Mini compact fluorscent help!

[rayjay1234]

I have a 10g medium planted tank. I have a ram in there but am planning on giving him to a friend and getting two Indian Dwarf puffers to go with the 2 oto catfish i have in there now.

I just broke one of my Life Glow Mini CF bulbs (15w) and wanted to know what to get next. What about these coralife bulbs?

Will the colormax make my tank look pink/orange/redish because of its pink bulb?

Will the 50/50 make my tank look blue with the actinic 03 in it?

What wattage should I get. I was currently running 2 x15w Mini CF for roughly 3wpg. I dunno about the spectrum. I dont know much about lighting. Anyone know what spectrum I should use/which bulb?

I have java fern, lilaeopsis brasiliensis, and some kind of sword which I cant get the name of :huh:

 

[webcricket]

I'd stay away from the 50/50 actinic, your plants cannot really use the actinic, and there are some algae which can. It does cast a blueish/grey hue as well. A lot of people do like the colormax bulbs, but they are a bit pricey in my opinion. I'm using the Lights of America brand aquarium bulbs from Wal-Mart ($4 per 10 watt bulb). I like them because the bulb is elongated so it stays cooler and seems to spread the light over the tank better. The color is pleasant and natural too. If you're sticking with low light plants, 20 watts over the 10 gallon tank should be fine. Otherwise, check the home section of Wal-Mart, they have 15 or 20 watt bulbs made by the same company just in a different shape. They come in packs of 2 for around $8.