I think cost is the issue here for Dresden which is why he mentioned that it was a temporary solution. The halogen light with fixture was $57.69 and a 110 W CF fixture starts at $300 I think for 4 feet length. I'm sure he intends to get proper lighting eventually if he decides to change the inhabitants in his tank. But if not, there's nothing wrong with buying what is suitable for his current needs.
Yes, heat is an issue which I mentioned but many many people who keep fresh water aquariums use the less efficent incandescent lights anyways. When I use to work at the pet shop, the majority of customers purchased lights with incandescent fixtures.
If he wants and has time to DIY, he might be able to build himself an incandescent fixture and then use CF self ballasted bulbs.
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