the compact flourescent bulbs from walmart (in the aquarium section) are great. they last for friggin ever. i seriously change one maybe once a year
Compact fluorescent bulbs in an aquarium?
- Thread starter Dekz
- Start date
As a further experiment, you could try higher temp compact fluorescent bulbs, around 6500K. Those are whiter and generally gives less yellow and more blue color. I personally like this better. 
I bought those from Home Depot.
I bought those from Home Depot.
Yeh, I have seen people make hoods using those bulbs. The 1 rated daylight is the best. Saw 1 whom made 1 for a very big tank. He said they built up heat so he inserted to fans in the hood. This person said if he had to do it over again he would just buy a kit from ah supply's. For their reflector is superior to what he could build.
As a further experiment, you could try higher temp compact fluorescent bulbs, around 6500K. Those are whiter and generally gives less yellow and more blue color. I personally like this better.
Ya I just posted that first picture as an example of what I'm talking about, the ones in the tank for the picture are 6500K
OMG OMG OMG OMG
So let's say I wanted to get some live plants going. If these things really put out 60 watts each then I have 12 watts per gallon!
The tank on the right looks like it has 2.5wpg.
The wpg rule is based on T12 bulbs. When reflectors are used there is always restrike. Therefore the thinner the tube the less restrike and another gain on usable light, by SuperColey1 at aquascape.
More info on lights that I have gathered:
barrreport
Check out Trallen44's low tech tank and mizu-chan's tank.
If the plants don't grow as you like ad ferts. Dry ferts are cheap and can be bought at Rex's Griggs's site. If you stick with rhizome plants like java fern you probably won't need ferts.
I made the mistake of buying stem plants, for they were cheap, for a low light setup. I have found I have to add ferts to get them to grow. Not all do but I do for my water is very soft.
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mellowvision
Seafood Lover
I use twist in cf's over most of my tanks now and really like them. you may not need such high wattage bulbs if your intent isn't to expedite plant growth. if you simply like the color of the bulbs, you will find that a lower wattage might make your tank easier to care for. I have. I just upped my wattage on a couple of tanks, but until recently was running 9w and 13w bulbs. I also have a 7w bulb in an enclosed hood on my small shrimp tank... but I run it only for viewing, most of it's light is sunlight. I like both the 5000k and 6500k bulbs... the 6500k seems brighter at the same wattage, but that might just be me.
lowes and home depot have great selections, and any lighting shop will have the smaller screw ins as well.
lowes and home depot have great selections, and any lighting shop will have the smaller screw ins as well.
I find that different manufacturers label "day light" at different temperatures. I've seen some call them for bulbs as low as 3500K up to 6500K... I think the safest is to actually look at the rated temperature. My choice would be 6500K.
Yeh, after viewing Tallens's tank I don't put much stock in it. What do you go buy in deciding what light to use?
