Hagen A1638 40-Watt Life-Glo Fluorescent Bulb, 48-Inch

I bought this for my 75 gallon aquarium. I have some plants and so far so good. It penetrates well all the way down to the bottom. It is a nice bright white light and gives my aquarium and great look. It runs quietly and it does not put off a lot of heat. I really like it. Hopefully my plants will do well. I have had them in the aquarium with the light since I got the light and so far so good. :-) I will post if there are any major changes. Highly recommend this light and all Hagen bulbs.

I don't have a high-tech setup on my tank with multiple ballasts and fixtures. Just a 48" strip. In fact, this bulb was ordered to replace the Hagen Aqua-Glo that came with it, and I couldn't be happier. I was stoked when the timer clicked, and I saw the tank for the first time. The color (6700K) is great for viewing but also optimal for plant growth (as plants require a color in the region of 5500 6500K). I still find aquarium lighting to be a somewhat confusing topic; however, the Kelvin color scale (K) is the key. Pay close attention to the color of the bulb you are buying depending upon your purposes.

I also appreciate the fact that this single bulb has a little more wattage (40 as compared to 32) than the majority 48" VHO fluorescents out there. 1-2 watts/gallon is suggested for a planted tank; however, too much light grows increasing amounts of algae. I intend to stick with the Life-Glo when I replace the bulb next year...manufacturer recommends replacement every 8-12 months. Basically growing plants is trial and error in the aquarium. With experience you will come to realize what species work well in your tank and which do not; however, you must provide all plants with "the big 3" (suitable light source, carbon, fertilizer) and leave the rest to nature. As with the previous reviewer, I too will post an update should I not be satisfied with long-term results.

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