Lights... so what the heck is the difference?!

[albirdy]

i am looking at a light site and see a fat list of options:

fluoresecnt
light ballast
metal halide
hqi light
mini power compact fixtuers
power compact retrofit fixtures
refugium fixtures
vho ballasts
fluroresecnt strip lights
t5 light fixtures

and I am sitting here wondering... what the hell is the difference?
Someone wnat to enlighten me?

thank yoU

 

[gunnerx]

Each one serves a different purpose. For example, Metal Halide is very high wattage and is used for Saltwater setups as corals require a lot of light. Also, the size of the aquarium also dictates the types of bulbs you can use. T5s are great for smaller tanks as it's smaller and are low wattage but can provide a lot of light for their size.

 

[koop171]

You have different types of bulbs for at least the strip lights (that what I use so thats what I know) and the different bulbs give off different specturms of light for different purposess. like the marine glo bulbs give off a blue hue to them since thats the color that goes deepest into the ocean good for (duh!) salt tanks. then there's i think they call them life glo they are more in the spectrume of yellow to orange more of the suns light great for planted tanks. SO not only do you have different fixtures you have alll the different bulbs that can go into them.




P.S. someone plz correct me if i'm wrong

 

[albirdy]

I have a 16 inch deep tank for my 20 gallon.
i do not plan on using fertilizers or co2.
what is the appropriate lighting i should use?
I would like a medium (maybe high) -lit tank.

basically, i want to grow plants like japan dwarf hair grass, amazon sword, riccia, etc.
t5, cfl, what to get, what to get?!

and any cheap/RELIABLE places?