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  L# Double checking on Lighting "k"rating?
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SubscribeDouble checking on Lighting "k"rating?
goldfishgeek
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female uk
If I actually want to grow half decent plants(as opposed to the green and yellow mush in my tanks) I need a bulb that has a k rating of 67000?

I don't want to grow anything extra rare or red, just hornwort, annubus(can some one please tell me how to spell that?)java fern, moss and other low light plants.

if I get two 20W life Glo bulbs by hagen for my 35G is that ok?

and in the 15G a 15 w life glo bulb?(stupid lid with stupid cheap light fitting won't take any more watts) i am just having hornwort in there. is that enough light????

I definitely need 67000?

currently I have 18000 and 42000 I think. sun glo and aqua glo.

thanks just want to know before I spend shed loads of money on new lights.....

GFG

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Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
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Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:44Profile Homepage Yahoo PM Edit Report 
tetratech
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male usa
GFG.

I think anyting in the 5000 to 8000 range is good. I don't know what you budget is, but how 'bout a light like this. It will give you almost 2wpg and you'll be able to grow lowlight and many other plants as well without going overboard.

http://www.hellolights.com/241xcofraq1x.html

My Scapes
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:44Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
FRANK
 
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male usa us-colorado
Hi,
You have an extra "0" in your values. The lights
range from 5,000 (5K) to over 20,000 (20K).
Most freshwater tanks use lights from 5K up to about
10K. The higer rated bulbs, such as 10 & 20K are
most commonly found on saltwater tanks, especially
those that house invertebrates.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:44Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
goldfishgeek
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female uk
tetratech - hmm a little out of my price range, and plus I have all the fittings for normal lights. shame it looks like a good piece of kit.

Frank, oops on the 0's but 6700 is right?


Thanks guys

GFG

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:44Profile Homepage Yahoo PM Edit Delete Report 
LITTLE_FISH
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GFG,

I am very happy with the result I achieve with a 6,700K bulb, no matter if PC or regular Fluorescent. If you can only have 2 x 20W (just a little over 1.1 wpg on the 35G) over your tank then I would suggest you look into low light plants, like Java Fern, Anubias types, Java Moss, etc.. The situation in your 15G would be similar with 1wpg.

[link=My 20G]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/Aquascaping/63901.html" style="COLOR: #ff6633[/link] has two 20W bulbs and I mixed one 6,700K with a 18,000K (both are these Glo lights, I can never remember Sun or Plant or Aqua or what). The 18,000K was purchased before I had an idea of what kind of lights plants need. I think once when it is burned out I will replace it with nothing more than 10,000K, preferably a 5,000K.

Hope this helps,

Ingo


Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:44Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
DaMossMan
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male canada ca-ontario
6700K is the one you're after. Recommend finding a hardware store and getting 'high noon' or 'daylight' bulbs.
Much cheaper then getting bulbs at the fishstore.

I have 2 6700k tubes in the back stip and an 18,000K in the front strip, only because the front tube is 30" which is not easiest to find around here.

Normally I'd mix 6700K with 10,000K
(recommended by Crazygar)

The Amazon Nut...
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:44Profile Homepage PM Edit Delete Report 
sham
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female usa
The glo series bulbs don't follow the normal k ratings. Usually the lower the rating the more yellow and the higher the rating the more blue but aqua glos are above 10,000k I belive and are red. They will grow plants just fine but the tank looks a bit reddish in color. I haven't used the lifeglos but they should also grow plants and I don't think they are as red. If you look on the side of the cardboard the bulb came in it should show a spectrum picture with different colors. Plants use mostly blue and red light which is why plant specific bulbs are red, pink, or purplish so you want to make sure there is a good amount of red and blue compared to the other colors.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:44Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
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Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:44Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
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