# need help w/ plant lighting



## rUBY84 (Jan 8, 2004)

okay- I have 20 g tank and I'm gettin sick of my tacky fake plants - I need to know the basics about lighting. I have no idea what the hell kind of light to get that would work in my lighthood - pic of it below. Do I have to get a plant light or would a compact fluorescent (10W) light work? or does it depend on the plants? I'm completely lost!


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## Pterogho (Feb 8, 2004)

If you're lucky you may get away with using one of the new generations of low-energy compact flourescent bulbs, but then you'll only have a lux-level sufficient for some of the true really true low-light plant like Microsorium and Anubias.

I'd prefer going for another lighthood with regular flourescent lights.
I have a good deal of luck with a mix of Triton lights and Phillips TLD 83 lights.

You don't need to go heavily into the actually amount of light, instead focus on the quality. 
Plants mainly use the colours at the far ends of visible light, extending a bit into the infrared and ultraviolet. 
But for the sake of presentation you should still choose lights that give out a broad range of colours. That's what I get from Triton lights. 
The phillips TLD 83 sort of rounds off the very cold "sterile" Tritons with it's warmer feel, making it easier on your eyes looking into yo your tank.

But lights aren't all the secret, there's alot more to it, like fertilizer and stuff.

In the end it's a balance of raising algae or plants, and here experience is the magic.

Good luck!


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## rUBY84 (Jan 8, 2004)

thanks a lot!







I think I'll try the low-energy ones first with some low light plants and see how everything goes... it'll be a learning experience.


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## Pterogho (Feb 8, 2004)

That's a very sensible attitude. Keep your ambitions in close contact with your experience.
But here's a list of plants I can recommend for a low-light tank.

Cryptocoryne Aponetigifolia (best placed near filter-outlet)
C. X Willisi
C. Wendtii (green form)
Ceratophyllum Demersum 
Vallisneria Spiralis

In case you get as hooked on plants as I am, there are books on the subject you may find pretty useful. But I'll leave that for future to see.


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