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![]() | Double checking on Lighting "k"rating? |
goldfishgeek![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Fish Addict Posts: 667 Kudos: 412 Votes: 38 Registered: 27-Oct-2003 ![]() ![]() | 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 ![]() 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 |
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tetratech![]() ![]() Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 4241 Kudos: 1074 Registered: 04-Nov-2003 ![]() ![]() | 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 |
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FRANK![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Moderator Posts: 5108 Kudos: 5263 Votes: 1690 Registered: 28-Dec-2002 ![]() ![]() ![]() | 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 <<<-- |
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goldfishgeek![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Fish Addict Posts: 667 Kudos: 412 Votes: 38 Registered: 27-Oct-2003 ![]() ![]() | 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 |
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LITTLE_FISH![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ***** Little Fish ***** Master of Something Posts: 7303 Kudos: 1997 Votes: 670 Registered: 20-May-2005 ![]() ![]() | 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 ![]() |
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DaMossMan![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Fish Guru Piranha Bait Posts: 2511 Kudos: 2117 Votes: 359 Registered: 16-Nov-2003 ![]() ![]() ![]() | 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... |
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sham![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3369 Kudos: 2782 Votes: 98 Registered: 21-Apr-2004 ![]() ![]() | 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. |
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Untitled No. 4![]() ![]() Big Fish Posts: 488 Kudos: 452 Votes: 33 Registered: 07-Nov-2004 ![]() ![]() | GFG, Check out this]http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=12_66[/link] (the tubes at the bottom of the page, ignore the HOT5 ones) for a way to get a higher output than your fixings allow you without changing your fixing. You will have to find the right tube for you (by length) and decide whether you want daylight (6700K) or grow (5000K). If you go for these tubes you will also need a brushing set (found [link=here) for each tube to be able to fit it to your existing fixings. Although I think you can grow your plants in any tube in the right colour (5000K - 6700K), these tubes can give you a little extra. Cheers, Golan. Last edited by Untitled No. 4 at 10-Oct-2005 15:09 |
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