Question on lighting....

[Lonewolfblue]

What would you consider the 2 Walmart 10W bulbs on a 10G planted tank be? Would it be low lighting, low to medium, medium, or medium to high? I was just wondering because my water sprite that I moved to the fry tank isn't doing so hot, and was just wondering if it's that there's just not enough light. The corkscrew vals haven't done much either, but at least they are still looking healthy, just not growing like they did in the other tank. I also have a red fox tail in there as well, a cutting from my 75G.

 

[Purrbox]

Based on Wizard~Of~Ozz's Theory that would put you at Low Medium Light. This sounds like it's fairly in line with the reaction that you are seeing from your plants.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I wonder if there are larger wattage bulbs you could use. Will check on that. If I could just get a little more light out of them, then I'd be happy, like maybe in the 15W range for each bulb?

 

[Purrbox]

I've heard of people using the spiral bulbs (which are higher wattage)... you'd probably want to overshoot your lighting target when using those since you'll lose a fair amount light to restrike.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Will see if there is a higher wattage non-spiral, as even if it was longer, the hood has lots of room, several more inches in fact.

How about something like this?
http://www.bulbs.com/products/product_detail.asp?page=products&inventory=12998

Or this:
http://www.bulbs.com/products/product_detail.asp?page=products&inventory=12797

My only concern is, they are 2700k in color. Bad for plants?

 

[maxwell1295]

The Walmart screw-in CF bulbs are 6500K. I think they come in 10W, 15W, and 20W sizes. I have two 15W bulbs in both of my 10g tanks for 30watts total. That will put you a 3wpg, which is medium light in a tank that size.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

The Walmart here only has the 10W bulbs.

 

[TwoHobbies]

Another Option

You could overdrive them with a new transformer, and be about right where you want to be.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Another Option

You could overdrive them with a new transformer, and be about right where you want to be.

I don't think it's possible with screw-in CF's. It's got an internal balast in the base of the bulb I believe. The hood was originaly incandescents.

 

[Alshain]

The ones at Wal-Mart are GE T3's. You can get them in 26 Watt (100 incadecent equivilent) but they aren't daylight. In fact all of the spirals that GE lists on their website are 2700K I just got finished replacing all my incandecent bulbs in my apartment with these. I don't think that these are acceptable lights for any aquarium plant.

GE Website:
Initial Lumens 1700
Mean Lumens 1365
Voltage 120
Rated Life 8000 hrs
MOL 5.2 in (132.0 mm)
Color Temperature 2700 K
Color Rendering Index (CRI) 82

ENERGY STAR® Qualified

 

[czcz]

I ran 2*23w spiral screw-in CF over 8gals with a painted white hood (a good reflector) and it behaved more like medium+ light than high light. It needed CO2 to beat BBA but grew vertical glosso, for example. Shalu ran 2*15w U-tube screw-in CF with a tin foil reflector (a poor reflector) and grew. L. arcuata without need for CO2. You can do whatever you want with screw-in CF provided they fit and you do not want very high light, and you remember restrike makes their ratings insignificant. If you do want very high light, an AH Supply kit (including reflector) will be much much better than anything one could do practically/efficiently with screw-in CF. You can get "Daylight" screw-in CFs in decent wattage at Home Depot and such.

 

[fish_4_all]

Sounds like I would like to know if it actually works. I would even think that 4 lights, set into dome reflectors all pointing in and down from all 4 corners could give some really awesome light. 4 15 watt bulbs should be more than enough for high light with a good dome reflector and this could also allow to keep the bulbs off the tank to reduce heat.

I know, quite a huge setup for a small tank but track lighting around 3 sides and over the top of a 75 gallon tank pointing to different points in the tank could be awesome looking.

As for 2 Wal-mart 10 watt bulbs, I don't know if i could grow algae with it becaus eI couldn't grow java fern with 1.5 NO.

I will join the challenge though and see what I can grow with 2 screw in bulbs over my other tank. Is not like I don't have the fixtures for it.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Well, with the 2 10W screw-ins, the only plant that's doing poorly is the water sprite. Kind of fading away. But as for the little piece of java moss, the red foxtail, and the corkscrew vals, not growing, but not looking bad either. Still looking healthy, just not shooting up, lol.