28/32W Actinic 03 - 12 11/16 Inch - Square Pin Base - TRU

Item Code: 3000001

Features:

* Finally, a true Actinic CF bulb!
* Panasonic style base (GY10q) Square Pin arrangement.
* Specifically engineered to benefit the growth of marine life.
* Contains real actinic phosphors similar to proven Super Actinic.
* Emits light that peaks at 420 and 430nm.
* Works in any standard 28W OR 32W Square Pin fixture.
* Note: Bulbs are stamped "28W", but they will work fine in 32W fixtures. It's the ballast that drives the bulb, so if you have a 32W ballast, a 28W bulb will run at 32W and vice versa.

Dimensions:

12 11/16" overall length

Whats in the box:

1- 28W/ 32W Actinic 03 lamp

Availability:

Usually ships same business day

Warranty:

30 day Hellolights warranty

More Info:

*** FAQ:
Q. Are these bulbs 28W or 32W?
A. (Note: This applies to both Compact Fluorescent and Fluorescent bulbs only.) Actual wattage to the lamp is primarily a factor of the lamp electrical characteristics and the ballast driving the lamp. Without getting too technical, the wattage marking on the lamp does not necessarily determine the actual wattage to the lamp. (i.e. you could have 96W to a lamp that is marked 28W!!) Fixtures with different ballast will have different wattage to the lamp and as such the wattage marking on the lamp is for reference only.
Actual wattage to the lamp operated by electronic ballast can only be measured using special high frequency wattage measuring equipment. Input wattage to the ballast is not a direct indication of wattage to the lamp.
Simply put, 28W and 32W lamps have same or similar electrical characteristics and therefore if one replaces either lamp into a given fixture (either a 28W or 32W system) then the wattage to the lamps will be driven by the ballast(s) of such system. Wattage to the lamp determines lumen output or total light output of the lamp.
Conclusion: Lamps marked 28W or 32W can be interchanged with similar or equivalent light output performance. The ballast drives the bulb.
Q. What's the difference between a "Blue 7,100K" and "Actinic 03" bulb?
A. Excellent question! OK, a little background: The original "Actinic 03" bulb was made by Philips. They were not made for aquarium use, but were adopted once news spread about the beneficial aspects of using this bulb over reef tanks. Nowadays, "Actinic 03" has become the marketing term used to identify "blue" looking bulbs. Many bulbs are passed off as "actinic", when they are just a blue bulb.
So, to answer the question, Blue 7,100K bulbs are visually brighter than HelloLights Actinic bulbs. Blue bulbs will NOT fluoresce your animals as well as our Actinic bulbs. Many others sell "actinic", but they are really selling blue bulbs. The phosphors coating the interior of our Actinic bulbs are specially formulated to produce a narrow spike of concentrated violet/blue light. This is why they appear to be more faint than blue bulbs. If you have tons-o-corals, then we suggest going with Actinic 03. Remember, a visual measurement of a lights utility is a poor one.
General CF Questions.
Q. I don't see a particular color temp (K) or base style (Square / Straight pin) that I am looking for. Can you get it?
A. We stock the most popular color temps and bases available. We also can have a new style bulb made, if demand warrants. Let us know what you're looking for. If we get enough requests, we'll try and source it, or have it made.
Q. My CF bulbs keep breaking, why is that?
A. We'd suspect that your lamp clips are too tight. Stretch them out lightly. The most common breaks we hear about are on the ends of the 2 tubes, where they are connected. This is a fragile area, and it can crack if you are not careful.
Q. What is better, Square Pin or Straight Pin??
A. This is a matter or opinion. But, Square pin is the more popular of the two. Square pin is also a little longer and wider than straight pin, so theoretically, you'd get more surface area that's lighting your tank.
To avoid problems with CF bulbs & ballasts, we recommend:
1) Mount electronic ballasts as far away from heat sources as possible (this would include bulbs as a heat source).
2) Do not mount ballasts in any high humidity areas (ie. above sump, etc).
3) Avoid unnecessarily removing Compact Fluorescent bulbs once they are in place. Glass bulbs are fragile, so take care when handling them.
4) Make sure they are pushed all the way into their sockets.
5) Mount behind glass or acrylic 3-6" above the water. Do NOT operate any bulb directly over exposed water!
6) Securely mount all endcap cords, as loose cords can be pulled on accidentally, resulting in bulb breakage.
7) Most photo periods are between 8-12 hours, depending on specimen needs.