Daylight fluorescent tubes as the SUNGLO or FloraGLO the same manufacturer are very bright, but rather yellowish. The AquaGlo tubes have a high proportion of red to blue and clear, which promotes plant growth significantly, but the light is less bright (but which need not be a disadvantage). Unlike a pure lighting with SUNGLO or FloraGLO the plants do not grow in width, but preferably in the length. The great advantage of this fluorescent tube is that it brings to bear much better the fish colors than other lamps. Also, I have a red-brown root in my aquarium, which lights up in a strong shade of red in AquaGlo light. Overall, this lamp emits a colder light so that brings to bear better the contrasts and colors in the aquarium than the other lights. I've tested all Hagen aquarium lighting systems and retaining the AquaGlo clearly the best (at least from my perspective).