Compact fluorescent light bulbs

[An t-iasg]

I am looking for a new CF bulb for my Eclipse 5 hex tank. I got a few already from the web. I got a 4 watt and a 9 watt spiral and a 7 watt A shape. The 7 watt didn't fit, but I found another 7 watt spiral, in color temps of 5100 and 2700. The 5100K (10 watt) is what the tank came with; this light was so bright white, and the betta didn't like it. He's ok with the 4 watt, but that won't grow many plants. So I want to get the 7 watt, and I have a color choice of 5100 or 2700. The 2700 is a bit on the yellowish side, but the betta would be ok with it, I think. Does the color temp. matter to plants?

 

[torch]

I've been reading that you should shoot for 5700K for plants.

 

[travis simonson]

2700K color temp lighting will likely fall outside of the Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) range required for plants. I'm sure it will emit some useful radiation but most of the energy will go to light that is not significantly beneficial to plant growth. Color temps between 4000-10000K will work best for growing plants.

 

[An t-iasg]

Thanks, everyone! I thought it had something to do with the emitted useful radiation. Well, back to searching for a bulb! I don't know what the K rating on my other lights are (it doesn't say on the box) but it's a bluish light, and I think that's a high color temperature. I just haven't found anything like that in a bulb that will fit this hood.