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View Full Version : Incandescent or Fluorescent?


DieselJunki
11-05-2009, 9:50 PM
So my light fixture totally crapped the bed on my 10gallon quite some time ago and I am sick of not being able to see anything in it since there is no light at all. It was a cheapy fixture that came with the tank I bought 3 years ago.

If I ever decided to go with lowlight plants in my 10gallon what light is better Incandescent or Fluorescent?

I was either going to purchase
http://www.petmountain.com/product/aquarium-light-fixtures/516021/perfecto-fluorescent-perfect-a-strip-light-black.html

or

http://www.petmountain.com/product/aquarium-light-fixtures/516029/incandescent-perfect-a-lite-hood-black.html
when that one comes back in stock that is.

I am also going to get rid of my full tank hood and purchase a glass top possibly in the future.
tropicana3219
11-05-2009, 9:57 PM
I have flourescent lights on my tanks because I was told that incandescant lighting doesn't look as good (and it doesn't) AND it gives off heat. I was told that flourescent lighting is better for your fish.

Here is a pic of my Betta tank with and without flourescent lighting...first one without and second pic with it.
I Ate A Cake
11-05-2009, 10:15 PM
Incandescent will only grow algae, and give off a lot of heat.
DoctaQ
11-05-2009, 10:39 PM
you might as well get a glass top while youre at it and build your own cfl light fixture for like 15 bucks at home depot
angyles
11-05-2009, 11:04 PM
yeah incandescent it way too hot. if you leave it on for any length of time, your water temp will fluctuate signinficantly. you CAN get an incandescent hood and use compact flourescents in it, which will actually give you more flexibility. I haven't done it, but several people on here have.
DieselJunki
11-05-2009, 11:19 PM
you might as well get a glass top while youre at it and build your own cfl light fixture for like 15 bucks at home depot

Oh? how would I go about doing that? Aren't the cfl bulbs the spirally ones and wouldn't they just go in a rounded fixture. I don't think that would light the water as well as a long tube would.
dundadundun
11-06-2009, 1:28 AM
Oh? how would I go about doing that? Aren't the cfl bulbs the spirally ones and wouldn't they just go in a rounded fixture. I don't think that would light the water as well as a long tube would.
on a 10 gallon it'll be just fine... and it's really simple. i am not good at explaining it though... someone else can do that... :wall:
blue2fyre
11-06-2009, 7:43 AM
Well I have a 5 gallon standard hood for my tank. It came with an incandescent and I just screwed in a CF bulb. It works great and saved me money since those small fluorescent hoods are not cheap. Walmart sells a CF aquarium light that will screw into a incandescent hood.
DoctaQ
11-06-2009, 9:04 AM
there are many posts here about diy cfl retrofit
i actually run a single 40w cfl over my ten gal
DieselJunki
11-06-2009, 12:53 PM
Oh thanks all, I'll definitely be reading around then!
trigiver01
11-07-2009, 4:47 PM
Here's the one I just did:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2170535#post2170535

Look on page 2 for the step-by-step. I ordered the sockets from surplussales.com ($3 each). They come with pigtails. The lights, electric tape, crimp splicers, and paint I got from home depot. I had some hooks laying around that I used. Total price under $30.
CrimsonBlush
11-07-2009, 4:59 PM
yeah incandescent it way too hot. if you leave it on for any length of time, your water temp will fluctuate signinficantly. you CAN get an incandescent hood and use compact flourescents in it, which will actually give you more flexibility. I haven't done it, but several people on here have.

That's what I did. It's working out great! I actually have that exact light. http://www.petmountain.com/product/aquarium-light-fixtures/516029/incandescent-perfect-a-lite-hood-black.html I have 2 compact flourescant blulbs in it that I just bought from walmart. If you go this option, just make sure to get daylight bulbs not softlight.