y not GE bulbs?

robgardner · 08/24/2006, 08:09 AM

how come i never see anyone running general electric bulbs...my buddy is an electrician and has some 400 watt ballasts and bulbs...(on the cheap) i'm just wondering if there's a problem with these bulbs...BTW what's wrong with high pressure sodium bulbs...HPS...is it a heat concern? if i can get a ge bulb 10k with a cri of 65 is that ok?

horkn · 08/24/2006, 08:14 AM

well, in the t5ho world, the ge 6500k daybulb used to be the king of PAR. not anymore, since the bulb isnt the same as it once was, but it still is a good bulb. they do not make enough bulbs in other spectrums is the problem. as far a HPS bulbs, i dunno exactly why we dont use them, but i am sure it has something to do with the spectrum, and maybe electrical reasons as well

maddyfish · 08/24/2006, 08:32 AM

I use ge 6500k t-8 bulbs in my VHO set up, work fine for me.

HowardW · 08/24/2006, 08:35 AM

<<< if i can get a ge bulb 10k with a cri of 65 is that ok? >>>

Isn't a CRI of 65 extremely low? I know I no longer use the GE T5 bulb because I think it tends to grow unwanted microalgae more than other bulbs I've used (in my tank anyway).

horkn · 08/24/2006, 11:27 AM

howardw, i agree with that algae sentiment.

i will no longer be using my ge 6500 starcoat due to that reason as well. maybe that is why the 6500k GE bulb is now different than it used to be.?

AZDesertRat · 08/24/2006, 12:57 PM

Everyone is missing the boat here, he is talking about high pressure sodium and metal halide bulbs here not T5 or fluorescents.
You will probably not be able to find any GE bulbs in the correct color spectrum preferred for aquarium use. HPS and MH are different so an HPS ballast will not fire a MH bulb with the possible exception of a 6500 Iwasaki or Iwaki I forget which. HPS is no where near the color you would want.

theatrus · 08/24/2006, 01:43 PM

HPS is incredibly efficient, but VERY yellow with almost no hint of blue in it. You want a MH bulb (uses mercury not sodium

).

robgardner · 08/24/2006, 01:44 PM

thanks azd i forgot about the ballast dif b/t them...i was looking @ some sites that claimed their bulbs were good for aquarium lighting...and they had 65 cri index...i can't find the cri index of say a AQUALINE(german) bulb...or any other hamilton et al.u are right about the iwasaki...

robgardner · 08/24/2006, 01:47 PM

ok...according to the manufacturer...hamilton (german made Ushio ) cri is 95...so 60 something is pretty poor...thanks for all the replies

horkn · 08/25/2006, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AZDesertRat
Everyone is missing the boat here, he is talking about high pressure sodium and metal halide bulbs here not T5 or fluorescents.
You will probably not be able to find any GE bulbs in the correct color spectrum preferred for aquarium use. HPS and MH are different so an HPS ballast will not fire a MH bulb with the possible exception of a 6500 Iwasaki or Iwaki I forget which. HPS is no where near the color you would want.

yeah i see that, no boat missed here.

if you look at the title, he asks about GE bulbs in reef use. in the body of the thread he has hps mh questions. i put the t5 stuff in so that he knows that people do use GE in some cases.

mattls · 08/25/2006, 09:26 AM

You want a CRI of 85-95. This is the Color Rendering Index. The Higher the CRI the better color quality and lamp you have.
The HPS will not work the 65CRI is horrible you will not get a good color out of lamps for an aquarium no matter what the kelvin is.

08/24/2006, 08:09 AM	#1
robgardner Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 45	y not GE bulbs? how come i never see anyone running general electric bulbs...my buddy is an electrician and has some 400 watt ballasts and bulbs...(on the cheap) i'm just wondering if there's a problem with these bulbs...BTW what's wrong with high pressure sodium bulbs...HPS...is it a heat concern? if i can get a ge bulb 10k with a cri of 65 is that ok?

08/24/2006, 08:14 AM	#2
horkn Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: milwaukee wisconsin Posts: 4,125	well, in the t5ho world, the ge 6500k daybulb used to be the king of PAR. not anymore, since the bulb isnt the same as it once was, but it still is a good bulb. they do not make enough bulbs in other spectrums is the problem. as far a HPS bulbs, i dunno exactly why we dont use them, but i am sure it has something to do with the spectrum, and maybe electrical reasons as well __________________ people write stupid things in this space Current Tank Info: 200g DIY wood reef, 2x 250w SE 10k MH 2x80 t5ho, 75g sump, Geo Ca RX, ASD 6" recirc skimmer

08/24/2006, 08:32 AM	#3
maddyfish Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 330	I use ge 6500k t-8 bulbs in my VHO set up, work fine for me. __________________ If an expert says it cannot be done, get another expert- David Ben-Gurion Current Tank Info: 75 mixed simple tank 2.5 pico and 20 gallon QUARANTINE

08/24/2006, 08:35 AM	#4
HowardW Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Aurora, IL Posts: 1,763	<<< if i can get a ge bulb 10k with a cri of 65 is that ok? >>> Isn't a CRI of 65 extremely low? I know I no longer use the GE T5 bulb because I think it tends to grow unwanted microalgae more than other bulbs I've used (in my tank anyway). __________________ Florida live rock addict

08/24/2006, 11:27 AM	#5
horkn Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: milwaukee wisconsin Posts: 4,125	howardw, i agree with that algae sentiment. i will no longer be using my ge 6500 starcoat due to that reason as well. maybe that is why the 6500k GE bulb is now different than it used to be.? __________________ people write stupid things in this space Current Tank Info: 200g DIY wood reef, 2x 250w SE 10k MH 2x80 t5ho, 75g sump, Geo Ca RX, ASD 6" recirc skimmer

08/24/2006, 12:57 PM	#6
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	Everyone is missing the boat here, he is talking about high pressure sodium and metal halide bulbs here not T5 or fluorescents. You will probably not be able to find any GE bulbs in the correct color spectrum preferred for aquarium use. HPS and MH are different so an HPS ballast will not fire a MH bulb with the possible exception of a 6500 Iwasaki or Iwaki I forget which. HPS is no where near the color you would want.

08/24/2006, 01:43 PM	#7
theatrus 100-mile-commuter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: almost nevada Posts: 4,721	HPS is incredibly efficient, but VERY yellow with almost no hint of blue in it. You want a MH bulb (uses mercury not sodium ). __________________ Custom electronics purveyor. blueAcro.com Current Tank Info: 90g SPS+mixed reef (10 yrs): LEDBrick LEDs, 40g custom sump, Ca reactor, chiller, Vortech, lots of custom electronics

08/24/2006, 01:44 PM	#8
robgardner Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 45	thanks azd i forgot about the ballast dif b/t them...i was looking @ some sites that claimed their bulbs were good for aquarium lighting...and they had 65 cri index...i can't find the cri index of say a AQUALINE(german) bulb...or any other hamilton et al.u are right about the iwasaki...

08/24/2006, 01:47 PM	#9
robgardner Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 45	ok...according to the manufacturer...hamilton (german made Ushio ) cri is 95...so 60 something is pretty poor...thanks for all the replies

08/25/2006, 09:26 AM	#11
mattls Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 452	You want a CRI of 85-95. This is the Color Rendering Index. The Higher the CRI the better color quality and lamp you have. The HPS will not work the 65CRI is horrible you will not get a good color out of lamps for an aquarium no matter what the kelvin is.