Westinghouse Lighting

[76frags]

I just returned from an energy seminar yesterday, and was able to meet with several vendors selling industrial lighting. The Westinghouse brand of T5 HO lighting was stunning. Granted, this lighting is generally used in an industrial application, and the phillips stock bulbs are 54W HO 5000K. I am able to get these light fixtures at a wholesale price, and I'm wondering the general feedback on use with growing corals.

I currently run MH and HQI on all of my tanks, but at 40' the output of these light fixtures was amazing.

(and just for comparison) a fixture with the same output as a 400W MH is under 150.00 - all aluminum - internal ballast, with a 33% savings in energy cost.

Please offer any feedback!

Thanks,
Salty

[outy]

5000k is way to yellow of a light and algea loves that color. For me, no way i'd use it

[76frags]

thats what i'm confused about. the light that comes from these tubes is pure white, but the bulbs have a 5000K rating.

[76frags]

http://www.westinghouselightingsolutions.com/pdf/Hybrid_Series.pdf
http://www.westinghouselightingsolutions.com/pdf/VE_Series.pdf

Here are a couple links to what they look like. I know what you're saying though - I run 14-20,000K on my tanks. I've seen these in person, and I think they look more like 15-20K. They project exactly the same color on the wall as an exposed 14K MH does.

[Tang Salad]

You could always just change out the bulbs, right?

[76frags]

Yes. I asked that also. They were just pushing the Phillips brand.

[Tang Salad]

I'd just double-check that you could use standard aquarium bulbs. Some fixtures are of sizes/wattages/lengths that prohibit use of any of the made-for-aquarium bulbs.

[76frags]

I will look into that. Thank you