Lighting for Cichlids

[LucG]

Lately it seems like the light on my tank is getting dimmer. I went and bought a $13 fluorescent bulb at walmart. After installing and turning it on, it didnt seem right, it almost seemed a little darker. I know these bulbs should be replaced every year or so but I am unsure if this cheap walmart light will be bad.

The fish don't seem to come out as much either...

 

[Doomhed]

You could have been the wrong kind of bulb, aquariums use a different bulb than your standard fluorescent bulbs and you could actually overheat your fixture with the regular kind.

For african cichlids I used to use the heavy duty 10K ultra brights.

 

[LucG]

Here are the spec on the bulbs:

The original bulb is an Eclipse - Natural Daylight F18/T8 24"
Made in Maryland.

I'm not sure of the wattage. I can't seem to find it anywhere on the bulbor on the fixture.

I replaced it with the only 24" light available my my walmart. (I should have gone somewhere les, yes...) Here are the spec on it:

Penn-Plax Aquari-lux Florescent Aquarium Light 24 watt 24"

Also, the fixture dosent seem to be getting any warmer that it usually is and my cichlids seem to have adjusted....

 

[OrangeCones]

The Eclipse Natural bulb 24" was 20 watts.

The 24" Penn Plax are only 20 watts also that I've ever seen. If you have a 24watt bulb, perhaps they are making a slightly brigher bulb now.

The fixture's ballast will determine the max watts it can safely light. Usually its printed on the fixture somewhere near where the bulb(s) are inserted.

 

[LucG]

You're right. My mistake. The Penn Plax is 20 watt.

So the difference I'm seeing is the difference between a new and old bulb. Or is it the difference between a Natural Daylight and a Florescent Light.

 

[OrangeCones]

The 'K' rating on the bulb is likely the difference. I have two aquariums next to each other and they have the same gravel. They look very different though to my eye. One has a 6700K 55 watt bulb, the other 9700K 55 watt bulb. That is the only difference in them.

Likely the 'Natural' light bulb seemed brighter to you. It has peaks in the colors that make up white light that are more easily seen by humans.