# Perfect lighting spectrum mbuna 125 aquarium



## Larry1981 (Feb 3, 2009)

I know some of you will critique me for this one, but go ahead it's all go. Here it is, I've been using the same lamps that came with the tank for 11yrs. No they haven't blown ( surprised? ). I take great in my opinion. I clean my bulbs with Luke warm water once every 6 months ( take out wipe down ) and I break down the entire fixture and vacuum out the lose dust ( also wipe the ballist and wires with Luke warm water. Let really good before plugging them in and on ).

These lamps are the best I've ever used, unfortunately they don't make them anymore or I just haven't look that hard.

They're are labled " Perfect-A-Lamp Model No. F30T5 "....

Well, the time has finally come, my lamps have lost their intensity.

I went to LFS and bought new lamps, brought them back home installed them and gave my tank a green color. Lamp " Aqua-Glo 30w T5., so I took them back with water sample( Its not my 1st rodeo ( Simple way to test your water for an algae bloom, if not visible to the eye like it is if google images of algae bloom. when. Take white butter (not clear) fill it with water from your aquarium hold it up to the light and sure enough you'll see a green tint )it comes to dealing with this store in particular, I don't blame them for trying not make a refund ). I walked in the store to return them and the employee who sold them asked what wrong with the lamps which he recommend for Mbuna setup. I told him they had to much of green tint, as I suspected he told me I was dealing with a common algea bloom ( I didnt even say anything I handed him the dish he held it up to the light no green tint, yet he still implied it was an algae bloom. I just said, "Dude! Please use your test kit. Test negative for algae.

Got my $40.00 back plus the $9.50 I paid for a male Yellow Lab, steep I know for YL ( I like it didn't take it back ). I didn't realize until I got home that so called let him he over refunded me and they I'll be dropping the amount over refunded off Monday. Why? because I'm honest and support local stores and not commercial.

I went to another LFS closer to home and settled for Marine-Glo too blue(looks like blue neon you would see under a car at night), but hey it looks cool at night.

Now, here's the point....

I want to know what choice you would you make for lighting a African Cichlid aquarium ( my fixture is a 72" strip that houses to 36" T5 lamps end to end )?

I was thinking Power-Glo, but I don't know how they wil look in person.....

P.s. Sorry for writing a book here. ALSO FOR MISSING OR MISS SPELLED WORDS!
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3 False electric blues (2 females 1 male and 15 fry)
3 Yellow Lab.'s (2 females 1 male and 5 mutt fry more on the way from both females yellow lab.'s mixed with Ice Blue. That's why I bought the male mentioned above it's hope stoping it)
2 Red Zebras (1 male 1 female and 23 fry and more on the way
1 Powder blue also mates with the Ice Blue he is the dominate of the setup
3 Ice blue all male bad idea and mistake I thought 2 were female dark purple with sunburst orange fins. The dominate one stands true to the name given when terrorizing the setup other wise he is a very pale purple when calm
1 stripe darter caught out of the Little Miami River here in Cincinnati. I caught him to control the fry. What he can't eat I give a way and keep a few of the females.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Bulb temperatures have more to do with how they look rather than the brand.
There's a pretty good article here. As far as manufacturers go, check the reviews section.
Also, daylight (~6500K) and blue actinic are fairly popular combinations with mbuna.


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## fatcat660 (Nov 29, 2005)

Just switched to a marineland double bright LED system for my mbuna tank it looks awsome.


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## kriskm (Dec 1, 2009)

My lights have one T5 6700k bulb and one T5 Colormax bulb by Coralife. They give the tank a bright, daylight look, more natural than actinic bulbs.


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