Aquarium lighting

[mrsnightengale11]

I have a 5.5 gallon that I would like to light, but I'm having trouble finding anything for it. Any advice? Right now I've got a screen top on it so nobody decides to jump for it, and a light from larger tank but it looks pretty tacky lol. I've checked some local places but it seems everyone sells this size tank but no body carries the hoods or lights that will fit it.

[Lady Hobbs]

I got a clamp on light from Home Depot and put a plant lightbulb in it. Trouble light I guess they're called. Not beautiful but it works when I have to set the 5 gallon up for some reason. You only need to be able to see the fish so a low watt bulb will work in that fixture.

[DylanisHawttt]

I got a clamp on light from Home Depot and put a plant lightbulb in it. Trouble light I guess they're called. Not beautiful but it works when I have to set the 5 gallon up for some reason.

That's exactly what I was going to suggest.

[nikelodeon79]

What are the dimensions of the tank? I have a few 5.5g tops and I could send you one for the cost of shipping if it's the right size.

[hpt84]

I got a clamp on light from Home Depot and put a plant lightbulb in it. Trouble light I guess they're called. Not beautiful but it works when I have to set the 5 gallon up for some reason. You only need to be able to see the fish so a low watt bulb will work in that fixture.
Clamp on light is a great idea. Just remember to use a compact fluorescent light bulb instead of the incandescent light bulb. An incandescent light bulb is very inefficient and produce a lot of extra heat. Also, the light produced by an incandescent is useless to plant if you decide to put a live plant in the tank.

[mrsnightengale11]

What are the dimensions of the tank? I have a few 5.5g tops and I could send you one for the cost of shipping if it's the right size.

I'm not 100% on the dimensions, but I have a 16x8in screen cover on it right now and it fits fairly well, it's maybe a cm too big.

[dbosman]

I shop garage sales and thrift shops for incandescent strip lights and hoods.
In those I use Sylvania, 23 watt, daylight, "now smaller than ever", spiral, compact fluorescent bulbs. One is perfect for a 5.5 gallon tank. Two over a 10g is as close to perfect for up to medium light plants as one can get.

[SueD]

Petco (and probably Petsmart, also) have the Aqueon glass versa tops for that tank - get the 16" one, and you get the strip light also in the 16" size. I have the same tank

[nikelodeon79]

The tops I have are 15.5 x 7.5. They are designed to fit snugly on the rim of the tank. I replaced the incandescent light with a compact florescent, and you can have that, too.

I had a bunch of 5.5g and had them out on the deck doing some cleaning. (No fish in them, of course). I forgot about them, it got cold, and the water in them froze, busting a few of the tanks. I still have the hoods, and really have no use for them without the tanks. :)

It should fit in a large priority mail flat rate box ($15.45). I thought it would fit in a medium box but looking online I see it won't.

Pictures:

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii264/nikelodeon79/DSCF6593.jpg

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii264/nikelodeon79/DSCF6594.jpg

PM me if you're interested.

[mrsnightengale11]

Petco (and probably Petsmart, also) have the Aqueon glass versa tops for that tank - get the 16" one, and you get the strip light also in the 16" size. I have the same tank

They carry the glass tops for around $20-30 and they don't carry the light strips or even just the hoods in store. I can order a hood but then it's $10-15 for the light plus all the shipping. Ordering the light strip is even more expensive sadly.

Also nikelodeon79 I pm'd you

[leaveittoweaver]

I too replaced mine with a Compact Flourescent. Here is a link to the one I have:
Coral Life 50/50 (http://www.petdiscounters.com/Coralife-Mini-Compact-Fluorescent-Bulb--20-Watt_p_19074.html?utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=googlebase&cvsfa=3387&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=3139303734)

It was the only thing I could find for my five gallon hood locally and for the type of fixture I have.