I brought a lighting fixture, now, cheap bulbs ?

[AquaVitamins]

Heya you may or not have seen my last post about upgrading my tanks lighting, but i have now brought the lighting fixture i wanted.

Its a "GLO T5 HO " 2 x 24 Watt lighting system.

I was going to mount it under my tanks lid, and add some warehouse mirrors, and the what i hoped was some cheap lights from the "lighting guy "

The lights at the pet store were $40 each for the 24W T5HO 6500K, 10k and also available in 18K, but i couldn't really afford two of them plus the system, so i assumed i could get some from this "lighting guy" theirs are $25 each, but the highest kelvin rating is 6000...? Could i use them and still get very good results?

And if your wondering about my brothers tank, it is doing quite nicely, there is some nice growth starting to happen, we have had few problems with allege, but with the water changes it seems to be ok. Ill post pictures if i can find the cam

[phoenix44]

what plants are you trying to grow again?

I would hate for you to try a cheaper tube, and then decide they are not cutting it.

[Morcs]

Youve got a decent light unit, so dont be a cheapo on the tubes, its pointless!

Get powerglos, even at 70+ per tube, money well worth spent. I even use them with no plants they are that good

[Aquila]

Lightbulbman.co.nz has powerglos for a lot less. Their store on Boulcott St. has more bulbs than their website lists. Well worth a trip, but you can also call to see if they have the bulb you want in or if they can order it.

I am not positive on their selection of T5s but I've got the following T8 bulbs above my 220L which were bought from there:

Sylvania Aquastar 10000K

Sylvania Gro Lux ~8500K

and 2 Daylights

I know they also have Syvania CoralStar..but i don't know anything about this bulb...

[AquaVitamins]

This ?

and the plants i mentioned in the my other post :

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=44226

[breakaway]

@AquaVitamins you didn't buy a fixture, you bought a bare ballast. Now you need to mount it and invest in some quality reflectors otherwise you'll be wasting light.

With regard to cheap bulbs, I have a Hagen Glo T5HO 2 x 39W unit, and bought two 39W 865 Daylight tubes from here http://www.lampsx.co.nz/Lamps-Ex-Company-Profile.htm at a price of $13 each. Plants are growing really well / pearling with DIY CO² + Flourish Comprehensive 4mL / 200L every 3rd day. However red plants don't do too well in my tank - plants tend to not stay as bright red as they were when I got them from the shop.

Not entirely convinced that these power glo tubes are that much better. And at $58 a piece, the better make my plants come alive and eat my brains while I sleep!

I'm keen to buy some and see if it makes any difference.

What do combination is recommended? 1 x 6500 Power Glo with 1 x 18,000 Power Glo? 2 x 18,000 Power Glo?

[phoenix44]

2 power glos 18000K'. well worth the money, and i highly doubt any lighting wholesaler has "powerglos".

don't mix them with 6500K, but can mix them with 10000K

[phoenix44]

@AquaVitamins you didn't buy a fixture, you bought a bare ballast. Now you need to mount it and invest in some quality reflectors otherwise you'll be wasting light.

if he bought the glo/hagen lighthood he does not need reflectors or any thing else but the tubes.

[alanmin4304]

Can you post a picture of what you bought?

[AquaVitamins]

http://www.hollywoodfishfarm.co.nz/prod ... hp?id=1911

For reflectors - warehouse mirrors siliconed to the lip of the tank

[alanmin4304]

You can buy very good reflectors from the petshop that clip on to the tube.

[AquaVitamins]

Ok so called both Hutt pets and Animates

$55 a bulb for the 24W T5 HO GLO ones

And $39 for the LIFE GLOW, but i dont know what they are like, would they be a cheaper option thats just as good?

[fishplants]

Hi Aquavitamins,

I have spent a lot of time researching fluorescent tubes and Kelvin ratings, CRI, spectrum graphs, lumens etc, etc, etc.

Based on my limited observations I have the following to offer;

- there is absolutely nothing wrong or 'cheap' about 6500K tubes (Cool Daylight), especially if you buy the Triphosphor ones (Osram Lumilux T8/T5, Philips TLD/TL5). These have a very long life and output > 80%. After all, plants have grown in natural sunlight for a few years quite successfully (sunlight is 5500K). These tubes have a high lumen rating because they produce a lot of light humans can see.

- The above tubes have a CRI in the 80's - hence the code 865. The 8 stands for CRI of 80-89. There are higher CRI tubes but these are relatively inefficient.

- the reason plant tubes were invented is that plants mainly use light that we humans cannot see well, ie far red and far blue. A tube has a limited output and if most of the energy is restricted to the green part of the spectrum as in 865 (that humans see best and plants use least) then a lot of energy is 'wasted'. These tubes do generally have a poor CRI, but can be great for highlighting reds and blues in fish. And they have a lower lumen rating.

- Basically, a plant tube produces what plants need, more efficiently. But the light can be a bit weird, too blue (power Glo) or too pink (Gro Lux or Aqua Glo). That is why a lot of people (myself included) like to mix plant tubes with daylight type tubes.

- There is absolutely nothing wrong in mixing a 6500K Cool Daylight with a 18000K Power Glo. You will end up with a relatively 'blue', bright light that accentuates blues and reds in fish, and green of plants. A better option might be a 4000K tube with the Power Glo as the Power Glo lacks a little in the red (hence the 18000K rating). The two will complement each other quite well and the light look 'pleasant'. However, turn one of the tubes off and the light will look quite 'yellow', or dark and 'blue', depending on which is turned off.

- My 10 year old planted tank has only 2 x 30w T8 tubes, one is an Osram Lumilux 865 and one is a Triton (10000K). This provides plenty of plant light and viewing light. I have Java, Windelov, 4 types of crypts, Anubias Barteri Barteri, Anubias Barteri Nana, Anubias Minima, Rotala (and I can hear you all saying that those are all low light plants), and 3 x E. Bleheri, and an E. Osiris (the swords have been in the tank for 6 years). BTW, the tank is 90 x 45 x 45.

- I consider the Triton to be the perfect plant/fish tube, but unfortunately you can't get them any more in New Zealand. However, I have just ordered 4 GE Fresh and Salt Aqua from the UK which apparently are very similiar.

- One more consideration, if you are trying to combine Discus, or other shade loving fish, with a planted tank, then the plant tubes are the best bet. High emission of photosynthetic light with relatively low emisions of visible light. This is the issue I am currently grappling with in my other tank!

Hope this helps