Question about compact florescent

[joeyfromlawrenceville]

I opened up my Aquapod and turned on the lights and I noticed that the dual compact florescent lights don't actually burn bright on both sides. The blue actinic doesn't seem to light at all on one side, and the daylight bulb only one side is real bright, the other is about 1/2 as bright if that. Is this normal or is this a problem I should check out?

Thanks,

[intimatecple]

You just bought this setup??? I would take the hood back for exchange

[joeyfromlawrenceville]

I have not paid any attention to a dual tube power compacts in a pet store. Does yours light up as bright on both tubes with BOTH actinic and daylight bulbs , are they both bad?
Thanks,

[OldMan]

The combination bulbs do look like they are not lit up on half of the bulb. The bulb has a bright actinic tube and a dim blue tube. It is one of the reasons that those bulbs do not interest me but is perfectly normal for that type of bulb. If you had a straight actinic bulb, the whole thing should look the same. From one bulb to the next, the bulbs should look alike if they are both the same type.

[joeyfromlawrenceville]

I have read enough now to where I am convinced it is the nature of the CP bulbs. I will know for sure when I replace them a year or so from now ,I guess.
I wanted an all in one aquarium for my bed room for aesthetic reasons, just like to look of closed cube ,neatly plumbed w/rear sump. Guess it is the price you pay for that type of set up. MH type lighting would be a problem due to the temps our house gets in the upstairs during the summer daytime. Might reach 80 degrees air temp, figure the tank would hit 85-87 w/o a chiller, then who wants to go to sleep w that thing running

thanks to all for your thoughts,
Joey

[Kurt_Nelson]

It's not the nature of PC (Power Compact) bulbs to be like that, but maybe just the way that particular setup is on the Aquapod. Not sure, since I'm not familiar with that.

My light fixture (Coralife Power Compacts) is two separate, dual tube bulbs - one is a 10k, the other an actinic. Both tubes burn the same brightness while they are on.

[joeyfromlawrenceville]

Thanks Kurt,
I sent a picture to Current to see what they say, the reason I bought a Current Aquapod is what I have heard of their customer service dept. We'll see what type of response I get from them.
Thanks again