Light questions

[StanTheBetta]

My first question is about light sizes. Has anyone ever heard of a 17" fluorescent light? Thats the actualy length of the light in the hood that came with my 10 gal. The only lights I see are 18". Does the length of the light include the "prongs" on the end too? Also on my light is printed 17W which I assume to mean 17 watts, but I've never heard of anything higher than 15W in an 18" light? Someone help me out here because I'm confused.

My other question is, what is the smallest fluorescent light that screws into an incandescent fixture? I doubt theres one small enough for my 1 gall but it never hurts to ask I just don't think the light now even illuminates the tank very well.

and speaking of lights I started my job at a local college today in the trade and utilities department. I spent all down lugging around boxes and boxes of U shaped fluorescent lights that had to be changed in a door and all day I was thinking to myself "boy, wouldn't these light my 10 gallon really well."

 

[cutechic]

I'm not sure about the first question, but as for the second... I have a fluorescent bulb intended for a 10 gallon tank screwed into my 5 gallon tank. I think this is the smallest fluorescent bulb available, although I could be wrong.

 

[Bol]

17" sounds a little short, but it shouldn't be 18", either.

Picking a random 15W light from the GE lighting catalog, I see that they list the maximum overall length as 17.78 inches, and the minimum overall length as 17.67.

And, if that's not confusing enough, it lists the max and min "Face to End of Opposing pin" distances as 17.40 and 17.50 inches.

 

[Dubby]

Hi StanTheBetta,

To answer your first question Sylvania seem to make a 17W Octron lamp!!!

My other question is, what is the smallest fluorescent light that screws into an incandescent fixture?

You need to get a Compact fluorescent lamp for it to fit into a regular fixture. They are about the same size as a normal incandescent bulb (a little plumper )

 

[ryansfish5g]

I just got two flourescent bulbs for my 5 gallon hex tank, they fit into the same socket that the incandescent did (just 1 at a time)

One is a coralife which has a bluish color and the other is a marinelandlabs that is purely white. They cost about $11 and are 10w. My incandescent was 15w.

I haven't decided which I like best yet, but the coralife is almost too bright/blue.

 

[Lateral Line]

I just raised a few eyebrows by wandering around the house with a tape measure, measuring the various lightbulbs. The glass envelope of regular incandescent bulbs would seem to be 80mm, the smallest of the compact fluorescents I have was 110mm glass, neither measure includes the metal end cap which is obviously the same size for both types.

Be aware that the normal domestic compact fluorescents have a very low spectral temperature, typically only 2700K, (a full specturm lamp for a planted tank should be 5500K - 6500K). There are full spectrum compacts around but they cost more.

 

[StanTheBetta]

Well if I just put one low light plant in there like java moss would 2700k be enough? Even if I couldn't have live plants, I really hate the incandescent light because the light is very yellow/orange in appearance and its not all that bright. Now if I could find a place to order compact fluorescents that small I'd be set. Oh and on another note approximately how many fluorescent watts would be equal to 300 incandescent watts?

 

[Great Lakes]

"Oh and on another note approximately how many fluorescent watts would be equal to 300 incandescent watts? "

When you see companies comaparing output comparisons, it is done using lumen output. You would have to determine the lumen output for your 300 watt incadescent, and see what size/amount of flourescents it takes to equal it.

GL