i have that light over my 55gallon
with a cheap 2 pack of bulbs from walmart, i get some good plant growth.
with a cheap 2 pack of bulbs from walmart, i get some good plant growth.
Can I use a shop light for lighting?
- Thread starter davdev
- Start date
I used two double bulb 4' shop lights (four bulbs total) for almost a year on a 40-breeder. I used the daylight 6700k bulbs from HD and they worked fine, and cheap. I bought a whole box for what a single "proper" fish bulb would have cost.
When you buy the lights, make sure you get the ones with the plug built in (as opposed to the ones you have to hardwire into an electrical circuit, unless you want that). Also, some lamps have the bulbs slightly recessed so that you can put them on a support underneath. On others the bulbs stick out so you have to hang them. Just make sure you're buying what you expect - things are often badly labeled at my HD.
You definitely want to have a cover over the tank, obviously. Either glass or the acrylic panels for drop-ceiling lights, if you're feeling particularly frugal.
When you buy the lights, make sure you get the ones with the plug built in (as opposed to the ones you have to hardwire into an electrical circuit, unless you want that). Also, some lamps have the bulbs slightly recessed so that you can put them on a support underneath. On others the bulbs stick out so you have to hang them. Just make sure you're buying what you expect - things are often badly labeled at my HD.
You definitely want to have a cover over the tank, obviously. Either glass or the acrylic panels for drop-ceiling lights, if you're feeling particularly frugal.
you should be just fine with a general "daylight" spectrum bulb or a cool white. The cool white is a little bit yellow but not bad at all if your water is clear. I prefer and use the "daylight" spectrum bulbs for most tanks.
I used to have rows on rows of shop lights, but now I like incandescent fixtures and twisty bulbs better. I had a LED for a while but my oldest son came over and took it for his reef tank. He took it and then said that my freshwater tank and plastic plants didn't need it. The plastic plant came glued to an artificial cave thing I bought at an auction.
