6500K, 6700K or 10000K

[jeffteo]

For planted tank, what is the recommended color temperature.
6500K, 6700K or 10,000K? I read that 6700K is slightly more yellow/blue than 6500K and does not make much difference to the plants, it is more of a preference. And 10,000K is under High Output which will put the WPG out of use for calculation of light power to tank size ratio.

Where can i get the 24W 4 pin PL lamp with 10,000K. Something similar to the famous US brand US Coralife? http://www.coralifeproducts.com/prod...t-fluorescents

My tank is the 2ft Hailea F60 with a built-in hood and 24W light fixture. I want to keep the hood and light fixture and the only way to get more light power is to use high output lamp of 10,000K right?

I don't think I can fit a 32W lamp under the hood without touching the water as I fill it to the max. I think only by DIY, I will be able to put 2 x 18W PL lamp under. Or maybe 4 x 18W T5 Fixture?

Any idea on how I can up the light power under the hood?

[|squee|]

I may be wrong but the 10000k light temperature came from Takashi Amano... his metal halide lamps are of that temperature. Most lights out there are 6500k.

However plants look better in 9000k to 10000k lighting IMO.

I can't help you on the electrical part.

Sent from my HTC Hero using Tapatalk

[vinz]

I've not heard of 10,000K lamps being High Output as Kelvins (K) is just a unit of measurement of the colour of light. End of the day, it's the Wattage that still matters.

Some say that certain plants utilise certain colours of the light spectrum better then others. It does make some sense, as blue light (higher K = more blue) penetrates better. But, freshwater plants in nature usually grow until near or out of the surface, so along that line of thought, I would think FW plants wouldn't specialise on blue light if they can get the full spectrum. Deep FW bodies tend to be murky, so not much light gets very deep, regardless of colour. Blue light makes more sense for Marine tanks/inhabitants.

I'm wondering too... if 10,000K usually means the light is deplete of the other colours, shouldn't that mean less light for the same wattage?

Anyway, the conventional wisdom is that plants will adapt to what they can get.

If I remember correctly, Dennerle in one of their older publications thinks that lights do better with reddish light. Reddish light is < 6,500K. I don't know if Dennerle still subscribes to that. If you can get hold of their booklet-brochures (maybe their product website) on their light products, you will find their philosophy.

6,500K (+/-) is deemed to be close to the colour of natural Sunlight. So a tank under 6,500K lights looks more natural to the human eye. One of the techniques I read in Dennerle's booklets is to mix reddish tubes and daylight tubes. Reddish light also make your red plants look more red. :-)

That's what I've read. Personally, I just use daylight tubes.

As for the hood... any reflectors in there? One is to improve the reflectors. Possible to remove the hood and still it keep it aesthetic? Frankly, if you are going to stuff more lights in there, it's going to get hot. FLs, especially T5's would be the cooler option. Would you be able to get HO T5s that can fit in there? PLs are hot, so I would stay away from them.

[jeffteo]

I will need to source for slim T5 light fixture if I were to change it. I think the 18W T5 should be around 20" which may fit under the hood. 2 x 18W T5HO should be sufficient for a 2ft right? Or 4 x 18W to play safe in case I want to grow HC or glosso? Which LFS is a good place for lights?

[vinz]

HO T5 is suppose to be brighter then normal FLs watt for watt. I'll say shoot for at least 2.5 WPG of T5s. But if you can DIY more in, it'll be good. You can always remove tubes if it's too bright or hot.

A good person to talk to about lights is Chan at Nature Aquarium. He does custom sets as well.

Just a warning though: some people find him a bit arrogant the first time they meet him. Just don't try to bargain too hard with him. He will usually start to ignore you after that. Generally he is ok if you ask him about the products and technical stuff.

[jeffteo]

Chan is the young guy?

Did some search online and found the ANS Illummax series of lights from Pro T5HO to Compact T5HO and PL

Anyone have experience with the ANS Illummax lights? It is over priced or value for money?

[vinz]

Jeffrey, you should go look in the LED lights thread.

Yeah, Chan is the younger guy. The older man is his dad.

[vinz]

Oh yah... Chan has some LED lamps mounted in FLs tubes.

[limz_777]

I will need to source for slim T5 light fixture if I were to change it. I think the 18W T5 should be around 20" which may fit under the hood. 2 x 18W T5HO should be sufficient for a 2ft right? Or 4 x 18W to play safe in case I want to grow HC or glosso? Which LFS is a good place for lights?

standard t5ho tube for 2 feet actually comes in as 24w , the 18w should be the ones use in normal household light fixture ?

[jeffteo]

I saw some LED for PL fixtures online also. Will have to DIY already.

[jeffteo]

The LumenAqua Nano looks very tempting for my Nano tank. But quite costly i guess. Anyone tried it before?

[neverwalkalone]

Forummer "Anseil" has a post (here) using LED lights from LumenAqua (not the same model as the ones you've indicated); the glossos seem to be doing well..

[jeffteo]

Thanks. I read Ansell's thread before and his is many times more expensive... Went NA and saw an Aquazonic one with 32 white and 8 blue. Much cheaper but don't know if it is good.

[jeffteo]

I have been trying to find the official website for Aquazonic but seems like there is none or maybe I did not search hard enough.
I have been search for the specification for the Aquazonic Sirus LED lights but seems like a mystery too.
Any luck from others?