# Best lighting for a non-planted tank



## paintedpink24 (Jan 10, 2012)

I was reading that fish like dark surroundings and dimly lit water because they show their best colors and are less stressed. That's strike two for me, I have white gravel and 2 fluorescent lights. I want to get darker gravel but I don't know what kind of light to get. I have a 10 gallon with a hood that has two bulb spots in it. Incandescent lights to me look yellow. Does anyone have any ideas.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Welcome to the forum! Glad to see you are making an effort to make your fish more comfortable. Comfortable fish are happy and pretty fish. 

I'm no expert on lights, but I do know that you can get artificial plants to float. That will help diffuse any light that you have and make the fish look better. I have floating plants in all of my tanks. I really do think it makes a difference.


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## paintedpink24 (Jan 10, 2012)

Im curious. What type of plant? I've only seen ones with a base attached to the bottom


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

I think you can remove the base from some of them and let them float. I don't really know the exact ones to look for, tho. I've never used fake plants.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

You could solve two issues with some simple live floating plants. The benefit of live plants to the water quality and thus fish health cannot be overstated. For a 10g, the easiest would be Brazilian Pennywort; it is a stem plant but it grows very nice floating. As Izzy said, fish are always more relaxed, less stressed, and thus more colourful with a "roof" over them.

For the light, whatever you decide about the above, I suggest two Compact Fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. If you go with the live plant, two 10w will work; without the plant, two 5w (if you can find them). For good fish colour, "daylight" bulbs with a rating of 6500K (K for kelvin, the measurement for the colour of the light produced). I use the GE Daylight 6500K CFLs, you can get them at hardware and similar type stores.

And welcome to Tropical Fish Keeping forum.:-D

Byron.


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## paintedpink24 (Jan 10, 2012)

Byron said:


> For a 10g, the easiest would be Brazilian Pennywort; it is a stem plant but it grows very nice floating.


If I decide to get this plant does it have roots? Will the roots hang/float in the water? And you said to get the 5watt if i decide on plants? Lastly, where can I find Brazilian Pennywort? Thank You, I appreciate your knowledge and help!


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

paintedpink24 said:


> If I decide to get this plant does it have roots? Will the roots hang/float in the water? And you said to get the 5watt if i decide on plants? Lastly, where can I find Brazilian Pennywort? Thank You, I appreciate your knowledge and help!


If you get live plants, I would go with 10w bulbs, two of them. Pennywort grows very nicely if left floating, the leaves will all face the surface and the roots will dangle into the water. There is a photo in the plant profile [second tab from the left in the blue bar across the top of the page takes you to the profiles section, or when the scientific or common name is used in posts exactly as in the profile it will shade and you can click the name, as Brazilian Pennywort] but not of it floating, so I'm attaching a photo of one of my tanks that shows this plant floating and planted. It is the stem plant in the centre, and another couple of stems to the right of centre; and it is the floating plant in the centre and left of centre at the surface. Sometimes you can see this plant in fish stores, or online, or someone who has it and is near you might sell/give you some. If you were near me you could have lots of it, I am always thinning it out. A lovely plant.


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