Vasudeva

so how can a certain bulb promote bushy growth or elongated growth specifically if all bulbs spike similairly? I know that blue light promotes bushy growth but are there bulbs that spike in specific regions? if this is so i have heard that a 1/3 blue with 2/3 red ratio is good.

Newt

all bulbs do not spike similarily

flwrbed

i just read this thread. all pages, one sitting.
man my head hurts.
im setting up a new 135gal tank. im building my own stand and hood. i want to have a dutch looking tank. im calling it my collection tank. i want to have as many differnt plant as possible and still look nice. what would be the best bulbs to use. im thinking i like t5s but i love the ripple effect you get from metal halide. im breaking the bank on this tank so i want the best.( i cant afford leds)
please help, im open to all opinions.
thanks
flwr

Newt

Go with the light you like the looks of best. As long as the light puts out red and blue emissions you should be fine with the plants. Good Luck.
How's that Riccia working out?

endgin33

I would like to thank everyone who put alot of thought into this and explained this challenging (to us non science types) subject. I am theoretically receiving a 150w MH fixture for x-mas this year (I am not supposed to know...) and am trying to figure out what bulb would be ideal for the planted application. I have done a little initial legwork trying to find the spectral outputs on this type of bulb, but as of yet I haven't had a alot of luck. Any suggestions on where to find that data in one of those nifty spectral graphs of different brands and models?

Newt

Giesemann has a good one.

http://www.giesemann.de/76,2,,.html

Martin

Giesemann buys their tubes and bulbs from the company Narva, and just puts their own logo/brand on it.. so if you can find Narva bulbs.. you might be able to save a few $$

HVS

I spent all of last weekend, all my free time this past week, and all day (Christmas day inc. Christmas Eve) so far reading and trying to figure out lighting for a new 55g that I will be setting up. I've been stuck on lighting for this long.

Thank you Newt for creating this thread and all posts within. This one thread has single handedly taught me more in one sit down and read it all than all else combined that I've read so far around the internet. I've been trying to find a compromise in lighting. My initial plan was to do a low tech (no co2) planted 55g community tank. I considered normal output T5 @ 2x28 watts. I considered shop lights with T8. I considered and still am considering T5 HO x4 and running 2 bulbs at a time and perhaps raising it above the aquarium to control the intensity to see how plants do prior to committing to co2. This way, should I decide to do or discover I need co2 I'll at least have the fixture and lighting to handle it. Why buy a normal output T5 then turn around and get a HO light? I might enjoy going to co2. I also like the fact co2 can bring down the ph where a lot of tropical fish thrive.

If you don't mind a question Newt. Can the Gro Lux and Gro Lux WS be had in a T5 HO? I like your suggestion of using those bulbs for dawn/dusk, although Gro Lux in a HO for dusk/dawn seems inappropriate (too bright) and using mid day bulbs to simulate a natural day of sun. Not sure if I'll need two different fixtures: As in one T8 fixture for the Gro Lux bulbs and a T5 HO fo mid day or exactly what I have to do. It's a 55g so I don't have enormous width for massively wide fixtures.

Thanks all. This is fascinating reading. Great post Newt. Just awesome.

Newt

I have seen pictures of T5 linear GroLux from Sylvania but only in the european market. I am not sure if they are HO. I would suspect they are. Also, the spectral output is NOT the same at all.

If you install T5HO you will need CO2 to ward off algae.

I still use the T12 GroLux Std and WS in a twin strip tube. I buy them in boxes of 6 from www.saveonlighting.com. When I run out of these I will be using my 2X55watt CF fixture and run GE9325 for awhile on my 75. This is in addition to my other lighting which is currently 2 x 38 watt Philips T8 Aquarelles and 1 x 54watt GE Starcoat T5HO. The GroLux come on one hour before other lights and go off one hour after. I have them on the front half of the tank and it gives a nice warm glow to the tank. Mostly because the WS is 3400K (89 CRI). The Standard bulb does not come with a kelvin rating as they say it does not apply. If I had to guess from its purple/lavender color I would place it up around 18000 - 22000K.



Merry Xmas

suratsampah

Just what I was looking for NEWT!
K, CIE, nm, CRI and ALGAE.

Thank you!

3000K, ~610nm, 63CRI, no Algae!