Did a search still need help

[GrossGraphix]

I have a 8foot 400 gallon tank. I have two shop lights(4' lights) for lights. Has one acidic (blue light) and one daylight 6500K lowes bought light in each. The tank looks yellow from the lights.

What do i need to make it look crisp clear white?

Do i need to step up the Kelvin to 10,000K? t8 bulb?

I like the idea of led's but they are crazy expensive and money has gotten really tight with 6month old twin girls 3year old and other problems lately. Thought about mabye t5 fixtures but is it going to be more or less wattage than i use now?

 

[GrossGraphix]

not even a link

 

[reddevilflowerhorn]

try t8 bright white it should do the trick

 

[cichlid2006]

I have T5's but the application is the same. I run 2 x 10,000k tubes and 2 x actinic blue ones. The 10,000k ones give off a yellow light but the blues cancel that out nicely and when running all together the tank looks well lit, I would say the blue lights dominate slightly but it is better than it looking yellow.

 

[carsona246]

I dont know much about lights other than what spectrum I need for plants, but I'm pretty sure someone had a similair problem, but in blue, the solution was to get a different spectrum bulb

 

[GrossGraphix]

I have T5's but the application is the same. I run 2 x 10,000k tubes and 2 x actinic blue ones. The 10,000k ones give off a yellow light but the blues cancel that out nicely and when running all together the tank looks well lit, I would say the blue lights dominate slightly but it is better than it looking yellow.

Yeah this is pretty much what i was thinking. 10,000k and the actinic 2 each. I just didnt want to spend the money and it still look yellow.

Is one bulb more efficient than the other t5 or t8? Far as electricity usage anyone know?

 

[Clay]

Depends on the wattage and reflector. t5 traditionally consume less electricity to produce more light, but that can vary depending on the age of the bulb, the efficiency of the reflector, and other similar variables. Shop lights are typically on the low end of efficiency.

 

[bob965]

I have a 8foot 400 gallon tank. I have two shop lights(4' lights) for lights. Has one acidic (blue light) and one daylight 6500K lowes bought light in each. The tank looks yellow from the lights.

Do not touch the acidic light with your bare hands, it may irritate your skin.

 

[Clay]

Pretty sure he means actinic, not acidic. But I got a chuckle from that as well.

 

[GrossGraphix]

Do not touch the acidic light with your bare hands, it may irritate your skin.

Ha your funny guy didnt even catch that myself.

Depends on the wattage and reflector. t5 traditionally consume less electricity to produce more light, but that can vary depending on the age of the bulb, the efficiency of the reflector, and other similar variables. Shop lights are typically on the low end of efficiency.

I can add reflective material to the inside the shop lights to help reflect light down into the tank. But if the t5 gives you more bang for the buck. I can get a fixture for the t5 and go that way. But a t5 light bulb uses 52W compared to the t8 bulb using 32W.
4 - t8= 128w
4 - t5= 208w