Lighting

[jeff_hopkinson]

Hi, what is the correct lighting for a planted aquarium, there is so many white, warm white, pink, blue. I have two rio180L came with two white tubes then my LFS advised changing to arcadia tropicals which have a pink tint. U.D.A. ADVISE white at the back and arcadia tropicals at the front. Any suggestions.

 

[AndyTaylor]

There is no 'correct' lighting as such...I use compact flourescents 6500K Daylight lamps (as recommended by zig)
Search for lighting and you'll get a range of lighting used by the TFF planted community.
6500K color temperature works for me, the wattage is up to yourself depending on how much light you want.

Try here....

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=96754

 

[modernhamlet]

While it's much more detailed than just a number, you will probably be just fine with most 6500K bulbs on the market. Depending on your visual preference and to some extent the plants you keep, you can use/mix bulbs between 5000K and 10000K. Anything higher or lower isn't really the right spectrum for aquatic plants.

 

[littleimp]

While it's much more detailed than just a number, you will probably be just fine with most 6500K bulbs on the market. Depending on your visual preference and to some extent the plants you keep, you can use/mix bulbs between 5000K and 10000K. Anything higher or lower isn't really the right spectrum for aquatic plants.

6500k is recommended as this represents part/shaded daylight which would be a normal occurence for a tropical river/lake with overhead trees, russhes, lillys etc.

 

[oldwhitewood]

Anything around the 6000k - 6500k is going to look great, that's just a pure white daylight colour. Stay away from warm white that is going to look pants.

There are some people who swear by 8000k for planted aquaria, ADA use this colour temp on their MH bulbs and apparently it's supposed to look more 'vivid' but again it's in the eye of the beholder.

 

[George Farmer]

I'm going to buy these next time http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=107609&hl=