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Re: [APD] Spiral and multiple-tube small fluorescents.



I'm saying the amount of light matters much more than the
color temp of the bulb.

All bulbs of similar wattage do not necessarily produce the
same amount of light.  PCs, T5 HO bulbs, and MHs produce
more lumens per watt than standard fluorescent bulbs.  That
means you can pack more light into a smaller lamp or hood. 
But ordinary fluorescents can be used successfully if you
have enough of them for your setup.

1.5 - 2 watts per gallon, as a rule of thumb, should be
plenty of light for a slow grow tank without added CO2.  2
or more watts per gallon is generally better for CO2 added
tanks -- but how much more light you use affects how easily
algae might develop andhow often you have to prune.  Some
think 4 or 5 watts per gallon makes for too much work and
tanks that are too finicky about maintained nutrient
levels.


Scott H.
--- Cheryl Trine <ctrine at andrews_edu> wrote:
> >
> > The choice of color of the bulb's light is mostly a
> matter
> > of taste -- your plants won't mind much one way or the
> > other unless you have some especially finicky plants.
> 
> You mean, I should get just as good growth with the Home
> Depot type bulbs in the
> 3000 - 4500K range as with the 6500K All-Glass bulbs! 
> They are certainly cheaper
> and personally I prefer their color, but I can't seem to
> keep plants alive under
> them--things like hornwort, water wisteria, ambulia,
> rotala--whereas hair algae
> thrives.
> 
> I'll have to admit, my other tanks, where I am using the
> Home Depot bulbs, don't
> have CO2, or fertilizer, but then they only have a small
> number of plants in
> them--to help the fish feel a little more secure than in
> a bare tank.  But I had
> the same problems in my planted tank before I changed 
> lights.
> 
> Thanks for any enlightenment (pun intended ;-)
> 
> Cheri
> 
> 
> 
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> Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
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