Reeflux
- Thread starter sasharotty
- Start date
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
wow, thats a change for the better. I guess the number of complaints got through to them and they realized it was bad for business to just look the other way on this.
That said, I know it can be frustrating to be a manufacture or responsible for supporting something and have people complaining about an issue that you cannot reproduce in your own testing, it can be a huge headache! it can also be frustrating to have people jump on a bandwagon when you cannot verify the issue.
Wouldn't that be something if they figured out a correlation with certain electrical grids causing the issue.
That said, I know it can be frustrating to be a manufacture or responsible for supporting something and have people complaining about an issue that you cannot reproduce in your own testing, it can be a huge headache! it can also be frustrating to have people jump on a bandwagon when you cannot verify the issue.
Wouldn't that be something if they figured out a correlation with certain electrical grids causing the issue.
Reef Stallion
New member
It would be really good to share this comment on other forums or threads if you have expressed these same feeling there as well. I know that when I read this thread I was pretty discouraged but now I am excited about ReefLux again.
ulua56
New member
Received my 250watt dimmable ballast and 250 20k Reeflux from Custom Aquatic today(used the 10% off for the first 100 RC customers <located in the sponsor forum) This combo rocks, first the bulb will change from a nice blue to a deep blue as you dim the ballast. Second I like the less heat created when you lower the wattage. This feature will be great for the summers of Phoenix. This replaced my PFO ballast and XM 20k.
ulua56
New member
Received my 250watt dimmable ballast and 250 20k Reeflux from Custom Aquatic today, used the 10% off for the first 100 RC customers located in the sponsor forum. This combo rocks, first the bulb will change from a nice blue to a deep blue as you dim the ballast. Second I like the less heat created when you lower the wattage. This feature will be great for the summers of Phoenix. This replaced my PFO ballast and XM 20k.
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As an update to my situation with the reeflux bulbs, and in fairness to the company, I thought I should post that they had me mail the bulbs to them for testing and ultimately replaced them with new ones. I tested the new ones and they are working properly as far as I can tell.
The replacement process took about 2-3 weeks with transit times.
The replacement process took about 2-3 weeks with transit times.
Ive been through the same thing as many of you here have in terms of inconsistency with the Chinese made lamps. Several Reeflux that have been hit and miss as well as other Chinese made lamps that lack consistency (and quality). I have also found that you can only get so far with certian manufacturers backing their products and that often falls well short of what is reasonable let alone falling short of their own claims of how they back their products.
The German/Euro lamps can be much more expensive for certian brands like Giesemann, Radium, AB etc.
But just a suggestion. If you can find an Ushio lamp that you like, you may be very pleasantly surprised by the better quality and the consistency, not only between lamps of the same wattage/K/base type but consistency of color between lamps of the same K rating but different wattages and base types. (My experiences with the Japanese made Iwasaki lamps has been very positive as well). Plus they often dont cost much more if any more than many of the brand name Chinese made lamps.
This is not meant to condemn any particular manufacturer or every Chinese made halide lamp. Just my 2 cents based on all the money I have spent on different halide lamps over the last few years and my own conclusions/observations/experiences/opinions drawn from what that money bought me. If you are thinking about a different lamp at the next change, just something to consider.
The German/Euro lamps can be much more expensive for certian brands like Giesemann, Radium, AB etc.
But just a suggestion. If you can find an Ushio lamp that you like, you may be very pleasantly surprised by the better quality and the consistency, not only between lamps of the same wattage/K/base type but consistency of color between lamps of the same K rating but different wattages and base types. (My experiences with the Japanese made Iwasaki lamps has been very positive as well). Plus they often dont cost much more if any more than many of the brand name Chinese made lamps.
This is not meant to condemn any particular manufacturer or every Chinese made halide lamp. Just my 2 cents based on all the money I have spent on different halide lamps over the last few years and my own conclusions/observations/experiences/opinions drawn from what that money bought me. If you are thinking about a different lamp at the next change, just something to consider.
rigleautomotive
Premium Member
Well said,I have the same opinion and having used the iwasaki,ushio and now the radium ,along with countless other bulbs in the 20 years i have kept corals,i would suggest spending the extra couple bucks for the german bulbs.they are very consistent and seem to hold there color much longer.
Reef Stallion
New member
OK. So compare the look and growth of the Reeflux bulb with a German or Japanese bulb. I don't mean which is better. I mean, what german bulb has the same look as the 12K Reeflux, 20K etc. Also, what has been the consensus of growth rate and coral response to these bulbs.
I only ask because I think that most people who have bought Reeflux for their systems have done so for these 2 factors. While quality is very important, I think the overriding factors have been: "Wow, these bulbs make the tank look great. My corals have really grown and boy do they pop!"
I think that if apples are compared to apples, people would switch to german bulbs. I just don't see 2 apples side by side.
I only ask because I think that most people who have bought Reeflux for their systems have done so for these 2 factors. While quality is very important, I think the overriding factors have been: "Wow, these bulbs make the tank look great. My corals have really grown and boy do they pop!"
I think that if apples are compared to apples, people would switch to german bulbs. I just don't see 2 apples side by side.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14930714#post14930714 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reef Stallion
OK. So compare the look and growth of the Reeflux bulb with a German or Japanese bulb. I don't mean which is better. I mean, what german bulb has the same look as the 12K Reeflux, 20K etc. Also, what has been the consensus of growth rate and coral response to these bulbs.
I only ask because I think that most people who have bought Reeflux for their systems have done so for these 2 factors. While quality is very important, I think the overriding factors have been: "Wow, these bulbs make the tank look great. My corals have really grown and boy do they pop!"
I think that if apples are compared to apples, people would switch to german bulbs. I just don't see 2 apples side by side.
You have to like the bulb in terms of the color and growth it provides in your tank, obviously. But not everyone likes the Reeflux ... personally, they werent my favorites at all. Just like not everyone likes the Ushios for color. But I clearly stated that if one was considering changing to a different bulb ... whether it be for quality reasons or to find a bulbs that they like better in terms of color, or whatever reason ... to take a look at the better quality made lamps because some of them dont cost much more if any more than some of the brand name lamps that some are reporting issues with. I never stated that everyone should dump chinese made lamps for the heck of it.
Im pretty sure they are Chinese made. I believe the Phoenix are japanense made lamps. It really doesnt matter where they or any other lamp is made IF one likes the lamp and hasnt had any problems with them. Personally, I have had 3 versions of Reeflux lamps. One of the three had an issue ... color was different between the two lamps. The others were consistent in color between lamps. But Im not a big fan of the color of any of them anyway. I do like the 12K DE 250 watts color WITH flourescent supplementation but not as a standalone. And I find the par dissapointing. Didnt like the 250 watt 10K at all, and find the 175 watt 12K to be too blue, very low par, and it looks nothing like the 12K 250 DE. Which goes back to the one of the consistency issues that I find to be much better with the higher quality Euro made lamps. Ive had consistency and quality issues with other asian manufactured lamps as well, Helios and Hamilton to name a couple brand names, so Im not meaning to single out reeflux/coralvue here.
But Im just one hobbyist throwing in his two cents for what it's worth. It may be worth something to someone, food for thought for someone else and meaningless to someone else. Just my own experience and opinion.
HumanIMDB
Premium Member
Okay, just found this thread today...
We got setup our new light on April 13th. It is a CoralVue Reeflux 20,000K 250w bulb in a CoralVue Lumen Bright Wide Mini reflector running off a CoralVue 250w Dimmable Electronic Ballast.
I am not sure what position our bulb is in, but I will be sure to change it so that the nipple is in the 12 o'clock position tomorrow.
Do you think that running it with the nipple possibly in the wrong position will adversely effect the bulb life/spectrum?
We got setup our new light on April 13th. It is a CoralVue Reeflux 20,000K 250w bulb in a CoralVue Lumen Bright Wide Mini reflector running off a CoralVue 250w Dimmable Electronic Ballast.
I am not sure what position our bulb is in, but I will be sure to change it so that the nipple is in the 12 o'clock position tomorrow.
Do you think that running it with the nipple possibly in the wrong position will adversely effect the bulb life/spectrum?
rigleautomotive
Premium Member
contrary to the published info on this i personally found no difference with the appearance of the lamp in relation to nipple location.i find it very hard to believe that the location of the nipple will make a lamp not burn right .i think it would be more risky to leave the bulb loose or to over tighten it to get the nipple to point a certain way.
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
Yes, if you go back to the first page I quote reasons why. Basically the nipple becomes a 'cold spot' if its not oriented upwards, and the cold spot encourages deposits of the metal oxides, which darken the bulb and degrade spectrum faster.
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
very doubtful, you'd be able to visually tell if there was buildup in that time. I ran some bulbs for a few months incorrectly and definitely noticed a strong buildup around the nipple. If you can't see much then its probably fine.
Reef Stallion
New member
This is my point. You clearly state that you don't like the look of the bulb and you knew that the quality of the bulb is inferior to German bulbs yet something made you buy them anyway. I think that I know what that is.
I think that the reason is "the hope" that buying a Reeflux bulb will make my corals look like the corals I see featured on RC or in the TOTM. I know that's why I bought them. I saw a TOTM with outstanding growth and color and "the coral was greener on the other side" so to speak.
I think that the poor quality of the Reeflux bulbs, as well as poor response from your system, dashed those hopes. I know that my system doesn't look like TOTM and I've been running Reeflux for a year. I know that the next temptation out their are T5 bulbs. Everyone wants T5 bulbs now. There are many reasons people give but the bottom line is that they saw someones tank running T5's that blew them away!
I am staying with Reeflux for now because even though I have been disappointed with the growth and coloration of my corals, I have not had a poor quality experience. I also know that the problem with my tank is probably not my lighting. In fact, I am one of those guys who has shortened his photoperiod by 30% and seen improved growth and color. I am going to try the 20K bulbs, but I also like the look of the bulbs.
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