Planted tank Ge aqua rays, or chroma 50's

Sebastian · 12-01-2003, 07:42 AM

My 20 gallon has a 2 20 (24") florecesnts on it, and right now ive got chroma 50's (5000k) bulbs on it. as ive have been reading the ge aquarays are the ticket, should i switch my bulbs because i cant get my plants to out grow the algae.

**GulfCoastAquarian** · 12-01-2003, 01:45 PM

The Chroma 50's are pretty decent plant bulbs. Here's how they stood up to the GE Aqua Rays in this comparison.

Chroma 50
Watts: 40
Max. lumens: 10100
Rated lumens: 2250
Effic.: 0.22
PAR uE/s: 39.2
PAReff uE/s/Watt: 0.980
PUR Total uE/s: 21.2
PUR Blue uE/s: 8.1
PUR Red uE/s: 8.8
R/B: 1.09

GE Fresh & Salt (AquaRay)
Watts: 40
Max. lumens: 10000
Rated lumens: 2350
Effic.: 0.24
PAR uE/s: 42.6
PAReff uE/s/Watt: 1.06
PUR Total uE/s: 23.2
PUR Blue uE/s: 12.4
PUR Red uE/s: 7.6
R/B: 0.62

While this doesnt' necessarily have to make much sense to you, the GE bulbs are slightly more efficient, but not enough to warrant replacing your bulbs. My first recommendation would be to add another 20 watt bulb, to increase lighting to 3watts per gallon, but I'm willing to bet algae will simply grow even faster.

You've probably got a nutrient imbalance. Get a Nitrate and Phosphate test kit and let us know those two parameters and I'm pretty sure we'll be able to help you overcome your algae woes.

Sebastian · 12-01-2003, 07:28 PM

ok ill see what the phosphate is; i also just checked my nitrate and it is about 15, not quite 20.

12-01-2003, 01:45 PM	#2
GulfCoastAquarian Planted Tank VIP (View User Tanks) PTrader: (6/100%) Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Winston-Salem, NC Posts: 3,577	The Chroma 50's are pretty decent plant bulbs. Here's how they stood up to the GE Aqua Rays in this comparison. Chroma 50 Watts: 40 Max. lumens: 10100 Rated lumens: 2250 Effic.: 0.22 PAR uE/s: 39.2 PAReff uE/s/Watt: 0.980 PUR Total uE/s: 21.2 PUR Blue uE/s: 8.1 PUR Red uE/s: 8.8 R/B: 1.09 GE Fresh & Salt (AquaRay) Watts: 40 Max. lumens: 10000 Rated lumens: 2350 Effic.: 0.24 PAR uE/s: 42.6 PAReff uE/s/Watt: 1.06 PUR Total uE/s: 23.2 PUR Blue uE/s: 12.4 PUR Red uE/s: 7.6 R/B: 0.62 While this doesnt' necessarily have to make much sense to you, the GE bulbs are slightly more efficient, but not enough to warrant replacing your bulbs. My first recommendation would be to add another 20 watt bulb, to increase lighting to 3watts per gallon, but I'm willing to bet algae will simply grow even faster. You've probably got a nutrient imbalance. Get a Nitrate and Phosphate test kit and let us know those two parameters and I'm pretty sure we'll be able to help you overcome your algae woes. __________________ - Sam P - plantedtanker in limbo - all tanks currently in storage

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12-01-2003, 07:42 AM	#1
Sebastian Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 8	My 20 gallon has a 2 20 (24") florecesnts on it, and right now ive got chroma 50's (5000k) bulbs on it. as ive have been reading the ge aquarays are the ticket, should i switch my bulbs because i cant get my plants to out grow the algae.

12-01-2003, 07:28 PM	#3
Sebastian Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 8	ok ill see what the phosphate is; i also just checked my nitrate and it is about 15, not quite 20.