RM...........here are some links to some good sites that have the proper bulbs

In rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants Reel McKoi wrote:
:
: "TSJ of course" wrote in message
: ...
: By the way, unlike like lamps
: specialy made for aquariums, ordinary house lamps would not light up
: the whole aquarium the same way.

There is considerable hype on aquaurium bulbs. The T8 (8/8ths of an inch
wide) fluorescent lamps do pretty good job. At some big bog hardware stores,
you can get a 6500K spectrum bulb at $5.00 per 4 foot tube. It grows plants
really well for the money. Pick up one of the new-style shop lights with
an electronic ballast and a half-decent gull-wing reflector for about
$40.00. This low budget system will do a pretty good job at raising
plants. You might do better by using one 6500K tube and one plant
grow tube (Vitalight, GrowLux, ...) But this is still really cheap.

You could get better results with fancy $30.00 aquarium tubes, but they
won't be twice as good than the cheap $5.00 6500K and $15.00 plant
tubes.

: OK, the sites just sell bulbs. There's no explanation of what's best for FW
: tanks or tanks with algae problems. Now the problem with my buying bulbs to
: help with the algae would be a hard sell to my husband since the Flourish
: Excel fiasco.

I have a better luck with algae by using a 6500K bulb instead of 4100K
"cool white" or the not-very-good 3500K "warm white" tubes.

: I was assured over and over that algae turns white and falls
: off when FE is used. Although I found that almost impossible to believe,
: like a fool I bought the stuff. I bought a lot of it, and it's totally
: useless. Then the same man from the plant group tried to get me to purchase
: some other expensive crap from his friend who sells fertilizers.

: spend well over $100 on bulbs and still have the algae problem. So you can
: see why I hesitate to start buying expensive bulbs when the FE did nothing.

I have had really good luck with Seachem Flourish Excel. It helps keep
my tank that tends to have a moderate algae problems to barely noticable
algae here and there. Please note that it does kill certain kinds of
plants (Vallisneria, Elodia (Anacharis), and Saggiteria. The product
is way too expensive unless you buy it in bulk by the gallon jug.

However, this product is not a cure-all. It's optimal for planted tank
that grows plants pretty well that also has pesky algae. It won't
transform an unsuccessful planted tank where the plants usually die into
an Amano-style masterpiece.

"ginko" wrote in message
...
In rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants Reel McKoi
wrote:
:
: "TSJ of course" wrote in message
:
...
: By the way, unlike like lamps
: specialy made for aquariums, ordinary house lamps would not light up
: the whole aquarium the same way.

There is considerable hype on aquaurium bulbs. The T8 (8/8ths of an inch
wide) fluorescent lamps do pretty good job. At some big bog hardware
stores,
you can get a 6500K spectrum bulb at $5.00 per 4 foot tube.

Where I live the 6500K's are $10 and that's at Wal*Mart.

It grows plants
really well for the money. Pick up one of the new-style shop lights with
an electronic ballast and a half-decent gull-wing reflector for about
$40.00. This low budget system will do a pretty good job at raising
plants. You might do better by using one 6500K tube and one plant
grow tube (Vitalight, GrowLux, ...) But this is still really cheap.

OK, we're talking two tanks = 4 reflectors and 8 bulbs. Ouch!

You could get better results with fancy $30.00 aquarium tubes, but they
won't be twice as good than the cheap $5.00 6500K and $15.00 plant
tubes.

I've had no luck with plant tubes. The tanks looked dark and the plants
stretched.

I have a better luck with algae by using a 6500K bulb instead of 4100K
"cool white" or the not-very-good 3500K "warm white" tubes.

I think I'll pick up a few 6500Ks.........

: I was assured over and over that algae turns white and falls
: off when FE is used. Although I found that almost impossible to believe,
: like a fool I bought the stuff. I bought a lot of it, and it's totally
: useless. Then the same man from the plant group tried to get me to
purchase
: some other expensive crap from his friend who sells fertilizers.

: spend well over $100 on bulbs and still have the algae problem. So you
can
: see why I hesitate to start buying expensive bulbs when the FE did
nothing.


I have had really good luck with Seachem Flourish Excel. It helps keep
my tank that tends to have a moderate algae problems to barely noticable
algae here and there. Please note that it does kill certain kinds of
plants (Vallisneria, Elodia (Anacharis), and Saggiteria. The product
is way too expensive unless you buy it in bulk by the gallon jug.

It is indeed expensive and we saw zero difference in either plant growth or
algae.

However, this product is not a cure-all. It's optimal for planted tank
that grows plants pretty well that also has pesky algae. It won't
transform an unsuccessful planted tank where the plants usually die into
an Amano-style masterpiece.

Actually my plants do very well under the cool and warm bulbs, unless
there's a serious algae bloom as I have now.
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

In rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants Reel McKoi wrote:
:
: Where I live the 6500K's are $10 and that's at Wal*Mart.

I try to stay away from WalMart since they don't always treat their
workforce very well.

There is a place called Menards in the upper midwest. They sell
32 watt T8 Phillips Octron tubes for dirt cheap.

: I've had no luck with plant tubes. The tanks looked dark and the plants
: stretched.

I never use just plant tubes. I mix a plant bulb with a bulb that
provides light for a human eye.

: I have had really good luck with Seachem Flourish Excel. It helps keep
: my tank that tends to have a moderate algae problems to barely noticable
: algae here and there. Please note that it does kill certain kinds of
: plants (Vallisneria, Elodia (Anacharis), and Saggiteria. The product
: is way too expensive unless you buy it in bulk by the gallon jug.
:
: It is indeed expensive and we saw zero difference in either plant growth or
: algae.

This stuff completely cleared up a big mess in a very high light tank.
It also helps in some containers and tanks that don't have CO2 added
to them. But, this was used with an Estimative Index fertilizer
schedule. I haven't tried it with other growing methods.

: Actually my plants do very well under the cool and warm bulbs, unless
: there's a serious algae bloom as I have now.

That mix will work. It's been used for decades by people growing indoor
plants. However, many warm white bulbs don't have all that great of a
spectrum. You want red and blues for plants. In some 4100K tubes, the
red spikes were the same that were in the 3500K tube (The 3500K tube
was pretty much a 4100K tube, minus the blues...) So, sometimes two
good 4100K tubes will do better than a 4100K and a not-so-good 3500K.

From a personal aesthics point of view, a 6500K tube looks better to my
eye and is better at balancing up an ugly growLux tube. Of course,
others will prefer the look of another tube!

"g_i_n_k_o" wrote in message
...
In rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants Reel McKoi
wrote:
:
: Where I live the 6500K's are $10 and that's at Wal*Mart.

I try to stay away from WalMart since they don't always treat their
workforce very well.

They treat them like crap but they have the best prices around. When you're
retired that matters. :-)

There is a place called Menards in the upper midwest. They sell
32 watt T8 Phillips Octron tubes for dirt cheap.

They wont fit in the 4' reflectors on 55g tanks. I Googled the name and
came up with loads of hits. I didn't find tubes. None of these stores are in
my state.

: I've had no luck with plant tubes. The tanks looked dark and the plants
: stretched.

I never use just plant tubes. I mix a plant bulb with a bulb that
provides light for a human eye.

: I have had really good luck with Seachem Flourish Excel. It helps
keep
: my tank that tends to have a moderate algae problems to barely
noticable
: algae here and there. Please note that it does kill certain kinds of
: plants (Vallisneria, Elodia (Anacharis), and Saggiteria. The product
: is way too expensive unless you buy it in bulk by the gallon jug.
:
: It is indeed expensive and we saw zero difference in either plant growth
or
: algae.

This stuff completely cleared up a big mess in a very high light tank.
It also helps in some containers and tanks that don't have CO2 added
to them. But, this was used with an Estimative Index fertilizer
schedule. I haven't tried it with other growing methods.

He knew I didn't have a high-light tank and couldn't afford the high cost of
Barr's products and shipping. I should have been told the truth right from
the start. I think it was a come-on to sell Barr's products.

: Actually my plants do very well under the cool and warm bulbs, unless
: there's a serious algae bloom as I have now.

That mix will work. It's been used for decades by people growing indoor
plants. However, many warm white bulbs don't have all that great of a
spectrum. You want red and blues for plants. In some 4100K tubes, the
red spikes were the same that were in the 3500K tube (The 3500K tube
was pretty much a 4100K tube, minus the blues...) So, sometimes two
good 4100K tubes will do better than a 4100K and a not-so-good 3500K.

From a personal aesthics point of view, a 6500K tube looks better to my
eye and is better at balancing up an ugly growLux tube. Of course,
others will prefer the look of another tube!

--

RM....
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö