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Re: CF comparisons

Kyle10500 at webtv_net (Kyle) wrote:

> A few months ago I purchased 2 Custom SeaLife Brite Lites-36" 96w each
> from That Pet Place. Started ordering some stuff from Big Al's recently
> and with last shipment got a catalog. 
> 
> Listed: All Glass Products
>            Compact Fluorescent Strip Lights
>             36" 110watts Black or Oak
>              $94.00 each
>              9325K bulbs included
> 
> The CS Brite lites are 36" 96w, 6700K. Paid 129.99 per unit.  Someone
> tell me I didn't screw up and pay $70.00 more for lesser lighting. Has
> anyone used the All Glass fixtures? 
> 

AFAIK, the All Glass fixtures have a flat aluminum reflector and the bulbs 
are held almost touching the reflector. Bad in terms of optical efficiency. 
The CS Brites on the contrary seem to have a better designed refelector, so 
they should be more efficient than AG's, and by a significant margin. Also, 
the CS Brites seem to be all-aluminum construction, which should help in 
cooling, so you should get longer bulb life from them. The ABS strip lites 
made by the aquarium companies usually suck in that department, they enclose 
the bulbs so tightly that they operate at a warmer temperature they are 
designed for. I don't think you screw up, you just got a better product.

> Also, replacement bulbs at Big Al's for the All Glass are, from what I
> can tell, about 25 to 30 dollars cheaper than TPP's replacement for CS.
> The AG replacements are only listed as 10,000K, 50/50, and Actinic. Does
> anyone know if these replacements would be OK for a freshwater planted
> and fish tank(125g) and if they would fit a CS fixture?
>

The AG fixture uses 55 Watt PC bulbs, it accepts any 55 Watt biax bulb with
a 2G11 base (4 pins in a row). The CS Britelite use 96 Watt bulbs, so they 
won't work with the 55 Watt type. I don't know what type of base (socket)
they have, but I wouldn't be surprised if they opted for the "Japanese"
4-pin-in-a-square layout, just to be different...

> Kyle, kickin' his own a** in
> TN US

- Ivo Busko
  Baltimore, MD