my house reef (211 g.)

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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6975748#post6975748 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by h20cooled
Marc,
That coral you posted look exactly like the one I have, it is a Valida or Bonsia coral. They are supposed to be a nice bright purple with green polyps. Here is a pic of mine:

Corals_50G_040.jpg
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I have the exactly same coral, I was told it is called Steve Jackson. However, after 2 -3 weeks in my tank under t-5s, it has lost most of its purple color on the tips and yellow on its body. Its doing well, and the polyps are still green, just not as pretty anymore. :(
 
Mine seems to do the something, but this is under 2x mh 250w DE bulbs and 4x T5's. In this picture was is about 6 months old it was amazing. But now it has lost some of the color. Personally I think the issue isn't the lighting its other conditions and elements...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6977779#post6977779 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tangblack
I never said that t5 will kill your coral. i said it can happen if the bulbs get old.
I have had this happen many times with old bulbs.

maybe iwan can find information on this are he is on the german forums.
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My other observation is that t5s need to be replaced within 12 months as some coral would start to die.
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Maybe you didn't mean it how I'm reading it. :)

IME T5's can last 18-24 months without much of a color shift or loss in PAR. I have a relatively new blue+ bulb that isn't overdriven sitting next a 20+ month old blue+ bulb that is overdriven. The older bulb is noticably brighter than the newer bulb and the color (to my eyes) isn't any different.

It's hard to argue with Iwan's success, but I'm not going to start replacing bulbs every 6 months. :D
 
That article is about all Fluorescent bulbs not t5's, maybe there is some t5 stuff in there but I'm not going to sit and read the whole thing. Icecap did the test with a light meter and posted the exact result of the test, maybe the icecap ballast is better then the one that site used. Either way its up to you, I just don't think its a good idea to make a blanket statement that overdriving with an Icecap ballast will kill your lights faster...
 
Over driving any lamp will shorten its life don't youu think?? If the T5s were good forever with no drop in PAR or color shift, then you might be able to make a case that over-driving them does no harm. But AFAIK T5s have a definitive life span and therefore increasing power will shorten the lamps life span.
 
A candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long. There is only so much phosphor in a fluorescent bulb.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6977881#post6977881 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by h20cooled
Check out that tank of the month and Iwans, they all have amazing colors under T5.
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Yeah, I was drooling all over their tank shots. Iwan's success was the last push I needed to get my wife to agree to switch to T5s.

I really want to try the Prodibio and Zeo stuff, but with so many brand names mentioned and dosage requirements, I am kind of lost here. :o

Iwan's tank has nice colors, but he doses a lot of things vs. Daniel doses only Amino Acids and Iodine. I am not concerned about spending the extra $$ if the Prodibio, Zeo, Nightsun, and others are what I need if most of my corals can't hold their color under T5s only, but perhaps Daniel's success can be duplicated somehow? :rolleyes:
 
Are we talking about ATI/D&D bulbs? Just in case someone is using bulbs made by other manufacturers that might explain the difference in quality and life.
 
Iwan or anybody else have any comments on Aquamedic T5's. Specificially are they simular to ATI in performance?

Dave
 
I agree that it seems like the life of the bulb should be decreased by overdriving it, but after reading what Icecap has said about their ballast I think they are doing something different then others are doing. Read this short thread: Link
 
I think there's a bit of marketing bull thrown in there. How sophistacated would a ballast need to be to sense a change in the lamps output? Is there a meter attached to the ballast that measures color temp. and PAR?

You don't happen to need a bridge eh? I have one I am willing to let go cheap! (j/k) :D
 
LOL, yeah I know; but I can tell you this much, I have dealt with Icecap several time and found them to have very good customer service and very honest. In addition to the 660/430 ballasts that overdrive T5's they also make a ballast that doesn't over drive the lights. So, I guess my question is my would they lie about the life of the bulbs when over driven if they have a ballast that doesn't over drive them?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6978048#post6978048 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by h20cooled
Icecap did the test with a light meter and posted the exact result of the test, maybe the icecap ballast is better then the one that site used. Either way its up to you, I just don't think its a good idea to make a blanket statement that overdriving with an Icecap ballast will kill your lights faster...
Click to expand...

So "IceCap" makes the ballast, and "IceCap" did the test, and "IceCap" published the results.... Are you sure you want to believe everything that someone with a major financial interest tells you? It is a simple fact that overdriving lamps will decrease their lifespan faster than driving them to spec. This goes for any lamp, including T-5's.
 
Travis,
Your right Icecap did the tests and posted the results, but as I said that have been very honest about there ballasts and there products. What do they have to lose? I and I know a lot of others would still buy there ballast even if we knew the bulbs would not runs as long. Why, because it puts out more power to the bulbs which give me more light.

Also, unless you have personally studied the Icecap ballast and the way they work on a bulb you cannot make a blanket statement like "overdriving lamps will decrease their lifespan faster than driving them to spec". Maybe that is true for another brand of ballast but how do you know that its true for the Icecap ones?


<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6980343#post6980343 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis
So "IceCap" makes the ballast, and "IceCap" did the test, and "IceCap" published the results.... Are you sure you want to believe everything that someone with a major financial interest tells you? It is a simple fact that overdriving lamps will decrease their lifespan faster than driving them to spec. This goes for any lamp, including T-5's.
Click to expand...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6980449#post6980449 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
Travis...let it go.
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I'm not trying to be a jeck about this and if I am then I'm sorry! It just bugs me when people make blanket statements about things they have not tested and don't really have any facts on...

But I'm done arguing it. I give up. Lets get back to the Prodobio, zeozit, Nightsun, and Iwan's amazing tank...
 
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