GE Aquarium Lights at Home Depot

[jrcorbin]

So I was at Home Depot the other day looking for something I could modify and use to hold my light bar so it's not sitting right on top of my tank but 3-4 inches above... I saw they had something called "GE Plant and Aquarium F40." They had all sizes from 6" to 48" bulb... The box didn't have any information about the Kelvin rating
Anyone know if this is a vaible alternative to a T5 light?
I'm currently cyceling a 75gal, starting FOWLR with plans to add Zoo's and stuff a few months down the road.
Ideas?? Thanks!

 

[nordy]

Welcome to the boards! This is THE place for good (mostly!) info and help.
Don't know about that particular product, but if it's a F40, it's a T12 and that type of lamp is not a good choice for aquarium lighting. Output is low, the bulb is large (fat) and takes up way too much room. Plus, it is likely not to have good reflectors that are essential in keeping anything other than fish which it is probably an acceptable light for. IMO if you are starting out, go for the very best light you can afford and you will not regret it later on when you start to think about corals, etc, and realize yopu just don't have enough light.

 

[jrcorbin]

Thanks for the info
I had a feeling it was too good to be true, a good light for less then $10 :

I have a plain 48" florescent bulb over the tank right now, guess I'll start looking around for a T5

 

[nordy]

Those standard 48" aquarium lights are fine for fish only tanks-I had one for years when my tank was fowlr. What you need to consider when upgrading your lights is wattage-my T5 fixture is nominally rated at about 6W/gal
(324/55) which is in the range to support most any coral, depending on tank placement. Other fixture attributes such as reflectors (individual or group) are important in determining how effective any light fixture is. MH lights are popular, powerful, and expensive.

 

[yank30265]

I was going to use two 36in 10000k (30 watt)high intensity w/ 2 36in actinic blue 30w on a 125. Id have live rock during and after the cycle small fish untill I get Halides; then corals and inverts. Would this work or would i be wasting my money