What light bulbs should I use?

[Bee0912]

Ok, Hello everyone!

I am currently running 4-3foot shop lights from home-depot that I installed and wired into my canopy. My water is crystal clear but my tights give it a yellow color. The bulbs have not always done this so I know I can replace them but I want better bulbs that till look good for more than 6 months.

What bulbs can I run on this fixture, and which ones will give it the clearest white/blue light?

 

[Conner]

If you want a clearer/bluer light, aim for the higher kelvin (K) rated bulbs. Anything over 6500K will be a more bluish color, anything under that will be more yellow. If you can find 10000K, those are a good color to use. For reference, saltwater tanks tend to aim for 10000K to 14000K lights.

You can also use a lower K (6500) bulb in conjunction with an actinic blue bulb. This will give you a clear light with a blue tint from the actinic.

 

[dontgetbit]

I am using a 6500k daylight bulb from Lowes or Home Depot. I also have a GE Aqua Rays 9325k bulb that has a blue tint to it. I actually prefer the regular 6500k daylight bulb. Its a clean and white light.

You probably have a regular T8 fixture and could pick up the 6500k daylight bulbs for cheap. I think mine was around $6, compared to $17 at a pet store.

 

[12 Volt Man]

Personally, I find the daylight 65000K bulbs to be way too yellow.

I like the 18000K (white with a hint of blue/purple) the best.

I use the Hagen Powerglo T8 bulbs. I really like the look they give.

 

[Zander_The_RBP]

Personally, I find the daylight 65000K bulbs to be way too yellow.

I like the 18000K (white with a hint of blue/purple) the best.

I use the Hagen Powerglo T8 bulbs. I really like the look they give.

im using hagen aquaglo bulbs (same kelvin rating as a powerglo and look the same as what you discribe) and i love them they really brought out the reds in my piranhas but i would never use them without another type of bulb they would make the water waaaay to purple looking. personaly i use 6500k with them and i can't see any yellow in it looks solid white with maybe a very very slight tint of blue


i like the look of the 6500k but the way the 18000k brings out colours and enocourages my plant growth use them together and you can't tell any difference from jsut 6500k (it drowns out the 18000k) but the colours it brings out in the fish definatly arn't drowned (this is probabaly because it only has half the lumen output of the 6500k but lumens has absolutely NOTHING to do with the light output of the bulb it's just what you can see not nessicarily what fish can see or plants can use)

also if you have t8 fixtures don't bother buying 6500k bulbs at the fish store go to home depot i got 2 6500k bulbs (called daylight deluxe) there for 8 bucks! theres supossed to be for bathrooms where people want a "cooler" feel. i was preety shocked when i saw them i thought 6500k were only made for aquariums but apparently i was wrong

 

[12 Volt Man]

the aquaglo and powerglo have the same kelvin rating but look quite different.

the powerglo is much brighter and more whiteish than the aquaglo that is quite purple.

the powerglo is bright white with a bit of blue. the aquaglo is dimmer and more purple.

why Hagen lists them as the same Kelvin rating I don't know.

because I doubt that they actually are..

 

[JakeH]

the aquaglo and powerglo have the same kelvin rating but look quite different.

the powerglo is much brighter and more whiteish than the aquaglo that is quite purple.

the powerglo is bright white with a bit of blue. the aquaglo is dimmer and more purple.

why Hagen lists them as the same Kelvin rating I don't know.

because I doubt that they actually are..

Same overall color temp, but different spikes throughout the spectrum. The Aqua-Glo definitely highlights yellows & greens much better than the powerglo, which as you said is more for blues & reds.