Growlux Lamps!.......what Colour!

[woody88]

Hi, just a quick question. After adding some plants to my 20G tank, I have decided to swap my standard 840 fluro tube for a 2ft 18watt T8 growlux tube....But aint got a clue what colour it would be. All I know is that it gives off red/blue radiation but don't they all?

 

[Uriel]

Is this for a tropical planted tank ?
If so i use 865 t5's on mine and they are pleasant and about £3 a pop off the internet.

 

[woody88]

Is this for a tropical planted tank ?
If so i use 865 t5's on mine and they are pleasant and about £3 a pop off the internet.

Yes mate! any idea what colour I can expect. I would like the same effect as my 30G marine tank but I suppose I'm asking too much!

 

[KittyKat]

I use 865 for my freshwater planted and Malawi tanks: it peaks at red, blue and green (if I remember correctly) so makes plants look greener, while the light itself looks neutral white and brings out reds and blues in the fish.

Some tubes can be pink or blue, and they will look that colour. No they do not give off any radiation

 

[ian]

for the colour you'll need to look at the 'K' (Kelvin) rating of the tube. The higher the K the more blue the light will be, the lower more pink/red it'll be.

here's the spectrum

personally the higher K's (15000) don't look right on a tropical tank. Daylight is rated at about 5,500-6000k, i'm running 2x 9000k on my main tank and that gives a real crisp looking light.

 

[woody88]

Just checked the website and it does say 'emits a high level of red and blue radiation'. The lamps 'k' value is 6500k. Not what I want! Gonna do another search for 10,000K grow lamps as that is the same 'k' value as my pl lamps for my marine tank. If they do em!

My small 10G community tank has the same 'k' value lamp and it looks great. Fish don't seem to be bothered.

 

[Uriel]

10,000k is more suited to marine than tropical but most tropical plants will do ok under it.