# Help with Lighting



## Robbieg (Feb 25, 2012)

Hi guys i need a little direction with lighting my 30g tropical tank. The tank has been up and running for about 3 1/2 months now, everything is going well fish are happy but the plants could be showing a little more growth. I have low light plants : anubias, swords, crypts, banana plant, dwarf water lilly etc. 
When I bought the tank (used from Kijjii) it had a light in it already this is what it is : zoo med reef sun 50/50 F17T8. It doesnt state the k. Does anyone think that this is a suitable light for the plants Im growing ? or does anyone have any suggestions ? I am budget conscious, so any cost effective suggestions would be more thank welcome.


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## Kooka (Feb 8, 2011)

Your light is a T8 fixture, so that in itself says that you have pretty low light. Assuming your fixture is dual-bulb, and since you say it's a REEF 50/50 bulb, then I'm guessing one of them is an actinic, and the other one is more than likely 10000k. I would replace the actinic bulb with a 6500-6700k bulb and that should improve your plant growth noticeably. 

Going by the plant list you provided, you shouldn't have any problems growing any of them with the lights you currently have. Some roots tablets for the lilies and amazon swords to boost their growth wouldn't hurt though


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## Robbieg (Feb 25, 2012)

thank you so much for the help. Its a single bulb, I forgot to mention that. Will that still be suitable until i change for a better bulb? I was planning on doing root tabs this weekend and was considering adding flourish comprehensive plant supplement ( im very new to ferts). If i do replace the bulb with the one recommended with there be alot of algae? Currently i dont have any. thank you again


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## Kooka (Feb 8, 2011)

Hmm, just one bulb isn't the best, especially since its a T8, but its should still grow low-light plants fine as long as you keep the surface free of any floating plants and clean the glass cover (if you have one) weekly. If you want to see better growth, I would suggest investing in a better fixture. I'm sure you can find one on sale in the classifieds for less than $100 easy. And I wouldn't dose ferts regularly because you'd be inviting nuisance algae to take over your tank. Stick with fish poo/pee and the occasional root tab for now until you decide on upgrading your lighting.


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## Robbieg (Feb 25, 2012)

appreciate the advice, Ill hold of on the fertz but i will pick up the root tabs. Im completly lost with lighting. So for a new fixture would i be looking for something that has more than one bulb? in the meantime should i pick up flora glo bulb? Are they any good ? the reviews on amazon seem positive do you have any experience with these bulbs


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