Ebay MH bulbs

[reefnjunkie]

What do you consider long hual-Ive been using his Pulsrite bulbs for a full year next month-granted I never had a par meter before so I swapped out the bulbs at 6-7 months-at that price I figured why not.
Now I have access to the meter I will watch to see what the readings are.

 

[want2reef]

Byrd, would luv to see the par readings on your 20k's.

 

[ERICinFL]

Just popped in my Plusrite 20K 250w SE's.

A little more blue than my 1 year old Reeflux 12k's and more pop to my corals.

Love them so far.

Me too. I still need to post a pic of my tank. I've been slacking on that.

 

[mr_cali]

Jumping on the wagon. Just ordered 2X 150w 10ks for my Outer Orbit 36' fixture. My reeflux 20ks are a bit too blue for my taste and I figure that if the light of the 10ks turns out to be too white for me, I can give it a blue finish with my T5s. Very cool thread.

 

[reefnjunkie]

Byrd, would luv to see the par readings on your 20k's.

I dont know how to do the nice pic that I saw from xJake but they were similar. At the sand bed which is roughly 22 inches from the fixture I get readings around 200-210, at 3 inches below the surface, I am around 390-400 and half way I'm seeing around 305-310.


My tank is 75 gallons and has a plastic support in the middle of the tank at the top, which interferes slightly with the lights, but only the top few inches, and those readings are still in the mid 350s.

Is there a specific spot or area that were curious about, or did that help at all?

 

[rguyler]

I think a year or more on the bulbs would be considered long-term. I don't know though since I don't keep corals these days. For FO tanks I know people who run their MH bulbs for 3 years or better, or at least until they malfunction or break. What is considered customary for a reef tank now? I guess until the PAR/spectrum breaks down to the point where the quality of light is inadequate to keep the inverts happy. If a bulb puts out quality light for a year or better would it be considered a good bulb?

 

[tangtang clown]

Byrd, have any pics of you tank lit up?

 

[want2reef]

Byrd,

Ya that helps, I was just wondering how the 20k's compared to the 10k's.

Thanks

 

[reefnjunkie]

Byrd, have any pics of you tank lit up?

Why yes, yes I do-LOL

These are about a month ago, I have changed up some rock work and added about 20+ frags

 

[reefnjunkie]

Byrd,

Ya that helps, I was just wondering how the 20k's compared to the 10k's.

Thanks

My fixture came with 15K and after always running 20K I just could not take it. That was before I changed the stock 65 watt pc bulbs which were odyssea (same as the 250 DE MH) for the coralife-now that change was VERY apparent-the bulbs that came with the unit had no output, very dull in comparison.

I've always gone the no name brand, this fixture is a Chinese made fixture that I would buy again and again. It was 2-250 Watt DE MH bulbs-seperate external electronic ballasts and power switches, 4-65 watt PC Actinics-seperate power switchs, and 12 moon lights


Ready for this drum roll please ...............

350.00 deliverd to my door WOO-HOO-and I can tell you the fixture rocks!!

I am putting the 15K that came with the fixture back in since the coralife bulbs (420nm) really add blue and see what readings I get.
I'll post those up tonight-again that willbe the 15K Odyssea-I'll see how they compare, if I understand they should have a higher PAR reading???

I'll post up results later if I can

 

[rguyler]

Nice pics Byrd!

 

[Jsin]

Thanks Byrd nice pics. I am curious what is the green thing in the left botttom of the first pic, A glass?

 

[Jsin]

Well I installed my bulbs today and was not happy with the look of them. I got the 150w 14K DE and they were very yellow, not a hint of blue. I have emailed them and asked to switch them for the 20ks and see if that is better. I am hoping that the 20ks will be good. I have been running Phoenix 14Ks for a while now and like the look of them. Do not get me wrong I am not knocking these bulbs, But way to yellow. I was waiting for the color to change when they fired up but it never changed. Any thoughts?

 

[au01st]

I found my 14k bulbs from eBay to be too yellow as well. I'm going to order the 20k Plusrites eventually (next month or so) and if I don't like those, I'm just going to have to go back to the Phoenix 14k.

 

[reefnjunkie]

Thanks Byrd nice pics. I am curious what is the green thing in the left botttom of the first pic, A glass?

Its called a "pod house" a member on Santuary sells them-its an older pic, I bought it for a mandarin, that like to mant threads I've read-DIED.

I dont care how many pods I have , I will never buy a mandarin again, great fish but if I get another one, I'm sure I'ld kill it.

Anyway, here is the thread, I also had him make me a 24" dropper for spot feeding-tnow that is a tool no tank cant live without. NO more "arms" in the tank

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...3682-anyone-need-anything-made-out-pyrex.html

 

[reefnjunkie]

Well I put the 15K Odyssea bulbs that came with my fixture back in after pulling the 20K bulbs. The PAR readings were twice the readings I got with the 20K bulbs.
At first I did not like the looks with the 65 watt pc odyssea bulbs, but I swapped out them out for coralife 65 actinics and the coralife bulbs were VERY blue in comparison. After reading this thread last night I got curious as to the output the 15K would have and the fact that the coralife actinics were so blue the 15K would look good.

Well they look fine I could live with it and not be comprimising. My concern now is the intensity, the PAR redins are double the 20K everywhere in the tank.

I have a reading of nearly 800 3 inches below the surface, and 400-410 and the sand level-OMG

I think this is to much-I dont know.

If anyone has any input please throw it out.

Thanks

 

[lordofthereef]

I have something negative to report. They will probably raise prices if lots of people keep buying them

Thanks for the readings byrd. How deep is your tank? Would love to see some readings on some older bulbs too

 

[lordofthereef]

Well I installed my bulbs today and was not happy with the look of them. I got the 150w 14K DE and they were very yellow, not a hint of blue. I have emailed them and asked to switch them for the 20ks and see if that is better. I am hoping that the 20ks will be good. I have been running Phoenix 14Ks for a while now and like the look of them. Do not get me wrong I am not knocking these bulbs, But way to yellow. I was waiting for the color to change when they fired up but it never changed. Any thoughts?

How does it compare to some of the FTS shots running the 14ks. Those were mogul bulbs if I remember right? Jusr curious, because those seemed a blue-ish white more than a yellow. The ones I fired up were also more of a blue-ish white than a yellow.

 

[lordofthereef]

This is a bit off topic but I just contacted the guy who sells those droppers about getting one. That is just fantastic to be able to target feed without my arm up to my armpit in water... much less contamination and such. Hopefully he gets back to me about that.

 

[reefnjunkie]

Oh he will, he gets quite busy. I would suggest getting a bend in the end. I ordered one in the beginning which was straight, and then had him make me one with a 30 degree bend about 3 inches up.
here are photos;