2800 K Light?

[fatheadminnow]

Well I just replaced my 20w 18000K light with a 20w 2800K

Will this new 2800K light be better for my plants?

Thanks
-FHM

 

[aaronnorth]

no tube is any better than another. Your tank may look pink with a 2800k thats all!

 

[fatheadminnow]

no tube is any better than another. Your tank may look pink with a 2800k thats all!

Someone told me on here that a 18000K bulb was way too high off the hot end of the spectrum for plants to use any of the energy, and he suggested that I get a bulb will a lower Kelvin rating(Energy output), so that way plants will be able to utilize the energy more.

I was just asking if a 2800K bulb will be good for plant growth?

Thanks for your reply!
-FHM

 

[aaronnorth]

no tube is any better than another. Your tank may look pink with a 2800k thats all!

Someone told me on here that a 18000K bulb was way too high off the hot end of the spectrum for plants to use any of the energy, and he suggested that I get a bulb will a lower Kelvin rating(Energy output), so that way plants will be able to utilize the energy more.

I was just asking if a 2800K bulb will be good for plant growth?

Thanks for your reply!
-FHM

i run my 180l on 2 x 18 000k tubes (power glo) and my plants grew perfectly fine.
2800k is fine for plants like i said above, it makes no difference.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Okay.

So the Kelvin rating does not effect a plants growth all that much?

Plants are more effected on WPG, than K then?

Thanks again for your reply!
-FHM

 

[Underwurlde]

Make your own mind up:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=96754

I prefer to use TriPhosphor tubes.

Andy

 

[fatheadminnow]

Make your own mind up:
<a href="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=96754" target="_blank">http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=96754</a>

I prefer to use TriPhosphor tubes.

Andy

Thanks for that llink!

Yeah it says here...

Photosynthesis occurs most efficiently with peaks in the red and (and a lesser extent) blue parts of the spectrum.

So the 18000K is on the high end of the spectrum, which is blue, while 2800K is near the lower end, which is yellow/orange/red.

Thanks again for that info!
-FHM

 

[three-fingers]

Overall, it's not important.

I wouldn't go as far as to say K rating makes no difference, but in reality it makes only little difference, as plants have accessory pigments, and if you have high enough wattage of lighting, the plants won't be gaining anything from the colour of the tube anyway.

Most planted tanks main purpose is to look good and bring enjoyment to the owner, not just grow plants as fast as physically possible, so I generally recommend people just go for whatever is best to their eyes. If you have very low wattage of lighting, choosing the right K rating may give you a slight edge, but it's a wate of time if you have high lighting, especially if the tube costs more money or doesn't look as good to you.

Personally, I actually quite like the pinkish look some tubes give out, though they can appear darker to our eyes.

Your best bet is to mix different K ratings of tubes, so most colours are represented accurately.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Thanks for that!

Yeah, I am going to get a new hood, one that I can put 2 lights in, and then I am going to mix up two different lights.

Thanks for the reply!
-FHM

 

[MT2009]

no tube is any better than another. Your tank may look pink with a 2800k thats all!

Not exactly true.

 

[aaronnorth]

no tube is any better than another. Your tank may look pink with a 2800k thats all!

Not exactly true.

which part? one being no better than another or 2800k looking pink?

 

[raptorrex]

no tube is any better than another. Your tank may look pink with a 2800k thats all!

Not exactly true.

if the sun gave off only 2800k instead of 5500k(noon daylight). there would be little of the plant life we have, now, on this planet left. indeed, we may never have existed. but, its importance in the "whole" grow thing, is less important than the above may make it seem. fertilisation, water quality and type, all have more, direct, effect than the wavelength of light. even so, that does not make the light (type) "unimportant".

 

[RadaR]

no tube is any better than another. Your tank may look pink with a 2800k thats all!

Not exactly true.

if the sun gave off only 2800k instead of 5500k(noon daylight). there would be little of the plant life we have, now, on this planet left.

Evolution...
The quote from Jurassic park springs to mind.."Life finds a way"

 

[Dave Spencer]

if the sun gave off only 2800k instead of 5500k(noon daylight). there would be little of the plant life we have...

Aspect of the sun, depth of water, water discolourants, shade. There are many things that change the K rating plants receive throughout the day. Plants don`t care and they adapt.

When it comes to lighting a planted tank, the two considerations are intensity and CRI (what colour your eyes find most pleasing). All my planted tanks are grown on these two criteria. The CRI part means that I like tubes with a nice green spike in the spectrum, and Lampspecs have tons of cheap ones.

Dave.

 

[Underwurlde]

^ Green plants mean this is the spectrum of light that is reflected most, i.e. least used?
So surely, if you were to choose any spectrum of light, green would be quite low on the list?

Just something I remember from my school days (which was a LONG time ago).

A re-education though, is always welcome!

Andy