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Re: Fluorescent Lights
Erdoz1 (sorry, didn't know what else to call you) wrote:
> Fluorescent Bulbs (cost factor). I am using 48" Chroma 50's ( (F40C50 -
> "Sunshie
> Full Spectrums") which cost me about $7 a pop at Home Depot on sale .
> Changing a
> bulb out every three months on my 4 bulb hood equates to $28/year for
> light
> bulbs. The color is a little on the yellow side, but the plants grow
> great. My
> dealer discontinued PennPlax and Tritons due to alleged shipping problems,
> but
> offers URI bulbs for $28-32 a bulb. So the better bulbs cost ~$120/year.
> Multiply this by four tanks and we are talking some serious change.
> Anybody have
> ideas on compromise substitutions? - I believe someone once recommended
> mixing
> cool whites and Chroma 50's for a more balanced color.
>
>
>
The last hood I built held 5 tubes. I found out that the color was
best when I used a mixture of 2 Philips Colortone 50's (5000K), 2 Sylvania
Design 50's (5000K) and 1 GE (I think) Full Spectrum (5600K). At first, I
used GE Chroma 50's instead of the Colortone 50's, but when it came time to
change them, my supplier sent me the Colortone's instead. It seems that the
part designation is the same for both (FxxT12/C50) and I didn't specify a+
brand. The color of the Chroma's and Colortone's seemed to be the same. The
Full Spectrum tube is noticeably more blue when viewed next to the other
tubes.
Someone mentioned 1 1/2" spacing of the bulbs to prevent
overheating, mine are 3/4" apart(this tank is 12" front to back), but I have
2-12v cooling fans mounted in the hood and have never had a problem with
heat.
Bob Ashcraft
Pittsburgh, PA
Even when you fall flat on your face, you're still moving forward.