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Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V3 #1161



Currently I have a 3-4 light t-8 electronic ballast driving the 2 t-8's and one t-12
gro-lux w-s bulb.  I have a very nice reflector behind the lamps as well.  All of the
plants in the tank are bubbling away at incredible rates.  The swords (even the 4"
ozelot swords) are making large bubbles come up through the substrate.  The hygro
sunset hygro is sending off streams of bubbles so fast they look like threads.  The
lights are enough as is, if for some reason they prove to be inadequate I will add in
the fourth bulb.  Does anyone have any suggestions on a good, spectrum bulb in a t-8?
The only ones that pet warehouse carries are the 6500k and an actintic bulb.  I would
like the replace the t-12 gro-lux with something in oh, say... a t-8 size?  I was
hoping someone would have some good suggestions based on some experience.  The
archives are somewhat thin on the t-8 lighting suggestions.

Chris
Anyone?  Anyone?  (I don't recall the next line)




>
>
> >I have a 55 gallon (mid-tech) tank
> set-up w/ 2 6500k sylvania t-8 lights.
> I need to add either
> >one or two more t-8's for the system.
> What would people suggest?  I am not
> sure of the spectrum
> >of the 6500k lamps and I would like to
> add something that would help balance
> the overall
> >spectrum
>
> 55 gallon tanks are a bit hard to light
> because the tank is only a foot wide at
> the top.  The more lights you cram
> together the more they block light from
> the bouncing off the reflector.
> Hopefully you are using a high light
> output ballast otherwise you are
> negating the advantages of using T-8s.
> Maybe you could run 3 lamps from one HLO
> ballast and you would have enough light.
> Recently I was made aware of the
> existance of Pentron high output T5
> lamps made by Sylvania one of these
> could double your light output depending
> on what type of ballast you are using
> now. I am sure they quite expensive but
> I also think that a lot of people will
> start using them as they become more
> available. They are just a straightened
> PC so it is nothing revolutionary but
> they sure look like they would be handy
> for lighting for lighting 4' tanks. They
> also come in 5' lengths. I'm one of
> those people that believe just about any
> lamp will grow plants so I think that
> the 5000 K version of this lamp should
> work very well.