Here's what I've picked out...

[susanne_1989]

How's this sound.........

Investigate T5 bulbs & fixtures.
They're available in suitable lengths & wattages (though a single one probably wouldn't do too well for Cabomba).

With T5 or PC (your 55 & 96W), you will have heat issues to watch for, so "right on the glass" isn't really an option anyway (especially if you do go w/ 96W PC).

Ok, looked into T5 and found the following on ebay.......3ft double lamp, 1 39w blue and 1 39w white. cool operation, no noise. legs included to attach to the edge of tank. 39.99. Plus shipping. Too cheap??? This is the cheapest option I've come up with. Would give me a total of 78w which should be enough I would think. Bad deal?

 

[fishorama]

Actinic blue lights are not good for plants. You will need CO2 if you get much over 2 watts/gallon, more plant choices but more $, ferts & work. Check out AHsupply for lighting.

 

[susanne_1989]

Been there earlier today. So what you're saying is I pry could go with 1 x 55W kit? Or could I go with the 65W setup I mentioned earlier in this post?

 

[phanmc]

For a 30g tank, stick to 1 bulb of 55w T5 or T5HOs, if they're T5HOs you definitely don't want to run 2 bulbs unless you have CO2 and ferts.

 

[Squawkbert]

^True - First thing is to decide if you want to go NPT (a.k.a. El Natural) or with a higher tech approach. Each has its own merits & drawbacks.

Once you've picked a basic path, lighting options become a bit less complex.