# Under the cabinet lighting?



## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

I was at Lowes' today getting some 40 watt 48" fluorescent light bulbs. A couple of shelves up were the special GE "plant" bulbs that were exactly same size and power rating which got me thinking. 

Has anyone ever replaced their cabinet lighting bulbs with these plant bulbs for a small open top planted tank in their kitchen?


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## SameButMoreSo (Jan 20, 2009)

Something to keep in mind is that your tank will create a local humidity zone that's a lot higher than the typical household environment. I haven't tried the particular lights you mention, but I have tried a non-planted tank in my kitchen under a cabinet. The bottom of the cabinet grew a lot of mildew, and the paint started to peel and drop into the tank. Luckily the house was from the 1920's, so the cabinet was solid wood and survived the episode. My current house has particle board cabinets, which can't even handle the steam from the dishwasher. I imagine my mugs and cereal bowls would soon come crashing down among the fish if I put a tank underneath my current POS cabinets.


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## chagovatoloco (Nov 17, 2007)

I used them for a while when I first started, they will work but you need to replace the bulb in them they are the wrong spectrum.


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## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

It's a small tank (Mini-M) and I have 18" vertical clearance I think the humidity issue won't be a problem. My fixture has that ubiquitous plastic cover over the bulb. So it probably won't work for high light plants. But maybe a low tech with small Anubias and Crypts might work.


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