[Zarathustra]

Okay so, I've had my tank for about a year. When I first got it I went to a small little fish store and asked about some stuff. They told me to get some sort of blue bulb that would bring out the color of my fish more or something like that. I went and bought them (Either at Wal*Mart or Petsmart, I can't remember which) and they looked really nice. They weren't blue-blue where it looked like I had put food coloring in the tank or anything, but it gave it a nice blueish tint that made everything look really nice (and did bring out the fish color). Eventually they burned out after a while and I tried to buy some new ones, but I bought some other that had a sort of purple-ish blue tint on them but shined totally whiteish yellow (like a regular lamp bulb). I don't really like how they look, so I finally tried to find some more of the blue ones tonight. I didn't end up getting ones that turned out white this time, but instead ones that basically look like I've just put a blue christmas light on the tank. I can't remember what the ones I had before were, only that that the bulbs themselves were a blue color.
So could anyone help me figure out what kind of bulb it was? I can't for the life of me remember what they were and would really like to figure this out because I loved how they looked. I've tried googling and can't really seem to find much.

 

[WhiteGloveAquatics]

Screw in medium base would just be a blue aquarium bulb, I forget the name on the box but they are tube style medium base blue glass bulbs.

 

[Zarathustra]

Screw in medium base would just be a blue aquarium bulb, I forget the name on the box but they are tube style medium base blue glass bulbs.

That doesn't really help me much. What I already have are the screw-in type bulbs (it's a small 10g tank, so nothing is big for it). I'm just trying to find what these "blue" bulbs were. Like, if they have a certain name or something.

 

[darkroomdweller6]

You could always try a 10W compact fluorescent at about 6700K for the color temperature. If you ask at Walmart or Home Depot or something like that, they'll know what you're talking about.

 

[Zarathustra]

You could always try a 10W compact fluorescent at about 6700K for the color temperature. If you ask at Walmart or Home Depot or something like that, they'll know what you're talking about.

Would those be that blue-ish color though? That's what I'm looking for. I can find regular white bulbs all day.
My WalMart = crap. They can't tell you where anything is. Asking them would be like asking a wall.

 

[susankat]

Walmarts usually keep them in the pet section. Petsmart sells them but they are usually in a 2 pack with one being white and one blue. And they sit off to the side of the other lights.

 

[Zarathustra]

Walmarts usually keep them in the pet section. Petsmart sells them but they are usually in a 2 pack with one being white and one blue. And they sit off to the side of the other lights.

I know where WalMart keeps them. I actually went today and tried to buy some more. What I got looked like a sort of light blue on the bulb and were called "Aquarium Plant Growth Bulbs" but when I put them in they were the same yellow-white color.
When I looked at my Petsmart they only had the blue light that looks like I put food dye in the water (they also had green) that came in a single pack of one (and they only had one).

I tried to look around online with the suggestion from Darkroom about the "10W compact fluorescent" bulbs and somehow came across this: Amazon.com: Coralife Mini Compact Fluorescent 50/50 Bulb: Kitchen & Dining Does anyone know if these are any good?

 

[robertmathern]

those are pretty good. that is 1 10,000k and one attinic. it will be mostly white but have a hint of blue in it.

 

[Zarathustra]

those are pretty good. that is 1 10,000k and one attinic. it will be mostly white but have a hint of blue in it.

That's kind of what I want. I just don't like this yellow-white that I seem to keep getting. It tends to make everything look... dirty.

 

[beaslbob]

Have you looked in the wall mart's lighting section.

Look For a GE pig tail bulb that has the numbers "6500k" done the side like this:

6
5
0
0
k

They give you a white blue effect that I really like.


my .02

 

[Zarathustra]

Have you looked in the wall mart's lighting section.

Look For a GE pig tail bulb that has the numbers "6500k" done the side like this:

6
5
0
0
k

They give you a white blue effect that I really like.


my .02

Would that fit in a 10g hood though? I'm always worried anything not specifically made for that won't fit right. I'll be sure to look next time I go though. Do you know (roughly) how much they cost?

 

[Zarathustra]

Well, apparently the "blue" bulb I got that previously made the tank look like I'd just dumped a bucket of blue food dye in it now makes the tank look green. WTF. These bulbs are frustrating me to no end.