Coralife 05509 Mini Compact Fluorescent 50/50 Colormax Lamp, 10-Watt

I use two of these bulbs in the hood of a 10 gallon freshwater tank.

Pros:

-gives off a lot of light

-makes your tank look really good, you can really see fish coloration

-uses very little electricity

-does not generate much heat

Cons:

-don't seem to last long, 3-4 months usually (I have purchased them from Amazon, and from a couple of local pet stores-they all seem to have the same lack of longevity no matter where they come from)

-you will need a dark hiding spot for anyone who doesn't

like to be in the bright light

-I have higher green algae growth, vs 'yellow' incandescent bulbs

-does not generate much heat (only bad if you do not use a heater and rely on the bulb to warm your water)

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Edit 4/4/2011: Rating lowered to 2 stars. These bulbs are not as waterproof or water resistant as they should be, I went to change one of these that went out (I keep a couple of incandescent bulbs for temporary use when one of these dies) and I could smell the odor of burnt plastic coming from the tank hood. I removed the bulb and found scorch marks on the plastic base where the glass tube enters. The bulb had accumulated water inside the base (which came out black) and I'm guessing caught fire.

After multiple attempts to contact them the manufacturer will not respond to inquiries about why these bulbs do not last very long or why the one bulb was not appropriately waterproof or water resistant. I don't think I will be buying more of this bulb-unless the manufacturer decides to reply to my questions and stand behind their product, or improve it.

I have been using this bulb for about a couple weeks now and It works great! When I had my original incandescent lighting that came with the lid of my aquarium, it looked very yellow which didn't look amusing...After installing 2 of these in my 10 Gallon tank, the whole tank just lit up and I can see everything in a more natural setting. The white/blue light went perfect for my aquarium. The fishes are brighter, plants are more vibrant, and my water looks a lot clearer too! I have freshwater tropical fishes and it is just looks good! Imagine a saltwater tank underneath these lights! Although I should of gotten the 20 Watt instead of the 10 watt. Oh well, Next time...I would recommend this light, if you want a cheap up-grade, for around $8 bucks, it's well worth the look of your tank or whatever your using it for.

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Nice aquarium light, but one of them only lasted a couple of weeks then went out. No warranty.

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This bulb gives off plenty of light and almost no heat whatsoever. It does make the aquarium looks nice, but I don't like how it makes my fish look. The blueish tinge to the light makes them look sickly next to the other aquarium with a white CF. I suppose it is a personal like or dislike and really has nothing to do with the bulb because it does work as advertised.

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This is a wonderful light for your fish tank. I was unable to find it in the store, so was happy to find in through Amazon.

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