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has anyone every checked the oddysea bulbs? I was thinking of using the fixtures (they have e-ballasts) and swapping out the bulbs, but curiosity is getting at me :)
 
I have a Ushio 20k that is a pulse start ballast bulb, my question is this? I have had a GIESEMANN-MEGACHROME BLUE MH400 that runs on a pulse start ballast as well that has been running for a while, I swear these are the same bulbs, are they?
 
I have speculated the same... I think that the Giesemann bulbs are rebadged Ushios. Look at how similar the BLV nepturion 14,000K and the Giesemann 14,500K are... they are so identical, and the PAR numbers are so close, any difference could be assumed natural variation between any two bulbs.
 
Hey Han, last time I talked to you it was on the Helios bulbs. I have since switch them out (time had come) over to Ushio 20k on either side and the Giesemann in the center. All are 400 watt and the look of all three are the same, they have had long enough to break in so this is it I guess till next round, thanks for the reply.
 
Hi, I have just read Photon topics. Will PPFD be decreased if there is glass material which is blocked the lamp?

Thanks in advance for the answer.

Rita
 
What is the best looking and performing (good ppfd) 14 k bulb for a pulse start PFO magnetic ballast, and what would be best for PFO hqi ballast? I heard about the Helios doing real well, but I cannot find any information if Sanjay has tested them yet. Does the electronic hqi ballast make the light that much brighter? I already have the magnetic ballast and was wondering if it was worth it to get the hqi ballast. Thank you very much.
 
I've got the Hamilton...nice color, although the par isn't the best. I run with one PC actinic and it looks really crisp white with just a touch of blue. the PC got switched off once though and I could barely tell the difference....looks pretty good by itself too.
 
Sanjay, thought you might find this interesting...
http://archiv.korallenriff.de/Lichttest/T5-1.pdf

Its an english version of a long term T5 test over a 490g tank. One of the conclusions is that excessive blue light hinders coral growth. I find this interesting since the PAR/PUR comparison of the PFO Solaris claims the excessive blue output of the LED's is good for corals...

Also, this...
http://archiv.korallenriff.de/Artikel_Kelvin.pdf

Its german, but its interesting. Perhaps Ill work on an English version.
 
Thanks.

I have always felt that broad spectrum lights tend to favor growth, when compared to lights in narrow spectral ranges.
Also, the corals tend to look more vibrant than the washed out look of the blue light.

Interestingly, they would recommend changing lamps out at 9 months. 30% loss of light intensity can be easily compensated by lowering the lights. For those that hang the lights this adjustment is a lot easier to make, and they can get more out of the lamps.

The 2nd article, seems to be a more general description of spectrum and color temperature, and not as interesting as the first one.

sanjay.
 
Sanjay, what size Lumenarc would you recommend for a 48"l x 24" w x24" h 120 gallon aquarium? I would be using 2 reflectors. I have gotten mixed opinions on which to go with. Thank you very much.
 
Sanjay,
Those Fauna Marin units use an active cooling system that I feel isnt enough for T5s. Its a solution that is quiet and 'stealthy', but it only cools one end of the bulbs well. FWIW, I am at 18 months and still have 70% of my output.... but my fan/cooling is much more aggressive. Usually, on systems like that one used, they also use those clip on 120mmx3 fan banks to help cool the bulbs from underneath at each end of the tank. This time... not so. 30% in 9 months is a bit high IMO. More cooling would keep those bulb outputs higher.

But you are right... lowering the units would make up for that 30% drop, and allow the lights to last a nice 18 months. Add some better cooling, and thats why I have no problem saying T5s will last 2 years... esp the blue ones. They seem to last better than the daylight ones even. They are much less sensitive to heat buildup as well as far as I have tested.
 
Don't forget about spectrum shift. I've been told by someone in a position to know that the Fluorescent lamps have a noticable spectrum shift within 6 months. You ever get your spectrometer set up Hahn?

The cooling on a FM seems to be enough to keep the output up there. The ATI's use the same method of drawing air in from one end near the lamps, across the ballasts and out the top. It really doesn't take much air movement to keep the lamps happy. The 30% loss of light in 9 months doesn't jive with what I have seen even with an overdriven 80 watt system but then again I am measuring PAR, not Lux. That could be an interesting experiment in it'self, PAR vs Lux loss over a given time period
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10290262#post10290262 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by grandp10
Sanjay, what size Lumenarc would you recommend for a 48"l x 24" w x24" h 120 gallon aquarium? I would be using 2 reflectors. I have gotten mixed opinions on which to go with. Thank you very much.

My 2 cents is that you should get the Luminarc L3...they are 19 5/8" square. with 2 of them you get 100% coverage of the tank and still have room for a T5 front and back for actinic if you want. I'll be doing that on my new tank with the same dimensions, only i'm also going to try and squeeze 4 24" T5's on there as well.
 
Well, phosphor based bulbs do tend to diminish right off the bat by a good percentage during the first month or so... then they seem to level out for the long haul.

Yes, the spectrometer is up... although as Sanjay pointed out, I didnt get the $700 calibration bulb yet, so my readings are all relative.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10294803#post10294803 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
Well, phosphor based bulbs do tend to diminish right off the bat by a good percentage during the first month or so... then they seem to level out for the long haul.

Yes, the spectrometer is up... although as Sanjay pointed out, I didnt get the $700 calibration bulb yet, so my readings are all relative.

Even uncalibrated you should be able to check for a spectrum shift. Don;t you have some GE 6500's? If you have a new one and some you've been using you should be able to see a difference if my source is correct. Like I said according to him at six months there is a noticable shift. If you can test used and unused lamps from the same lot it should be the best way to see if there is a noticable shift.
 
That is true, but no, I dont have any GE 6500Ks that I have used for a while. I have a couple that I used for testing, and thats it. Hevent actually used them (* they are the older GE6500Ks as well).
 
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