The proper amount of light is 2-4 watts per gallon, fluorescent, of full spectrum lighting. Full spectrum is considered a color temperature of 5500K and up. The K stands for Kelvin degrees. It is usually stamped on bulbs/tubes near the wattage label. Some plants will do OK in underlit tanks, like Java Ferns and Java Moss. Some people do grow plants using natural sunlight near or next to a window, it is hard to regulate though because of so many factors. Usually you will have more risk of an algae problem this way. The amount of light (2-4watts) is dependant on the type of plants you are keeping. If you keep plants that require high light, you will need 3-4 watts per gallon. Intermediate light 2.5-3.5 Watts. The problem is going over 2.5 WPG. This is when CO2 injection is needed or a carbon supplement. It depends on tank size which is most efficient. If you dont supplement CO2 with high wattage lighting you will have an algae problem. Hope this helps. If I can find a link that has the basics I'll post it later.

Thanks!
So for my 33 gallon tank, I will need a minimum of 66 watts; where do I find a hood, or bulb with that much power? Any ideas?
Thanks for your advice!

What are the dimensions? The only 33 gallons I have seen where very deep and cube shaped or a hexagon. Are you Handy ? If so you can make your own canopy/hood and even your own light fixture. If you have basic carpentry skills and tools and can do a little basic electric wiring it shouldn't be that bad. I am actually going to be making a DIY lighting and canopy for a 29 gallon. This is my first canopy that is for "show". I have made almost all my lightig fixtures. Lighting fixtures can run over $100 easy depending on size (out of the box). This is not including the canopy. You can just put the light directly over a glass canopy if you buy a strip light type. I guess start with the size of your aquarium and I can give you a link for an appropriate site. The best,IMO, all around is in the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: AHSupply

Oops, my pond is 33 gallon and my aquarium is the standard rectangular 30 gallon (I think), it is something like 30x12x18 inches. It came as a kit.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge! Much appreciated.

30" X 12" X 18" would make it a 29 Gallon. 30G are longer (36") and lower than a 29G. I guess that is the one with a 20W growlight? I would guess its a 24" tube also? Did it come with a glass canopy that the light sits on? Or, a dark plastic hood with a strip of glass/plastic that the strip light sits on.

Yep, you are right on the money; 20W light (24") and it came with a a black plastic hood with a strip of glass that the light sits on.

Well now it depends on budget, willingness to do some DIY work, or possible upgrade to higher lighting and CO2 injection. I would reccomend just doing the 2 - 2.5W per gallon for a first planted tank. Whats your poison? Also,just a few more ?'s-- Do you have any fish in the aquarium already? What fish are you planning on keeping in the planted set-up? Do you know what your pH and KH are? Do you have substrate (gravel) in the tank allready?

Well, I don't want to have a lot of expense. I have an African Ciclid in the tank right now (I have had him in a plastic world for quite a few years now, poor dude, and I want to give him some 'real stuff')I don't know the pH or KH, I will have to check on that. I have gravel right now - it is actually chicken feed - it works great for gravel and it is really cheap! I will check the pH etc. but I will have to get a 'kit'.
Thanks again!!
April

April,

Be careful, as many of the "African cichlids" (not ALL, by any means) love to tear up and/or gobble down green stuff. The good news is that there are some "tough" plants that seem to be able to withstand the onslaught or that are apparently not palatable to fish.

There are also some plants that thrive in a low-light environment. I have had good luck with anubias, java fern, java moss and aponogetons with less than optimal lighting, but Woeisme is right, more light (to a point) is better than less for most plants. The tricky thing is that the more light you add the faster the plants want to grow, which requires more nutrition for the plants in the form of CO2 injection into the tank as well as the addition of fertilizers. I would shoot more towards 2 watts per gallon than 4 for that reason.

Live plants in a African cichlid tank is tough,as dry said most are big time herbivores and will consider most plants a treat. If they dont eat them they can very well "relocate" them. "most" Africans from the rift lakes also prefer a high pH, depending on which lake they are from, if they are even rift lake cichlids. I also use the crushed granite, I like the "grower" size over the "chicks" it is a perfect size for plants and non-planted. Do you know what kind of cichlid it is? Good african plants are Valisnera ( some cichlids will eat it,hit or miss but does quite well in the environment otherwise) Hornwort (same as Vals.) Java ferns, a few others cant think of them now. Anyway place rocks around the stem base of the plant to keep them from "relocating them" Crap gotta go get back to ya soon on a light recomendation, low budget if prefered. Do you think you can handle some basic carpentry/electric??

Here is a link that might be useful: cichlid forum

Great! Sure, bring on the wiring, I can always take it over to my dad's place...
Thanks drygluch and woeisme!

I did not forget your lighting, very busy this weekend. I noticed you are from Canada and don't know if you have Home Depot, shop Wal-Mart or have Petsmart or Petco? If you can click my board name to e-mail me. I tried yours and its blocked. I think it will be easier to describe this on e-mail vs. message board.

I have a 100-gallon planted aquarium with 300-watt metal halide lighting. Filtration is a wet/dry system, and I have a UV sterilizer.

My problem is that my plants are not really thriving. The leaves seem to disintegrate from the tips back; in addition, there is some string algae on the plants and on the glass, but it is not severe. I have fertilized and experimented with the timing on the lights. The plants I have are anubias, swords, lotus, java, and cryptocornyias.

Any thoughts on what could be going on? The tank has been set-up for several years, but only recently (past 6 months) have really gotten into planting it heavily.

The temp. is kept at 76 degrees. Any help would be appreciated!

This is what I did for my 20 gal tank. I have an all glass lid with a dule bulb (18") hood. I needed more power for my new plants so I took out the magnetic ballast and replaced it with an electrical one. I bought the ballast at home depot for $30. The ballsat can handle, 2,3 or 4 bulbs. So I bought the cleats to hold one more bulb for about $5. When I put the new ballast in, I had to us my dremmel and cut away some plastic to install the cleats. Now I have the same fixture that holds 3 bulbs. Im putting out about 45 watts on my 20 gal now. I would like to up to a 4 bulb but then I would have to make my own fixture since I have no more room to squeeze another bulb in the current one.

If I were you, I would get creative and build your own fixture that holds 4x20w T8s bulbs. My guess it will cost you around $75-$100. I would make the hood out of thin ply wood. Then install the balast inside that and then cover the inside with mirrors or something that will reflect the light to the aquarium. I would put a bunch of ventalation slits or holes in the hood. I would buy the Natural or Daylight bulbs at home depot, they are about $7 each.

$30 - blallast

$28 - bulbs

$20 - cleats for the bulbs

$20 - ply wood and glue

I would take the plug and switch out of the old hood.

If you dont build your own, the price for tripple and quadruple aquarium hoods are priced kind of high. Good luck.