# help me find suitable tubes



## Keith S (Apr 16, 2006)

Hi all
Coming from the UK i seem to be having some problems tracking down the GE 9323k bulb which seems so good, but I was wondering if any of these would be a good compromise,
http://www.bltdirect.com/product.php?pid=5975&cat=
http://www.bltdirect.com/product.php?pid=7831&cat=

Any thought much appreciated, also if anyone from the UK could tell me where they get there tubes from.

Many thanks
Keith


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

They do not list any particulars about the bulbs. i.e. color temp, lumens or spectral output. They sound like they could be Philips bulbs as this type of CF begins with PLL (even thou they list the multiphosphour as Osram). The PLL 950 has a nice white light and has good peaks for plant growth and is 92 CRI. Here is a spectral output graph for it:









I have used them in conjunction with grolux and grolux WS for about 5 years now. You can email Philips by going to their website CONTACT and ask if they are their bulbs and if they have spectral output graphs for them.


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## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

hey there,

Frankly, I love the super daylight 10,000K's if you are talking about CF bulbs. I have had wonderful plant growth from them, and they would be close (as far as K's) to the GE bulb you were talking about.


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## freydo (Jan 7, 2006)

you can try: http://www.aquariumsuperstore.co.uk

they have giesemann and arcadia, but the prices are double of BLT. however i have the giesemann daylight bulbs and they are great bulbs.

hope this helps


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

It is very difficult to compare kelvin values of differnt bulbs especially different manufactures as they assign a K-value just as much based on the kelvin temp of the bulb as they do marketing hype, if not more so. Also, the GE 9325 has a very low CRI (only 67) and they appear a pinkish red when put next to some 10,000K bulbs.

Don't be fooled by color temperature as an indication of what wavelength of light may or may not be present. The emitted wavelengths of light of two bulbs with the same color temperature could be wildly different. Therefore, color temperature is not what you should use to determine useful light for growing plants. It will, however, give you an idea of how things in your tank will look. For example, the sky has a color temperature of 10,000K and looks blue. Lighting that has a higher color temperature, indicating that it is bluish, does point to the fact that blue wavelengths are dominant. This, in turn, just means that it will activate green plants in the blue range, which is a good thing, and enhance blue fish.

The Kelvin color designation of a particular bulb is not always true to the black body locus line on a CIE Chromaticity map. This is why some 5000K bulbs look yellow and others white, especially when trying to compare a linear fluorescent with a CF or MH.


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## zig (Jul 3, 2005)

Much better selection from from these guys http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/860-and-865-Daylight_11;jsessionid=ac112b6c1f4341189767dc2143a7b4addfa886696c80.e3eTaxiMa38Te3uObh8SaNuQay1ynknvrkLOlQzNp65In0

Look up daylight 860 0r 865 in the index these are the tubes we are interested in. Very difficult to find the Philips PLL 950 bulbs in europe unless you want to buy them in quantities of 10, I have not come across a site that sells them individually yet, would be very interested if anyone has any ideas.

The GE 9325k tubes are not sold in europe as far as I know and as Newt says the CRI on these bulbs is very low anyway.

The company in the link above will only ship to the UK as far as I know.

Edit: wow monster size link, how did that happen! should work anyway.


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## Keith S (Apr 16, 2006)

Thanks guys for the replys, have got the lamps I need, the same ones as in zigs reply, 2 bulbs for £16.00 including postage, compared to £33.00 for Arcadia tubes, huge saveings to be had if you shop around.
Many thanks
Keith


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

zig said:


> Much better selection from from these guys http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/860-and-865-Daylight_11;jsessionid=ac112b6c1f4341189767dc2143a7b4addfa886696c80.e3eTaxiMa38Te3uObh8SaNuQay1ynknvrkLOlQzNp65In0
> 
> Very difficult to find the Philips PLL 950 bulbs in europe unless you want to buy them in quantities of 10, I have not come across a site that sells them individually yet, would be very interested if anyone has any ideas.
> 
> ...


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## Addison (Mar 23, 2007)

I think you will find that the GE 9323 lamps are marketd in Europe as Frest Salt & Aqua and you can buy there here http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/Aquarium-10000K_2


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