What would be the right lamp for my aquarium?

Hi,

I have a 33gal tank with several fish ranging from guppies to gouramis,
barbs, plecos, crabs and almost ten diferent kinds of plants ranging
from small to large plants.

I also haev an aqua glo 20W 55Lux 18k.

Plants looks alright, I see growth, I also see some leafs on some that
are fading, but I guess it's just part of the natural growth of the
plant because it is te bottom leafs that this happens.

But I am just wondering if this is the right lamp for my aquarium.

What would be the most ideal lamp for it?

If you set up any new tanks in the future you might want to consider
your plant selection for the tank for floating plants, that way you can
use the weakest available light (probably will be standard fluorescent
admittedly) and the floating plants will grow good if that previously
mentioned light is close enough (hence the recommendation of floating
plants to keep them close to the light). Coincidentally that turned out
to be what I do plus obvious use of low light plants on my part (such
as crypts and anubias which is too early to tell if they are growing
yet). Also - floating plants tend to grow faster than rooted plants.
Conservatively speaking you probably should double the light wattage in
general for your tank you speak of just for your benefit before you get
hooked to the idea that they're supposedly just plants that should grow
under any conditions which is my common failed thinking. Good luck and
later!

When you say double, do you mean doubling wattage or lux?

Because I can get sun glo lights at the pet store with 20w but provide
135lux, Ican't think now for sure if they are 18K though.

wrote:
When you say double, do you mean doubling wattage or lux?

Because I can get sun glo lights at the pet store with 20w but provide
135lux, Ican't think now for sure if they are 18K though.

The Sun-glo with higher lux will help, but you would need at least two
20w flourescent lights over your tank for most live plants.

You need to consider plants like java moss, jave fern, anubias, and
cryptocoryne.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com