New Iwaski Aqua 2/15K added

[drouner]

Just installed my new 175 Iwaski lamp this afternoon. Looks great after 4 hours. It replaces the 10K CoralVue that I was running. The Iwaski just blows the CoralVue away. My review: "D&*m this thing is bright!".

It is not as blue as I was expecting, and not much blue at all. Of course it is brighter than I was expecting, even after reading the reviews. The corals really do not fluores as I was hoping. But I am getting some nice polyp extensions on the stoneys. My anchor seems to like the new light as well as it has expanded to twice the size it was yesterday.

The lamp brightens up my office so much, I do not need the over head light on to read.

Only potential down side is it seems to put off more heat than the CoralVue. So I may need another fan on the hood.

The picture really does not do it justice. I wish I had a good before shot.

 

[drouner]

Lets try this picture:

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[DeltecRules]

Re: New Iwaski Aqua 2/15K added

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7085320#post7085320 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drouner
Just installed my new 175 Iwaski lamp this afternoon. Looks great after 4 hours. It replaces the 10K CoralVue that I was running. The Iwaski just blows the CoralVue away. My review: "D&*m this thing is bright!".

It is not as blue as I was expecting, and not much blue at all. Of course it is brighter than I was expecting, even after reading the reviews. The corals really do not fluores as I was hoping. But I am getting some nice polyp extensions on the stoneys. My anchor seems to like the new light as well as it has expanded to twice the size it was yesterday.

The lamp brightens up my office so much, I do not need the over head light on to read.

Only potential down side is it seems to put off more heat than the CoralVue. So I may need another fan on the hood.

The picture really does not do it justice. I wish I had a good before shot.

I was thinking of picking up these bulbs too, what ballast are you running the bulbs on.

 

[drouner]

Right now an PFO M57 ballast. I am hoping for my birthday that I will be an IC 175 ballast. :bum:

 

[surfnvb7]

i got one of these to try out, but i havent had the chance to put it in yet. i hope to get around to it this weekend.

i was wondering if anyone who has had them running for a while now, and were previously using another 175w bulb had any troubles with corals burning/bleaching...? is coral color doing better now that they are adjusted?

i'm going from xm15k to the aqua2...so i'm sure i will need some type of screen to acclimate the corals thats fur sure.

 

[drouner]

I decided not to go with the screen but reduce the time the lamp is on and work my way back to the orgininal 8 hours.

Is that 15K blue? I had a year or so ago and can't remember what it looked like. From Sanjay's site I know the Iwaski blew it away.

 

[surfnvb7]

yeah, mine were pretty blue...but turned white/yellow after 6-8months of usage. but its not nearly as bright as the XM 20k version (175w). but I still think my corals looked the best under the XM 15k. I just wanted something brighter. I'm not concerned about speedy growth, getting a great color is more important in my book.

IMO, the quality control on XM bulbs isn't that great. I'm sure one of my XM15k bulbs was at least as blue as my XM20k bulbs...or the other way around...the XM20k was as white/blue as the XM15k. THe color and intensity seem to vary bulb to bulb...another reason to switch brands to something more reliable (kinda like foreign cars :lol: )

the icecap rep said theres supposed to be an iwasaki 20k version coming out sometime this spring/summer also. i will keep my eye out for that