Here is aquestion I have posed on a couple of other forums I read, but so far no response from anyone who has these lights... I appreciate any input!

I was thinkin about buying these :

http://aquariumplant.com/cgi-bin/cart/LT214.html

For the tank I am slowly amassing. I was just wondering if anyone had an opinion on this brand/light type.

Also, with this fixure, it has 4 sockets, for 4 bulbs right??? So if I only wanted to run 2 or 3 bulbs, that would still work, right? Or is it like other fluorescents, where 1 wont work, if there is not a bulb plugged into the 2nd socket?

Thanks!

Travdawg,
The hood contains 4 compact fluorescent bulbs, 2 in each row. If you run just
one row, it should be fine. Running 3 would make it much brighter on one side
of the tank, probably not what you're after. Ask the vendor how the bulbs are wired-in, parallel or series. Hopefully you can run 2 if you want with no problems.

HTH,

Bill Ruyle

Travdawg,
The hood contains 4 compact fluorescent bulbs, 2 in each row. If you run just
one row, it should be fine. Running 3 would make it much brighter on one side
of the tank, probably not what you're after. Depending on how the sockets are
wired to the electronic ballast, you should be able to run 2 or 4 if you want
--ask the vendor to be sure.

HTH,

Bill Ruyle

i have a question regarding k ratings versus plant growth.

right now i'm running the coralife fixture with 4x65w-6700k on a 55g tank. what diffference other than whiter light (so i understand) would this make regarding plant growth? also what pro's and cons are there changing from 6700k to 10,000k?

I was wondering the same thing FF, hope someone who knows reads this! lol

I don't profess to be an expert, but here are some reported observations: 5000K-10000K grow plants just fine. Different manufacturers of same kelvin temp will look different due to the coating on the bulbs and what color peaks they've chosen. I've used 5000k bulbs of different manufacturers that have subtle yet noticeable differences in color (all are yellower in cast than 6500-10000k). Scott Hieber of APD fame, favors 10000K as it gives a very crisp, white light, which is what he's after. If you have 2 rows for bulbs a combo of 6700K and 10000k would yield better results than going with just one color temp of bulb, this is what the "experts" say. I have a friend who uses NO fluorescents where he combines Grolite WS 8500K(?) with one at 5500K and looks great to me. On his larger tanks there are 4 bulbs, same combination.

Bill

I've always mixed my tubes colouration for two reasons. To give a bright pleasant effect to my tanks and to edge my bets.

My new PC lighting consists of 2 double tubes:-
Freshwater Tropical : White 7100k + Pink 8000k
Freshwater Plant : Pink 8000k + Blue 12000k

The k rating looked high to me but my plants have given it the thumbs (or is that leaves?) up. Colouration is also good to me.

Ian

It's not so much the K ratings, as it is the spectral output over the entire range. Kelvins are meaningless to plants, the color means more to outr preception than anything.

FYI, cool whites(4100K) grow plants as well as any speciality bulb, a study was done and they used RGR's to measure the differences, Relative growth rates are the standard for comparisons and involves a fair amount of work.

This showed definitiely on aquatic plants that color temps and special bulbs are not any better than cheap ones.

I agree as I've used them both. I use a mix generally. Folks tend to like the higher color temps. They don't grow plants better etc and the blue light really does not help ther plants as much as many might want to claim.
It does not help/harm algae either.

Both plants and algae are very adaptable with light energy.

Regards,
Tom Barr

tom, i 'm glad to hear once and for all that this or that color or temp is not that big a deal. TOO much controversary over lights. my compact bulbs were slowly burning out ,so i decided to order all new ones. i fell for it. everone said to get 9325GE,so i did. color is yellowish, not particularly pretty over all like 6700k but thats the way it goes. one grows plants as well as the other really. regards,cornhusker

Heheh, I spent way too much time trying to figure out what color temps would grow plants best when I should have been thinking more about nutrients. Tom set me straight. Right now I even use a little actinic lighting because I like the way it makes things look and doesn't provide more PAR than I need.