>Subject: Which T8 bulbs to buy?
>
>Paul,
>
>> I recently got four electronic balasts (for $24.95 each) that ca
>> inch, 36 inch, or 24 inch T8 bulbs. I had hoped to find plant b
>> inch and 24 inch lengths, such as gro and sho or gro-lux in the
>> but the electrical supply companies in Jackson, MS have not been
>> find any in their catalogs. Somewhat of a bummer after all the
>> recently in this mailing list about how the T8 bulbs are better.
>> anybody know of a manufacturer who makes T8 plant bulbs? If not
>> bulbs are people using?
>
>The bulbs I use are GE's SPX-50's these are 48" full spectrum
>bulbs, 5000K, made with rare earth phosphors. They are equivalent
>to the Philips Ultralumes. Philips also makes a comparable t-8
>bulb, but I don't have the serial number. If you can't find the
>GE's, let me know, and I'll get the Philips number for you from my
>distributor. The 48" SPX-50's cost me $5 each.
>
>I, personally, get better growth from my plants from full spectrum
>bulbs than from gro-bulbs, and I really hate the pink cast
>gro-bulbs give to the tank.
>
>I'm not sure what is available in the shorter lengths, but I do
>know that the selection is much more limited. My lighting
>supplier (a fellow aquatic gardener) uses a variety of energy
>efficient flourescent bulbs over his smaller tanks, and seems to
>get reasonable growth, at least with moderate light plants. These
>bulbs seem to mostly be in the range of 2800-4100K, and I have no
>idea what the spectral curve looks like. I'm not sure these bulbs
>would be satisfactory in a tank meant for high light fast growth
>plants, but for those content with more moderate growth, they
>appear to be more than adequate.
>
>Karen Randall
>Aquatic Gardeners Assoc.
>Boston,
>MA