I'm looking to replace the fluorescents in my twin tube fixture. They are currently T8 Power Glo bulbs, not sure of the age. Many years ago I used Triton bulbs for my planted tank, and loved them, but they seem to be discontinued now. A couple of years ago I used a Life-Glo bulb at school, and had a very lush java fern. The Life-Glo had an internal reflector, and was visibly brighter than other bulbs. Unfortunately that bulb isn't made with the internal reflector anymore.

Sooo...for a low tech planted tank that does not utilize CO2, what kind of fluorescent bulb would you all recommend? I plan on keeping low-medium light plants.

I recommend using the normal Philips Deluxe Daylight fluorescent bulbs. They are cheap and perfect for plants. They have a Temp of 6700K

-Joel

Thanks, Joelio. I think I'll have to look for those. I have another question for you. I'm trying to have neither too little, nor too much light in this tank. If I have too much light, I'm afraid the plants will have a higher need for CO2, and that they will suffer because I'm not adding any CO2. I am planning on having the plants utilize only the CO2 that is naturally available to them, so I figure medium lighting where they aren't growing like weeds, will enable them to remain healthy on naturally occuring CO2. How many watts of light do you think I need for a 40 gallon to reach this state of nirvana?

Anyone else, please feel free to chime in!

1-2 wpg is the recommended amount for LOW light plants that do not require CO2. Such as java fern, anubias, and crypts.

I have 40 watts on the tank now. The onion plants are doing well, as is the crypt and floating hornwort. The hygrophila difformis melted. I threw that out. The jury is still out on the ludwigia repens. I kept it in the pot for about a week before I put my substrate in. The stems began to rot at the base in the rock wool. I then cut them above the rotting areas, and floated the plants until the substrate was in. I later planted the stems a couple of inches away from each other, and added two Flourish plant tabs under the substrate (it's an inert substrate). I'm not sure if the ludwigia initially rotted because it was stuffed as a clump into the rock wool pot, or because I don't have enough light on the tank. So far so good, with the ludwigia in the substrate, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. It's been planted in the substrate since Sunday. I wouldn't mind finding another economical double tube fixture to put on the tank. If I did that, I could push it up to 80 watts.

I'm currently using a low dose of Flourish trace and Flourish iron.

On another note, if you have low light plants and start increasing the CO2 and the nutrients+elements+minerals then you can have die off. I started to dose my tank and behold, my javafern started to get holes in the fronds, and then eventually looked really sick...and as of last night it is in the trash!!!

-Joel

I have been using Arcadia aquarium lighting for around 10 years, you can also buy a reflector for it and double your output. They also give beautiful colors.

http://www.arcadia-uk.info/product.php?mid...an=en&sub=&id=4