# lighting..



## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

now i seen this on 2 dif sites.. i seen people using normal lights or well. what seemed to be normal lights.. one i seen he grew plants to sell.. and he used normal looking lights.. like "shop lamps" and "heat lamps" but never said what he used.. can you grow plants with normal incandesent bulbs? or was he using a special grow bulb?


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

sure, just use a regular fluorescent/cfl. I'm using my table lamp and a 6500k daylight cfl bulb


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

thanks! i guess it wont cost an arm and a leg to start this sorority like i was begining to think


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## Atena (Apr 29, 2012)

I sued to grow regular plants with just full spectrum florescent light bulbs under it. I don't have that much experience with aquatic plants though.

I got LED plant lights, so far so good.


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

well till i get more plants ima hope that the normal bulb will work its better then it staying in that tube and getting little light i suppose.. ill have to get a cfl [w/e tht is] soon haha

i ghetto-fied it haha thats a old heat lamp with normal light bulb in it.. the clamps on another clamp from a broken light and broken ones on 2x4 haha XD hey its working XD


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## Atena (Apr 29, 2012)

It works!

I had mine like that till I got LED lights.


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

thease norm bulb work? or should i rly look into the cfl things?


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

No you want CFLs, a normal light that is not around will not let the plants achieve photosynthesis, which usually leads to the downfall with plants. I would also lower thr light if you can. Not much useable light will reach the plants, meaning that there is almost no light hat they can use to photosynthesize, unless you have a TEK fixture, which that obviously isn't lol, you don't need the light that high.

So do make it a priority to get a 6500k bulb. I got a 15 watt CFL at my hardware store, it was the GE brand and it says 6500k on the side, note that when a bulb says natural day light it usually isn't 6500k and is lower on the spectrum.


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

oh well thanks  i kept light so high because its a 100watt bulb and didnt wana fry the plants or anything.. but i can bring it far down, even almost hav it on top of mesh i put on tank to keep a betta from jumping.. but i think tht close would lead to alot of evaporation


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I have a spare 6400k bulb I can send to you for about $4...
It's a little lower on the spectrum. LMK if you can't find any in the area. 
you will probably need a cover for the tank D: evaporation could possible cause shortages:/


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

cover as in glass? debating on having some cut. but for now i have hardwear cloth over it [so i wont have jumpers] and a male in there to help it cycle

but leme look around here at hardwear stores and stuff. im not sure what cfl's are so i may not be able to find any lol


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

ooooh sorry! it's compact fluorescent lights. Just those twirly whirly coily light bulbsXD


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

im guessing its not the energy efficient ones?


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Yup


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

little off topic here, bit does tannis effect plants or there growth? iv boiled this wood like 12 times now some times it goes nearly clear with yellow tint. ill dump water out boil again.. and itl be even darker -.- and i dont want it to have any tan, if its gna effect the plants..


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## Aahnay (Jul 3, 2012)

See this light here? it says its a grow light but its only 4200k and 10 bucks.

I was going to get one for each of my 10g, but didnt. Because everyone rec the other, what 7500k color? I dont know which is best. Perhaps the 7500k color can get through the water better? I havent a clue.

Also, many plants are low light, like the ones i have. Mine are doing fine under the 35 led light I purchased. It was 35$ with off, on, and moon. Its supposed to make the water sparkle, but i dont see that really. But its for up to a 20gal, and I have it on a 4 gal, lol.

Also, I saw that having the leds a bit above the tank helps to get that sparkle look.

some lighting parameters here "Freshwater Planted Aquariums: Fish, live plants, decorative wood and/or ceramics 
Recommended lighting system: Standard fluorescent, T-5 HO, VHO, Power Compact, Metal Halide/HQI."


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I've grown plants in 3200k lighting before lol. and mu tank was dark yellow with tannins XD


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## Aahnay (Jul 3, 2012)

more from the same site, also look at the bottom of the page for a chart.



> Most of the freshwater aquatic plants available on the market originally came from shallow areas of rivers in Central and South America. Though the water there is generally murky, the plants experience full-spectrum light. Depending on the specific species of plants you plan to acquire, and the depth of your tank, you will need a standard fluorescent lighting system between 2 and 5 watts per gallon. Purchase only plants which your lighting system will support.
> 
> The heat generated by most of the more powerful lighting systems required for live plants is considerable. If necessary, raise the fixture slightly above the cover to provide extra space to promote air circulation. A small cooling fan can be used to efficiently dissipate heat from the fixture.


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## Aahnay (Jul 3, 2012)

So that 10 buck light would work, cool and thanks.


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## Aahnay (Jul 3, 2012)

So, procrastinating and researching tank lighting. omg. I cant keep it all in my head! 

Looks like T2 is the best next to the expensive LEDs. Must account for lumens too. 

Found this little gem, and it looks like it fits the criteria, but I dont really know? I mean for the smaller tanks.

The longer link-together would be better for the big tanks (im guessing).


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

nay thats my same problem i cant keep any of this npt stuff strait in my head.. my local stores only sell normal lites and heat bulbs for reptiles.. i did find a few "grow lights" most of whick fit in a giant 3ft thing and one was a screw in.. screw in didnt say how many K just "50/75 watt" and like 3800 L -.- nothing says K's :\ so i didnt get it only sirly curly bulbs we have even at lowes it seems is energy efficient ones 


and thanks kashi that makes me feel lil better ik bettas like tanned water but i was hesitant to put it in tank :O i may do so now


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

it IS the energy efficient bulbs XD 

This is how I have mine set up with a clamp on student lamp


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

lol kashi ima hurt you a wiel back i said "im guessing its not the energy efficient ones then" you said yup.. yep/yup means im right  i went all over town today and they were right in front of my face?!?! ima hurt you chico/chica lol


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

OH SORRY! I read it as: Im guessing it IS the energy efficient bulbs D:

So sorry!!!! T_T I feel so bad now


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

you should! jk.. i was looking for some f those weird ones that make funny rectangles from tubes and swirly ones that said plant.... tho none of my stores had any lights with a K reading only L =\ so not entirely your fault i thought the energy efficient would be worse as i thought they were like a normal ancandesent but dont get as hot and save energy.. had no idea they helped photosynthesis in aquatic plants.

so what L reading should i be looking for.. my cfls at walmart, menards, lowes exc exc all say just what what they are how much they use a luminant reading and "saves you $47 a year/month"[didnt read it i was looking for letters with K and the word plant haha]


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

:/ really? I thought it was required by law. the info is usually written on the bas of the bulb...









I found one on amazon :O
http://www.amazon.com/23-Watt-Spect...UTF8&qid=1346381885&sr=1-7&keywords=6500k+cfl


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

well i think ill visit walmart in the morn then  none of the boxes or cases said K just 3700-4800L =\ ill be sure to look on the bulb this time tho!


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## Aahnay (Jul 3, 2012)

look for the 'natural, or daylight, or grow bulb' just in the regular bulbs. That one i listed as a gem? is good, you can do a google for it too and its on amazon and several other places, by mail though. If you buy it at the store the url takes you to, its only 3.25, lol. plus shipping 

i saw one online at walmart, oh that grow one with the skinny bulbs in it, it said Kwhater, 3500k I think. That will work to, but you have to protect if from water splashin up on it.


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

well walmart had one grow bulb but wasnt a cfl. was normal and was a 50wt. think ill look into cfl sense they last longer tho ;p


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## Aahnay (Jul 3, 2012)

you can buy it online and ship to your local walmart. 

This is what you want to look for in cfl... 

If it says T2 that it! 

2. temperature = K = Kelvin: from 5000 to 6500 is the daylight range for temperature.

3. the other number is cri, and it needs to be like 85 to 100 for temp/kelvin above. 


You need both 2 and 3 in the same light for the clf's Or only 1. as it will have the correct ratio already, and just buy the watts you need, like 20-25 I think.. from what I read works for growing just fine.

Write it down, take it with you, hehehe then tell me what you bought! I dont have time to look through all the cfl tom, was just looking online and boring!!!!

mind you, im just going by what i have gleamed from a few sites. So if the plants die, lol, dont blame me, hahahahaha


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

well ill look in the morning or afternoon lol ill let ya know. id rather not spend 10+bucks on a used bulb XC lol so ill try n find one.. waisting more gas yay ;P


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Walmart should have it. OFL gets all her bulbs from walmart


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

well iv found a small one that was in a lamp lol it dnt say K or L its a 15wt lol put that one in for now tht other one was making my water lvl drop alot :\ so ill look in morning i seen some at wm bout as big as one you showed. so ill check then


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## Aahnay (Jul 3, 2012)

I found a package of three, ge daylight 6500k there wasnt a cri on the fool package anyplace, but im sure they would work. 

oh I think the wats were 25, they were hanging.. my wmart was making changes to that isle, very odd. the board was almost empty.. oh no not on the board, on the top shelf below it. sorry, lol. I think the box of three was.. maybe 11, cant rem now sorry, had bad day, fish in the mail was dead. I wanted it so much.


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