Cfl lights???

[Jev12]

I'm confused as to how these work wouldn't they put off to much heat

 

[wildroseofky]

They do give off some heat. I have three mounted 2 inches above the water in metal dome clamp lights and they haven't caused any problems. The water does evaporate fast though that may be why.

 

[GodFan]

I'm confused as to how these work wouldn't they put off to much heat

They put off less than incadescent but more than LEDs and probably more that T8s.

 

[Jev12]

So would I be better off getting one of those or a little strip of LEDs for a five gallon tank with lowlight plants

 

[GodFan]

So would I be better off getting one of those or a little strip of LEDs for a five gallon tank with lowlight plants

LEDs although it may cost more. Most CFLs on a 5 gallon will be at least medium light.

 

[Jev12]

So I would be able to add higher lighting plants if I did a cfl

 

[GodFan]

So I would be able to add higher lighting plants if I did a cfl

Yes. With cfl you can easily go highlight. With led it would be pricey.

 

[Jev12]

What type of plants could I do if I did a cfl....I don't really know which plants are high light

 

[GodFan]

What type of plants could I do if I did a cfl....I don't really know which plants are high light

I dont know alot about high light. I am not that dedicated lol its alot of work.

 

[Jev12]

Would I have to use use co2

 

[GodFan]

Would I have to use use co2

In high light always. Theoretically you could add enough fish to provide all the co2 but that adds alot of problems

 

[Jev12]

Its actually going to be a shrimp only tank and at the moment it has not lights...I just really want a light for it though just so the plants will be happier and so I can see the shrimp easier.....whenever I get them since they didn't come today?

 

[Oohitsae]

I use CFL's on my 10's and 2.5's, I believe I use sylvania mini spirals and GE as well. Just look for something between 5000-8000k and it'll work for most plants, my 2.5's are all high light and my 10 is moderate. They don't put off much heat at all. My incandescents used to raise the temp up atleast 6* every day while my CFL's only increase about 2* which is less than my FINNEX ray2. But about the same as t8

Most of the cheaper LED's won't even grow plants, so if you want to go cheap CFL's are the way to go. If not, finnex led strips are my favorite for plants that are in a good range.

 

[Oohitsae]

Oh, and no, CO2 isn't necessary unless you go with foreground plants or really delicate plants like fissidens fontanus moss, which is still technically a foreground plant, but whatever. I have rotala walichii and telantherna reineki (I'm completely aware that it's spelled wrong lol) in most of my tanks and they still grow without CO2 if I decide not to use it.

I actually haven't used anything besides API co2 booster on any tank besides my show tank which has the Ray2 on it. And even then, I haven't used the CO2 booster on any tank in over a month and everything is still growing well just not as fast as preferred.

 

[Jev12]

Ok well that's good I don't really feel like getting into the whole co2 deal rite now lol

 

[Oohitsae]

Ok well that's good I don't really feel like getting into the whole co2 deal rite now lol

Yeah, CO2 can be a huge headache to get into, but once you finally get everything you need it is actually pretty simple. I literally spent weeks trying to figure out what I should invest in, what I could go a bit on the cheaper side on, etc., it was rediculous! But now I'm pretty happy with the route I went and my plants seem to love it. But even without it they do fine except some minor algae growth on the slower growing plants when I leave the lights on a bit too long.

 

[Jev12]

Yes I just don't think I'm quite ready for the co2 but maybe one day I will get to it