CF bulbs?
- Thread starter eurostar
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Nope, you want 5000k to 6700k. These are full spectrum and contain the right wavelengths/colors, etc that the plants need. The 2700 you have is a soft white, it has predominately green and blues, it looks good to our eyes, but these wavelengths/color will bounce off the plants. The plants nees some of the yellows, reds and purples that are in the full spectrum wavelength. Look for 'FULL SPECTRUM", they work the best for plants. (Unless you want a low light tank plants even though you have 25wts).
Cathy
Cathy
Cathy G said:
The plants won't care if you're using 2,700k soft white, 6,700k full spctrum daylights, or 10,000k lights. As long as the light source provides light in the red spectrum (which all lights that are visibly white do), the plants will grow in them.
Now what looks good to you is a different matter. Most people find that 2,700k is too yellow to their liking, in which case the 6,500k-6,700k lights are much whiter. 10,000k lights are even whiter still, it's a sterile white with even less yellow.
Full Spectrum - contains all the wavelengths that plants need. Not just some of them. They also look good to our eyes and bring out the best colors in our tanks. They are just about as cheap so why not get them?
Cathy
Cathy
All white light contains the full spectrum of wavelengths, the intensity of the wavelengths is what makes it shift towards a certain color. There has been no conclusive evidence that the kelvin rating matters to plant growth. The difference between plant growth using full spectrum lights compared to even incandescent lights are not noticeable. What matters is the intensity of the light.
While most people do prefer the 6,500k-6,700k full spectrum daylights, not everyone do. I like to use 10,000k in tanks with blue and iridescent fishes because I find it brings out the color more. When it comes to lights, buy the ones that looks good to you.
While most people do prefer the 6,500k-6,700k full spectrum daylights, not everyone do. I like to use 10,000k in tanks with blue and iridescent fishes because I find it brings out the color more. When it comes to lights, buy the ones that looks good to you.
Yes, supply enough wattage and you can grow with any kind of light (that is whitish in color). Energy efficiency comes into play with a different light sources but since we're usually talking about fluorescents, the wattage per gallon rule applies pretty well.
Its not quite that easy. Wattage isnt intensity, wattage is how much energy your supplying to the light. Some bulbs/ballasts are much more effecient than others. Fish arent paying your electric bill lol. A 2300K often does not have the intesity a 6500K light will have for the same wattage printed on the bulb. Generaly wattage does go hand in hand with light output but not always and varies from bulb to bulb and brand to brand. I must say I noticed a large improvement when I upgraded from 40W T12 GE plant & aquarium bulbs (think they were in the 2-3,000k range?) to 32W T8 Philips daylight deluxe bulbs (6500k). The philips bulb were half the price too. Just about every rating of a bulb, like K rating, CRI, and lumen output are rated based on how things look to the human eye, well maybe the K rating is a bit different but you get the idea. Unfortunatly this is not what is applicable to plants. So really there is not a lot one can go by with absolute certainty. As far as red goes you could reduce the reddish spectrum of the bulb by over 50% and still have a bulb that appeats mostly white. Also I think the jury is still out on which colors plants like best, heck I have even seen green plant bulbs before, yet many say green is the only color they dont use. My best advice would be to get the brightest bulb you can find rated full spectrum or daylight.
The main thing your 2,600K light is probably going to lack is the blues, which some consider vital to photosynthesis.
All pure white light contains all spectrums. Not all white light does (atleast in significant amounts), since I stated above you can remove quite a bit of certain wavelengths and still get light that appears mostly white to the human eye. I mean look at the really pale HID lights on some vehicles, they appear a very pale white yet contain very little red wavelengths.
The main thing your 2,600K light is probably going to lack is the blues, which some consider vital to photosynthesis.
All pure white light contains all spectrums. Not all white light does (atleast in significant amounts), since I stated above you can remove quite a bit of certain wavelengths and still get light that appears mostly white to the human eye. I mean look at the really pale HID lights on some vehicles, they appear a very pale white yet contain very little red wavelengths.
I didn't want to complicate the lighting issue since there is already much confusion as to which measurements is best for a planted tank (such as kelvin, CRI, lumens, etc). If we wanted to know which light is best for planted tanks then the PAR rating (photosynthetically active radiation) would be the most accurate. The problem is that the PAR rating is not listed or event measured by the manufacturers. Even then, the differences between the various lightsources have been inconclusive. No one can say for certainty that bulbs that are specifically geared to plant growth, like the Plant-Gro bulbs or full spectrum bulbs offer any tangible benefits over cool whites or soft whites.
IME, if I provide the plants with enough wpg with any fluorescent light (baring actinic), they will grow.
IME, if I provide the plants with enough wpg with any fluorescent light (baring actinic), they will grow.
