Sylvania did not manufacture a 5200K HQI double end tube at all! This is confirmed with the customer service. Indeed, it only manufactures 2 models of double end 150W HQI!
1) HQI-DE150/NDX (product # 64368) - 150W double ended compact metal halide lamp, neutral white,
4200K, horizontal burn, and
2) HQI-DE150/WDX (product # 64366) - 150W double ended compact metal halide lamp, warm white,
3000K, horizontal burn
They also offer a 250W 5200K metal halide but I think it is too strong when used in aquarium (model HQI-SE250/DX 250W, product # 64350 mogul based metal halide lamp, clear, universal burn)
All information listed above is from the sylvania homepage. If you want further information on the products you can go to
www.sylvania.com and click on product catalog. Next, under business lighting click on browse catalog. On the next page click on search catalog and there will be an empty box for you to insert the product number. If you double click in the grey a picture of the product and product information
will appear. If you scroll down, there are additional product documents, graphs and images.
In fresh water aquarium a 4200K may look a little bit yellow, but more importantly, stimulate plants to grow in length, the plant hence looks tall and slender rather than in a more natural manner. I am indeed a victim of this mislead for more than 2 years.
I hope this bit of information can clarify a long-standing mislead that Sylvania offer 5200K 150W metal halide, as even quoted by staff in "永利溫氏電業批發", and all aquarium friends can choose correct lighting for their tank. Always check the model number from the company (rather than believe the shop's staff) is important in order to get correct product infomation.
