Lighting?

[cegha]

Ok, i been using incandescent bulbs for a while now and my tank is planted so i need screw in flourescent bulbs.

I went to walmart to look for fluourscent lights and all they had are the LONG bulbs with prongs on the end.

Where can i obtain like two 10watt flourescent bulbs? Would petsmart sell them in screw in form?

 

[Sammie7]

In my walmart, in central florida, they now sell those 10 wat screw ins in the fish section. Do you know if any home depots or stores of that kind sell them where you live? I think Petsmart only sells the 50/50 actinic and normal daylight light bulbs which I don't prefer. What size tank do you have? Why are you wanting to upgrade your lights? Functional or asthetic reasons? If you want to have really good lighting and you like diy projects, you could check out www.ahsupply.com. If you have a 10 gallon I would suggest the 2 X 13 watt product. If it's a 20 gallon or more look for the 36 or 55 watt kits.

 

[cegha]

all i need are some screw in lights so my plants can grow and stay healthy. I am running a 10 gallon aquarium. I just need like 2 10 watt bulbs (nothing bigger) so i don't have an outbreak of algae.

Edit: I'm not really a DIYer. My hood on my tank takes like screw in light bulbs like all normal household products require. Heck i don't even know if there is such a thing as a screw in flourescent light bulb.

I can check at a lowes thats right near my house for them.

 

[Sammie7]

Of couse there is such a thing as scew in fluorescents. Like I said my local walmart sells the ones you are looking for in their fish department now and these are the ones I use. The only problem with most fluorescent ligh bulbs you will find in the light section of almost any big department store is that they are the spiral type which won't fit in your hood. You need the straight one with only one turn in it, if you know what I am saying. It is kind of hard to describe. If they don't have it in your area maybe you could find them online if you are willing to do that. Try www.1000bulbs.com The only problem with that is most, if not all, the bulbs they sell give off the yellowish hue, 2700 kelvin rating, found in incandescent bulbs. If that doesn't bother you go ahead, but if you want daylight, natural colors look for something in the 5,000 - 6,000 kelvin rating section.

 

[Lead]

Yeah Walmart sells the straight CF screw-in in the pet fish department. I think it's like $5.

 

[cegha]

Of couse there is such a thing as scew in fluorescents. Like I said my local walmart sells the ones you are looking for in their fish department now and these are the ones I use. The only problem with most fluorescent ligh bulbs you will find in the light section of almost any big department store is that they are the spiral type which won't fit in your hood. You need the straight one with only one turn in it, if you know what I am saying. It is kind of hard to describe. If they don't have it in your area maybe you could find them online if you are willing to do that. Try www.1000bulbs.com The only problem with that is most, if not all, the bulbs they sell give off the yellowish hue, 2700 kelvin rating, found in incandescent bulbs. If that doesn't bother you go ahead, but if you want daylight, natural colors look for something in the 5,000 - 6,000 kelvin rating section.

Yes i know the yellowish hue you describe, the 2 white clear incandescent bulbs i have in there right now give that off, and it bothered me at first but not so much now. I mean sure like clear bulbs would look better but it's not the biggest concern of mine.

Edit: My walmart blows all they sell are clear incandescent ones, that are of no use to me.

 

[Sammie7]

So what do you plan on doing? Buying them online?

 

[cegha]

So what do you plan on doing? Buying them online?

I think i'll try to get to my local lowes tomorrow and look for screw in florescent bulbs. They should have em.

 

[cegha]

Looked at petsmart saw one screw in typed flourescent bulb for $13 and said screw that.

Lowes didn't have any screw in flourescent bulbs. I found some and the guy wasn't sure if they were flourescent or not. I will probably order something off that site and use that. The 2 x 13 watt bulb thing.

Edit: Nm i really don't feel like modding my hood. I looked on 1000bulbs and those like coiled lights. My walmart has those but i didn't know if there flourescent. Are ALL coiled lights like that fluorescent?

http/www.1000bulbs.com/product.php?product=3169

Those are the bulbs i speak of.

 

[Sammie7]

Yes, all coiled bulbs that I've ever seen are fluorescent. You just have to take intoconsideration whether the coiled ones will fit in your hood, especially since it's online and not as easy to return. I'm pretty sure that one will fit though because it's not as big as the larger watt bulbs, like 20 watt. Oh yeah that $13 dollar bulb was the one I was telling you about. Way too expensive, especially since it's a half daylight, half actinic (used for marine coral and not very beneficial to freshwater plants) bulb. I say try the ones at your walmart, which they should have in the lighting section first then if they don't work/fit you will know and be able to return them easily. Walmart should have 10 watt and 13 watt bulbs, which fit your needs.

 

[cegha]

Yes, all coiled bulbs that I've ever seen are fluorescent. You just have to take intoconsideration whether the coiled ones will fit in your hood, especially since it's online and not as easy to return. I'm pretty sure that one will fit though because it's not as big as the larger watt bulbs, like 20 watt. Oh yeah that $13 dollar bulb was the one I was telling you about. Way too expensive, especially since it's a half daylight, half actinic (used for marine coral and not very beneficial to freshwater plants) bulb. I say try the ones at your walmart, which they should have in the lighting section first then if they don't work/fit you will know and be able to return them easily. Walmart should have 10 watt and 13 watt bulbs, which fit your needs.

Yeah thats what i was wondering when i was looking. I saw all the coiled lights but i wasn't sure if they were flourescent. I'll get a ride down there tomorrow or something and pick up 2 of them. Yeah i been looking at the hood, and i gotta make sure i get a small(er) sized one, because there isn't a whole lot of space between where it screws in and the top of the hood height wise.

One other thing im wondering by looking. They say like x wattage, then it says in incandescent wattage another x wattage that is higher.

Should i be concerned by this incandescent wattage number?

 

[Sammie7]

No, in fact that is the beauty of fluorescent lights. You get far more light minus the extra heat and energy used by incandesant light bulbs. I live and Florida and these lights are a godsend, as they don't raise the water temperature like incandescants do. It would be boiled fish for dinner, otherwise. The incandesant wattage number just tells you the equivolent(sp?) of the fluorescent light. In other words, fluorescent lights have a lower wattage rating with more light output, than incandescents.
A 10 watt fluorescent is the equivolent of a 40 watt incandescent.