# Lighting help!



## alexNY (Jan 10, 2010)

Hi everyone

I'm just in the process of setting up my first tropical tank, and have been doing a lot of reading! But I'm a bit stuck on lighting, the hood that I have is a black plastic one with 2 clips for where the bulb would go, but no contacts or anything for the bulb to connect to, and no other wiring (sorry if I'm using the wrong terms!).

I went down to my local store and they only sold loose replacement bulbs, or new hoods with a bulb ready fitted, and they couldn't suggest what I might do rather than buy a new hood.

I don't mind having to buy a new one if that's what it needs but as the hood has clips there must have been a bulb fitted and working. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Alex


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## squirrelcrusher (Sep 23, 2009)

Can you take a pic of your hood. Where did you get the set up from? Maybe someone stripped your hood for something else. Might be easier to just buy a new hood


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## flyin-lowe (Oct 3, 2009)

Also what do you plan on having in the tank. If only fish and no plants any old light might do. If you want some plants then you need to decide what type and then pick out the lighting. There are a few types of "low light" plants that will work with a standard hood. As a rule of thumb try to plan on 1 watt per gallon for live plants. Most of the standard power fluorecent light bulbs are 24-32 watts max. So if you have bigger then a 30 some gallon tank you will be limited on the plants.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Sounds like the balasts are out of it. May just as well get yourself a new light.


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## darkroomdweller6 (May 8, 2008)

I agree, The ballasts are probably gone. If you're handy you could buy a couple of screw bases at the hardware store and screw them into the hood, connect them to a power cord and use compact fluorescent lamps instead of the tubes, that will give you lots more options for intensity.


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