Best Metal Halide Bulb for SPS coloration

Guys. The aqua connect bulbs are not dead. I have ordered from germany. Coralvue used to distribute them but that aqua star is not the same bulb. I have the the original. Color renditions are out of this world. Just has more whites and violets vs reeflux and radium.
 
....for me a Radium bulb on a M80 ballast has given me the best coloration...although many electronic ballasts will more efficiently fire them, they are way too blue..
 
Peter Eichler said:
Lastly, Pohl's extra won't fight photo-inhibition, just lightening of corals from your nutrient levels being too low. In that case, a small dose of some type of nitrogen will probably have the same effect and be much cheaper.
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What's the difference between "photo-inhibition" and zoox being expelled due to too much light exactly?

I was thinking Pohl's extra would solve any issues I would have with bleaching.
 
DaddyJax said:
I ran only Reeflux bulbs and loved them. I used both 10k and 12k. If you dont have any supplemental blue then 12k is the way to go. 10k can be perfect, crisp white with all the colors just popping but you have to have the right ballasts or they will not look right.
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reeflover62 said:
DaddyJax tank is what made me go with the reeflux lamps. Check out his tank and it will be an easy choice.
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I ran 10k and 12k reeflux in the past on coralvue ballasts an the color was awesome. This bulb/ballast combo does something strange to your blue colors, in a good way. You will see blue colors pop like never before. I don't mean your blue coals will color up blue in time, the effect is immediate. Something about this bulb/ballast will make your blues fluoresce like crazy, net even Radiums can compare with this.

I am currently running a lumatek ballast with a 400w radium. I tried running a reflex 12k bulb but it looks pinkish with this ballast. I do have an old coralvue ballast laying around but my tank is doing very well under radium so I'm reluctant to change.
 
hedgedrew said:
Guys. The aqua connect bulbs are not dead. I have ordered from germany. Coralvue used to distribute them but that aqua star is not the same bulb. I have the the original. Color renditions are out of this world. Just has more whites and violets vs reeflux and radium.
Click to expand...


How are you able to order them? Is there someone in the USA that has access to them?
 
Aquarium Specialty carried them and cost 140.00 then they had a special at 89.00 is when I got mine. After sold out that was the last of them I think in USA.
 
I've tried quite a few different bulbs. Finally settled on 400W SE XM20k on magnetic ballast. Radiums were a close second. Phoenix 14kk are a good performer for coral growth, but the color was a bit too white for me. Btw, the Reeflux 14kk was absolute garbage.
 
loweryster said:
How are you able to order them? Is there someone in the USA that has access to them?
Click to expand...
I have a used one with about 8months on it if you want too try one.
IMG_20140420_132423_943_zpsc5d4f32d.jpg
 
Thanks for the offer, I wouldn't mind trying one but it will be absolutely pointless if there is no easy way to get new ones. A 400w radium over-driven is hard to beat, plus almost everyone has them in stock.
 
Direct from Germany. There is no phoenix single ended 400 w bulb. They are close but these are whiter more crystal looking. Very faint blue lots of uv and violet. I will post the info on where we order
 
When I was using metal halide bulbs I couldn't get the color I was looking for until I found an aquaconnect bulb. It's the best metal halide bulb out there. If you can find them get one as you will be blown away with what they put out and the color your Sps will have.
Everything else is just secondary com paired to the aquaconnect.
Michael
 
I agree that the Aquaconnect is one of the nicest bulbs out there, but they are no where to be found for the last couple years. If someone has more info than, "you have to get them from Germany" I'm all ears...
 
ct_vol said:
I agree that the Aquaconnect is one of the nicest bulbs out there, but they are no where to be found for the last couple years. If someone has more info than, "you have to get them from Germany" I'm all ears...
Click to expand...

Not sure where Drew is ordering his from, but I found this:
http://www.shop-meeresaquaristik.de/index.php?language=en&cPath=165_222_223_331

I have ordered from a German supplier in the past (Sewatec.de) and have had no issues.

I'll wait to see if Drew posts his source. If he doesn't, I'll order from here. I'm interested in seeing the bulb after reading this thread.
 
If we can find someone who stocks them and is reputable we should see if we can put together some sort of group buy. With so many dumping LED going back to MH, bulbs like this need to be back on the market. Only problem is warrenty has always been an issues, doesn't bother me, it's a light bulb.
 
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