lighting

[chemicall]

Hey folks,

I'm gonna go purchase a 4 foot fixture and some 40 watt bulbs tonite, I see canadian tire has GE plant & aquarium bulbs, are these good? should I get one of these and one different GE bulb? or 2 of these?

Currently I only have 2 aquaglo 18inch 18watt bulbs, that have a pink glow to them, what can I expect from the plant & aquarium bulbs?

One of the 4 foot 40 watters alone should be more than both of my current lights?

Thanks in advance.

 

[jcardona1]

do you know the kelvin rating on those bulbs? i think it might be very yellow

 

[cvermeulen]

Plant and aquarium bulbs are a bunch of extra money for not so much benefit. I like the phillips cool white bulbs personally. They are better for plants than the "plant and aquarium" lights as well according to a few studies I've read.

 

[cvermeulen]

scratch that, they're not the cool whites, I don't think, it's the 5000k bulb, ADV850. dirt cheap and ideal spectrum for FW

 

[mrunlucky07]

Plant and aquarium bulbs are a bunch of extra money for not so much benefit. I like the phillips cool white bulbs personally. They are better for plants than the "plant and aquarium" lights as well according to a few studies I've read.

Agreed.

The plant and aquarium bulbs give a very pink light, If I remember right they are a very low K, past the yellow spectrum down near 3400k I read one time. I was disappointed with them. Phillips makes a 48" 6500k t-8 that gives off a nice bright white light. I found them cheapest at home depot, but they are at walmart and lowes too. Since I already had the aquarium bulb put it in a fixture with a 6500k bulb and am fairly happy with it. Brings out a little color and still bright.

 

[Gator]

Look in the bulb section of your local home improvement store and there are 6500K bulbs that will work out fine. the GE plant and aquarium bulbs aren't that great for planted tanks.

 

[chemicall]

Thanks for info everyone......when I get a chance to get there I will seek out different bulbs then.

thanks

 

[chemicall]

Well went and picked up a fixture today(states safe in wet areas) and a couple bulbs...found daylight 32watt 6500k GE 48" bulbs, Was 6 bucks for the 2, they are model F32T8. my tank is BRIGHT now.I'll post before - after pics in a bit
the fixture was $25 BTW.

thanks everyone for leading me to the correct bulbs!

 

[chemicall]

I never got around to posting pictures of this, I got the lights on, and trim back around the stand...first pic is lights off, 2nd is lights on.

 

[Gator]

you can gut that fixture and make your own hood to match that stand pretty easy.