Compact FL

[Skyfish]

Hi all,

My tank is 24G and I have 3 x 18W Sera Plant Color bulbs, they are 4,900K. I have about 4 x 6 Inches space under my DIY Canopy and I want to add a compact FL light, I saw one which is 6,500K and is 32 watts, it's one of those screw on ones and is 6 inches long. This will give me 86 watts in all, my tank is heavily planted and I am running DIY CO2 .

the current lights I have bring out the color of the plants and fish quite well and I want to know if this new light will be ok to enhance it more while giving me more light? the guy at the store said it's an energy saving bulb?

Any suggestions?

[vinz]

Hmmm, adding more light is risky. You need to be sure you have enough ferts and CO2 to match the plants accelerated growth (hence uptake) and not bottom out on anything.

Why not replace one of the 18W plant lights with a 6,500K (or maybe even 10,000K) FL? That's a safer bet, IMO.

[Skyfish]

Hi Vincent

Well this high temp bulbs are not used commonly here in Dubai, I am having a hard time as it is.

My tank width is 29 inches and I am using 24" lights. The LFS have those silly bulbs for basic aquarists who know nothing about aquariums.

I have Sera coz only this one supplier carries anything close to lights for plants. and this is all he has.

Are 6,500K plus availabe in 24 inch bulbs? 54 watts is still not bright enough IMHO. My CO2 is doing well, a bubble a sec.

[vinz]

6,500K is pretty common in all sizes of FL. I guess it depends on the importer/manufacturer of each country.

54W may not be bright enough, but 86W is too high IMO. An in-between solution, use the 32W but remove one of the 18W. You'll get 68W and about 2.8WPG (which is sufficient IMO/IME).

Have you considered online shopping?

[sherchoo]

86W may be high but still can be used. However, it may be a little more tricky. Fert and co2 needs to compensated like wat vinz has mentioned. Stick to 6500K bulbs since this type is available.

[Skyfish]

I did get the 6,500k bulb in 15 watts but when I switched it on, it gave a strange green tint, I think mixing with the present bulbs it did not look good, so I went back to the shop and got a GE 20w FL and now it looks great. I now have 18W x 3, 20w x 1, total 74 watts and the color is so natural.

Only thing is the fishes are acting weird, perhaps they think it's too sunny!!

Thanks.

[Shark]

dear Skyfish



Say hi to the fish for me. Ok






From Shark

[sherchoo]

The green tinge, I believe is due to the reflection of your plants.

Juz curious, what you mean your fish is acting weird?

[Skyfish]

Well as I switched on the new light, instead of swimming around normally most of them went to the bottom and hardly moved, I guess they need time to get use to the extra light.

The green tinge does not give a natural effect, I don't like it at all.

I do think the plants will be very happy now.

Shark - how are you?

[Mason]

Maybe you can contact me for electronic ballast for compact flu. 2 pin lamp. It cost saving, not flickering, less heat disipation and save your electricity bills. PL 9W, 11W, PLC 13W, 18W, 26W and 42W.

Thank you.


Mason (65) 65561232

[quote:90020afe0d="Skyfish"]Well as I switched on the new light, instead of swimming around normally most of them went to the bottom and hardly moved, I guess they need time to get use to the extra light.

The green tinge does not give a natural effect, I don't like it at all.

I do think the plants will be very happy now.

Shark - how are you?[/quote:90020afe0d]