# Which bulb for heavily planted tank?



## kdawg7990 (Jul 5, 2006)

Right now I have a coralife 65 watt pc fixture over my 20 long planted tank. It has one 10,000K and one actinic. After reading several post with conflicting info i really just need a straight answer, what type of bulb should i buy or is the bulb i have in now providing the right needs for my plants. Some of the bulbs i have looked at include: Coralife 6,700K 65 watt, current usa sunpaq 10,000K/6,700K, and the All-Glass full spectrum 8,000K bulbs. So basically i was just wondering if anyone had an opinion on which of the bulbs would be the best and if it would be worth it to replace my current bulb. Any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks.


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## Salt (Apr 5, 2005)

How big is "20 long"? Is that 20 gallons?

If so, and it were me, I would probably go with a Sunpaq 10,000/6,700K and a Sunpaq dual actinic. If growth seemed limited, I would switch the actinic to a second Sunpaq 10,000/6,700K.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I'm assuming you have a 20 gallon long tank. If so then you must have a 50/50 bulb for Coralife 30" 65 watt fixtures only comes with one bulb. 

I would change it out to a 6700k bulb, which is what I have on my 20G long. This gives you a color between a 5000K (yellow tint) and a 10,000K (bluish/bluish white tint).

As far as the actinic part of the bulb goes it does not do that much for plant growth and some say it will even cause algae. You will also have less light (wpg) using the actinic light due to the fact that most of the light is not usable by the plants.


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## Salt (Apr 5, 2005)

trenac said:


> As far as the actinic part of the bulb goes it does not do that much for plant growth and some say it will even cause algae.


Hogwash.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I have read opinions going both ways on actinic bulbs, but it wouldn't be hard to do a test. Just set up two tanks, one with actinic, one with 6700K, both with the same wattage. Use the same substrate, same fertilizing and CO2, and plant them identically with a variety of plants. Watch the results. Then repeat a couple of times. Possibly, switch the lights after a couple of months.


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## Chris S (Feb 27, 2006)

hoppycalif said:


> I have read opinions going both ways on actinic bulbs, but it wouldn't be hard to do a test. Just set up two tanks, one with actinic, one with 6700K, both with the same wattage. Use the same substrate, same fertilizing and CO2, and plant them identically with a variety of plants. Watch the results. Then repeat a couple of times. Possibly, switch the lights after a couple of months.


 Good idea ! Wish I had time for that.


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## Salt (Apr 5, 2005)

hoppycalif said:


> I have read opinions going both ways on actinic bulbs, but it wouldn't be hard to do a test. Just set up two tanks, one with actinic, one with 6700K, both with the same wattage. Use the same substrate, same fertilizing and CO2, and plant them identically with a variety of plants. Watch the results. Then repeat a couple of times. Possibly, switch the lights after a couple of months.


http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/equipment/29562-actinic-lights.html



Salt said:


> This is one of those topics that always makes me cringe when I see it, mainly because the threads typically get filled up with a lot of replies along the lines of "it does nothing," "they are for saltwater tanks only," etc., yet I am willing to bet good money that these people are just repeating what they've heard someone else say without any firsthand experience. (This is not a directed at you Cindy. )
> 
> In my *own testing*, I have found that actinic lighting alone of course is not adequate at all for most species of aquatic plants. For example, cabomba will sort of "roll up" its leaves when the lights go out, and "fan out" its leaves when the lights go on. With actinic lights, cabomba will keep its leaves "rolled up."
> 
> ...


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Salt said:


> Hogwash.


Call it what you may! :heh:


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## kdawg7990 (Jul 5, 2006)

Thanks for the help. Sorry about not specifying the gallons, it is 20 gallon (long) all glass aquarium. I guess i'm going to have to just test which bulb the plants grow better in. I think i willl keep the current bulb until it burns out then buy a sunpaq 10,000k/6700k bulb and see which one is best for the plants.


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