dorcy

I want to get a new light for my tank that will intensify the colors of my fish, while at the same time keep my plants happy. I've been looking at Aqua-GLO and Power-GLO...but I don't know which is better...or even if there are better solutions out there. Any suggestions?

GreenMan13

Any bulb that has a color temp. of about 5500K to 6500K would be best.

MrWaxhead

Its personal preference really 5500k to 6500k bulbs tend to put out a nice white high noon kinda light, if you use lower K bulbs like 3200k you will punch the reds in your fish and plants and if you go to the 10000k range you start to punch the blues in your fish. I personally like mainly 6500k with one 3200k bulb to punch my reds in my cardinals and the reds in my plants.

Of the two you stated the aqua glo is the better choice in a freshwater tank, the power glo is more of a coral and saltwater light with a K rating of 18,000 if I remember right. The aqua glo is also 18,000 but its non visible light spectrum is more geared to plants and punching fish colour in a fresh water tank. Both tend to really punch the blues though due to the K rating since that far up the Kelvin scale light tends to be on the bluer visible range.


Personally I don't buy aquarium bulbs, I just buy good bulbs from electrical stores that match my ballasts, all T5 and T8 in my case. I usually use 3 6500k triphosphor bulbs and 1 3200k bulb in my tanks and to me it gives me a very bright and very punchy yet natural lighting to my eyes. But everyones eyes are different and we all perceive the visible light spectrum somewhat different.

I would find out what your ballast is, ie T12, T8, T6, T5 etc (also make sure your ballast is reg output or highout etc, and make sure you get the right bulbs) If you bring a old bulb any good electrical store will hook ya up though. Go to a hardware or electrical store, and buy a couple different bulbs, most times they are broken down like soft white (3200k ish), cool white 4400k to 5500k ish and daylight usually 6500k ish etc etc. Sometimes depending on the store you will find ones for aquariums or plants etc as well. Bulbs at petstores tend to cost much much more then they are worth.

steveangela1

I have to brag on the light my husband picked out for my 55g tank, it really brings the color out in the fish and "makes the tank" its a sat system w/ atenic bulbs and florecent, it also has the moonlights in it for a 24 hour lighting... (I love the moonlights)

We are going to put one on our new oceanic tank as soon as we can aford a new lighting system, but as the rules go setting up a tank in my house, I get my eheim ecco and biowheel first... then we go for the lighting.. so it will be into july before we get the lighting. Not counting we are going to order our new fish online.

Now we have a marine glo bulb that we put temp on the lights before we got the new system, and I have to brag, they were pretty! For those who cannot afford the large lighting systems. For us its a buy one big thing every so many paychecks...

I will leave the lighting up to my husband, he has good taste in the lights, def! As I do w/ the water being crystal clear... I have to say though the bulbs from that system really bring color out in the fish!

I would love to set up a saltwater tank, and have my husband do the lighting for it! that tank would be amazing... he has good taste