Yet another lighting question

Bobafish

Star Wars Freak
Mar 6, 2005
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Ankeny, Iowa
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I put one 23 watt 6000k spiral flourescent bulb on the left right hand side of my 10g today. The problem is, it seems like an insane amount of lighting. My hood is a split bulb design, but I have yet to put a bulb on the other side. If I put the same bulb on the other side, I would have a grand total of 46 watts! I have heard that this is enough for high light plants. Is this true?
The problem is, the light is scaring my fish. Would I be better off to go with a 13 watt 5700k spiral flourescent bulb on each side? I was also told that this amount of light is enough for high light plants, if not medium.
Any suggestions?I just put in 3 corkscrew val today.
 
More light the better! :) I wish my hood was able to hold two 26 watt flourescent bulbs. Even though the wpg rule doesn't break down correctly in a ten gallon, I would still say that's high enough light to grow pretty much anything. With that much light, you might want to make a DIY Co2 system. It's not that hard to make. Search the aquatic plants section for info on that. Where did you get the light fixture?
 
The light fixture is just an old one that I got with the tank, it doesn't say the brand on it. I traded 2 SW action figures for the tank, hood, and heater. Not a bad deal Eh? :D
 
I would be more worried about temperature than too much light. Was your hood originally made for two 15 watt incandescents? If so, I would use two 13 watt CFs. Youll likely have pretty massive heat problems if your doubling the wattage.
 
I have two 11 watt 6500k florescent lights on my 10 gallon tank and my plants are growing just fine. The lights also do not affect the temperature of the tank and are within the specs listed on the tank hood.
 
My bulb cost me $8.45 w/tax at Menards. Do you guys really think that I should just stick with the 13 watts? The hood is hot to the touch, but not burning hot.
 
My bulb cost me $8.45 w/tax at Menards. Do you guys really think that I should just stick with the 13 watts? The hood is hot to the touch, but not burning hot.

And besides, will two 13 watt bulbs be enough to grow high light plants???
 
Bulb cost 8.45 At menards. Do you think I will have enough light with the 2 13 watt bulbs to grow high light plants?
 
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