About freshwater aquarium lighting...

Question

I'm building my first aquarium and have help from an experienced friend, but he couldn't tell me anything. What's the difference between a T-5 Aquarium bulb from Home Depot and an overpriced T-5 from specialty companies?

I understand the difference in the different wavelengths produced by different lights and the types plants need, but what makes the pet store T-5s so expensive and, by advertising, better?

Answer 1

The T-5s in aquarium stores typically employ rare-earth elements that get them a more even distribution of wavelengths across the full visible spectrum of light. This will allow for better luck when pairing the light with different plants.  If I remember correctly, the premium brand "Current U.S.A." has a good dossier on their webpage explaining things.

Most fluorescent lights sold in hardware stores employ inexpensive elements and do not produce a wide wavelength of light, but rather a few narrow spikes in red, green, and blue, which combine to look white to human eyes, but really are full of holes inbetween the peaks.  If your particular species of plant has an affinity for an area that the light doesn't produce, the plant will not thrive, despite high wattages.  Its kinda like asking a person why they can't read newsprint well with a black light on in the room.

Also, many brands sold for aquarium use filter the wavelengths that green algae thrive on, allowing a sloppy owner to stave off ugly looks.

When it comes to fish, a little sunlight, or a lot of the right spectrum of t5 lighting will allow them to produce the required vitamin d to stave off HLLE Disease.  Generally, the smaller the fish, the less important the light is. For small fish, the light really doesn't matter, but if you're rocking $280 cherry flowerhorns who are vulnerable to this kind of disease that's encouraged by poor lighting... then the expensive lights are worth it.

In most cases, a full spectrum bulb from a hardware store will do just fine for an aquarium.  Most of the time, freshwater keepers have a shortage of co2 for their plants, which causes negative effects way before wavelength of light becomes an issue.  Most plants can utilize at least some of a full spectrum bulb.

If you want to do DIY lighting with hardware bulbs, there are light-obsessed individuals out there, who comparison shop hardware stores for value-minded full spectrum bulbs for aquarium use and keep online journals of their results.  They get light meters, and actually record the wavelengths, peaks, k, cri, etc of the bulb with the devices & post comparisons on web pages.    T5, is only emerging in popularity, so most of those websites can be found by doing t8 or t12 aquarium lighting searches on google.

Also... if you're just looking at the $14 ones at the pet store... they're not really different from a good hardware store one.  After you get up around $35 a bulb is where you start to see a real difference in quality.

Answer 2

I'll tell you a big secret the aquarium stores don't want you to know.  The difference between the two is - not a d**n thing!  Like most things you buy in an aquarium store that you can buy elsewhere (aquarium silicone, sea salt, aquatic plants, sand, gravel, etc.) the only difference is that if you buy it in an aquarium store with a label on it that says "for aquarium use" you will pay up to 2 or 3 times the price!  If you can buy the same thing at Home Depot or your local grocery or hardware store, go for it!  Too many people are willing to pay the extra $$ to get the same thing at a "fish store" just because they are afraid that if they get it somewhere else it will hurt their precious fishies.

Answer 3

I've raised aquatic plants before, so I can answer this one from personal experience.  The truth is, it really depends on the species of plant you have how much you can abuse it.  Finicky species need exactly the right amount and right type of light, while hardier species like aponogetons grow no matter what type of light you have (for me, anyway).  I've tried lights from hardware stores, I've tried natural light, and I've tried specialized lights.  They all work.  Since I raise aponogetons, I've never had any problems with any of the above.  In fact, I even tried ignoring them for a while and they still grew.  Had plant-babies, even.  

So you just have to decide what kind of aquarium you want.  Do you want to spend the hours and dollars needed to inject CO2 and have the sun's brilliance in lighting?  Or do you want a really easy planted tank, with a bunch of aponogetons that cost two dollars for a pack of five bulbs at WalMart.  I chose the second, and it's working great for me, and I see no difference in any light bulb whatsoever.  But if you choose the first, then you might find yourself getting finicky about your light bulbs.  It's all about choice.  

Here's a nice website where you can buy aponogetons, my favorite hardy plant species, which will grow no matter what lighting you use (saving you some serious money)  http://www.azgardens.com/apons.php

They're for sale for less money at some WalMarts and at most fish stores.  Might want to check some of you local stores.

Answer 4

you're absolutely right.. they are different spectrums of light..

the lights at home depo are no spefic color (measured in degrees kelvin) the one at a fish store or for the aquarium trade are made with a specific mixture of gasses to form the correct color of light

if you were looking for a planted tank a light like a 7400K (or 7600K i can never remember which) is best for plants

ok maybe a should have clarified.. i didn't realize so many bumbasses would have read this question..

buy the bulbs at the store and the fixture at home depot or wherever your cheap *** takes you.

the fixtures designed to sit on a tank in someone's living room are designed to look better, and have some kind of design to them, the c**p you get at home depot isn't designed to be looked at on a daily basis.. so if you want a jumble of wires and exsposed electrical components sitting above a few gallons of water, be my guest..

the 'expensive' fish store ones at least fit whatever tank this is..

if you want to keep anything other than java moss and java fern i strongly suggest getting the right spectrum of light.. so you spend $20 more.. you'll lose that much the first batch of plants you kill...