budget planted tank light?
- Thread starter Kelly_Aquatics
- Start date
Nicrew or Beamsworks. For a standard 10 gal you can get a good light for under $30 on Amazon. Measure the tank and check the sizes of the lights. The lights have extendable legs to fit a wide arrange of unique sizes.
Wattage doesn't necessarily matter with LED lighting. 50 watts for a 10 gallon tank sounds like overkill IMO. Also, I am a member of numerous planted tank and aqua scaping forums, and I have never seen anyone use these lights.
I like to stick with what I know works. You can try but with a 10 gallon tank, you're probably going to be in a nonstop battle with about 8 different types of algae. Trust me, one 15 watt Nicrew light on a 10 gallon tank would be ideal. You see what 2 does for my 30? It's also taller than a standard 10G. As long as you are using a good substrate and some basic ferts, you will be good.
Hello; This is an older picture of a 55 gallon tank. I used an LED shop light picked up in the clearance aisle at a Wal-Mart. Think I paid about $25. Of course the hinged hood and lids I already had. The shop light fit well on top of the hood in place of the older light fixtures. I can give you the specs on the light if you wish. The LED shop light grows some plants very well. I have had to start removing some plants at intervals. In fact I have a 5 gallon bucket of culled live plants that need a home. In the past I would take the excess plants to an area fish shop but have not since the virus hit.
I have two other planted tanks with DIY LED lights. I removed the old fluroescent (sp) tubes and replaced the guts with screw in sockets. I then used some standard based LED bulbs. I do not have current pictures but they grow plants well also. Not sure how to judge the cost as I recycled old fixtures.
I do admit my cobbled lights are not always neat to look at but they function. On one set the outside look is the same as before the change. The other two are a bit of mis-match
I have two other planted tanks with DIY LED lights. I removed the old fluroescent (sp) tubes and replaced the guts with screw in sockets. I then used some standard based LED bulbs. I do not have current pictures but they grow plants well also. Not sure how to judge the cost as I recycled old fixtures.
I do admit my cobbled lights are not always neat to look at but they function. On one set the outside look is the same as before the change. The other two are a bit of mis-match
