blue bulbs

[BHead707]

Do blue bulbs give any benefits to plants? i got 2 with my t5ho fixture from fishneedit but i will get different bulbs if they aren't going to help out my plants

thanks
Brandon

 

[Convict2161]

Do blue bulbs give any benefits to plants? i got 2 with my t5ho fixture from fishneedit but i will get different bulbs if they aren't going to help out my plants

thanks
Brandon

I'm not sure if they help your plants but they look way cool. Also depends on the plants. I have 14 Anubias and 2 java ferns and I run a 4 bulb fixture 2 10k daylights and 2 actinic bulbs.

Also through some research I know the actinic bulbs are enough to give algae a boost so maybe certain plants they will help.

Not an expert though and still learning myself.

 

[BHead707]

im thinking of doing one 10k daylight and one actinic for my 20L. very little planted right now but i want some moderate light plants and i hope that will work.

because i looked at a chart and with 2 daylight bulbs i would be over 2watts per gallon seems a little overboard to me.

 

[George9]

Actinic bulbs do nothing for plants. They just look really cool. A 10 k and a 6700 k or 6k is a good combo IMO for plants.

 

[Convict2161]

im thinking of doing one 10k daylight and one actinic for my 20L. very little planted right now but i want some moderate light plants and i hope that will work.

because i looked at a chart and with 2 daylight bulbs i would be over 2watts per gallon seems a little overboard to me.

What a out those plant grow bulbs? They have like a punk hue to it. Personally I live the blue lights though. At night when your relaxing it's nice to watch the fish under the blues.



View attachment 68774

 

[BHead707]

ok but what about wattage i dont want to be too high( or is that not an issue).

because the 2 bubs on there now are 24 watt each so i would be at 48 if they are the same wattage that's 2.4 watts per gallon

and i am not interested in dosing co2 either

 

[BHead707]

What a out those plant grow bulbs? They have like a punk hue to it. Personally I live the blue lights though. At night when your relaxing it's nice to watch the fish under the blues.



View attachment 68774

I do like the blues. however my tank just looks to unnatural with the decorations i have and i would like it to be planted better than it is now.

 

[George9]

ok but what about wattage i dont want to be too high( or is that not an issue).

because the 2 bubs on there now are 24 watt each so i would be at 48 if they are the same wattage that's 2.4 watts per gallon

and i am not interested in dosing co2 either

How big is the tank? The wpg rule is not accurate with t5 HO lights.



View attachment 68776

This chart helps me decide where I'm at with lighting.

 

[BHead707]

How big is the tank? The wpg rule is not accurate with t5 HO lights.

well poo.
its a 20 gallon long,
the fixture is 24'' and two bulbs

 

[George9]

well poo.
its a 20 gallon long,
the fixture is 24'' and two bulbs

Check out the chart I posted above. Do you know how high the tank is and how high the light will be off the top of the tank?
Here is is again:


View attachment 68777

From The Planted Tank user Hoppy.

 

[BHead707]

Check out the chart I posted above. Do you know how high the tank is and how high the light will be off the top of the tank?
Here is is again:


View attachment 68777

From The Planted Tank user Hoppy.

Its only 12 in high and the attachments that came with the filter only put it about 3 in above the glass top i have that puts me at too high

 

[BHead707]

but if i did the 1 daylight and 1 actinic. would be at only 1 bulb? thus be at a good part of the table

 

[George9]

but if i did the 1 daylight and 1 actinic. would be at only 1 bulb? thus be at a good part of the table

Yes you could do that. Then you'd have about 24 watts of usable light.

 

[BHead707]

or could i just use one bulb and not even have another bulb in the fixture, is that an option or is it not good for the fixture?

 

[George9]

or could i just use one bulb and not even have another bulb in the fixture, is that an option or is it not good for the fixture?

Im not sure if it's bad for the fixture, but I would think it would be bad. I'd use two bulbs

 

[aqua_chem]

but if i did the 1 daylight and 1 actinic. would be at only 1 bulb? thus be at a good part of the table

That is incorrect. Depending on the bulb, actinics can pump out anywhere between 40%-60% of the PAR of plant-friendly bulbs. The problem is that this radiation is exclusively in the sub-500 nm range, which comes with issues. There have been laboratory studies done that have found that low wavelength (blue) light can stimulate growth of certain algae species (diatoms, certain cyanobacteria, and rhodophyta algae were used in these studies). So while you can grow plants with actinic light, it isn't optimal, and certainly isn't a loophole you can use to escape algae issues.


And I would be very hesitant about putting T5HOs on a 20 long w/o CO2.

 

[George9]

Sorry. Aqua Chem knows a lot more about this than I do.

 

[BHead707]

Sorry. Aqua Chem knows a lot more about this than I do.

no worries thanks for your input

That is incorrect. Depending on the bulb, actinics can pump out anywhere between 40%-60% of the PAR of plant-friendly bulbs. The problem is that this radiation is exclusively in the sub-500 nm range, which comes with issues. There have been laboratory studies done that have found that low wavelength (blue) light can stimulate growth of certain algae species (diatoms, certain cyanobacteria, and rhodophyta algae were used in these studies). So while you can grow plants with actinic light, it isn't optimal, and certainly isn't a loophole you can use to escape algae issues.


And I would be very hesitant about putting T5HOs on a 20 long w/o CO2.

OK so i would want to go with two daylight bulbs, but essentially that would be too mush light. what does CO2 do for me then?