# [Wet Thumb Forum]-new lighting solution (large super bright spiral CFL bulb)



## Kurt Reinhart (Mar 4, 2003)

A new LFS in the area had some large and super bright spiral CFL bulbs over their reeftanks. The owner told me he purchased his large spiral bulbs over the net. Here is the link for the site:
http://www.topbulb.com/find/Product...oductID_E_49655

This company appears to be a bulb supplier. The link shows the large super bright spiral CFL bulb used by the LFS. On the box (leftover at LFS), the bulb uses ~105 watts but emits ~500 watts of light (6500K). They cost $30 each and are real eye burners. The webpage mentions multiply the watts consumed times 4 to figure out the watts emitted. However, I think the manufacturers packaging actually multiples times 5... Coming up with a reflector for such a big bulb may be challenging. However, a basic clamp-on shop light with reflector or reptile heat lamp equivalent from PetSmart would work. So the fixtures and bulbs are pretty cheap to purchase (~$50 for ~500 watts of light) and operate. The rated life is 10,000hrs (I think this is standard for CF lighting). This lighting setup might function well as poor mans metal halides. However, they will require a much taller canopy or open top design so those of you with stream-lined canopies and smaller tanks may not be that interested. The LFS just had open top tanks.

The site also has metal halide bulbs, linear fluorescents (T5, etc), etc. Anyway, this might be any interesting and cheap lighting solution for planted tanks. It would be great to hear some feedback on these bulbs to hear if they are a viable option to include in lighting tanks. Has anyone used these things?


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## Kurt Reinhart (Mar 4, 2003)

A new LFS in the area had some large and super bright spiral CFL bulbs over their reeftanks. The owner told me he purchased his large spiral bulbs over the net. Here is the link for the site:
http://www.topbulb.com/find/Product...oductID_E_49655

This company appears to be a bulb supplier. The link shows the large super bright spiral CFL bulb used by the LFS. On the box (leftover at LFS), the bulb uses ~105 watts but emits ~500 watts of light (6500K). They cost $30 each and are real eye burners. The webpage mentions multiply the watts consumed times 4 to figure out the watts emitted. However, I think the manufacturers packaging actually multiples times 5... Coming up with a reflector for such a big bulb may be challenging. However, a basic clamp-on shop light with reflector or reptile heat lamp equivalent from PetSmart would work. So the fixtures and bulbs are pretty cheap to purchase (~$50 for ~500 watts of light) and operate. The rated life is 10,000hrs (I think this is standard for CF lighting). This lighting setup might function well as poor mans metal halides. However, they will require a much taller canopy or open top design so those of you with stream-lined canopies and smaller tanks may not be that interested. The LFS just had open top tanks.

The site also has metal halide bulbs, linear fluorescents (T5, etc), etc. Anyway, this might be any interesting and cheap lighting solution for planted tanks. It would be great to hear some feedback on these bulbs to hear if they are a viable option to include in lighting tanks. Has anyone used these things?


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## dissident (Sep 6, 2005)

I use 4 bulbs (30w, say they output 120W) similar to these 6500K on the back of my 65 for extra lighting. I could not honestly reccomend them for larger tanks at all. The 4 combined do not put out 1/2 the light intensity as a single 96W PC. Bout I would say go for it on smaller tanks 45gal and less. The bulbs you are looking at my work better ~105W. I'd give it a try and see.
BTW, they get HOT, hotter then the 96W PCs I have!


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