change the wattage, you have to change the FIXTURE" :)