Almost forgot.  Use a shader with the color of the desired light, about 20% shininess and 10% Highlight.  Give it a reflection of like 5%, and a transparency of 99%, Then just give it an index of refraction using the glass preset.  Thats it, always works great.

Quote - When I need a glowing tube; I design the tube, give it a shader with glow in it, use the aura effect found in the effects tab for the object, then an anything glows so it acts like a light.  Works great.  I just wish you had the options like that on a tube light to begin with.  I have never been able to figure out tube lights anyways.