Compact Fluorescent light bulbs??

[LC]

Hey, anybody use compact fluorescent light bulbs for their tanks? My old incandescent brunt out so I was thinking to replace it with compact fluorescent. Is this a good idea interms of wattage per gallon and the fact that it's white light? I picked up a pack of 9 watts which equals about 40 watts as labeled on a package. Is that too much for a 5 gal or 10 gal tank both with a few plants in them? Thanks.

[fsn77]

Compact fluorescent bulbs convert energy (watts) into light more efficiently than standard incandescent or regular fluorescent bulbs. Putting a screw-in compact fluorescent on top of your 5g or 10g will not be too much light (even for low light plants, but may not be enough for more light demanding plants), as any application of the incredibly dated watts per gallon rule doesn't apply to tanks that small. The WPG rule really doesn't even apply to compact fluorescent bulbs at all -- it's based on standard fluorescent bulb output. The only concern would be the color spectrum the compact fluorescent bulb produces. What is the color temperature of the bulb (Kelvin rating)?

[IndianaSam]

Hey, anybody use compact fluorescent light bulbs for their tanks? My old incandescent brunt out so I was thinking to replace it with compact fluorescent. Is this a good idea interms of wattage per gallon and the fact that it's white light? I picked up a pack of 9 watts which equals about 40 watts as labeled on a package. Is that too much for a 5 gal or 10 gal tank both with a few plants in them? Thanks.
I currently have 2x15w compact fluorescents over a 10 gallon aquarium. I use that tank to grow low-light plants.

So, IMHO if you put two 9 watt CFLs over a 10 gallon it would be enough light for low light plants.

The "watts" rating is energy used, not light output. That's why 9w CFLs can equal 40w incandescents.

Also, try to make sure you get bulbs that are around 6500K. Walmart sells them very cheap.

Sam

[LC]

ok thanks guys, I'll find out what K those lights are when I get home tonight.

[phanmc]

Kelvin rating isn't very important, though the 6,500k ones will look whiter so you may prefer that.

[american_badger]

I've been looking to get two compact fluorescent bulbs for my 10 gal tank too. I don't have any live plants I just prefer the look of a fluorescent bulb. It says on the lid of my tank not to use anything greater than a 25 W incandescent, what wattage should I be getting of a CFB?

[phanmc]

Same for the CFBs. Ignore the marketing blurb about CFBs being equal to x times incandescents, you're only worried about the actual wattage.

[LC]

I just picked up some GE CFBs from Walmart this weekend. I got the 10w = 40w 6500K. Looks awesome in the 5gal. I'm going to pick up some more for my 10gal.

Have you guys notice a lot of moisture build up in the hood area, around the bulb housing?? Is that normal?

[J double R]

i solved that problem with a glass hood.

[dixienut]

I have used these on my 5-10 gallons and 2 1/2 plastic betta tanks since the day i bought them and they are great for the plants but i have only low light plants haven't gotten to get the high lite ones yet have so much growth from the lows that i'm over run with them from cuttings and the such.. they are wonderful and the condesation from these hoods don't bother the lights yet anyway, have had them over a year now....

[erodstrom]

I'm currently giving planted tanks a try, and have a 2.5g glass betta tank. Right now I'm using one 15 watt compact fluorescent bulb with the standard 2liter bottle DIY CO2 setup. With the 15 watt bulb, I'm getting oxygen bubbles from all the plants and new sprouting stalks about 2 days after cutting stem plants.

I tried to up my lighting by putting in a second socket in the other side of the hood and running two 15 watt lbulbs, but it resulted in an immediate algae outbreak. when I dropped back to one 15w bulb, the algae almost completely went away. I'm now alternating the bulbs - one during the first half of the day, one in the second, but really only so I don't feel like I totally wasted the 5 bucks on the new socket! :huh:

By the way the 15 watt light is keeping my tank at an even 75 degrees, which the plants seem to do fine with. I do have a heater in there, but it hasn't been on since it was installed.

[Becca3711]

I bought a tank taht came with a hood, and it came with just two regualr 15W light bulbs. How would I go about converting it to fluorescent lighting? Is that something that anyone with basic electrical knowledge could do? Because my dad knows alot about that stuff. What all is needed to do the conversion from regular to fluorsecent?

[ngochuynh]

ok thanks guys, I'll find out what K those lights are when I get home tonight.

get the 'daylight' compact fluorescent light at homedepot. A 27watts 2 bulbs pack cost $12.97. I'm using them for my tank and can't complain

[Mgamer20o0]

i would go with the higher watts.... 10w over a 5 gal isnt much. with the higher lighting you might see some great growth.