Re: RM...........here are some links to some good sites that have the proper bulbs

"g_i_n_k_o" <g_i_n_k_o@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:13nd59tgemkkbba@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> In rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants Reel McKoi
<dorundayREMOVE@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> 
> wrote:
> :
> : Where I live the 6500K's are $10 and that's at Wal*Mart.
>
> I try to stay away from WalMart since they don't always treat their
> workforce very well.

They treat them like crap but they have the best prices around.  When
you're 
retired that matters.  :-)

> There is a place called Menards in the upper midwest.  They sell
> 32 watt T8 Phillips Octron tubes for dirt cheap.

They wont fit in the 4' reflectors on 55g tanks.  I Googled the name and 
came up with loads of hits. I didn't find tubes. None of these stores are
in 
my state.

> : I've had no luck with plant tubes. The tanks looked dark and the
plants
> : stretched.
>
> I never use just plant tubes.  I mix a plant bulb with a bulb that
> provides light for a human eye.
>
> : > I have had really good luck with Seachem Flourish Excel.  It helps 
> keep
> : > my tank that tends to have a moderate algae problems to barely 
> noticable
> : > algae here and there.  Please note that it does kill certain kinds
of
> : > plants (Vallisneria, Elodia (Anacharis), and Saggiteria.  The
product
> : > is way too expensive unless you buy it in bulk by the gallon jug.
> :
> : It is indeed expensive and we saw zero difference in either plant
growth 
> or
> : algae.

> This stuff completely cleared up a big mess in a very high light tank.
> It also helps in some containers and tanks that don't have CO2 added
> to them.  But, this was used with an Estimative Index fertilizer
> schedule.  I haven't tried it with other growing methods.

He knew I didn't have a high-light tank and couldn't afford the high cost
of 
Barr's products and ****pping. I should have been told the truth right from

the start.  I think it was a come-on to sell Barr's products.

> : Actually my plants do very well under the cool and warm bulbs, unless
> : there's a serious algae bloom as I have now.

> That mix will work.  It's been used for decades by people growing indoor
> plants.  However, many warm white bulbs don't have all that great of a
> spectrum.  You want red and blues for plants.  In some 4100K tubes, the
> red spikes were the same that were in the 3500K tube (The 3500K tube
> was pretty much a 4100K tube, minus the blues...)  So, sometimes two
> good 4100K tubes will do better than a 4100K and a not-so-good 3500K.
>
> From a personal aesthics point of view, a 6500K tube looks better to my
> eye and is better at balancing up an ugly growLux tube.  Of course,
> others will prefer the look of another tube!

-- 

RM....
Zone 6.  Middle TN USA
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