need help with lights

[danski]

i have an 18gal with live plants and i can only find 50/50 coralife bulbs which i paid 16bucks each for (ouch) im wondering since ive got some reccomendations against those bulbs if the pros here can tell me if i can use regular fluorescent bulbs from say the hardware store and how to tell what will work. i figured there from the lfs so they told me it will work and thats all i can find in screw in since thats what my hood is..thanks

 

[squirrelrabbits]

My local Lowes (a midwestern version of home depot, i believe) carries "aquarium" grade plant lights (6700 or 6500K) made by GE. They are *much* cheaper than what you pay for a similar bulb in a fish store... I would ebay the 50/50s and pick up a set of these GEs at a hardware store. For your plants sake though, just make sure they are 6500 to 6700.

 

[squirrelrabbits]

Sorry... I just saw your other thread and see that you need power compacts... Nix my suggestion. It was for regular flourescent bulbs! Sorry...

 

[danski]

right so you see my dillema. its gonna cost alot more to replace the hood and ive been checkin on that but hoods arent too cheap then ive got to buy the bulbs. im just hopin i dont need to replace everything.

 

[danski]

and for my next question. if a mini compact bulb puts out the equivilent of 50watts in a 10 watt bulb wouldnt i be okay with two 10watts puttin out the quivilent of 100watts.in my 18gal? i just cant find a mini medium base with 20 watts still lookin for that bulb.

 

[Nospherith]

and for my next question. if a mini compact bulb puts out the equivilent of 50watts in a 10 watt bulb wouldnt i be okay with two 10watts puttin out the quivilent of 100watts.in my 18gal? i just cant find a mini medium base with 20 watts still lookin for that bulb.

Yes you could use those mini compacts. Not sure if that turns out to be 100w for an 18g but logic states that it should be OK for at least a medium-light tank. I know that Discomafia uses those over one of his tanks so you could try sending him a PM about it.