help w/10gl lighting

[bkw1982]

hey
im new to posting on here but hav enjoyed photos and advice on the forums for awhile. i hav a ten gallon tank but with no hood for lighting. seeing as i want to make a planted tank i guess light is kinda important......i think my logic is sound. anyway i was wondering does anyone know a good site were i can buy a hood tht will provide good lighting for a 10 gallon tank. i plan on tryin to grow low light plants. any any advice u could giv would be welcome
thx

[podheadx]

If you are going for low light plants you could get a plain glass top and then 1 strip light, Fluorescent for the 10g are 20in long with a 18in bulb at 15watt, the incandescent lights could house 2 10w compact fluorescent bulbs.
Each setup would be from 1.5-2 watts per gal. which would be good for some plants, like java moss, java fern, anacharis, and others with large green leaves.
At first stay away from plants with red leaves or small brittle leaves untill you get the hang of things.
With that lighting you would not need to add co2, or add fertalizers often. But down the road, if you got the glass top you could add two lights and then add the co2.

As for a good site try...
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Shop.cfm?N=2004

[echoofformless]

I would recommend one of the "economy" type hoods. They come with incandescent fixtures, which allow you to actually use the mini pc flourescent bulbs. (Those swirly ones) this allows you a little more wattage than the standard fluorescent hood and it saves you money as well.

[bkw1982]

thx...both of you. well i looked at the site u linked me and its perfect, but to start i think ill try the hoods that normally come with this particular tank.....lookin at some of the more expensive hoods made me fall out my chair. besides java moss, java fern, and anacharis, are there any other plants u guys suggest......i may skip the java moss, it seems the stuff doesnt like me tht much. ive tried growin it but it always truns brown or grows algae on it and then truns brown. can never get the dark green or even the bright green i see in other tanks. any suggestios on how to keep java moss at its best will help too. but thx for the great advice

[podheadx]

sorry I was lazy before try this link, get this hood

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=3792&N=2004+113179

with 2 of these bulbs but not the 50/50

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=9870&N=2004+113346

or one of these hoods, + a glass top

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=13397&N=2004+113349

and while your ordering those you might as well get some more fish stuff at those great prices!

[twig]

i have a 15 watt over 20 gallons and its pretty good for some stuff but its a bit gloomy compared to my 200 litre rainbow tank that has 4x55 watt w/w 10k super daylight cf bulbs ...

My java moss, Corkscrew vals, and a hygro and two anubias grow very well and its good for cardinals because they like it gloomy and i noticed that in the EARLY morning it catches the full sun in the front an inch when the sun rises (my cardinals love to play in the rays lol) and i have some co2...

[bkw1982]

thx for the help..those hoods and bulbs are right in my budget so thts perfect. i may try anubias by prob stir clear of java moss...last encounter with it i kept getting long strands of brown stuff on it and everything else. eventually the moss turned brown and died i could never get ride of the brown stuff on it. but im lookin at plants to purchase in the near future....u guys been a big help