Cheap full-spectrum lighting (UK)

[George Farmer]

I'm very impressed with my new Interpet Daylight tubes, so I've done a bit of searching and found these. They seem excellent on paper and good value too.

"Daylight 6500°K full spectrum lamp with near perfect colour rendering index (Ra) of 98%. The Activa 172 range are ideal for use in design, print and publishing where excellent light quality and supreme colour rendering are paramount.
Also emitting a tiny amount of UV light, these lamps are the closest available alternative to natural daylight and ideal for counteracting the effects of SAE (seasonal affected disorder)."

It also appears that staring at your newly lit tank will cure those winter blues

http/www.firstlightdirect.com/scp/Aquari...cent_Tubes.html

 

[jimbooo]

nice one mate i need to replace 2, 36inch tubes (jbl 4000K and 6000K) i may try 2 of those for a change hey there cheap enough so why not.

 

[Lateral Line]

I've always thought SAD was "Seasonal Affected Disorder", perhaps it cures SAD in SAE's?

They sound pretty good, therefore I bet, like other Interpet things, they will not be available here or will cost a fortune.

 

[George Farmer]

Freudian slip. I have a thing for self addressed envelopes!

 

[xxSarahxx]

You little fountain of all knowledge! Thanks mate! Need one of these, maybe two, maybe three actually four might be best.........hmmmm! There goes even more money!

 

[gbnw28178]

You should also checkout the Floraglow tubes designed for planted aquariums. To promote plant growth using the right scectrums of light

 

[George Farmer]

You should also checkout the Floraglow tubes designed for planted aquariums. To promote plant growth using the right scectrums of light

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Are you refering to the Hagen Flora-Glo tubes?

If so these are far from great IMO. They give a very yellow/orange light due to their very low colour temp. (2800K) - not to everyone's taste. Whilst this is helpful for the plants as they prefer to use light in the red part of the spectrum, these particualr tubes lack the intensity of full-spectrums. A far better choice would be the Dennerle Special-Plant (3000K) if you wished to have the same "warm" light, these have a much higher intensity.

Another point is that the Flora-Glo is very expensive in comparison to the tubes I mention and I'm 99% certain they will not be more effective at growing plants.

 

[George Farmer]

nice one mate i need to replace 2, 36inch tubes (jbl 4000K and 6000K) i may try 2 of those for a change hey there cheap enough so why not.

[snapback]904804[/snapback]​

Excellent. Be sure to tell us how they go, they will save me a small fortune over the year if they're any good.

 

[jimbooo]

on the flora glow front i have 2x 20W in my cube, they are pretty dim to be honest, not a problem for me as it's a plec tank but i would never use them in my other tanks, not bright enough by a long shot.

 

[gbnw28178]

on the flora glow front i have 2x 20W in my cube, they are pretty dim to be honest, not a problem for me as it's a plec tank but i would never use them in my other tanks, not bright enough by a long shot.

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Well I think the idea behind the flora glow tubes was they did not promote algea growth. Hence why there spectum of light was low in certain spectrums. If you wanted strong light from a tube, the titan are probable still one of the better ones around.

 

[STEVIE]

I've always used Triton Interpet tubes.I like them because once the light level drops to below plant growing output they flick on and off telling you to change the tube.
I think these tubes should carry a warning of wild plant growth as i throw loads of plants away.Even slow growers seem to speed up.

 

[gbnw28178]

I've always used Triton Interpet tubes.I like them because once the light level drops to below plant growing output they flick on and off telling you to change the tube.
I think these tubes should carry a warning of wild plant growth as i throw loads of plants away.Even slow growers seem to speed up.

[snapback]905047[/snapback]​

LOL, I said Titan when I meant Triton

 

[George Farmer]

The new Interpet Triplus are even better. Not cheap though unfortunately (the reason I started this thread).

 

[gbnw28178]

The new Interpet Triplus are even better.  Not cheap though unfortunately (the reason I started this thread).

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I used to have a 48X18X18 tank display cabinet. I either had 6 or 7 Tritons in the hood. Man you used to see my plants grow. The only problem though was I also had an algea problem as well. I was pretty new then though and know nothing about lighting. But talk about bright!

Plus I had reflectors on them all as well.

 

[gbnw28178]

By the way: jimbooo

I love your tank setup, looks really really nice. Do you use a CO for your plants