full spectrum

[Torrean]

Is full spectrum lighting better than regular lights?

 

[SirMinion]

Generally speaking, yes, as full spectrum light contains all the wavelengths required for efficent photosynthesis in plants and vitamin production in animals.
Full spectrum lighting also brings out the colours of the fish to their full potential.

But as always with this sort of question, the answer is "it depends"

What kind of tank and fish are the lights for?

 

[Torrean]

right now it's a ten gallon planted tank. The creatures in it are in my profile. There are some pictures of it in the member's aquarium pictures forum, under cold water pond tank.

 

[Bignose]

Diana Walstad in her book Ecology of the Planted Aquarium recommends using one Cool-White bulb and one Vita-Lite full spectrum bulb. Vita-Lite is rich in red and blue light -- those best absorbed for photosynthesis -- for terrestrial plants. (this is why plants look green, green light is the most reflected) However, she recommends the Cool-White bulb even though it gives off primarily green-yellow light because she hypthosizes that aquatic plants have adapted differently. Specifically, water absorbs red light and dissolved organics in the water are known to absorb blue light, so aquatic plants may have developed to best use the yellow-green light that is leftover and exactly that the Cool-White bulb gives off.

 

[Torrean]

so the full spectrum bulb isn't sufficient? Even though the full spectrum light has yellow and green light as well as the other colors of the spectrum. I don't get it?

 

[Discomafia]

As long as the kelvin rating is between 5000 to 6700K, that's the best...

 

[Torrean]

ummmm. huh

edit: is it really bad that I have no clue what you're talking about. My mom just had an old full spectrum lieing around so i used it.

 

[Discomafia]

Do a google search on kelvin rating and what the word kelvin means, and all will be revealed. Or you can also do a Plants forum search with the keyword "kelvin".

My bulbs are full spectrum bulbs, and are 6700K, which is the colour of the light produced by the sun at midday in the Equator.

Kelvin basically means the colour temperature of your bulb. Bulbs with a higher kelvin rating produce more of a blue light, while those in the lower end produce a yellow light.

Those that have SW tanks use 20,000K bulbs as the light that it produces is blue and simulates the light that is found in the oceans at the depth of 30 feet (or some number like that...)

 

[Torrean]

ok that was helpfull, but how do i know what my light is. I'm still confused.

 

[Discomafia]

ok that was helpfull, but how do i know what my light is. I'm still confused.

The cover/packaging of the bulb should state the wattage and kelvin as well as some other info.

Full spectrum usually means 6700K. Mine's full spectrum and it's 6700K.

 

[Torrean]

like I said it's old and the packaging is long gone. Would it say on the actual bulb? btw it has a small incandescent light on it too that burns at night. I put a cloth under it to dim the night light. My plants are growing pretty well do I need another light source to help them?

 

[Discomafia]

Prolly won't say on the bulb itself. Try contacting the manufactorers or having a look at a similiar box in the stores.

If your plants are doing well, no algae, and no yellow/dying leaves, then why change a good thing?

How many watts is the bulb?

Incandescent bulbs are generally not a good choice as it isn't in the correct kelvin range to do much good for growing plants, unless you have a lot of wattage. Intensity is more important then kelvin rating. Also they produce a lot of heat, so monitor your tank's temp. if you decide to use it for growing plants.

 

[Torrean]

don't know. More than i need I assume. I could go check but I'd have to wake up my newts. Can you tell me how much I need for a ten gallon. It has three hardy apongeton, a lily, and a good bit of elodea umm maybe nope can't remember the last part of it's name. There is a picture of it in the members aquariums and fish pictures section.

edit: The tank has no heater so any warmth provided by the bulb is more than welcome. oh the incandescent is a secondary llight sensitive bulb that only lights up when it's really dark.

 

[Discomafia]

You usually need 2 wpg for good plant growth, but the wpg rule doesn't work in tanks under 30 gallons.

I'd say you need 30 watts, but you don't seem to have many plants.

My 10 gallon newt tank has 2 of these bulbs, and the only plant in there, java moss, grows like mad. Then again, you don't need much light to grow java moss, so...

You might want to remove your lily and apongeton, as it will soon be too big for your tank. ALthought it wouldn't look too bad if the apongeton were to grow out of the surface on the left side of your tank.

Elodea is a very good plant for newt setups. I go to caudata.org for all my newt info, and they highly recommend it. Have you thought about getting more of it?

Good thing you don't need to use those incandescent bulbs, your newt won't like the warmth. If yours is anything like mine, and keeping the water temp below 75F is vital, then you'd be better off not using them to grow plants.

If you don't mind the yellow look that the bulbs give, I recommend using compact fluorescent bulbs. I had two that were 15 watts each but were = to 60 watts of incandescent light. So that was liek 120 watts of incandscent lighting in my 10 gallon. My plants were doing very well, except for some hair algae that was probabaly due to the kelvin rating which was 2700K.

http/www.homedepot.ca/escalate/store/Det...35:018980323951

Great stuff, and very cost efficient as well.

 

[Iron Man]

I've read the spectrum should be from 5000-6500K to avoid algae.