Emory

Hello there nice people! I absolutely could not resist calling this thread what I did.

My main tank is 29 gallons and the hood and light came with the tank. The light has one tube inside of it and you twist it out.

Markings on the actual strip:
Aquarium Equipment, Model: 30RFH
Rated: 120 VAC, 60 Hz, 20 W.

The bulb has the following markings:
Marineland
F18TS Natural Daylight
Contains Mercury, Dispose of Properly
China

With that information I am wondering if any of you can tell me if I can simply buy a different bulb to twist into the fixture? If so, what kind would you suggest for a low light planted freshwater tank? I think I need about 2 watts/gallon. Can someone link me to what I should buy?

I also have a 10 gallon hospital tank that I have no light for. Well, I have a table lamp aimed into the tank. I have one of the glass covers that folds backwards on top of this tank. I may convert it to a betta duplex in the future. That would mean live plants so.... 2 watts/gallon also.

Help? If I have left any information out please let me know.

Attached Images

	hoodoverview2.jpg (22.4 KB, 30 views)
	underthehood2.jpg (32.1 KB, 8 views)
	10gallonpic2.jpg (28.1 KB, 28 views)

Lucy

I can't answer your question but the title is clever.

Emory

lol, thanks! I'm such a corn-ball! And, I have had three Cokes.

mathas

The bulb itself is not the only thing that controls the wattage, so just replacing the 20W bulb with a 60W bulb would not do any good. In fact, the starter on your particular lighting fixture is rated from 4-22W, so you cannot go any higher than a 22W bulb without upgrading.

If you want to go much higher than what you have now, you're going to have to look at a new fixture. Something like this would give you 34W, or 1.18WPG. Something like this would give you 64W, or 2.24WPG. Either option would probably require a new top, such as this.

Or, if you're electrically-inclined (or just brave), you could look into a retrofit kit from AHSupply. Their 55W bright light kit is outstanding, I use four of them myself. This option will involve you tearing apart your current fixture, though, so there's no going back once you start.

All that said, you do not need 2WPG for low light plants. I was growing plants very respectably at 1.4WPG, and I've seen pictures of tanks that look wonderful on 1WPG.

Emory

Wow. Thank you! That is exactly what I was looking for!