Lighting questions

[jimsz]

Currently we have about a 40 gallon tank, established, fully stocked with a mixture of live plants and artificial.

This tank (we transferred from a smaller one) is 6 or 7 months old and was a "starter" set from a chain pet store.

The light that came with it is a single fluorescent tube, 24", 6500, T8.

It lights the tank well enough but I am wondering if due to the fact it is a single tube if it is lighting the tank properly to keep it all healthy.

1. Is this enough light?

2. I have purchased and returned a couple tubes I bought that were supposed to be more powerful but were actually much darker.

3. The local chain pet stores do not stock that light - would a home depot or lowes?

4. I can't go and spend a couple hundred on a new light fixture so what can i do assure i have a replacement bulb and the light the tank requires.

 

[Kingzilla]

1. how many watts is the bulb?
6500k is the colour temperature, this being the most important number as it specifies what part of the light spectrum the bulb produces. a grow light can range from 2800-3100k, 6500k is daylight deluxe I believe, 5000k is natural daylight and 4100k is your standard cool white light.
the higher the colour temperature, the more intense the light will look, 2800k being dull looking and orange/reddish, 4100k is a little yellowish, 5000k is bright white, and 6500k is intense and blueish.

2. this could be due to colour temperature as a grow light (or plant and aquarium bulb) will look dim compared to other lights because it produces the part of the light spectrum for plant growth and not the part that makes things look bright and pretty

3. more then likely, home depot, lowes, rona, canadian tire, possibly even walmart or whatever stores are in your area of that nature. a pet store only carries a limited selection consisting of what people buy which is not always whats best.

4. I would suggest getting a new fixture that uses two bulbs, then you can use a bulb rated 2800-3100k for the plants and a bulb rated 5000-6500k to make the aquarium look bright and pretty.
If you can't find one for a reasonable price, then stick with a plant and aquarium bulb to promote plant growth although if you don't want your plants to grow like weeds, you can use a 4100k or 5000k which will provide them with light but they wont grow much and your aquarium will be bright enough to enjoy