Insane Blue with Reeflux 12K????

FWIW I haven't found the effect to be temporary but I run 2x250w over a 36" tank for 12hrs/day... that's a lot of light. I've steadily ramped up the photoperiod over the last couple months from 8 hrs. as the lamps got older. They are currently 13 months old and needing replacement IMO, but my colors remain fine.
 
One thing I've noticed with the 12k RF bulbs is that it really does bring out purples (and I guess to a lesser extent blues by relation) and what I mean by bring out is that the corals have those purples in any light under the bulbs, under room lights at night when tank lights are out, with a camera flash.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8136199#post8136199 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mwood
How do your blues look at 9 months?
Click to expand...

Blue corals still have what I'd call an excellent appearance, but I'm not seeing the iridescent blue that I had when the bulb was brand new.

FWIW I haven't found the effect to be temporary but I run 2x250w over a 36" tank for 12hrs/day... that's a lot of light. I've steadily ramped up the photoperiod over the last couple months from 8 hrs. as the lamps got older. They are currently 13 months old and needing replacement IMO, but my colors remain fine.
Click to expand...

That's pretty interesting Dave. I guess I need to consider the possibility that other factors may be affecting the appearance of the blue corals. I guess that's just another reason to go ahead and get the same bulbs again and see if there's a difference on day 1. Also, my photoperiod is pretty short at 5 hours MH.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8136840#post8136840 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by IMPERATORFAN
my photoperiod is pretty short at 5 hours MH.
Click to expand...

Could be that... I also figure most of my pieces are getting upwards of 500w because my elements are just 11" apart.

9-6-06_edited.jpg
 
KEEPERZ: Those purples look pretty good. Have you ever found that corals that you've bought as light purple or purple/blue tend to have more of a blue appearance under the 10k's? My coralline has the deep purple look, but marginally purple corals take on a blue look. Maybe it's all my vho's contributing too. [/B]
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IMPERATORFAN- A PURPLE FORMOSA AND MY PURPLE VALIDAS LOOK PURPLE IN MY EYES YET THE OREGON TORT LOOKS VERY BLUE AND SO DOES MY AQUA BLUE TENUIS- I DO NOT USE ANY ACTINICS ON MY 450 SO MAYBE THAT IS WHAT IT IS- REMEMBER I AM BURNING THEM OFF PFOHQI BALLAST SO THEY ARE GETTING PUSHED HARD BUT I DO THINK THEY" BRING THE SEXY BACK"- ALONG WITH GOOD WATER OF COURSE :D -9 HR PHOTO PERIOD DAILY
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8138961#post8138961 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KEEPERZ
IMPERATORFAN- A PURPLE FORMOSA AND MY PURPLE VALIDAS LOOK PURPLE IN MY EYES YET THE OREGON TORT LOOKS VERY BLUE AND SO DOES MY AQUA BLUE TENUIS- I DO NOT USE ANY ACTINICS ON MY 450 SO MAYBE THAT IS WHAT IT IS- REMEMBER I AM BURNING THEM OFF PFOHQI BALLAST SO THEY ARE GETTING PUSHED HARD BUT I DO THINK THEY" BRING THE SEXY BACK"- ALONG WITH GOOD WATER OF COURSE :D -9 HR PHOTO PERIOD DAILY
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How long are your bulbs last with the hqi ballast?
 
REEF-DADDY, I RAN THEM FOR 6-8 MONTHS
NO PROBLEM,THEN DID RADIUM 20'S FOR 5
MONTHS BEFORE THEY SHIFTED BAD- SO WENT
BACK TO THE REEFLUX AND PLAN ON STICKING
WITH THEM. RADIUM HAD A GREAT COLOR AT
FIRST BUT THE RF12'S ARE JUST AS GOOD IMO.
NEITHER POPPED CORAL COLORS LIKE THE 10K'S
THOUGH- NO MAJOR COLOR SHIFTS FROM REEFLUX
EITHER.
 
I've been considering switching to a reeflux HQI 250. I currently use Phoenix 14ks, and I really like them. I was mainly curious to see what the HQI 250's look like, because we've only run SE reeflux in the shop. The 10K is very yellow in my opinion with touches of pink, running on an HQI ballast. The 12K is crisp white. The phoenix is definitely bluer than the 12K reeflux. This is just firing the bulbs, so I'm sure there's some difference after burn in. The spectral graph of the phoenix is almost identical to 20K SE radiums ran on an HQI ballast. I really like the 12K reeflux and the 14 phoenix. I'm considering possibly mixing the 2, with the 14K phoenix over the center of the tank where most of my LPS reside, and using the 12K reeflux on each end with my SPS, clams, and anemones. I really want to see the par values on the 12K reeflux to see if they're higher than the phoenix. Phoenix isn't bad, but it's not a 10K bulb either. Phoenix does produce great coloration in just about every coral in my tank. I also run 2 VHO actinics to supplement.
 
The 12K looks very similar in brightness to the Phoenix. It just doesn't have the blue tinge. I'm guessing that the Phoenix has a bigger spike at 450, thus the blue. Can't wait to see the true ratings of the 12K to see if it has better PAR or is just more white.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8148389#post8148389 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KEEPERZ
REEF-DADDY, I RAN THEM FOR 6-8 MONTHS
NO PROBLEM,THEN DID RADIUM 20'S FOR 5
MONTHS BEFORE THEY SHIFTED BAD- SO WENT
BACK TO THE REEFLUX AND PLAN ON STICKING
WITH THEM. RADIUM HAD A GREAT COLOR AT
FIRST BUT THE RF12'S ARE JUST AS GOOD IMO.
NEITHER POPPED CORAL COLORS LIKE THE 10K'S
THOUGH- NO MAJOR COLOR SHIFTS FROM REEFLUX
EITHER.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the info, which bulb produced better growth for you?
 
I haven't ran the reeflux long enough to know about growth. The Phoenix has always had a decent growth rate. Nothing spectacular, but still pretty good. The reason why I've always liked Phoenix so much is the way it makes the corals color up. I'll try to post some more data in a few months about growth and maintaining color. I'm either going to do all 12K reeflux, or 1 phoenix and 2 12K.
 
Sanjay has yet to test the HQI reeflux bulbs so I don't know. There's only data on the 10K SE right now. I suspect the spike is at 450, just like the Phoenix, but smaller. I can't wait to see the data for these bulbs.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8124374#post8124374 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nwrogers
Can you fire the CV reeflux bulbs on a PFO 400watt Pulse Start ballast? I am thinking of switching from my Radiums to a CV reeflux 10k or 12k. Does the 10k reeflux look like a Radium to the eye?
Click to expand...

You have to burn the 12k in on an E ballast first, and then they are slower to start on a mag ballast, but they still work. The 10k looks yellow next to the 12k Reeflux IMO. I try to dig up some old photos...
 
Here is the day I set up my 180 with 12k Reeflux on the ends and a 10k Reeflux in the middle. Major color difference:

180firstday.jpg
 
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