stupid light question

[pzuzu]

This is probably a stupid question. I apologize. But I am wandering if one could just get an average lamp with a flexible head that you could position over a tank and place an 80w bulb into it, like...say for a twenty gallon tank without a lid?

Or, if it has a lid, if you could just put it right next to the tank and have most of the plants on that particular side of the tank? Perhaps even one lamp on each side?

Thanks,
Fernando

[z71silverado98]

if your talking about incadescent thats not a very good idea, plants will not respond well to that light temp, they get very hot, and are not effecient.

go to your local hardware store and buy the 18" or 36" undercabinet flourescent fixture hopefully they have a directional about 180degree light spread instead of open tube 300 degree spread they are around $7. pick up a plant bulb(optional) from your LFS and if you dont have a lid you can get a wire reptile cover from your petstore for around $5.

set your fixture on the mesh and your set. you can also tape saran wrap to the mesh where the light sits to prevent deposits on your light. be certain to allow atleast 1/2" clearance to prevent the saran wrap from melting.

[indiginess]

give it a try... i'm curious. you might be suprised with the results. i'd surely like to know.

i grew ancharis/elodea (like $3 US) in a ten with incandecent light, but that was a tight fitting hood.

i'd be afraid you'd lose a lot of the needed light energy with a setup like that.

and its not a stupid question, surely don't apologize.. your spouse will eat you for lunch (sry thats borderline out of bounds)

[djlen]

Not a stupid question.
For a small tank the type lamp you refer to with a screw-in fluorescent tube would work just fine. But there are better ways to do it, and if you're looking at a larger tank, there are certainly better options available.

Len

[happychem]

I've grown Alternathera reineckii and Wisteria under a 50 W halogen desk lamp in a 10 g tank. Both grew quite successfully.