Diy compact florescent lighting

[McDoogal]

Its very simple, I used a couple ceramic bases from home depot clamp lamps and zip tied them into the center support and made reflectors, the lights don't get hot enough to need splash guards, but the do get some build up on them over time. I use there 23 w 5000k cf bulbs and the do the hob very well!

[alta678]

Very nice! Did all your plant growth come with this light set up? Nice duckweed growth too! :D

[McDoogal]

Yep those light are a big part of it, I also use ecocomplete substrate and diy co2 injection with a jacobs ladder diffuser, I also do 2x weekly flourish and flourish excell.

[Deltad]

that certainly is a nice lush tank! goes to show that you don't need fancy lights to grow plants! (but don't tell me that. lol...)

[NursePlaty]

I use a similar setup, instead of 5000K, get 6500K for better plant growth. They are at Lowes, 4x 23W for 11$.

[McDoogal]

I read somewhere that these 5000k bulbs put out as much intensity around 650-700 nm as the 6700k does and higher intensity at 420 nm than the 6700k. So I figured even though the k temp wasn't ideal it would be a better bulb.

[NursePlaty]

the intensity is the same because its the same wattage. but the spectrum is better for plants. Kelvin is just the color. Plants grow best with colors/spectrums from 6700K bulbs than 5000K. 5000K is too yellow, 6500K's are more whitish.

[chindtown]

Between 5000k - 6700k bulbs are used for growing plants. The Closer you get to 2700k the better it is for flowering the plant.
If you change the light cycle to 12/12 your plants will start developing bulbs.