Lighting A 10 Gallon

Ok guys I have a 10 gallon and I've got some wisteria, tall hair grass, Java fern windelov, Temple compactica(petsmart), anachris, Java Moss, some sort of anubias', and some Marimo Moss balls. Running a stock aqueon hood on it and the bulb say day spectrum 15watt. None of them seem to be thriving but just eh being alive. Will a reflector of some sorts help? I have excel and flourish but have read it's easy to overdose so I dose once a week but growth seems non existant. Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks!!

 

you could rig some LEDs under an upside plastic raingutter cut to size with some endcaps paint it black and most folks probably won't even be able to tell its DIY. kinda like this

 

Even easier would be a dome work light fixture or two with plant-friendly bulbs. I can grow plants very well with these lights.

 

Kasshan that is pretty cool! Do you use one of those? I kinda went out of my way to acquire the hood I have and was hoping to just amp up the bulb in the hood. It's just a stock hood with one bulb. Also TexasDomer I got snails in this tank and the like to wonder around up there so that's another reason I'd like to keep the hood it keeps everything in.

 

Glass lids are so much easier and better (in my opinion) than hoods. Hoods are very restrictive and don't usually look as nice.

 

just stumbled on this thread....I just replaced the 2 hoods on my tank with glass lids and a blue and white led strip....
I went to the lfs to just buy a better bulb for the hood but changed it out...I liked the look of the hoods though....changes the whole look of the tank when light is on at night for a few hours....my swords, Java fern and camboda grow well still...

 

I'll have to look into glass lids and new lights because this one bulb business isn't ever going to get me what I want to achieve. I have a 20 long and a 10 that I'd have to change out so I don't imagine it would be too terribly expensive. I bet I could find good homes for these hoods round here to might even get to help someone out as there isn't a fish store closer than a hour away. What kind of lights to you guys run?

 

the nat geo pod light is also what I use to grow plants. you always have the option to customize your lighting in the future. it's at petsmart.

 

I have Finnex lights (love them, but expensive) and dome work lights with a plant friendly bulb from a hardware store. Less pretty, but works just as well and so much cheaper.

 

I have a 10k bulb in my 20 long and my temple compactica likes it and anacharis is growing but nothing else seems to thrive. I was thinking maybe investing in some good led's might be the way to go

 

I have a 10k bulb in my 20 long and my temple compactica likes it and anacharis is growing but nothing else seems to thrive. I was thinking maybe investing in some good led's might be the way to go

The 10K should grow plants, but it may not be strong enough. What other plants were you trying to grow? A 20 gal long is easier to light, as it's so short. You should be able to get away with a few dome fixtures no problem.

 

Just the plants I mentioned really. I'm shooting for a lot of growth in a handful of plants to make it look jungle like. I think My Tiger barbs will look really cool darting in and out of my little jungle. I found a 10k bulb for my 10 gallon and plant growth has increased fairly well and it was 15 bucks for a bulb and I didn't have to get a glass top and new LED's. Think I'll try this set up and see if I can continue to get decent growth. Also I dose Excel and Flourish after weekly water changes.