Which light would you recommend here?

[Andyvette]

I have a 30 gallon, with the eclipse hood (2 24" T8 Lights). The hood says I can use any T8 bulb 18 watts or under. Right now, I have 2 18 watt lights, but they are old and need replaced. I have made my own moonlights, and have them on for 13 hrs (timer). I want to replace them with some thing that will help my low light plants thrive a little more without upgrading the entire unit, and still make my fish look good. I did a little research on all of these, but they are different prices, but sound like the same things? Help please... I'm in over my head
Which of these bulbs would be best from Big Al's?

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=23639;category_id=2545
http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=23539;category_id=2545
http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=23723;category_id=2545
http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=23611;category_id=2559
http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=23777;category_id=2559
http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=31581;category_id=2535
http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=23763;category_id=2559

Thanks in advance everyone

 

[nitrous]

wow those are real expensive... go to home depot and get the phillips 24 inch t8 bulb and it has 17 watts but is actually around 48 watts and they run 7 dollars each or did for me. but if you want you can go those and youll save in shipping

 

[Jchillin]

I have had some experience with the Aqua-glow bulbs (in your second link). You cannot beat that price. The only thing missing is the actual wattage of the bulb itself. If you search Hagen.com for the bulb, it may give you the wattage.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Hagen bulbs are T10, which are the same as T12 for wattage at 10w / foot.. Powerglo are a very good bulb for growing IME. Aquaglo may be very good aswell.

Most T8 fixtures will drive them fine.

 

[azn_fishy55]

I have had Power-Glo before but I didn't like the look of it,it was sorta pink-ish if I remember correctly.

 

[mr funktastic]

i have a aqua glo and powerglow bulb right now over my 20 gallon and they are great. the poweglo bulbs is actually blueish in colour and makes EVERYTHING look better. red plants glow and if u have any fish with blue or yellow in them they will look 10x better. i really like the hagen bulbs but they are pricy. not all of them are t10 either. all there bulbs come in a t8 aswell as the t10. i dont reccomend the sunglo becasue it is very yellow and dull but the life glo is extreamly bright. i mixture of the powerglo and aqua glo has worked very well for me in growing my plants but i have always wanted to get a life glo bulb to replace my aqua glo because it also has a yellowish appearance. if u look at the front of my tank u can see a colour difference in the gravel. that is where the powerglo bulb is and as u can see it makes my blue gravel GLOW. all my plants are live aswell and growing.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Yes, they also come in T5, my point was their wattage is based on T12 regardless of what their size, T8's are normally 8w/foot All of hagens bulbs are 10w/foot (including the T8 bulbs)

 

[Andyvette]

i have a aqua glo and powerglow bulb right now over my 20 gallon and they are great. the poweglo bulbs is actually blueish in colour and makes EVERYTHING look better. red plants glow and if u have any fish with blue or yellow in them they will look 10x better. i really like the hagen bulbs but they are pricy. not all of them are t10 either. all there bulbs come in a t8 aswell as the t10. i dont reccomend the sunglo becasue it is very yellow and dull but the life glo is extreamly bright. i mixture of the powerglo and aqua glo has worked very well for me in growing my plants but i have always wanted to get a life glo bulb to replace my aqua glo because it also has a yellowish appearance. if u look at the front of my tank u can see a colour difference in the gravel. that is where the powerglo bulb is and as u can see it makes my blue gravel GLOW. all my plants are live aswell and growing.

Now I am thinking....
Life-Glo- Says is made to mimic natural sunlight (15.99)- High Intensity
Power-Glo- Says is made for Coral, Invertibrates (which I have), and Plants (11.99)- High Intensity
Aqua-Glo- Says is made for Plants (6.99)- Standard Intensity

Which 2 do I want.... I think I will do Life-Glo due to the full spectrum of colors. But do I do the Aqua-Glo for "photosynthesis spectrum", or do I do the Power-Glo which has a little more blues.

Which would ya'll do for your 2nd one?
Life-Glo + _______

 

[mr funktastic]

powerglo for sure. u will see a major difference in the colours of everything. plus it also helps the plants gro. the aqua glo isnt all that great. wizzard of oz... why would the t8 bulb be rated the same as a t12? i dont understand that.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

For some reason Hagen decided in their infinite wisdom to increase the wattage of a "glo" series bulb to 40w. Even the T8 Powerglo's I have here are 40w @ 4'.

I don't understand their reasons.. their light output is not far off from other T8 bulbs..