10000k bulbs

[greenie]

Hi all, I just restarted planted after on hiatus for 2 years. Was into discus breeding then. A couple of weeks back decided to visit here again and was hooked to Hemianthus callitrichoides. Been to Teo's 2 weeks ago and happy the boss and the guy with ang kong (tatoo) still recognizes me.

Was there to accompany a fren buying plants but instead I got E. Stellata for free! Let's say it was for old time sake gesture on their part. Very gracious of them. That's why I ask my fren to pay them a visit. Was also into marine last year but it did not last long.

So enuff with intro, few days back was buying stuff to resetup my planted tank. Had a hard time looking for 6500k PL tubes around my area. I even had a tiff with one LFS who insisted 10000k can use for planted setups.

From what I knew last time, 10000k tubes are meant for reef marine setups. As usual most LFS thought the higher the kelvin rating the better. I got no time to educate them.

Am I right or there is something new I miss out in the last 2 years. Anyway here is my old setup looks like. Now putting it back to it's full glory.



Kudos to the website for the new look and content , so much information now compare to when it started.

[Sleepy_lancs]

Hi,

I am into planted tank and I do use 10,000 K bulbs. It works. Brighter. However its not much use to have access K anyway and the price different is something to be considered. If you have a choice do get lights between 6000K - 8000K which are sufficient for the plants. Some people suggest that 10,000K lights might induce algae growth.

[greenie]

Yeah, learnt from my attempt at marine that reef setup needs 10k or higher to induce algae growth in the corals.

Price also a consideration. Anyway my 4 footer slowly taking shape. Went down to Far East Aquatic to order my HC. Regret selling away my MH lights and chiller. Also saving up for C02 tank and solenoid valve.

[greenie]

After reading further on articles concerning lights here, I guess 10k bulbs r not suitable for planted setups. Found this here :

Choosing your Aquarium Lighting by Robert Paul Hudson, www.aquabotanic.com



The term kelvin designates the color spectrum of the light bulb. A "full spectrum" bulb is anything between 5000k and 6500k. This has nothing to do with brightness, and bulbs that are very high in the color spectrum, (10,000k) have no value to plant growth. Standard fluorescent, VHOs, and MH all come in full spectrum.

[IUnknown]

have no value to plant growth

I don't know if that is right. I use a combo of 6500K and 10,000K, and my growth is great. The 10,000K supposed to help out with the reds. Both bulbs are going to grow plants, its just getting nit-picky. 10,000K might not be ideal, but they will grow plants.

[greenie]

IUnknown, it's true 10000k bulbs will grow plants. I even once tried using normal 150w MH bulbs, those use for spotlights.

Make my plants bubble but cost is a factor too.Bcoz it doesn't have ballast and emit alot of wasted energy in terms of heat.

If u say it's not ideal then why pay more? Hope it's not becoz u have it, then it's ok. What type of plants u having?

The pic I posted using only 6.5k tubes, total 224w. The foreground plants is hairgrass.

Anyone has success on 10k tubes with hairgrass? I hope I don't have to experiment it myself anymore to know the answer. I intend to grow difficult plants like hairgrass (both normal and dwarf), hemianthus C, and rotala macrandra.

Hope all understand the cost is a factor here, if 6.5k works why go for 10k.

[greenie]

Some more pics of the old setup.

[limsteel]

10000K is more to blue spectrum. those below 6000K light are bit more to the red side. I compare Osram 6000K light with an AEC 6500K light... OSRAM is a bit yellowish

Extracted from: http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$departm...0?opendocument

Plants absorb red and blue light, both are used to control photosynthesis and various aspects of plant growth. Red light (6000 to 7000 angstroms) mainly controls maturation, and flower and seed production; it is particularly important to flowering plants. Used alone, red light will make plants grow tall and spindly. Blue light (4000 to 5000 angstroms) chiefly controls leaf development; plants grown under blue light alone tend to be short and stocky, with thick stems, dark green leaves and few flowers. Ultraviolet rays are used only in small quantities and can easily damage plants.

[greenie]

Used alone, red light will make plants grow tall and spindly. Blue light (4000 to 5000 angstroms) chiefly controls leaf development; plants grown under blue light alone tend to be short and stocky, with thick stems, dark green leaves and few flowers.

Kelvin rating represents color temperature from my understand. Both 10k and 6.5k have all the color spectrum components including blue and red.

After reading again from various websites, I'll stick to 6.5k. I just concentrate on the 1w/gallon rule should be enuff. Anyway my old setup hairgrass grow shorter using 6.5k bulbs. I bought them 3cm longer initially.

Thanks for input anyway.

[Sleepy_lancs]

Yeap.. I do have hairgrass growing at 10,000K It works.... no problem... Even tried with 12000 K.

[greenie]

Sleepy lancs, is the hairgrass in your 4ft u posted. Picture taken on 8 Dec 2003. Cannot see lah where's the hairgrass!

Care to direct me where u planted it?

I want replicate something like this :

[Sleepy_lancs]

lol.. you wouldn't be able to see it. Anyway, I have started another tank at a little area. Also under 10,000 K. Pictures are not taken. The tank is less than 7 days old. So can't show you