1st Serious Plant Tank

[cohazard]

I'm going to setup my first 10 gallon "serious" planted tank, for my dwarf puffers. I say "serious" because I've done low-tech before, but now I want a high light tank with CO2 and "pearling" plants. I'm using a regular 10g tank, with an incandescent hood and a DIY CO2 unit. I planned on using compact flourescent lights that can screw into an incandescent hood, but here's the question. The lights say that they are 10 watts, but are equal to 50 watts of incandescent lighting, here's the link: Compact Flourescent Light. So which should I believe? I'd be getting two, but if it's only 10 watts, that's not enough, if it's 50 watts, is that "too" much for a 10g? Thanks in advance.

 

[IndianaSam]

You really want to compare lumens, not watts. Watts is energy used, and lumens is light made. CFs are way more energy efficient.

Anyway, you could probably put 2 of them over you tank and be good to go if you have good reflectors.

Also, I'd say you could get the same thing cheaper at a hardware store.

 

[cohazard]

So the watts/gallon rule won't help in this case? All fo the research I've done for live plants always refers to watts, with 3 per gallon giving you the freedom to keep just about any plant. Thanks for the help though; how would I find out the lumens?

 

[IndianaSam]

Oh, the watts/gallon rule helps. But it's just a "rule of thumb".

The lumens should be on the box.

I really do think that 2 of those bulbs would be great over a 10 gallon.

 

[cohazard]

So I'd be able to keep stuff like corkscrew val., combomba, water sprite, etc...? Thanks again for your help, highly appreciate it.

 

[IndianaSam]

Originally posted by SoCalSunset
So I'd be able to keep stuff like corkscrew val., combomba, water sprite, etc...? Thanks again for your help, highly appreciate it.

Before you take my advice, wait for a more experienced plant-head to chime in.

I tend to go a little overboard!

Check out above link

 

[cohazard]

I see.......I still appreciate you taking the time to help me out though! Hopefully I get some responses soon; oh, and I can relate to the poor student thing . But I'm getting my first job in about a week, so that's another reason I'm setting up my first "serious" planted tank, because I can afford it now!



College..........you gotta have money to learn how to make it!

 

[happychem]

Lumens would be good, except that 'lumens' is a measure of light intensity as picked up by the human eye. Our eyes are more sensitive to greens than reds and blues. Greens being of absolutely no use to plants.

Treat those bulbs as 10w each. The w/g rule of thumb applies to normal fluorecent bulbs at the beginning of their life, with an appropriate spectrum and a decent reflector. Incandecent light is crap, period. Fluorecent bulbs put out much more light per watt, hence the 10w=50w incandecent.

I've never used them myself, but I've heard good things from some of the 'old timers' here. I've had no luck finding them at the hardware store though, only the 'cool white' and 'warm white' variety. Never one with a decent Kelvin rating.

 

[beviking]

MmmmHmm! What happychem said. Treat them as 10watts and go with the watts per gallon rule. Also remember, just because it looks brighter to you doesn't mean it's better for the plants.

 

[bortsamson]

I agree, I have two 15w Aquarium & plants type light above my 10G planted.
The light output to ME isnt very bright compared to my other tanks, however the plants grow insanely quick.
The light is kindof a pinky-white colour. Like I said, compared side by side to a warm white or regular flo light it seems alot darker, but the truth is that its just as bright, we humans just dont see red very well.