what color are "cool" white bulbs?

evan · 08-06-2003, 12:04 PM

Right now i have several daylight bulbs. some of them have slightly yellowish color while some are pretty clear white. i was wondering what the regular "cool" white bulbs look like? are they yellowish like the warm white bulbs? im going to home depot, so i want to know if cool white bulbs will work if i get extra wpg to compensate for bad colors. will it make my water look yellow, and can i still grow plants if i get extra wpg? i really don't like yellowish colors tho, but one of my daylight bulbs is pretty yellowish which i don't like. i don't know. basically... what do you think about cool white bulbs? 8)

**GulfCoastAquarian** · 08-06-2003, 01:28 PM

Generally speaking, "Warm" is usually 3700K, "Cool" is 4100K, "Daylight" is >5000K.

Anything less than 5000K is pretty unsuitable for aquarium use and will grow algae better than anything else. But as you have seen, manufacturers can say pretty much anything they want. The color temperature is a somewhat antiquated measure, dating from incandescent bulb days. (It's actually the temperature that the tungsten filament in an incandescent bulb achieves. Each temperature corresponded to a particular "color" up to a point. Past 6000 degrees Kelvin, it does not correlate well.)

**KyleT** · 08-06-2003, 03:26 PM

If you are talking about the Phillips "Daylight" bulbs (the only Daylight bulbs they sell at the Home Depot by me), then they are actually a pretty decent bulb.
Here are the stats:
Lumens: 2325
CRI: 84 (could be higher, but I'm not too worried)
Temperature: 6500K

I like to mix this bulb with what Panasonic calls "Natural Color". It is 5000K and 92 CRI. In my 55 gallon I have 2 "Natural Color" and 2 "Daylight" bulbs. It is pleasing to the eye, and plants.

Kyle

Edit: I just realized that the bulbs are actually called "Daylight Deluxe".

evan · 08-06-2003, 06:01 PM

i got another bulb today at home depot... 19 watts 6500k. now i have 29 watts on 5.5 gallon. yay! 8) it so sunny in my room. JK. it runs pretty hot tho.

08-06-2003, 01:28 PM	#2
GulfCoastAquarian Planted Tank VIP (View User Tanks) PTrader: (6/100%) Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Winston-Salem, NC Posts: 3,577	Generally speaking, "Warm" is usually 3700K, "Cool" is 4100K, "Daylight" is >5000K. Anything less than 5000K is pretty unsuitable for aquarium use and will grow algae better than anything else. But as you have seen, manufacturers can say pretty much anything they want. The color temperature is a somewhat antiquated measure, dating from incandescent bulb days. (It's actually the temperature that the tungsten filament in an incandescent bulb achieves. Each temperature corresponded to a particular "color" up to a point. Past 6000 degrees Kelvin, it does not correlate well.) __________________ - Sam P - plantedtanker in limbo - all tanks currently in storage

08-06-2003, 03:26 PM	#3
KyleT Planted Tank VIP (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 13,534	If you are talking about the Phillips "Daylight" bulbs (the only Daylight bulbs they sell at the Home Depot by me), then they are actually a pretty decent bulb. Here are the stats: Lumens: 2325 CRI: 84 (could be higher, but I'm not too worried) Temperature: 6500K I like to mix this bulb with what Panasonic calls "Natural Color". It is 5000K and 92 CRI. In my 55 gallon I have 2 "Natural Color" and 2 "Daylight" bulbs. It is pleasing to the eye, and plants. Kyle Edit: I just realized that the bulbs are actually called "Daylight Deluxe". __________________ Please Send all Support Requests to forumadmin Bit Of Nothing - Personal Blog

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08-06-2003, 12:04 PM	#1
evan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 319	Right now i have several daylight bulbs. some of them have slightly yellowish color while some are pretty clear white. i was wondering what the regular "cool" white bulbs look like? are they yellowish like the warm white bulbs? im going to home depot, so i want to know if cool white bulbs will work if i get extra wpg to compensate for bad colors. will it make my water look yellow, and can i still grow plants if i get extra wpg? i really don't like yellowish colors tho, but one of my daylight bulbs is pretty yellowish which i don't like. i don't know. basically... what do you think about cool white bulbs? 8)

08-06-2003, 06:01 PM	#4
evan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 319	i got another bulb today at home depot... 19 watts 6500k. now i have 29 watts on 5.5 gallon. yay! 8) it so sunny in my room. JK. it runs pretty hot tho.