Does a planted fish tank requires special lamps?

Question

I have a planted fish tank (15 gallons) and it seems that the hood that came with it isnt powerful enough for the plants. (15watts) So I wanted to add some extra lamps that I have lying around my house but these arent specially made for fish tanks.

My tank is 24" wide and I cant find hoods that can house 2 or more flourescent lamps.

i have anacharis in my fish tank

Answer 1

If Anacharis is the only plant in your tank, you really don't need any more light... Anacharis can handle very low lights perfectly. Tanks that have plants that require very high lighting usually need about 3-4 watts. You have a plant that requires very little light, so 1 watt per gallon is fine. Any lamps are fine, but be careful, you don't want a lamp that gives off too much heat, that will lead to fluctuating temperatures when it is turned off.

Nosoop4u

Answer 2

They grow better with lights in the yellow/red spectrum which also show of blues and red fish, normal lights tend to be in the blue end of the spectrum so not as good. However it does depend on the type of plants you want to grow and a good book would give you a clear indication of the variety's suitable. Also you have to consider algal growth different spectrum's would stimulate.

http://www.aquacave.com/T-5%20Light%20Fixtures%20Catalog.aspx

this site shows some lights which prop on the sides of the tank so as long as you've a cover on the fish tank these rest over the top.
I've tried these and halides which are better but expensive for what they are. Both work best, bulbs I've used generally are Grolux and Denerle for plants again whether you want to go into that much depth and expense.

AJ

Answer 3

Your proposed plant equipment seems stable, yet none are hard sufficient to stop Silver money & Leopard Ctenopoma from eating them. The cichlids may additionally dig & uproot the flowers in the previous the roots have a raffle of being wide-unfold, if that is actual undesirable you may ought to plant them in pots. easily it would not make experience to maintain any African cichlids with the the remainder of the team who're ordinarily softwater & somewhat acidic to independent pH fish. you have got a shot at an Amazon-like biotope tank at the same time with your particular plant equipment & the relax fish, even nevertheless the gouramis are no longer Amazon fish. Any tannins leaching from the driftwood may well be suitable for an Amazon biotope.

Answer 4

thatfishplace.com sells double light hoods .You very seldom see double light hoods in pet shops. Most lights that come when you buy complete tank set up are not strong enough to grow many plants Howerever anachais does not requre real strong light.The deeper the tank the stronger the light you will need to grow substraight planted plants .Floating plants would requre less wattage since they are nearer to the light source.Remember many medications to cure sick fish will kill many types of plants

Answer 5

It depends on the plant, and i've bought some that do and some that don't, but make sure you check with the salesperson at the pet store and ask which reuires very little light since the light `you have descriped is very little!!

Answer 6

order off the internet

Answer 7

why not get a better blub and try ebay