# Best Screw in Bulb lighting



## Justice Bucket

I have a small 10 gallon tank with plants that are currently being lit with a Honeywell bulb like this pic on the left...
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=N&start=18&um=1

or

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/3180XR66FTL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

Is there a better bulb that would fit into the same lamp that would help my plants grow better?


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## Tex Gal

I use these. I don't particularly like the Kelvin but you don't get as much restrike. The 75 watt is better. If you do a google search for U shaped flourescent you'll find them. You could also google the brand name.


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## Philosophos

Coralife's colormax is a decent spectrum, comes in U shape too. 6700k isn't too bad.

-Philosophos


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## Tex Gal

Philosophos said:


> Coralife's colormax is a decent spectrum, comes in U shape too. 6700k isn't too bad.
> 
> -Philosophos


Those are nice bulbs but the wattage is low. The ones I use are a little brighter. I believe the 75 watt output is actually a 16 watt. As you can see the one that is 100 watt output is actually 24 watts.


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## kimcadmus

Westinghouse makes a 20w 6400k triple tube screw in bulb. That brand starts at 14w and goes up to 29. You will need to check specs and measure the room you have in your fixture especially if you have two sockets. 
They can be found at service lighting http://www.servicelighting.com/West...se-Triple-Tube-Compact-Fluorescent-Light-Bulb

They also have the twist bulbs at that site. As you probably know all of these bulbs produce alot of heat so if you have a plastic hood you may want to check its ratings.


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## Philosophos

Tex Gal said:


> Those are nice bulbs but the wattage is low. The ones I use are a little brighter. I believe the 75 watt output is actually a 16 watts. As you can see the one that is 100 watt output is actually 24 watts.


Oops, looks like foster and smith is only selling the 10w. There's 20w as well- shows up on google shopping. 40w over 10g should be enough to keep anyone chasing plant growth and algae around.

-Philosophos


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## Justice Bucket

Thanks for all the information. You've all been really helpful!


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## Tex Gal

kimcadmus said:


> Westinghouse makes a 20w 6400k triple tube screw in bulb. That brand starts at 14w and goes up to 29. You will need to check specs and measure the room you have in your fixture especially if you have two sockets.
> They can be found at service lighting http://www.servicelighting.com/West...se-Triple-Tube-Compact-Fluorescent-Light-Bulb
> 
> They also have the twist bulbs at that site. As you probably know all of these bulbs produce alot of heat so if you have a plastic hood you may want to check its ratings.


Kim - do you know if these have a greater output like the one I bought which said it was a 100 watt but was actually 24 watts? The spectrum on this light it good.


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## Justice Bucket

Which do you think would be the best bulb?

1) http://www.servicelighting.com/West...se-Triple-Tube-Compact-Fluorescent-Light-Bulb

OR

2) http://www.petco.com/product/11440/...ter&cm_cat=Fish&cm_pla=Coralife&cm_ite=906140


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## davemonkey

Justice Bucket said:


> Which do you think would be the best bulb?
> 
> 1) http://www.servicelighting.com/West...se-Triple-Tube-Compact-Fluorescent-Light-Bulb
> 
> OR
> 
> 2) http://www.petco.com/product/11440/...ter&cm_cat=Fish&cm_pla=Coralife&cm_ite=906140


The 20 watt Westinghouse is better. It puts out more light and the PetCo bulb is 50/50, which means half good light and half "actinic" which will not do anything for plants. So that takes the PetCo 10 watt bulb down to 5 watts of usable light.

-Dave


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## plurmaster

How bout this 1
http://www.acehardware.com/product/...0&pg=4&parentPage=search&searchId=38250382033

is a 20 watt spiral bulb 6500k but heard it through the grapevine. you get 1/3 less of the spiral bulb wattage which due to restrike. So with 2 of this=40 watts minus 1/3 is 27 watts.


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## Tex Gal

plurmaster said:


> How bout this 1
> http://www.acehardware.com/product/...0&pg=4&parentPage=search&searchId=38250382033
> 
> is a 20 watt spiral bulb 6500k but heard it through the grapevine. you get 1/3 less of the spiral bulb wattage which due to restrike. So with 2 of this=40 watts minus 1/3 is 27 watts.


The higher the spiral wattage the bigger the spiral. I think the problem may be that:
1. You increase your heat output without being able to use all the light.
2. The spiral might make it too big to fit into your fixture.


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## plurmaster

Im using this one right now for my 10 gal tank

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10448675

any thougths?


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## plurmaster

I just came back from target and bought

http://www.target.com/Energy-15-Wat...d-browse=3151061&rh=k:bulb,p_36:$0-$24&page=1

is a perfect fit. You might be right tex. The 20 watt is too bulky to fit.


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## plurmaster

I went back to target to see if there's any other bulb would fit thats higher wattage so i found this
https://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(whrrpfngghft3gbdf01uhcz2)/productDetails.aspx?SKU=3283140

another perfect fit. if i may add the 26 watts mini spirals(i think this is new cant find info anywhere,not even ge website)also fit perfectly just a little longer


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## Philosophos

2x26w over a 10 gal? You've got enough to keep coral. What's your experience with planted tanks? You may find 5wpg+ rather challenging.

-Philosophos


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## plurmaster

Whats my exp with planted tanks? about 2 years!!! Im testing light bulbs with a budget right now for smaller tanks. The spiral ones have restrike so you dont get the full wattage from the bulb if 2x 26 watts you actually getting 35 watts afterr 1/3 of wattage is loss.

Im not adding the 26 watt bulbs.. thats too much for a 10 gal tank you'll need co2 injections but im using the 20 watt bulbs.


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## Philosophos

Ok, great. I can relax now. 

Trying to persuade planted tank keepers down from high light systems feels like trying to talk some one off a ledge. "I'll do it, I swear I'll slap on 8wpg and show you all!"

Good luck with the bulbs.


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## DGalt

Do those longer ones have less of a restrike issue than the spirals? What's the coefficient you would multiply for those?


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## plurmaster

the restirke should be the same since is all spirals you basically deduct 1/3 of total wattage. For example i have 2 x mini spiral of 20 watts. Thats totl of 40 wattage all together dedecut that by 1/3. Im getting roughly around 27 watts or 2.7 wpg. Next thing i'll do is paint the interior of the light strip flat white to get the best reflection.


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## Tex Gal

You get less restrike with the U shaped bulbs. Not to say that you don't have some, but it's a little better. I have found that the most I would use WITH CO2 on a 10g is two 16 watt bulbs. More than that and you'll be fighting algae of all types!


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## Justice Bucket

Cool, I bought that 50/50 but plan to return it, just too diim for my 10 gal.


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## kimcadmus

Yes, unfortunately those 50/50 bulbs are no good for PTs. 
Texgal - to answer you question many posts ago.........U shaped bulbs 20w=75w, 25w=100w, 29w=120 so says the service lighting site. I don't know how useful this info is for our tanks though.
I have no info on the restrike coefficient.


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## Philosophos

Actinic is no good for planted tanks? I've got to politely beg to differ.

Here's an actinic bulb:









Here's PAR:









That would be a chlorophyl A stimulating 420nm spike. Can't recall if it hits carotenoids as well. Either way, 50/50 should also get some chlor. B stimulating light in there, and manage to give you something plants can grow under.

ADA uses green-heavy spectrum, which is supposed to be far less useful than either.

There's a lot of arguing about spectrum. Spread is more important. You can do more just moving your light around a bit and improving your reflector. Worry about aesthetics when it comes to color selection.

-Philosophos


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## davemonkey

Chlorophyll a is most efficient with 430nm, b at 453, carotenoids at 449. The actinic 420nm peaks just shy of what plants are most efficient with, and doesn't give any other usable light (none in the red spectrum and negligible elsewhere along the color graph).

But Philosopos is right about improving relflectors and getting a good spread. Plants can nearly use most any light if it's in sufficient quantities. 

-Dave


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## kimcadmus

I suppose I stand corrected. My comment had to do with the fact that the actinic was half the light supplied to the tank. You both have more technical knowledge than me, mine is based primarily on my own experiences and what I've learned from Niko and others here.


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## davemonkey

kimcadmus said:


> I suppose I stand corrected. My comment had to do with the fact that the actinic was half the light supplied to the tank. You both have more technical knowledge than me, mine is based primarily on my own experiences and what I've learned from Niko and others here.


Not at all, Kim. (See post #10. ) I agree with you that actinic light doesn't do anything for plants. While they may be able to use it, it's inefficient and you'd really have to be pouring it on AND using other light spectrums to supplement it. For all practical purposes, actinic light doesn't do anything for a planted tank. (And I only say that based on my experiences as well...my tech knowledge comes from reading through all of Newt's posts, so it's only borrowed knowledge.  )

-Dave


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## Justice Bucket

http://www.elightbulbs.com/catalog_...&list_source=&portal_type=&search_type=&ansi=

What's mogul crew vs. medium screw?

Check these out....


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## Philosophos

If anyone thought I was recommending sole use of actinic, I wasn't. It's usable in a 50/50 without much loss is all. You'll find all kinds of bigger, useless spikes in other bulbs like a 7600 or 10,000 in either sunpaq or coralife. As I stated before, ADA lighting throws spectrum out the window for appearances. Nothing a couple watts can't fix. Most of us doing 3-4 wpg are over-lighting. 3wpg of any major plant growing CF will grow just about any aquatic plant (including HC) so long as the spread isn't messed up. In many cases, 2wpg with competent spread is just fine.

Further examples:

Coralife 6700k:









Coralife 50/50:









GE 9325K:









Arcadia Freshwater:









Now here's the one that'll really mess with your head. This is a Iwasaki 6500k metal halide:









This is a trendy T-5HO that's supposed to blow WPG and bulb life away (mostly because of restrike and using multiple strips and better reflectors for better distribution):









Here's a better PAR vs. PUR graph:









Do any of these look to hold exactly with PAR or PUR?

Spectrum isn't so important as we make out, especially considering how badly we over-watt our tanks at times. Do what looks good first, worry about the graphs when you've got a commercial operation.

-Philosophos


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## Justice Bucket

Check these out.

http://www.elightbulbs.com/catalog_...&list_source=&portal_type=&search_type=&ansi=


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## Justice Bucket

I ordered these fellas online and I plan to only use one at a time...In my area, it's hard to find a decent Kelvin and wattage. 


1 PL30SE/64K 30W 6400K DAYLIGHT MINI COIL LIGHT E26 
BASE USD5.95 
1 PL40SE/50K 40W 5000K MINI COIL LIGHT E26 
BASE USD7.95


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## VisionQuest78

So im also setting up a 10g tank. I will be using the u-tube CF's, 2 of them.My fixture has been modded to have 2 CF reflectors added in from a DIY kit. It seems theres really only a few choices here as far as bulbs go...does anybody have a preference as far color rendition goes? Im thinking most of these are going to have a yellowish tint to them. Anyone who has used a few different options here like one better than the other???


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## davemonkey

VisionQuest78 said:


> So im also setting up a 10g tank. I will be using the u-tube CF's, 2 of them.My fixture has been modded to have 2 CF reflectors added in from a DIY kit. It seems theres really only a few choices here as far as bulbs go...does anybody have a preference as far color rendition goes? Im thinking most of these are going to have a yellowish tint to them. Anyone who has used a few different options here like one better than the other???


My brother found some "daylight" spirals that say 6500K on the box and they look good. For the U-tube, if you have a hard time trying to find a good K-rating, see if you can find one with a Color Rendering Index (CRI) of around 90 or so. (The higher, the better. )

-Dave


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## Philosophos

Green wins the awards right now. It washes things out, makes flaws disappear. Very forgiving. At the same time, red has a chance to push through some. White light is horrible; every little flaw shows. Blue doesn't look quite right. Yellow can be nice; warmer colors are appealing to the human eye. Yellow and greem really finds its self summed up in Kodak vs. Fuji for old SLR film. Yellow does, unfortunately, have that connotation of old T-10 which will throw aesthetics out the window for anyone who isn't doing a retro or near antique tank.

-Philosophos


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## VisionQuest78

Philosophos said:


> Green wins the awards right now. It washes things out, makes flaws disappear. Very forgiving. At the same time, red has a chance to push through some. White light is horrible; every little flaw shows. Blue doesn't look quite right. Yellow can be nice; warmer colors are appealing to the human eye. Yellow and greem really finds its self summed up in Kodak vs. Fuji for old SLR film. Yellow does, unfortunately, have that connotation of old T-10 which will throw aesthetics out the window for anyone who isn't doing a retro or near antique tank.
> 
> -Philosophos


That was a very, ummm, abstract way of answering! lol So do you have a preference or recommendation for a screw in CF, either U-tube or spiral assuming its small enough to fit where a U-tube should?


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## VisionQuest78

davemonkey said:


> My brother found some "daylight" spirals that say 6500K on the box and they look good. For the U-tube, if you have a hard time trying to find a good K-rating, see if you can find one with a Color Rendering Index (CRI) of around 90 or so. (The higher, the better. )
> 
> -Dave


Ive seen several spirals that seem like they would be good, being labeled as full spectrum/daylight bulbs around 6500k, assuming they would fit. It was a tight fit already, but with the extra reflectors added in its even tighter. Until i actually start buying a couple of different kinds of bulbs im just not sure what if anything besides the U-tube will fit.

Ive seen a couple of different spiral bulbs im pretty interested in, they are sold as HD bulbs, with a high CRI. One i saw online had a cri of 94, seems like that would be a great bulb as far as color for fish and true plant color. But im kind of just guessing. I mean i understand what CRI means and stands for, so in theory it should be a great bulb for looks atleast, but things dont always look like they do on paper.


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## Justice Bucket

I ordered my 5000k and 6400k spirals from bulbtown. http://www.bulbtown.com/


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## Philosophos

VisionQuest78 said:


> That was a very, ummm, abstract way of answering! lol So do you have a preference or recommendation for a screw in CF, either U-tube or spiral assuming its small enough to fit where a U-tube should?


What ever looks good. U-shape if you can. People get far too obsessed with what PAR their bulbs provide. With the technology around right now, it's very easy to over-watt a tank. Give me a 10g and I can retrofit it for 4wpg+ which is just downright excessive.

-Philosophos


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## tony597fitter

I just bought Sylvania super-mini spirals from Menards. They are 13 watts (60 watt replacement) with 6500k.
I didnt research enough about the restrike.
I am running 2 of them for 26 watts.

May have to go and up them to the 75 watt version.


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## davemonkey

tony597fitter said:


> I just bought Sylvania super-mini spirals from Menards. They are 13 watts (60 watt replacement) with 6500k.
> I didnt research enough about the restrike.
> I am running 2 of them for 26 watts.
> 
> May have to go and up them to the 75 watt version.


Line your fixture with aluminum foil. That will get you better light reflection.


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