Bulb for an Incandescent Hood - Lighting

StrikingBettas · 02-08-2010, 09:38 PM

Back on Black Friday I bought some 10 gal. tanks that came with a 2 bulb incandescent (screw in type) hood for only $15. I know that incandescent bulbs are terrible for plants so I'd like a better compact fluorescent bulb. I dont have the money right now to buy a t-5 hood or any thing so I'd like to use what came with it. I was wonder what a good CF bulb for it would be?

I'll be keeping Dwarf Hairgrass (which I'd like to have a carpet of), a Crypt, Some Swords, Sag, Aponogeton, and something that I think is a Rotala.

I have a "Lights of America Mini Aquarium Bulb" that a 10 watt fluorescent full spectrum 6500k bulb on a 2.5 gal. tank. Do you think 2 of them would work or should I get something else to add more light?

Thanks,
Dylan

fishfan · 02-09-2010, 12:12 AM

Yes or just get two bulbs of another brand at 15 watts each if you want more light. I am not familiar with the bulb you mentioned but there are other brands like G.E. that make 'daylight' 6500k screw-in cf bulbs at 10 watts and higher.

Seattle_Aquarist · 02-09-2010, 06:35 AM

Hi StrikingBettas,

I don't like shopping at WalMart but this is a great bulb and I can only find it there. I sells for about $5.00 each. It is a 10 watt CF the same size as the "standard" incandescent aquarium bulb. It seems to be a "daylight" spectrum of about 6700K and puts out about the equivalent of 40 watts of incandescent. My plants do well with it and the bulb comes with a 2 year warranty.

StrikingBettas · 02-09-2010, 04:41 PM

Thanks for the replies guys!

fishfan-Are the G.E. bulbs labeled aquarium bulbs or are they normal CF bulbs like you would put in a room?

Seattle_Aquarist-That's the exact same bulb that I have on my 2.5 Gal. Do you think 2 wpg would be enough for my plants?

Seattle_Aquarist · 02-10-2010, 12:56 PM

Hi StrikingBettas,

I have a 10 gallon with the incandescent strip light that holds two bulbs, that is the bulb I use in mine and I can grow just about any plant except the low growing foreground plants. Here is what the bulbs look like on my tank.

medicTHREE · 02-10-2010, 01:22 PM

The GE bulbs are normal bulbs in the normal bulb section. They are labeled 6500 k, in a blue package, I believe.

StrikingBettas · 02-10-2010, 06:08 PM

Thanks for all the help guys! I bought 2 more of those Walmart bulbs (The Lights of America brand) and they look great! I might try some G.E. bulbs in the future on another tank.