need new lamp and help

[tropicalcrazy]

ok the lamp bulb that i have in my sig just burnt out the other day. i was extremely disappointed that it burnt out so quick.

now my question is i need a new plant light bulb, 48", any suggestions?

my future plans are to add some java fern on left side of tank, a couple amazon swords on the right side and some micro sword grass in the center and maybe it will eventually carpet the tank.

are there any good long lasting bulbs that last longer than 6 months at like petco or petsmart? i have a few other local LFS's that i could try to.

any bulbs out there that will help me plants grow a little faster too? didnt know if there are some good ones

 

[OrangeCones]

I buy all of my bulbs from this company: Light Bulbs - Halogen, Energy Star & Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

If you call them and tell them what fixture you have, and say you want to grow aquatic plants in your aquarium, they'll help you pick out the right bulb.

However, its always best to replace bulbs after 6 months or so if you want to keep good plant growth. They become less effective and don't give the plants what they want over time.

I'm in Des Moines also. I looked at all the local fish stores between Ames, Ankeny, Des Moines, and the surrounding areas (Urbandale, WDM, Altoona, etc.). Not one, weather mom/pop shop or chain store, sold a good aquatic bulb for my aquariums. Some say you can get them at Lowes or Home Depot, but I never found my sizes there (24" and 30").

 

[unwritten law]

most florescent bulbs only last 6 months....

 

[Orion]

For my 75 gallon which is 48", I got my lighting supplies at Lowes. $10 for a shop light, and $8 each for lamps that were 6500k. They had some that said "for growing plants", but those were $15 and I don't think they would have made much difference. Most hardware places have lamps in the 6500k range that length in a T-12.

I think the lamps should last longer than 6 months, but yes I think most people say that the optimum length for plants is only around 6 months to a year. The phosphors burn burn up and the color goes funky after a while, not being as effective for the plants. I left the bulbs on my 75 a while back on for more than 1.5 years and when I changed them I could tell a major difference in growth in just a month, and this is a slow growing tank to start with.

 

[tropicalcrazy]

interesting i didnt know all this. thanks for all the input everyone. this helps me out a lot and understand why a bulb lasts only 6 months or if it lasts longer you should change at that point and time. i did not know that they lose that much in 6 months.

so when i go and need a 48" bulb 6500k and T12 is what i need? i have heard people talk about using T5's and liking it. how much difference is there besides the size of the bulb?