sharkbate

so this is my first post on here, but def not the first one i've read!! FL has provided me with TONS of info to help with alllll of my questions!! butttt this one...

I've done a search on here and couldn't find anyone that uses this bulb

Tropic Sun 5500k Daylight (24" 18W)

I have 5 live plants in my 29 gallon tank and was told by my LFS that this was the bulb i needed... even after i asked about the 1.5 - 2 WPG "rule"...

Anyone use this before?? i've also read on here that 5500k is not enough...

PS i really want to take it back b/c it give off a gross greenish color!!!

Shawnie

Hi sharkbate welcome to fishlore!!!!
Im sure we will have some members come along with some help but I wanted to welcome you

bolivianbaby

Welcome to Fishlore!

sharkbate

haha well hello shawnie! thank you and hi to you to!
hopefully some comes by tonight, i am wanting to return this tomorrow

Nutter

Welcome to Fishlore Sharkbate.

I havn't used the tube in question but at 5,500k it should be ok for plant growth even if it does look rather yellow. I've used tubes down to 4,700k on planted tanks with no problem. In fact I think they give better plant growth than the commonly used 6,700-10,000k tubes. Most people don't like the yellowish look to things in thier tanks which is why they go for the higher Kelvin rated tubes. So long as your happy with the look of the lighting, then the type of light this tube puts out should be fine for your plants.

How many of tubes do you have over the tank? 18w probably isn't enough to grow most kinds of plants. Also what kind of plants do you have in the tank? Advice from your LFS should be regarded with great suspicion.

sharkbate

haha i have also read that about LFS!!
but i bought a few plants before doing my research, arg, so i have 3 low, 1 medium, and 2 low light plants....

I only have this one tube over my 29 gallon... my LFS didnt have any other higher wattage bulbs......

i would like the look of a more blueish (?) bulb, but yet the right spectrum for good growth...

but thanks for the help and advice Nutter!!


edit: 3 low, 1 medium, 2 HIGH light plants

Nutter

If you have med & high light plants you are definitley going to need to upgrade the lighting that you have. Unfortunatley tubes come in standard wattages for thier lengths so just finding a different tube isn't going to help. You will need to add more tubes to the arrangement or switch to T5HO lighting if you don't already have it.

If you want a bluer/whiter light look at the Kelvin ratings of the tubes. Look for tubes with ratings of 6,700-10,000k. The higher the K rating the more blue the light it puts out will be. It's worth noting that the Kelvin rating has nothing to do with the spectrum of the light. You can have two tubes of different brands that are both rated at 6,700k but they may put different amounts of light from different parts of the spectrum too make up that final colour output.

Here's a couple of links on lighting that you may find some usefull info in:
http://www.aquabotanic.com/artlit.htm (lighting overview)
http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/g...al_pagesid=308 (lighting articles)
http://www.fishlore.com/aquarium_light.htm

sharkbate

ohhhhh ok!! Things are starting to make sense! haha. it is unfortunite how expensive lighting can be, but i understand why... hopefully my local craigslist will have something sooooon!

Nutter, thanks again sir!