CV REEFLUX 10k and 12k ...Who's Used Both???

PUGroyale

New member
Hi there,

If you've used both of these lamps... which do you prefer and why?

I've used the 10k's for about a year [very happy :)] but I'm considering getting the 12k's for just a little more blue... what I don't want though, is diminished growth. TIA :D
 
Hi,
I have a 6ft reef with three MH's. The outside two are CV reeflux 10k and the middle one CV reeflux 12k. There is a BIG difference in the look of them. IME the 12k is much bluer than the 10k and nowhere near as bright. I like the look of both but I think you will get greater growth with the 10's than with the 12's. The corals do look pretty under the 12's though. I suppose you make your own choice, looks or growth, tricky eh ?
HTH
Anthony
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8096079#post8096079 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AntsReef
looks or growth, tricky eh ?

:lol: Tell me about it...

The nice thing about my little setup is I have a great deal of overlap... the lighting elements are only 11" apart so I figure my stuff gets between 350w-500w of lighting :D

9-6-06_edited.jpg


Makes me think I could still get pretty good growth from the 12k's... but as you can see, right now growth is my priority :)
 
I have used both and like the color from the 12K better. If you don't use the HQI or electronic ballast on the 12K it will be super blue.
 
I've use both. The 10k had great growth and OK color. 12k had incredible color bur very slow growth. 400w 12k would be the best of both worlds IME
 
I've used both and prefer the 12K. I've got all the growth I want and is looking for better color in my reef.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8099775#post8099775 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aurora
I've used both and prefer the 12K. I've got all the growth I want and is looking for better color in my reef.

400W?
 
This is lengthy - sorry.

I used the 10k in the 250w and the 12k in the 400w. I have a 10k 400w but have not used it yet. The 12k is closer to 14k than 12k although you can tell a difference. I have 12k 400w in the center and 10k 250w on each side.

*************One note of caution*************
My M59 probe start ballast would not fire the 400w bulb, nor would a friends, nor would it with a new capacitor and the ballast/cap themselves were less than 3 months old.

It was necessary for me to purchase a pulse start ballast to fire this bulb. Reeflux recommended this also, although if you look at aquarium-lighting-guide.com, they will not say that a pulse start is required and I do not think you will find it on Coral Vue's site either.

Another thing.............if you look at Hello lights site they say...........

* Pulse Start ballast. We recommend you use this on 400W Ushio 10,000K and Radium 20,000K lamps. Most other 400W bulbs should be fired on an M59 ballast located here.

FAQ:
Q. Can I run a probe start style MH lamp (bulb) on a pulse start MH ballast and vice-versa?
A. The manufacturers of the ballasts and lamps do not recommend this. What adverse effects will it have? Ballasts/lamps are designed to be run as a circuit within certain tolerances (line input, starting voltage, current, etc.). Electrical components should be operated as specified. By not following these guidelines, you may increase the chance of risk, damage to your equipment, premature failure of lamps and other potential hazards. Lamp manufacturers do not guarantee lamp performance or reliability if incorrect ballast is used with a lamp.

SO in my opinion - the Reeflux Coralvue bulb is sort of a bassstard bulb. The way I understand it - the bulb either has an ignitor or the ballast has one in the ciruit. The Reeflux setup has an igniter in the ballast setup and some sort in the bulb also.

It requires (at least sometimes) a ballast to fire it that it should not. And another thing Coralvue is not quick to tell you that this ballast is required, just recommended........ and finally they sure are not quick to say - "hey send it back".

Buyer beware - if you do not have an Electronic ballast, it may be good to stay away from Reeflux Coralvue.

I did use my old M59 ballast on the 250w bulbs so far with no issue, at least 4 bulbs. I now have a 400w RF bulb that I am using a probe start ballast with. As you can see from what Hello lights says, I should not be nor should I use it with other M59 style bulbs.

Someone said (Premium Aquatics) that perhaps if you fired it up once with an Electronic Ballast, it would then fire with the regular magnetic M59 style - I tried this, it still would not fire. It may work on some setup, but it does not always work.

As for coral, I was using a generic MH bulb prior to Coral Vue Reeflux and could not believe the color up in the SPS after just a couple months = big difference - I like the bulbs, but have only been using MHs for about 2 years so not so much experience with them vs other brands.
 
Someone said (Premium Aquatics) that perhaps if you fired it up once with an Electronic Ballast, it would then fire with the regular magnetic M59 style - I tried this, it still would not fire. It may work on some setup, but it does not always work.


this worked with my friend's 175w RF12s. would not fire reliably on his mag ballasts, so we ran them for a few days (not just a few minutes) on my icecaps now they work just fine on his ballasts. i wouldn't get too carried away with some of the generalizations you've referred to. some bulbs just don't work quite right on some ballasts, it's just the way it is.

I did use my old M59 ballast on the 250w bulbs so far with no issue
you were running 250w bulbs on a 400w ballast?
 
Sorry - perhaps confusing. I think the ballast now is M135, with igniter, not sure, before that no igniter, but 400w.

I am running 2 X250w and 1 X400w. I have never had problems with the Reeflux firing on my 250w magnetic ballasts only with my 400w SE setup.

I do not know so much about the electronic workings. It is my understanding that the bulbs either do or do not have an igniter circuit built in. Hello Lights seems to indicate that if there is an igniter in the bulb you should not use a ballast setup with an igniter. I personally do not know, just mentioning.

I am now using a Reeflux 400w bulb with a ballast that has an igniter in the circuit. CoralVue indicates (perhaps informally) that this is "preferred", Hello Lights seems to disagree. Once again, I do not know, just mentioning.

If these are the generalizations you are referring to.

What I do know is = if you buy Coralvue Reeflux bulbs and plan on firing them with a magnetic ballast, probe start, no igniter - they may not work and you may not have an easy time getting your money back so be aware of that fact.

I only fired my bulb for about 30 minutes on an electronic ballast setup. Perhaps if I had of ran a day, it would have fired. But I have no intentions of buying a bulb that has to run somewhere else for a day or so before I can use it (if I know in advance). If that is the situation, the Manufacturer or Shop should let us know prior to purchasing that we "may" need a particular ballast OR we may have to find somewhere else to run it for a day, not just ship it and let us discover that fact...........and that was the reason for me adding my comments to the post.

As for the "some bulbs don't work quite right on some ballast, it's just the way it is"........... it is Electronics not black magic. If it does not work, there is a reason for it.
 
it is Electronics not black magic.
i'd say it's more manufacturing and quality control. is the amalgam mix consistant between batches, is each bulb getting the exact same amount, were they really designed to be run on a US probe start ballast (remember that they are a rebadged japanese bulb).
 
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