ultra bright spiral lights?!??

[Jim]

Are those new power saving lights good for plants?

Are they just like floressent lighting?

Do i use the same equation for WPG? (Watts over the tank divided by the gallons of water)?

Thanks
JIM

[Mettle]

That's what I've done, personally speaking. Seems to have worked out fine for me. My 29 gallon has the compact fluorescent bulbs you're referring to and everything seems to grow alright.

[Jim]

alright so i guess i have 3 WPG going  

[darkdep]

Yep, I use em too on my 20gal.

[dandaman]

Me too in my 10 gallon.

[Jim]

great!

[NjOyRiD]

really? and its works!? niceee

[BigDaddy]

No... you can't use the WPG rule on spirals.

The design of a spiral means significantly less light is penetrating the water's surface than a traditional linear tube.

Even employing a cone shaped reflector... restrike is a major issue.

[NjOyRiD]

what about the normal light bulbs?! like 60w?!

[yellowtang]

I got spirals on my 55g planted tank.
what I got are the super daylight. they're the white ones......
and not the tipically yellowish ones.
home depo sells them.......either the 15 watts which are equal to 60 watts or the 23 watts which I think are equal to 100 watts.
My plants are doing very very well.

[kennyman]

DO you meen the 15W ones at wallmart and such that screw into an incandescent socket?

I have one in an overhad lamp on my 10g planted brackish tank. Its getting the job done, but the tank is getting some sunlight aswell. The spiral compact florescent I have only gives out 800 lumens. And its wretchedly yellow.

[BigDaddy]

what about the normal light bulbs?! like 60w?!

The WPG rule does not apply to incandescent lighting.

[yellowtang]

I haven't seen them at walmart.....yes the ones that one can screw into common light socket.
and they are called ''phillips super daylight".
don't get any other kind as the other ones tend to give out
yellow luminance.......this ones are just 100% white light
so is quite bright.
Try Home depo 1st........
LOL.

[rockgarden]

Home Depot now has the 23 watt daylight and a newer 27 watt daylight.  The 23watt is considered the replacement for a 90 watt incadenscent and the 27 watt is the replacement for 100 watts.  Two pack of the 27 watt is now $12.98 plus tax. For the same price you can get 3 of the 15 watt size which are considered equivalent to 60 watts.

[dpatte]

Jim

From what I understand the answer to your original question is yes, yes, almost

spirals aren't quite as bright as their equivalent straight flourescents.

If you want 3W / gallon with the 'regular rule' then i'd try for 4W per gallon of spirals.

but i think they are great - certainly a best-buy for bright planted tanks

[NjOyRiD]

do you think you could put a picture what it looks liek with the spirals?

[Jim]

sure i'll try to get it up soon.

[Jim]

This is my all native tank i just put together.

These bulbs are the yellowish ones but i want to buy the one's that yellowtang mentioned so they look more floressent called "phillips super daylight".

[TR]

Hey Jim: I notice you decided to try your luck over to the wild side so to speak lol. Those look like some type of minnows if i'm correct?and those plants are native looking plants you find in lakes I presume?

The setup in the tank I admit looks nice, maybe put a nice background on it, as a nice addition?  An interesting task indeed for a beginner aquarist.  Just remember as you learn along the way that wild native fish keeping is totally seperate from tropical fish keeping.

The goal is always trying to replicate the fishes native waters as approximate as you can.  

Pay close attention to the food you give, making sure the fish are accepting it.  Sometimes this might require a little patience as you slowly train the fish to its new environment.  Even with lighting too as they adjust to their new enviroment.

And do not, I repeat DO NOT mix any fish equipment from one tank to another.  Keep all your native fish accsessories seperate from your other tropical fish tanks you may have, right down to the pails you use to siphon the water when making water changes hoses, nets, etc.. everything totatly separate from each other.

Good luck Jim.

                     TR

[Jim]

Thanks TR

I just set it up and was planning on getting a background soon.

And yes there native plants all from the same lake.

JIM