time to replace bulbs

[blizowman1]

So I'm coming up on time to replace my bulbs in my 3x54w t5ho Catalina aquarium fixture. It's sitting on top of my 90g planted tank... I need help deciding on which brand bulb to replace them with.... I've been looking at geisemann bulbs, probably 2 midday and 1 aqua flora...

Or I could just replace them with Catalina aquarium bulbs or just get some cheaper bulbs but I'm not sure if its worth buying the more expensive ones or not...... Please let me know what you guys use and what you think I should buy

 

[thegasman]

I tried one purple lamp in my 4 lamp set up and it really made the fish and plants pop.

 

[Tom Barr]

For just 3 bulbs:

GE starcoat(white and bright)
Aquawave "sunwave"(higher K) and a "red wave"(lower K).

these are all good bulbs and relative cheap.

If you want a freaky Red the URI red sun is the ticket, and a blue but not too blue: ATI blue special.

A moderate dimmer red bulb not so freaky: Coralife colormax

Gieseman Aqua Flora are not bad, nor are Zoomed bulbs(Sun and flora and cheap too)

 

[blizowman1]

are the geiesmann bulbs spending the extra money on are they that higher of quality

 

[blizowman1]

Ok so I went ahead and ordered the giesemann bulbs for my tank I ended up getting 2- 6000k midday and 1- aquaflora. And I have to say I am loving the way they look. They aren't as bright to the eye as the catalina bulbs I had but they make my tank look great.

Before replacement

After replacement

I've also read that the dimmer the light is actually better for the planted tank because it means less in the green spectrum which the plants don't really use... Even with it dimmer I noticed I had to bump up my co2 to get my drop checker to turn green

 

[thewizardhunter]

giesemann lamps

I've used giesemann T5s in the past. They do give your aquarium a whole new look. I found the lighting I used made the tank come to life and look more realistic. Now I have a Jewel Rio 240 with two 54w T5s in the hood but because they are 1047mm not the standard length for 54w T5s, I'll just have to stick with them. Don't want to splash out on a conopy or luminaire

 

[rwong2k]

hello,

was it hard to change the bulbs out of the catalina fixture?

I am planning on buying one of their t5 fixtures but my friend has one and he mentioned it was a pain to change the bulbs in these fixtures?

I'll have to ask him exactly what was the difficult part

thanks

Ray