Shop lights on tanks

[dbcb314]

I have a shop light (like you would buy at lowes or home depot) on my tank right now with just a regular flourescent 3 foot bulb. I was really broke at the time and thats all i could afford.

If I wanted to upgrade the light ( I need to because I would some day like to have plants but even more important, I want black sand and the light is too dim for that) could I just buy a better bulb to put in it? Like a hagen power glo bulb or something?

(like this.. http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3060924)


I don't know much about lighting. I just like fish haha

 

[Acipenser]

a picture of my $17 48" shop light with 2 sylvania $11 6500k bulbs 32 watts each . I am thinking of a second light here soon.

 

[12 Volt Man]

you could. I have grown plants very well with powerglo lights.

vals, hygro and swords all grew fine with proper fertilzers (root tabs for the amazon swords) and powerglo bulbs

 

[invisyblegypsey]

I have a shop light (like you would buy at lowes or home depot) on my tank right now with just a regular flourescent 3 foot bulb. I was really broke at the time and thats all i could afford.

If I wanted to upgrade the light ( I need to because I would some day like to have plants but even more important, I want black sand and the light is too dim for that) could I just buy a better bulb to put in it? Like a hagen power glo bulb or something?

(like this.. http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3060924)


I don't know much about lighting. I just like fish haha

the light on this link is a T5 bulb. most shope lights from lowes are T8 or T12. they do have grow light bulbs that will fit them. i have two that i use for my wifes plants in the winter that were on our patio in the summer . they work well

 

[cassharper]

check out the stickies in the plant section for information on this. Is your 48" tank 55 or 75 gallons? You can do it, but with an inefficient lighting system (like shop lights) you will need least 125-130 watts on a 55 to be equivalent to 2 wpg with t-5 lights. Do to the bulb size and reflector shape, you will have a lot of energy loss.