# Lighting Question



## xoxsarahxox (Nov 10, 2011)

Hi, so I havent posted in quite awhile but I set up a 10 gallon yesterday ( cycled properly and everything, thanks to the info on this forum!) and added my first aquatic plant ever ( I will be adding more) but the employee at the LFS said that I could use whatever lighting I wanted, I have incandescent lights on my tank and I read here that you need flourescent lighting so I went out and bought some "daylight" CFL lights today they are not the shape shown in the picture though, they are spirals, and 15 watts ( all they had available in daylight). Is this okay to use on my plants, I am only getting low light plants. Im sorry if this is a repetative question but this is my first plant and I want it to live


p.s. you will be seeing alot more of me as I want to do right by these fish I havent owned tropical fish in forever so I am a bit rusty, but Ive been reading up on everything like crazy!


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## giggitygiggity (Sep 14, 2011)

Dont listen to LFS when they say you can use whatever light you want. A guy at a LFS told me a little strip of LED lights would help my plants grow. 


There is alot of info in regards to the planted tank on the stickied threads in this subforum, you should check them out.


I think one says its like 1.5 watts per gallon in a low light tank.


So if you have a bulb that is 15 watts I would assume that will work. But dont quote me because im new to the planted tank as well. Check out those stickies, there is alot of good info in them, and maybe someone with more knowledge can help you. Grogan is like a planted tank master, ask him lol.


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## snyderguy (Feb 9, 2010)

Depending on how big of a tank you have, you generally need 2 watts per gallon tank.


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