# light bulb type confusions!!!!



## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

its taking me a while to get my brain around this lighting/ plant malarkey but i think ive got a rough idea of what i need for my 90 litre tank....its a blackwater set up so i want low light, this is what ive gathered so far: i need two T5 60w, no longer than 30cm (12 linches)...BUT theres different types, 827 (Very Warm White), 830 (Warm White), 835 (White), 840 (Cool White), 860 (Daylight), 350 (Blacklight), Grolux and Germicidal etc.... *c/p* what one do i get???! And do i even need to get a bulb would LED be better?
the light fitting thats in the tank at the moment is currently half submerged in the water so i need to get a whole new one and attach it better that the previous owners really bad attempt!


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Hm on my 40,which is also a blackwater tank,I have two T5 HO bulbs for the plant lol.You should go for daylight spectrum for the plants.If you are going for plants,and lowlight is on then i would go for LEDs because they are really really nice.Ive never had them myself but have read about them.If it wasnt for all my plants being high light lovers i would have LED myself.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

maybe i should jsut have the one bulb then? oh geez, ok ill look at the LEDs and the bulbs you mentioned and see if i can work out a cheaper option. thanks


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## Chrisfrey007 (Oct 5, 2011)

I feel your pain. There is a lot more science to the decision of lighting in your aquarium than you think. A couple things come to play when searching for lighting. I always look for the Kelvin output (i.e. 6500K). Then you need to have the correct light spectrum. Now this part I am still foggy about. If I were you I would get on Google and try to read up on this. There's different levels of "red light" and "blue light". Some parts of the spectrum will grow more algae than others supposedly. There's also this watts per gallon rule that is floating around the internet and I've heard it's bogus. The important thing is the spectrum.

I'm not sure if they may T5 light strips that short, but I know a lot of people use DIY light systems. For example you could buy a compact flourescent at a local departments store. You just need to make sure it is natural sunlight. I've read that anywhere between 5000K and 6700K works. I think my planted tank is 6700K. So for example you basically want to pick up a box for a light bulb and if it reads 6500k it should grow plants. 

They also sell super cheap T8 bulbs at Walmart.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

i have read quite a bit but im struggling to make heads or tales of it all!! liek you said, very confusing! but ill re read everything keeping what youve said in mind and hopefully ill get the grips of it a bit better!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Not sure how you came to needing so much wattage on such a small tank...its roughly 22 gallons. 2-60W bulbs in a 22g tank? Sounds like an algae factory. 

Picking the right light is fairly simple. Pick the right wavelength (5500-10000k) and you're halfway there. Measure the length of your tank, figure out what wattage bulbs that those sizes come in, add up the wattage to get you in the range you want and buy accordingly. A low light tank is roughly 1W-2W per gallon. Watts per gallon rules only work when using T8 bulbs. Stay away from anything that is T5HO, it will be more wattage than you want.....although a single 24W T5HO bulb will work.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

crazy told me to get 60w!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

zero said:


> crazy told me to get 60w!


Maybe he was thinking 90 gallon instead of 90 L.....in that case I would agree with 120W of lighting. But still, there are no 60W bulbs for 48 inch size....not in T8 anyway. Instead of two, you would need 4-32W to get you to the 120W.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

yeah maybe! what is a T5 and T8? are they makes of bulbs? i feel like im going round in circles...been googling for about 2 hours now!!!!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

T-size is the size of the bulb in 1/8 inches. So a T-5 would be 5/8 inches diameter and a T-8 would be 8/8 or one inch. Post you tank length and specs and someone will help you get the fixture you need.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

oooh i think ive found the bulb for me!!!!!! the smallest lenght is 43.8cm so ill prob have to get two? is this right:

T8 = 26mm / 1 inch diameter 

15 watt. 900 Lumens. 438mm. Colour 865 = Daylight / 6500K

Fewer lamp replacements compared to BASIC fluorescent tubes due to longer life

Higher lumen maintenance and better colour rendering than BASIC fluorescent tubes

Up to 30% Energy saving compared to BASIC fluorescent tubes

15000 Hour life when used with Conventional / Switchstart / Magnetic Control Gear

20000 Hour life when used with Electroninc / High Frequency Control Gear

Ideal for professional office lighting

This product is RoHS compliant and is covered by WEEE

Equivalent to the following brands:

GE Polylux XL / Philips Master TL-D Super 80/ Sylvania Luxline Plus


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

looking for low light bulbs for my black water set up, its a 90litre tank and the dimentions are 30" x 18" x 12"


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

What you posted looks good to me for a low light setup. Is that the fixture also?


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

no thats just for the bulb. im guessing i can get a fixture to match the bulb? am i right in thinking ill need a 15w fixture with the right kind of plug thing to attach the lights? and i wont need to add co2?


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