# All-Glass fluorescent bulbs



## gnome (Jan 27, 2004)

Hey... Last night I was staring at my green box. Actually, it's my 2.5-gallon tank whose sides were *completely* crusted with green spot algae, and inside (if you looked from the top) you could see the hair (or thread?) algae blanketing everything in the tank and *pearling* :evil: !!! The plants that were still in there were totally covered with green spot, as well. So I considered for a moment the liberating thought of smashing the whole thing with a baseball bat, but remembered that we don't own a baseball bat (at least that I know of).

So impulsively, I started pulling up the pathetic-looking stems of Bacopa and C. pygmaea and proceeded to take down this tank completely. I moved the fish out, I wadded up the algae and threw it in my stash tank for my shrimp to enjoy, and I transferred all of the Flourite into a bucket and washed it with hot water and scraped the green spot off of the tank sides with a razor. Now I'm starting this tank ALL over again.

So here's the deal... I was always the odd one who believed that you could grow MOST plants quite well with an 8 watt normal-output fluorescent light over a 2.5-gallon. The simple reason for this was that it was TRUE for a while. Then it occurred to me, as I looked back, that this changed when I switched out the bulb. I have two 12" All-Glass strip lights. Both came with bulbs included. Both grew many, many plants quite well. When I had to switch out the old bulb on one and went with a Coralife Colormax (5000K, I think), I could see from the start that it was a crummy bulb. Suddenly, I couldn't grow anything, and sometimes I couldn't even tell if the light was on. Then I switched to a Hagen Power-Glo. I liked the look (very blue - 18,000K) and the plants started growing, but then the algae took over. The other strip light is probably on its second bulb (whatever it is), but it's lighting a tank that's not really planted, so it doesn't matter.

Anyway, I'm thinking that there must have been something to that original bulb. So I just went to the All-Glass site and happened to find under "new products" that they're making the lights available, including the 12" 8W one. It explains on the page that the normal-output fluorescents are 8000K; seems reasonable to me. Now I'm on a mad quest for this bulb. It's so weird that all this time, they were manufacturing strip lights but not really making replacement bulbs available to the public - just those screw-in PC ones for their incandescent fixtures. Has anybody else here noticed really good growth with an All-Glass bulb that came included in a fixture, then have things go south when you replaced it with a different brand?

In the meantime, my tank is in "temporary retirement." But as always, the fun part is planning it out... :biggrin:

Sorry for my long story :roll: .

-Naomi


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## Rolo (May 12, 2004)

Not very hard to find around here - several LFS carry them. Been interested in trying them myself but can't find a ton of info. What is the coloration like? By the U-shaped spectrum graph on the box I can only guess they are a pink.


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## gpodio (Feb 4, 2004)

Yes a lot of people love the GE AquaRays, you will find them in most LFS under that name or more recently All-Glass Fresh/Saltwater Aquarays. They are pinkish in color and that seems to be the only negative feedback they get from some people. I like the way the plants grow with these bulbs and usually balance out the esthetics with a 6700K bulb or any other that is not as pink. But I have tanks that are lit only by these and I've gotten used to the look.

Giancarlo


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## gnome (Jan 27, 2004)

Rolo said:


> Not very hard to find around here - several LFS carry them. Been interested in trying them myself but can't find a ton of info. What is the coloration like? By the U-shaped spectrum graph on the box I can only guess they are a pink.


I wonder if the bulbs they're selling as replacements are the same as the ones that come included in the fixture... :?: Well, as far as color, I remember that I don't remember... This must be a good thing, because it's probably the most "natural" color I ever used. For instance, I can remember a few times where I used bulbs that gave a horrible yellow tinge to everything. Then the Power-Glo was almost purplish, which was okay with me, or at least much better than it being yellow. But when I bought these strip lights and started them up for the first time, I thought, "Hey - nice lighting!" and with regards to color, I didn't notice anything unusual.

Giancarlo, are these the same bulbs as the 9325K's that everybody's raving about? Because the All-Glass site says that the replacement bulbs they're selling are 8000K. But I checked the Dr. F&S catalog, and they say that their fluorescent fixtures come with GE T-8's included (and this makes me wonder, because the 12" fixtures come with T-5's). I want to make sure that I get the same bulb as the ones that come *with* the fixtures. You know, maybe I'll just e-mail them and find out :? . I guess that's the only way to be sure...

Anyway, thanks. I just want to be able to grow plants like before  . With the Power-Glo, green spot algae was taking over completely. So now I'm scared of having too high a temperature bulb. Would it be a big difference between 8000K and 9325K in the way algae and plants grow?

-Naomi


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## gpodio (Feb 4, 2004)

Yes I'm referring to the 9325K bulbs. On the bulb itselt it will have either GE Aquarays or All-Glass Fresh and Saltwater bulbs, may also say Aquarays on it. I'm not sure if the T5 bulbs are the same, I know the T8 and T12 bulbs are the same ones as I have them both.

Giancarlo


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

The 8000k is new I believe. I bought one last week and my endcaps and such finally arrived so I just hooked it up. It seems to produce a fairly whitish/yellow cast. Definately not as pink as the 9325K but they are an enigma I think I like these bulbs, although they might be a bit pricy and this is my first PC bulb. I also got a 10000k from Hellolights today for another tank so I will be able to compare them soon.


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Well, it is definately pinker than the 10000K, which is very blue. Actually the combination of 10000K and 9325k is alright to me


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## Rolo (May 12, 2004)

gpodio said:


> Yes I'm referring to the 9325K bulbs. On the bulb itselt it will have either GE Aquarays or All-Glass Fresh and Saltwater bulbs, may also say Aquarays on it. I'm not sure if the T5 bulbs are the same, I know the T8 and T12 bulbs are the same ones as I have them both.
> 
> Giancarlo


I don't think she is talking about the 9325k. Not even PC bulbs at all in this case. The All-Glass NO tubes I see in the store are clearly marked as 8000k and called Daylight, not Fresh Saltwater. These are what they are - http://www.all-glass.com/products/lighting/lighting.html

Are we talking about the same thing?


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## gpodio (Feb 4, 2004)

The AquaRays are available in both PC and NO, The Aquarium Center had them under the GE brand and a new packaging compared to the previous look, perhaps All-Glass and GE have parted as the bulbs now shown on the All-Glass site are different than the ones they had a month ago. All-Glass always used the Fresh and Saltwater Aquarays in all their fixtures, at least until now it would appear. Not sure what they put in the fixture now.

Giancarlo


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## gnome (Jan 27, 2004)

Giancarlo, looks like you're right:
http://www.all-glass.com/products/other/aquarays.shtml

Now I'd like to know how to get one of these in 12" 8W. :?

-Naomi


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## gpodio (Feb 4, 2004)

Not sure if this helps, this is from the GE catalog:

http://www.gpodio.com/posts/ge9325.pdf

Giancarlo Podio


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## gnome (Jan 27, 2004)

Thank you, Giancarlo. It's a good starting point. I just sent an e-mail to All-Glass and *hopefully* I'll get some sort of reply from them. If not, I'll have to take the specs you provided and see if I can't find something close.

Thing is, if you look at the last link I posted, there is *no* GE 12" bulb listed at all. The smallest one is 15". So I'm wondering if maybe the tubes that were included with the 12" strip lights were different from all of the other sizes. *Possible* reason why the 12" strip lights are slightly more expensive than the larger sizes, maybe...?

Anyway, I'm getting antsy about this. I *really* want to be able to set this tank back up with the confidence of knowing that I can get the great results that I used to. I suppose if I can't find anything else, I'll look for the 12" All-Glass Lighting bulb. Maybe that's the one they've been including with the fixtures all along, anyway... :?:

-Naomi


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## gnome (Jan 27, 2004)

Hi again...

Rolo - sort of a favor to ask. Next time you're at the LFS that stocks these lights, think you could maybe check the price on the All-Glass 12" 8W bulb (regular fluorescent tube) if you remember? I asked my "regular" LFS to order it if they can, but only if I can get it for no more than $20. T5's are REALLY expensive!!! 

This search is getting to be extremely frustrating. I asked another LFS if I could have it special-ordered, but he said that it might be a while because he won't order from All-Glass until he's ready with a certain amount of stuff to purchase. That's understandable, but doesn't do me any good :x .

Well, thanks... And BTW, have a happy Thanksgiving, All! I probably won't be checking here between Tuesday and Friday. 

-Naomi


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