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DIY hood


Baos
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  • 1 month later...

This looks like a great little project! But since I don't have the lighting kit to go inside it, could I just use regular household spiral bulbs? I know this is going to cause a lot of WPG talk that I know nothing about. So keeping it simple...Would I be able to grow low light plants (java fern) with two cool white spiral bulbs?

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This looks like a great little project! But since I don't have the lighting kit to go inside it, could I just use regular household spiral bulbs? I know this is going to cause a lot of WPG talk that I know nothing about. So keeping it simple...Would I be able to grow low light plants (java fern) with two cool white spiral bulbs?

Hey Balikiss I know there are others who can answer this question a lot better than me but Ill give it a try anyways.

I just started a Planted tank a little over a week ago, I didnt have a fluorescent hood so I went to Canadian Tire and bought two 15 Watts GE 6500K bulbs and all my plants have been growing, I have two types of Hyrgophilia, some water sprite, and anubias and they all seem to be doing great.

I think the main thing that matters is that the lightbulbs are 6500K.

For reference heres the link of the lightbulbs I got.

Hope I helped.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/Green/EnergyConservation/CompactFluorescent/PRD~0525349P/GE%252B15W%252BDaylight%252BCompact%252BFluorescent%252BBulbs%25252C%252B2-Pk.jsp

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Well if someone else has been able to grow plants with regular daylight bulbs, then so can I!! Another question tho. I haven't been able to find the legs that he was talking about..Any other ideas on how to keep the hood above water? Strips of wood to go across the tank front to back?

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I think the main thing that matters is that the lightbulbs are 6500K.

Not necessarily. The color temperature (XXXX degrees Kelvin) assigned to bulbs represents the overall color that the light appears to a human observer. The bulbs still need to have the appropriate red and blue parts of the spectrum for efficient photosynthesis.

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These two bulbs are both rated at 2856K, but the spectral power distribution graphs are quite different.

Can you grow plants with household bulbs? Sure. And they're cheap. But bulbs sold for household lighting emit a lot of yellow and green wavelengths because that is what is most easily perceived by the human eye- not so useful for photosynthesis. Bulbs like this may be a better value for the $$.

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