T5 Tubes For Planted Tanks

[Waterloo Kid]

Just after some feedback regarding T5 lighting for a planted tank. Anyone have any experience with certain types of bulb which have given good results. I want to minimise the pinky hue that tubes designed for planted tanks tend to give.

Ta,


WK

P.S. I'm after something that's readily available in the UK.

 

[George Farmer]

check this out

http/www.arcadia-uk.info/news.php?action...d=8&lan=en&id=5

and somewhere that sells them in the UK

http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/listsecti...etp=42&rets=101

 

[Waterloo Kid]

Do you have any experience of these bulbs? I'm thinking of getting one plant specific tube and one full spectrum tube so as not to have a pinkish hue on the tank. Any suggestions?

WK

 

[George Farmer]

Is the T5 in addition to your standard T8 Juwel fitting? If so, I would get 2 Arcadia Plant-Pro and your T8s should give a nice colour balance. I'm not sure of the colour temp. of the Arcadia Plant-Pro but I'd reckon from the spectrum graph that they'd give a whitish-blue/green light, I may be completely wrong though!!

 

[Waterloo Kid]

The standard T8s I have running at the moment are a 40W Aqua Glo and a 40W Flora Glo. This gives a pretty pink hue already. I just don't want to make it worse.

WK

 

[George Farmer]

I'd suggest buying the 2 Plant-Pro tubes and see how they look with your current T8s. If you're not satisfied then I'm sure there's a return policy with Aquatics-Online (the shop link I posted). If the light is still too pinkish for you but you like the T5s then I would change your T8s (I'd consider this anyway if you afford it). I use 1 x Arcadia Freshwater Lamp (7500K) which is a high-output, full-spectrum and gives a crisp white light and accentuates the greens of the plants and fish colours (not a hint of pink). I've also got an Interpet Daylight Plus (6500K) which gives a really well-balanced white light, it's also high-output and boasts 4 peaks in its spectrum rather that the usual 3 peaks of most full-spectrum bulbs. You already know about the Dennerle tube, this gives a really nice warm light (yellow/orange tint) and is my favourite. I'm actually going to squeeze another 30" 25W into my Rio 125 giving me 86W total.

 

[Waterloo Kid]

Thanks for the info!

WK