Which light is best for my aquarium?

Question

i normally would ask the people in petco or petsmart or whatever, but they have no idea wtf im talking about. so anyways, i am planning on having a planted aquarium that replicates the Amazon. i have a 29 gallon tank and i really want a good lighting system that promotes growth, keeps the plants photosynthesizing and everything. i would really like a lighting system that lets me keep my plants alive and flourish. i was looking at this one just now:

Nova Extreme HO Light Fixture

would that be fine? i plan on growing some intense plants in the future. An example would be like Iwagumi planted tanks. would that hood work?

and does the amount of bulbs matter? i see people with like 4 T5 bulbs+! is it cuz they have a bigger tank? what would be considered necessary for a 29 gal. such as mine. i encourage all you to go all out on ur answers (if u need to).

the hood/lighting i currently have is simply for show o_0.

Answer 1

here is a site with some good lighting and some real cheap prices

http://www.aquatraders.com/index.asp?Pag...

I prefer the 3 or 4 buld fixtures with versa lids on my planted tanks the one the link leads to works great on me 55 gallon planted discus tanks

Answer 2

The fixture you mentioned would be perfect.  Make sure the bulbs are of a spectrum between 5,500 and 6,700K, as this is ideal for photosynthesis.  People buy fixtures with a lot of bulbs because it provides more light output, allowing for a more even, intense output.  A dual strip Nova Extreme HO would be best, but the single would be okay.  Also, pick your plants wisely-- if you go with the double (it shouldn't be more than $20 more), don't get slow growing plants that will clog with algae.  With the single strip, don't get plants that will require extremely intense light like Microsword or HC/Dwarf Baby Tears (Hemianthus callictroides).  CO2 injection would be a good idea, even if it's a DIY setup, though Flourish Excel can be even more effective.