What type of hood/light fixture do you use?

[MonteCarlo]

Kinda unsure about this. I have a 10gal, 20inch wide tank. I currently have the Aqueon hood that fits 2 6inch incandescent bulbs, that I replaced with two 20watt 6500k fluorescent, but they barely fit in there and theyre melting the top plastic part.

I know theres the Aqueon deluxe hood where you can but a single 18inch tube light, but the tube lights that size I usually see are only about 15watts. I feel like I'd want more than just that for my 10gal, even if my plants are low-med.

Just wondering what people use...

[Kithy]

Sounds like they are getting too hot :X

http://www.petco.com/product/112178/...ium-Hoods.aspx I used this on my 10 gallon and when I upgraded to a 20 long I used this with a glass cover. It doesn't go the entire length of my tank but it sheds enough light on it.

[MonteCarlo]

What type of light did you use for that when you had the 10 gal? As I mentioned, I fear the 15watt 18inch light that usually goes with that wouldn't be enough for plants, or just barely. Did you have a decent amount of plants?

[Kithy]

Incandescent although I am not sure of the wattage. I had one very small plant but I would choose plants that require minimal light, such as java fern.

What kind of plants do you have?

[MonteCarlo]

ehh not too many anymore haha, failed hard on my first try. Plan on getting more, and doing it right. One being enough of the right lighting, which im not sure these aqueon hoods can provide. This is all for a heavily planted tank tho, so I guess our experiences aren't the same

[Kithy]

A friend of mine uses LEDs with his planted tanks and he says that his wisteria just went crazy under the LED.

[aokashi]

I love clamp lamps and ghetto student lamps. I bought a hood for my 2.5 gallons once but a 23a light simply will not fit and it was certainly at risk of melting the plastic. A kind member here took it off my hands and i went back to using my clamp lamps.

[MonteCarlo]

kinda like that idea. for a 10gal, id probably have to have 2 lamps tho id assume. I already have two 20watt fluorescent 6500k bulbs that screw into incandescent lamps, so i bet thatll work. What type of bulb do you use in yours?

[aokashi]

i have 23w 6500k cfl bulbs :) you will need two lights :D