What do I buy?

I have a regular old 10 gallon hood that I belive uses an 18 inch t8 fluorescent bulb. If I'm not mistaken the bulb is the original that came with the tank 2+ years ago.

As I will be making this tank into a low tech low light planted aquarium and will not be getting an LED setup anytime soon, the bulb deffinately needs changed out for the benefit of the plants, the trouble is I don't understand what bulbs are good, what will melt my hood and all that good stuff.

I am aware of the light spectrum and plants needs, what I don't know is when we start talking about ballasts and what can handle the power and stuff,
as I said this is a completely standard old petco hood from a few years back, I am looking at a 15watt, 18inch, aqueon t8 daylight bulb. Is there any issue with it being used with the standard hood? One of the sides inside the hood has already warped over time toward the bulb I guess due to heat. So my concern is if certain bulbs will be too hot and cause a problem.

If any additional info or pictures are needed I can get them. The bulb I'm looking at is here:

 

I'm no expert on tank lighting but I think that all fluorescent bulbs produce roughly the same heat. So if the bulb is the same size as the original bulb then I see no problem using it.

 

I have the same light you have. A T8 strip light on my 10g. It works well for low light plants. Just low light though. Frogbit, compacta, java fern/moss, ect. I tried growing a few swords just as an experiment and they didn't do well so they got moved to my 20 gallon with better lighting.

 

Why not go LED, cheaper energy costs in the long run.

 

If it is already fitted for a t8 bulb I don't think any other bulbs will fit as the sizes are different.

 

If it is already fitted for a t8 bulb I don't think any other bulbs will fit as the sizes are different.

thanks for the reply, I already went ahead and fitted a new bulb that works great!