Light and Life are better today...

[OasisKeeper]

Its been over two years since I set up my planted tank. The CO2 system got pulled off and sold to my son a while back, last spring I think. The canister filter developed a leak after cleaning two weeks ago (yes the infamous Marineland leaks), so off came the CO2 reactor as well.

And then there is the light. Its a single 65watt CFL. The bulb has been replace a few times with 10k lamps purchased off ebay.

So I was pretty down on this tank thinking not enough light, no point in hooking up CO2 again, settle for low light plants etc etc.

But starting last night I started to research again. Single 65 watt CFL over this 29 gal (30x12x18H) doesn't seem so bad, should be about 5k lumens over 360 SI. This morning I started to try and track down a decent bulb for this. Beejeebus! Why can't these vendors just give you the specs or at least the make and model of what they are selling.

So anyways... How would you guys characterize this lighting? Is it good enough to put some higher light plants under? If so, then I'll start to think on the CO2 again.

Thanks!

 

[BigJim]

Lumens are a poor metric for aquariums and plants. I went down that road when I was designing my LED fixture and it gave all kinds of crazy results. I'd say you're in the medium range if you've got a good reflector. I've got about 40W of CFLs in a crappy fixture over my 29g and my java ferns and crypts do well, but water sprite wouldn't grow.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I'm going to guess you've got a PC fixture, not a CFL fixture... I'd say you can grow about anything you want. Not real sure how well they'd do with carpet plants like HC, but I'd say DHG and the like would be fine.

 

[OasisKeeper]

Yes! Sorry Power Compact.... this is the bulb I am currently looking at:

65W Power Compact Bulb - Square Pin

6700k both tubes.... I believe these are made by Current USA. Well, ok.. spec'd and marketed by them.. I believe they are all made in China these days.

This is very helpful guys....

 

[BillD]

The chart on the bottom of the page about tube life is interesting. Unless something has changed drastically, HO, and VHO tubes always had about half the life of NO tubes.

 

[blert]

Yes! Sorry Power Compact.... this is the bulb I am currently looking at:

65W Power Compact Bulb - Square Pin

6700k both tubes.... I believe these are made by Current USA. Well, ok.. spec'd and marketed by them.. I believe they are all made in China these days.

This is very helpful guys....

Saw those bulbs in 6500k at Lowes the other day for around $15 each.

 

[OasisKeeper]

Thanks! I'll check that out. Where I live Lowes isn't exactly right around the corner, but I may get 'down the hill' sometime next week.