Is this a good light?

The fixture will work for a planted tank, but IMO you'll need to swap out both the bulbs. Some places will switch the bulbs if you ask.
Plants do best with lamps in the 5000K - 10 000K range. Actinics aren't suitable for FW - they don't benefit plants much and are said to cause algae blooms. They'll also give the tank an eerie, blue look.
12 000K is quite a 'blue' light, and will give your tank the washed-out look you're trying to avoid. Lower K values appear more yellow/orange to the human eye, higher K values appear bluer. As long as you're in the above range, the plants won't mind whether the bulbs are more 'red' or 'blue' - it's up to your personal tastes. Everyone sees colour a little differently. I use a range of bulbs (I like to experiment ) and find both 5500K and 9325K very comfortable to look at - the 5500Ks give a 'sunny' feel to the tank, and the 9325s appear very crisp. To me, 10 000K feels a little cold, and 6700K appears slightly greenish.

Those bulbs are for saltwater setups. Here's a link to a freshwater 2x65 watt power compact with the correct bulbs that would allow you to grow medium high light in a 37 tall. I'll vouch for the brand, as I use the same model in a 1x65W unit for my 29 gallon.

Sillyputty

I am in the same boat. I have a 37 gallon tall tank and have been doing research to upgrade my lights. I am currently using 2 - 20 Watt 5000K fluorescent lights.

I was looking at the 30" fixtures because that is what the tank's dimensions are. I am curious why you are looking at the 24" fixtures? Is it cost? You might be onto something and perhaps I will follow your lead.

Does anybody know if the bulb length is longer in a 30" power compact fixture vs. a 24" power compact fixture? This would be my only concern in choosing one over the other.

Is this the light you are looking at Link

if so i would advise you not to get it..
My friend has it.. here are it problems..IMO
1 Quality is not that good
2 the bulbs are too close to each other and the ceiling of the light, this causes much of the light to be wasted.
3 O.K reflectors, Bulbs are imp but good reflectors are equally imp

Good point -> its cheap..

HTH
Kamla

sillyputty said:

It seemed like some of the fixtures for the 24 inch were less expensive but the same wattage. I am actually looking at the light harlock suggested only in the 1x65 and the 24 inch and 30 inch are the same price. I am happy with low and some medium light plants. I think the medium light plants might do ok but maybe not grow much. I do think the power compacts are the way to go.

And thanks Harlock. I think I will quit looking at lights and dive in and buy that 1 x 65 at big als. I still have the 20 watt that is on there that I can use in addition.

Click to expand...

Welcome, glad to be of service. For what it is worth, the 24 inch and 30 inch model compact flourescent all seem to use the same bulb. On the 24 inch version I have my plants do fine. Big Al's didn;t carry the 30 inch whn I ordered mine, so I went with the 24". I assume the 30 inch has a reflector all the way across and a centered bulb.