[AquaticLife] Turning On The Light?
Bill,
The compact fluorescents are old news. What you really need, to save on electrical costs, are the LED lights.
Actually, compact fluorescents (or CFLs) can be a good way to light tanks. They come in many flavors, and have the ability to provide many more lumens per watt than standard fluorescents. If you are considering a planted aquarium, you probably should consider the CFLs. If you have basically a fish only tank, save some money and go with a standard fluorescent bulb. AS the conversation you heard claiming that CFLs were less expensive, that is not really true. They are more expensive to purchase, though the gap is closing, or has closed–it has been a bit since I last looked into it, do your own research–they still need replacement prior to burning out, as do standard bulbs. There is a savings in electricity, but likely you will replace 1 40 watt bulb with 2 or 3 CFLs. At 13 watts, you save a total of 1 watt with three and 14 watts with 2.
Incandescent bulbs are a completely different story, different type of light, and should not be under consideration.
\Steve//
> —–Original Message—– > From: AquaticLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:AquaticLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of > bill1433 > Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 8:26 PM > To: AquaticLife > Subject: [AquaticLife] Turning On The Light? > > > I just heard part of a conversation that I found most interesting. It seems the two people > talking were discussing Aquarium lighting and one suggested to the other that there was a > better way to light an aquarium. > > It seems their thoughts centered around the idea of NOT using the standard > fluorescent type fixture or cover but rather the use of Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs > types that screw in like a light bulb in replacement of the tube type fixture. > > Their claims were simply this, cheaper to run with better over-all illumination, cheaper to buy > and better life span and also better for aquarium plants. Now I cannot remember seeing this > discussion on list but I¢ve only been here a short time. Is any of this true? If so which part > or parts? I have seen hoods for incandescent lights but they were all for small aquariums, 5 > or 10 gallon. Or is this what they are using and simply doubling up on the fixtures to > accommodate larger tanks? > Bill > > > >
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