Lights for a 10g???

[MudSkipper]

I am setting up a 10G planted tank for my nephew and wanted to get some advise for the lighting.  Any and all suggetions will be much appriciated!

[Mzungu]

Re: Lights for a 10g???

Fun!

You have a few options.

1) Just go with an incandescent hood and buy 2 screw-in compact fluorescents.

2) The normal fluorescent 20" fixture with 1 bulb, if you're planning on lower light plants.

3) There are a few 20" and 18" Power Compact fixtures, too.

4) Desk lamp from Home Depot (PC).

I've tried all of these. Currently, I have a 10g with the incandescent fixture and 2 Walmart screw-in PC plant bulbs, a 10g with a dual 24" fluorescent fixture (not pretty, but it works), an 18g (same LxW as a 10) with a Current 40W PC fixture, and a couple smaller tanks with desk lamps. If they made T5 HOs this small, I'd recommend them. But, so far, my favorite is the Current 40W fixture. I'm using their dual daylight lamp in that one.

[Zulaab]

Re: Lights for a 10g???

This weekend I am going to be building a hood (with the help of my roomate who knows how the business of a hammer looks like) for his son's 20G planted tank.  What I ended up doing is buying 2 of the 18in under the cabinet fluorescent lights from Lowes ($8.44 a piece).  Then bought a 10000k light and a 5000k light and I am going to mate them together and see if this will work well for the planted tank.  I could recommend if you want to go inexpensive this is one way of doing it.  I am not 100% where, but some LFS do carry a 18in 10G light fluorescent.  Most 10G lights are incandescent which is something I am trying to avoid.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Lights for a 10g???

Hey Jesper, what do you have planned for the hood? I need one for my 5.5g Something like these....http://www.ahsupply.com/finished_enclosures.htm

For plants look into the cheap shop lights or desk lamps that are usually on sale at HomeDepot...they are compact fluorescents and are between 13w-27w and that would work perfect for low light tank but you might wanna use two of them.
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[Zulaab]

Re: Lights for a 10g???

Ek, yeah something like that.. now no fancy off/on button on the outside (there is a on/off switch on the fixture inside), and since I have everything in a timer I dont need to go that route.  We already got all the stuff for it now we just need to cut and put together this weekend.  I promise I will display what I have.
I was thinking about getting one for the 5.5 I have too since right now I have a desk lamp sitting over it (It was my QT tank, but its slowly turning into being the home for my last surviving balloon German ram, and I am trying to contemplate..  do I keep it or give it away.   If I give it away then the QT will not need a hood at all, ie I will break it down for another day.  I really dont want to buy another tank, but if I keep it then i am going to get at least a 10G (if not 20G and put it upstairs) and get some more German rams to live with it.
I will show what we made and if you are interested we can put something together for you.  I know that Darbex has shown interest in a hood, but I want to make one first before I make a commitment on making more.
One major difference I am making with my hood is, it opens at the front so you can feed your fish, and I also going to install Plexiglas below the lights so water does not travel up (it can be removed so you can clean it).

[Zulaab]

Re: Lights for a 10g???

I am not going go install a reflector in my hood, I am going to paint the outside black (you can see picture of my stand in the living room which is black) and the inside will be white.  This should be reflective enough for me.  Another thing is that the lights sit inside a reflective shield so there is going to  be reflection from that too.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Lights for a 10g???

Well if you make one for the 5.5g like the link I posted let me know...I don't really need a front opening but would like the back to be open for HOB filters and such which I could feed from back there.

If you do make some let me know cost/labor etc. cause I would like 2-4 of them for my shrimp rack I am gearing up for. I have PC lighting I plan on using and am in no need for switches either cause that's what timers are for(america's getting lazier by the minute!).

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Lights for a 10g???

Oh...I would want it really simple...just the wooden box...no glass or anything.

[Zulaab]

Re: Lights for a 10g???

Ek - by the end of the weekend I should have this hood finished.  I will post pictures and then you can let me know what you think.  Biggest problem I have is sourcing the lights and what you would want over a 5.5G but then again I have not looked very hard, as the 20G was the prime issue I needed to take care of.  The 20g is in major need of lights because the plants now grow long stems and only blossom at the top

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Lights for a 10g???

You could look into AHsupply.com which will probably be a good price to start with. As for the 5.5g I am gonna run 4x9w+1x13w+1x20w which is sitting over the tank now so it should fit well in a canopy.