Compact fluorescent bulbs in an aquarium?

[Dekz]

Can I use those new fangled compact fluorescent energy saving long lasting bulbs for my fish tanks? I think the color of light that they put out would look awesome.

Something like these:

If so can I just put them in my regular light hood, where I normally run these?

 

[7itanium]

if they will fit-- then yes

they also sell those types of bulbs that are a bit skinnier especially for aquariums... you can get them at most pet stores.. but they sell them at wal-mart in the fish section for $5 each ($12 elseware)

 

[bitbot]

What sort of fitting does your lighting hood have?
The compact fluorescents would be a standard Edison screw, I think.

 

[7itanium]

What sort of fitting does your lighting hood have?
The compact fluorescents would be a standard Edison screw, I think.

yeah they are.. that is what he has by the looks of the bulb in the 2nd pic

my 10g came with normal incadescent lighting and I replaced them with the $5 wal-mart bulbs.. they work GREAT

I have also used normal compact flor like in his first pic-- they work the same (a bit brighter) BUT dont quite fit in some hoods due to width of the bulb itself (not the screw)

 

[Dekz]

OMG OMG OMG OMG

I wish I would have thought of this months ago. The difference was so profound that I had to take a picture.

Obviously it's not completely blinding like in the picture, but it looks absolutely amazing. It's like looking at a normal tank with crappy lighting and then looking at a saltwater tank. I can't wait until I get up tomorrow so I can go buy 4 more bulbs for the other tanks.

So let's say I wanted to get some live plants going, can we really use the wattage listed on these things as an accurate number? If these things really put out 60 watts each then I have 12 watts per gallon! That's insane. I've heard that color temp is important too, these are 6500k, is that good?

 

[smoochxoxo]

ohh thats nice! I have no idea about your questions but I wanted to say it looks awesome! I wish I could do that with mine. It has plug in pin ballast type hood. Maybe it hood shoppin time lol!
lookin sharp!

 

[OldMan47]

You can use the wattage listed but you use the low number, not the silly equivalent number. The 13 watt is a 13, not a 60. In the first picture the 15 watt is a 15, not 60.

 

[FISHSHROD]

Nice difference ya got there .

 

[gmh]

Is this a 20 gallon tank? If you have 4X15 watt bulbs that gives you 3 watts per gallon. You can grow most plants with that wattage but may need to go with CO2 to avoid algae issues. Could just run three of the bulbs and stil have a low tech plant growing environment.

 

[Dekz]

You can use the wattage listed but you use the low number, not the silly equivalent number. The 13 watt is a 13, not a 60. In the first picture the 15 watt is a 15, not 60.

Oh ok. Ya I knew it must be too good to be true or everybody would be doing it.

Is this a 20 gallon tank? If you have 4X15 watt bulbs that gives you 3 watts per gallon. You can grow most plants with that wattage but may need to go with CO2 to avoid algae issues. Could just run three of the bulbs and stil have a low tech plant growing environment.

No, it's two 10 gallons side by side, and each only holds 2 bulbs. Oh well, no worries, I'll go planted when I get a big tank.