Xenon Lights

[shobi]

Have anyone tried it?

(copied from the internet.. http://www.xtralights.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=5)

What is HID ?
HID, High Intensity Discharge, (also known as Xenon) refers to lighting technology that relies on an electrical charge to ignite xenon gas in a sealed bulb, similar to the lightning phenomenon in the sky. HID lighting does not have a filament but instead creates light by igniting an electrical discharge between two electrodes in an air tight tiny quartz capsule filled with xenon gas. HID lighting are also called Xenon lighting, referring to the gas inside the bulb.



HID vs. Halogen Technologies
HID lighting improves durability by 10 times as road vibrations can cause damage to halogen filament, but there is nothing to break inside HID bulb. These light sources also produce a blue-white light that is safer because it is closer to natural daylight.
The color temperature is more than 5000K compared to 2300K for halogen. The light output from a 35W HID Xenon lamp is 300% more light than a 55W halogen bulb. The HID Xenon system will also consume much less power from your vehicles electrical system and generate much less heat during operation.

[Cadavillac]

I have retrofitted HID bulbs/ballasts onto my Lincoln for the sake of visibility, but I have no experience with them in the realm of aquarium lighting. I can tell you, however, that the bulbs are are around $100 each so extreme measures should be taken to ensure the bulb comes into contact with absolutely no moisture or anything else that can compromise its lifespan. And even though they do run cooler than halogen bulbs, they still put out a tremendous amount of heat. I can only imagine that they would make a tank sparkle though.