Colormax bulbs?

bluetik

bluetik

AC Members
Dec 10, 2008
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Sunny Florida
I'm setting up a 10 gallon for my son, and he would like to have live plants. In the hood of the tank, I have a double sided standard bulb outlet.

Will these colormax bulbs work for the plants? There is nothing in the description related to Kelvin rating.... http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...996/cl0/coralifeminicompactcolormaxlamp20watt

They also have a 20 Watt 50/50 that would fit - 50% actinic 03 blue and 50% 10,000K daylight. Any other suggestions?

With two of these bulbs, what types of plants could I grow? I'm hoping to do a DIY Co2 system.

Thanks!
 
I second JPappy on this one. I had 2 spirals in my 10 (probably the same set up as yours) and my plants were beautiful. You can get the long spirals at that store that ends with a Mart and has no K much less expensively than at a pet store for the same bulb.
 
Thanks, jpap, but I'm not certain I have enough vertical clearance for a standard spiral CFL. These Coralife lights are not incandescent --they are CF, but have a long curved tube, rather than spiral, which allows them to fit more easily under the hood.
 
Is it a standard 10 gallon kit fixture? (Looks like two bells coming out from a two-headed socket?) If so, the ones from "the mart" will fit just fine. You are right, though. You cannot fit a standard CFB in those sockets due to the shield on the bulb that protects them from water.
 
They make "Daylight" mini-CFLs that would probably fit. Check Home Depot.

To answer the question: I'd probably go with the 50/50's instead of the colormax. The colormax look to be too pinkish for my taste.
 
It is a kind of a hack job. I removed the standard flourescent fixture that came in that hood and replaced it with the fixture from one of those 5 gallon mini-bows, with the express intent of placing 2 20 watt CFLs in it. Thanks for the tip on the "Mart", Somervell!
 
I wish I knew the K rating of the colormax. For some reason this seems to be a mystery. I do have good success with plants using a combination of colormax and 6700k &10000k bulbs. Never tried using colormax alone. I suspect the 50/50 combo would be less effective for plant growing. The actinic is way over in the blue end of the spectrum.
 
Yeah, the Colormax bulbs are incredibly pink/red. I doubt they are right for growing plants. Very garish, so unless you are into fluorescent gravel and what not...skip it.

And yes, this is what you are looking for:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Lights-of-America-10-Watt-Mini-Fluorescent-Aquarium-Bulb-1-ct/10448675

The bulbs are 5,000k I believe, which is the K rating on full spectrum bulbs. Expect to pay about $5 each I believe...unless they come in a 2 pack, I can't recall!

Very nice color rendering, and will grow basic plants no problem.
 
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