I have a 10 gallon tank with two small lights (side by side, not parallel) that are 50/50 actinic and 10 watts each. The package says 10,000K, each. I'm working to convert this tank to planted status, but can't decide if this lighting is appropriate. It doesn't look bright, but maybe that's because it's 50/50. I've read that 2 watts per gallon is "medium" light, but how does the 10,000K affect things? And is it so strong that it may burn plants in such a small tank? I've read a ton about plant lighting, but it just doesn't click with me, like calculus.

Zambize

For the best results in planted tanks I would use 6500K as they say that is supposed to be closest to actual sunlight and most beneficial for plant photosynthesis. I am not sure what 50/50 means but I would not buy actinic, I think that is for saltwater setups. For best results I would have about atleast 3 watt per gallon if you want to keep high light plants alive and well. 2 watts per gallon is good but 3-4 is better. Also make sure you only have about 10 hours of lighting each day some people say 8 or 9. Anything over 10 is over kill and doesn't help the plants grow at all. Plants wake up and go to sleep at certain hours and you want lights on when they wake up and off when they sleep. Just thought I'd mention that.

Corals utilize more high end kelvin (10,000/18,000/etc) than normal FW plants do. Jweb is also correct in saying that the actinic (which has little to do with the kelvin rating, more the color of light) is also more of a SW supplemental light. I guess ocean flora or w/e utilizes more UV light, which the actinic supplies.

I tried growing a high light plant in my 5gal with 10w 50/50 and it abruptly died. You might want to consider just getting some kind of 24" (i think thats the standard witdth for 10gal) power compact with 2/18 or 2/20w bulbs or something for maximum $80 with at least a 6500k rating. That'll grow pretty much anything you'd want to grow...

I guess your tank is about 2 feet deep and the light is a power compact. I have one of these double 95 watt lights with half actinic blue and half daylight. Mine is 3 feet long and it's used in combo with a double 29 watt Nova Extream and my tank is about 30 gallons.

You should be able to grow low light plants as well as Amazon Sword with a double 95 watt. The blue is OK, though when you replace the bulbs in 8-10 months or so I would get 2 daylight bulbs.

The 95 watt bulbs are about $75 each!

I think if you have co2 your plants will grow with less light. I just hooked up my co2 again.

Hi Zambize, I did soem research on this topic for my own 10 gallon tank. Optimal light for growing plants in freshwater is apparently 6700K.

I read on a website about Amano planted aquarium techniques http://www.fitchfamily.com/lighting.html , that Takeshi Amano uses much more watts per gallon than other aquarists. I think he uses at least 8watts per gallon! And I think this is true because I went to my local Amano specialized aquarium store and they're using very strong light bulbs. The ones they use the most are the ones that look like 2 thin fluorescent tubes. I think they're called mini fluorescent or something.

Also for people who like to grow dry land plants entirely indoors the lamps used are at least 400w and up to 1200w (yes that much) and they dont burn the plants because they're in the correct spectrum. that is their heat output is very low compared to their lumens output. So I think same principle should apply in the aquarium.