Fluorescent light bulbs? colormax?

[hellann]

Hi! I was sold new lightbulbs for my 10 gal tank (full hood, takes 2 bulbs). (I have 3 female Bettas, and now 6 ghost shrimp! OY! plus plants and low gravel)
I had the $2.00 Walmart bulbs in there, 15 Watts each. After a month, the light in there was looking really yellowy-orange. I have live plants, and they didn't seem to be happy at all either.
Anyway, my LFS sold me these not cheap, CORALIFE Mimi Compact Fluorescent COLORMAX 10 Watt, freshwater aquarium daylight lamp (bulbs). They have a very pale pink color to the bulb (didn't notice until they were home). The light coming from them has a definite pinkish-purple hue. Esp seen in the darker hours of the day.
I can tell they are brighter light. I took one out and put in one of the old ones, and I could tell the diff from one side of the tank to the other!
I had thought I wanted full spectrum bulbs. Do these qualify? And did I really want full spec? LOL Does the color to the bulb really matter, other than it is annoying to me? Will it harm my fish? The plants so far haven't keeled over, but it's only been 2 days.
Any opinions? Thanks!

[hellann]

* That should read Mini, not Mimi! LOL sorry!

[amanichen]

hellann said:

I had thought I wanted full spectrum bulbs. Do these qualify? And did I really want full spec? LOL Does the color to the bulb really matter, other than it is annoying to me? Will it harm my fish? The plants so far haven't keeled over, but it's only been 2 days.

Most aquarium bulbs are "full spectrum" bulbs, with some bands of frequencies (colors) being more intense than others to promote fish color, or help plants, etc. The overall color of the bulb is measured in Kelvins, which is an equivalent black body radiation temperature. It's more of a useful measure to you for what color the light is, but doesn't help when selecting a bulb for a particular purpose unless you also have a frequency breakdown.

I did some research on the bulb, and while I couldn't find a spectrum breakdown, there's apparently three different versions of that bulb:

www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9870&cm_mmc=Shopping%20Portal-_-Froogle-_-Fish-_-Coralife%20Colormax%20Mini%20Compact%20Bulb&OVMKT=K3QPUMA15VGJPI32VHS07EP4RS&ref=3312&subref=AA&GCID=C12188x003&ctt=60

store.seacorals.net/cointoflcoda.html

The "all glass" version is supposedly the plant growing one, and you picked up the "Colormax" version. I'd go back to the LFS and see if they have the "all glass" version.

[hellann]

Thank you! I am a terrible googler! LOL I couldn't find that info. I will go back and look in a week or two when I get back into town. He had to go to the back room to get even these, so I am not holding on to much luck. I know these are better than what I had at least. Thank you for your info.