# Energu saver globes, are they good for plants?



## bert (Sep 21, 2007)

I was looking at the energy saver globes in Big W, and saw they were 6500k, 20W. 
Could these be used for plants?????
Has anyone ever installed the bases from scratch?
Is it difficult?


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## ruki (Jul 4, 2006)

The 6500K bulb should work, perhaps a bit better than the "cool white" 4100K, and likely much better than the 3500K "warm white" lamps which have become popular lately.

People I know are getting good results using the really small spirals to replace incandescent bulbs in the old-style 10 gallon hoods.

For small containers (glass bowls, etc.) I use a hanging pendant light with a 6500K fluorescent directional flood light. This at least sends much of the light down into the container.

Ideally, you want to have some way to get the light from the bulb going (straight) down into the tank. A round/spherical globe sends light in all directions, so it will work, but it's somewhat wasteful compared to a more directional bulb.


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## bert (Sep 21, 2007)

"A round/spherical globe sends light in all directions, so it will work, but it's somewhat wasteful compared to a more directional bulb"

Would this still be a waste if they were inside a hood?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Are those bulbs the ones that are shaped like an incandescent light, but are really compact fluorescent bulbs? If so, they are not as good as the visibly spiral bulbs, because inside of that round "bulb" is a spiral bulb, but part of the light is lost in going thru the translucent cover bulb. I have never seen a "round" fluorescent bulb that didn't have the spiral tube inside.


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## bert (Sep 21, 2007)

http://www.manly.nsw.gov.au/IgnitionSuite/uploads/images/IgnitionSuite_Image(1121).jpg

That is the type of bulb i meant
Are the bases hard to install?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

You can buy the bases at hardware stores, and they are very easy to install, but a little knowledge about electricity is very important when you do that. And, the ceramic bases are better than the plastic ones. The bulbs are fine for plants, but the amount of light you get per watt isn't as good as with regular straight tubes, because you lose the light emitted from the inside of the helix, and good reflectors for those bulbs are hard to find or make.


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## Adragontattoo (Jun 3, 2007)

I use 3 of the spiral bulbs on my 15 inside a DIY hood. The inside of the hood is painted white and it does pretty well with any plants that I have tossed at it, including Hygro 'Sarawk'.










That is the front of the hood. It is very tall but it gives a totally even light distribution.


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## ruki (Jul 4, 2006)

bert said:


> "A round/spherical globe sends light in all directions, so it will work, but it's somewhat wasteful compared to a more directional bulb"
> 
> Would this still be a waste if they were inside a hood?


Lots of stuff will work good enough, but my perspective is to try to get optimum light per watt sent to the fixture. It's not necessary, but with many tanks it makes a difference to one's electricity bill and reduces your carbon footprint if you are into that thing.

If the tank matches well with a linear tube, such as 48 inches, 36 inches or 24 inches, using a linear fluorescent fixture will be more efficient. It the tank is shorter than 24 inches, then the power compact bulbs start to make more sense, since short linear tubes aren't as efficient.

For small containers, around a foot wide or less, I use a power compact flood light suspended above the container. Or, I put a number of small containers under a 48 inch linear fixture.


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