# Lighting, T5 Or T8 And Types Of Bulbs / Color Rating.



## Steven M (Oct 21, 2015)

So I've got a few questions about lighting, I've searched all over and there are a lot of answers that contradict each other. So, what is the best bulb and brand for lighting a planted tank? My somewhat local fish store is closing down and I scored some 24" t8's and a couple t5's at a price so good I couldn't just leave them, 4.00 a bulb and regularly around 18.00! I purchased what was left and that was:

-T8
+50/50 half 10,000k daylight and half actinic bluelight. package says salt or freshwater
+Actinic bluelight, package says its for saltwater but promotes photosynthesis

-t5
+color max
+Actinic

So what is actinic and does it benefit a planted freshwater tank? I don't have a ballast or fixture for t5's just thought I should grab them just in case it comes up for when I set up my 75g. Are the T8's I scored going to be better off then the sylvania brand "plant and aquarium" bulb? The coralife bulbs seem to have a higher color rating either doubling or trippling+ the sylvanias.

Also will the light hurt my fish in anyway?

I just want some feedback/ thought since I've never had nice aquarium lights. The 2 sylvania 24" 17w t8's I have now are okay but it seems as though my plants are still needing better light.

Thanks for the help,
Steve


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## Steven M (Oct 21, 2015)

I am finding a lot of people on other forums saying that actinic lighting will do nothing but, isn't blue/ violet light good for plants? or do people just say that because its a dark blue color and will look like crap? I found a little chart:

200 - 280 nm UVC ultraviolet range which is extremely harmful to plants because it is highly toxic. 
280 - 315 nm Includes harmful UVB ultraviolet light which causes plants colors to fade. 
315 - 380 nm Range of UVA ultraviolet light which is neither harmful nor beneficial to plant growth. 
380 - 400 nm Start of visible light spectrum. Process of chlorophyll absorption begins. UV protected plastics ideally block out any light below this range. 
400 - 520 nm This range includes violet, blue, and green bands. Peak absorption by chlorophyll occurs, and a strong influence on photosynthesis. (promotes vegetative growth) 
520 - 610 nm This range includes the green, yellow, and orange bands and has less absorption by pigments. 
610 - 720 nm This is the red band. Large amount of absorption by chlorophyll occurs, and most significant influence on photosynthesis. (promotes flowering and budding) 
720 - 1000 nm There is little absorption by chlorophyll here. Flowering and germination is influenced. At the high end of the band is infrared, which is heat. 
1000+ nm Totally infrared range. All energy absorbed at this point is converted to heat

It looks like the actinic and 50/50 T8 I have would work well for plant growth beings actinic 350-500nm and 50/50 is 350-650nm but might not be appealing to the eye..

I'll still take any input that you might be willing to give!


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## Ægir (Jan 21, 2006)

From personal experience actinic light will just cause unwanted algae growth and has very little if any benefit to plants. 50/50 is not as bad, but definitely not good. Light wont hurt the fish, and actinic might make the colors pop... but the algae problem isnt worth dealing with.

Aim for something in the 6-10K range, I prefer 8 or 10 as its less red / orange and more white.


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## Steven M (Oct 21, 2015)

Will it cause algae even with co2 and lots of plants? I have a couple of snails and almost 30 stems worth of different (large/tall) plants. I was thinking that might happen, maybe thats why no one bought these bulbs, oh well!


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## Ægir (Jan 21, 2006)

Yeah, your tank will be a brick of algae. Tried it when I temp moved a hood from my SW tank to a FW and it was bad.

They are still great for people with SW tanks, on my big display I ran 440w of actinic and 750w of 10K halide.... can prob make your money back or more.


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## Steven M (Oct 21, 2015)

Yeah, I'll see if I can sell them and buy something more appropriate. Thanks!


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