CincyCichlids

So yeah, I know there's a million threads here on APC about lighting. However, I wanted to hit the brain-trust of SWOAPErs (and I know this is frequently visited by "outsiders" I'm not by any means excluding them)..

Thus far I have experimented with OD T8s as well as T5's. I like them both, I'm partial to the T5's since they're built into a canopy (thanks Matt!) and are more easily managed. Although I'm running 4x54W (2x10000K and 2x6500K) on the 125 gallon, the lighting seems great and anymore I believe would be a haven for algae. Although.. reading threads on here about the PC 9325K GE bulbs.. I may add two just to bring out some more color in the plants.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations what they've found works great, and probably what "do nots!" For example, I have 20L with a 96watt 6500K PC AH Supply on it. That is probably overkill, but if my guppies are living and I'm feeding some ancistrus plecos well, so be it... I can sacrifice some hygro for that.

Just wanted to liven this board up a little

t2000kw

I don't know if the spectrum requirements are different under CO2, but Walstad tested lighting in NPTs, using very expensive, very cheap,and regular plant growth bulbs.

The results were quite surprising, and it seems that there is much uproar over nothing about lighting, at least with NPTs. This won't set well with those who want to sell the high priced bulbs. But in CO2 tanks you would have to add more of the same to get the higher output needed in that environment, or overdrive them. So you may choose to use the more expensive high output bulbs just to make things easier for CO2 systems.

In the study, one plant growth bulb and one cool white did the best, followed very closely by two cool white bulbs. Two plant growth bulbs were far behind that combination, and all others were below that. I don't remember the Kelvin rating of the bulbs in the test, but cool white is fairly standardized.

This would not apply to reptiles, which need a certain amount of UV light.

redstrat

The lighting difference as I understand it between NPTs and Hightech tanks has a lot to do with the fact that NPTs sit next to a window collecting sunlight which is roughly in the 6500 range or something like that, in high tech tanks we shoot for the range of 5000k-10000k its a matter of preference. So really the lighting for NPT and High tech is similar because its really boils down to matching the needs of the plants and the visual preference of the aquarist, the main difference is the intensity of artificial light provided for the aquarium. Anyway that being said i think the goal of this thread is to discuss more of the visual preference as well as results from the plants, in any setup regardless of fert/nutrient strategy or style NPT or Hightech because they aren't that far from each other we're all growing plants

I'm hesitating to post my own preferences because I haven't really got to experiment here, I really want to try the GE lights with a mix of 6700k or 8000k because I think its going to be the most visually appealing to me and for photography as well as provide what the plants need. Currently I run the stock 6700k coralife bulbs in my aqualight and honestly I think they look green and I'm not that big of a fan although the bulbs work great for growing plants, I just think there are more aesthetically pleasing bulbs out there.

jonathan03

I've only used the compact florescent lighting from AH Supply, but I'm really pretty happy with it. I've had it for about two years in two tanks and not even a blown bulb yet. The light is still pretty bright, but it has dimmed some.

The cost of the T5's scares me a little bit. The heat from them is a little scary too. Maybe I'm a little worried, but I'd be careful what was around the lighting. We used a T5 light for an experiement in a lab, and only after being on for less than a minute it was incredibly hot. I've never had one so maybe I'm over cautious. Its just the fact that I won't be home if something does go wrong.

CincyCichlids

Jonathon,
that's interesting. My T5s get nowhere near as hot as the 96W PC bulb..which is ironic since they're about the same bulb, just bent in a "U". I can get T5 bulbs shipped each for about $15 or so (4ft 54w), and they last about 2 years or so is what they're expected life is. I also think that a 4' bulb with a single-reflector has similar light output as a 96w... I have a light meter coming in on Wed, I'll test them then.

All in all I believe the T5s will be more efficient and better lighting than PC's because they don't lose that "wasted" light towards itself. But I'm still new to this and it seems my OD T8s are working just fine too... so who knows haha.

PAINKILLER1009

I have to agree that the T5s are going to be much brighter and more efficeint.
My choice would have to be T5s even though they are not over my fish tank.
Second choice -compact florecent, 260w CF over my 55g
Third - ODNO, over my 10g. Two 15w OD X4.

Laith

If you have T5s and they're getting "scary hot", something is wrong.

JRJ

For my money, it's AquaSun VHO bulbs (T12) by URI. It has the best color rendition of any bulb I've seen, plus very high output. If you'd like to come by sometime and see for yourself, drop me a message.

-Russ

Paywan

OK, I've experimented only with CF's, so T5's or whatever else may very well be better, but as for CF's my favorite bulb right now is the Sunpaq Dual Daylight. I like the color and the plants certainly seem to do great under them. I've also got the AH Supply 6700k bulbs and I really like them to, but the color of my Sunpaq's is just better I think. I've also got coralife 6700k bulbs, and again I like the color of the Sunpaq's better. I also get better reds under my Sunpaq's. On my Klein Barr swords you can clearly see the difference between the plants under the AH Supply bulbs and the ones under the Sunpaq's. Same with the Rotala Rotundifolia. I've never seen reds on this plant so georgeous!

Oh, and I'm sure you all knew this already, but I had some plants under a dual actinic bulb for a couple months while I got around to replacing the bulb that came with the fixture with a DualDaylight bulb - the dual actinic wasn't working out so well with my plants Although I had a couple people say they really liked the color! LOL - I think it was just the fact that I had one tank that looked different than the other 7