# [Wet Thumb Forum]-new philips sunlight bulbs



## Roop (Sep 21, 2004)

i was over at home depot yesterday. i saw the plant & aquarium bulbs that many of your are familiar with. for those of you that aren't, these are T12 florescents that are very pink. they seem to promote plant growth and have the ugliest colour on your fish and plants. they must be balanced with other lights, if you ever plan on looking at your tank.

anyways, the sunlight bulbs don't say much about plants, but they give off 2200 lumens at 40watts and have a CRI of 92! looking at the bulbs they are bright white. colour rendering is perfect with these. i'm currently mixing 2 sunlights and 2 plants & aquarium bulbs for 160watts on my 55gal.

just thouht i'd give a heads up for anyone looking for new bulbs.


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## Roop (Sep 21, 2004)

i was over at home depot yesterday. i saw the plant & aquarium bulbs that many of your are familiar with. for those of you that aren't, these are T12 florescents that are very pink. they seem to promote plant growth and have the ugliest colour on your fish and plants. they must be balanced with other lights, if you ever plan on looking at your tank.

anyways, the sunlight bulbs don't say much about plants, but they give off 2200 lumens at 40watts and have a CRI of 92! looking at the bulbs they are bright white. colour rendering is perfect with these. i'm currently mixing 2 sunlights and 2 plants & aquarium bulbs for 160watts on my 55gal.

just thouht i'd give a heads up for anyone looking for new bulbs.


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## troy_h (Jul 12, 2005)

Phillips currently offers 2 bulbs in a spectrum suitable for planted tanks (at least in the US) the Natural Color series which have a color temp of 5000K and the "Daylight Deluxe" which have a color temp of 6500K, 92 and 84 CRI respectively in the 48" tubes. GE makes a "Sunlight" series in 5000K and a "Chroma 50" as well, I've used them all over the past few years and at least in my area, the Phillips "Daylight" series are the best value costing about 60% less than other options.


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

The "Plant and Aquarium" bulbs are about the same thing as Sylvania's "GroLux WS."

I think the Philips "Natural Color" C50 and Sunlight bulbs are all the same bulbs. They have a 92 CRI rating -- something that's hard to come by. GE and Osram/Sylvania make equivalent bulbs. I haven't tried the Sylvania bulb because I haven't found them available locally. Given a choice between the GE and Philips bulbs I would buy the GE. I don't think the Philips bulb lasts as long.

Home Depot used to carry GE lamps but switched to Philips. I can still get the GE bulbs at Walmart. Walmart is often out of stock.

All of the 5000K, 92CRI lamps grow plants very well and produce beautiful, realistic colors. They are old technology and not especially efficient.

A more modern option is the Philips 32 watt T8 TL950 lamp. It is also 5000K with a 90+ CRI. I don't think it renders colors quite as well as the C50 lamps. Like all other high-CRI lamps, the TL950 is not very efficient. Philips also makes a 36 watt T8 TL'D950, but I don't think that is generally available in the US. Maybe they are available in Canada.

The Philips PLL950 is a similar PC lamp. My 55 watt PCs from AHSupply are PLL950s. They are also generally not available in the US, but might be available in Canada. AHSupply has an unusual source. 


Roger Miller


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## Roop (Sep 21, 2004)

as far as growing plants and looking good, would 4 of the sunlights be better than 2 sunlights and 2 plant/aquairum?

the lumen value is higher with the sunlights but their not the same colour...


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

I don't know what kind of growth difference you might see. The colors should be better with 4 sunlight lamps.


Roger Miller


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## Roop (Sep 21, 2004)

i think i'll do that roger, thanks.


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## Roop (Sep 21, 2004)

i got em.... look a bit greener than i expected but it's most likely the way it should look. i may drop on of those crazy pink bulbs.


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