Shop Lighting ok in Fish Tank?

[GT3050]

I am setting up a new 75 gallon tank soon and was wondering if I can use standard fluorescent tubes which are used for shop lighting, or if I have to buy the expensive fish light sold at my LFS. I asked someone at the LFS about it and they said that stardard fluorescent tubes with cause algae to grow in the tank. Is this true? The reason that i am asking is that I can get normal fluorescent stips, like the ones for lighting rooms, for about 5% of the price of the fish lights. Thanks a bunch!

 

[Antwan]

I think those guys were trying to make some sells.....It's ok to use shop lights. All the ones that are used for tanks are for bringing out the fishes color and to mimic natural light. If anything, I would think that the tank lights encourage algae growth.

 

[Tigurius]

A lot of the regular shoplights are of high kelvin rating though. I've read this will encourage algae. Keeping the kelvin rating from 5500 to 6500 will help your plants and not the algae.

 

[catfishmike]

any light will encourage algae.if you have a lot of light you will get a lot of algae.although some lights do seem to grow more alage than anything else.just get a light that your comfortable with.i like ge plant and aquaruim bulbs.cheap you can find at any home depot/walmart.i think they are either 5500k or 6500k.much cheaper than the 15-20 dollar bulbs at a lfs.

 

[Cyberfish]

Shoplights are a fine choice to light your tank, check out this site for information on common shoplights:

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/2637/

I personally use the combination of 2xGE ultra daylights(6500K) and 2x GE chroma sunshine(5000K) on my 70 gal planted tank. You can see my tank over at the Rate my tank forum

 

[RedTurquoise]

As catfishmike mentions, any light will cause algae. Low light, high light, medium light, high kelvin, low kelvin, etc, etc, etc! Basicly, algae grows no matter what the conditions are. Its in our hand then to control the duration of light and the amount of nutrients available in the water.

Therefore, a shop light is even better than one from the lfs! Why you ask? Because now you have some money in your pocket still to buy more fish! LOL! (nothing to do with algae or whatever)