PC bulbs

ugluk · 02/26/2009, 12:20 PM

I'm looking to buy some PC bulbs (luckily Foster & Smith have them on sale) and I was wondering if they are all the same or if some are better then others? There certainly are differences in the price:

All-Glass Aquarium- 14.99
Arcadia- 24.99
Coralife- 21.69
Current- 19.19

Also anyone have any coupon codes for F&S? Thanks.

Avi · 02/26/2009, 01:39 PM

Well, the essential difference between them is .... the number of watts of the bulbs, and related to that, the configuration of the pins that fit your fixture's bulb-sockets. Assuming you know what that is, the differences in the available bulbs for your fixture would be the Kelvin-rating of the bulb. So, for example there are 6700Ks...10,000Ks....and 20,000Ks. The 6700Ks are yellower in the kind of light they emit and on the higher Kelvin-rated bulbs, bluer. It's somewhat a matter of aesthetics as to which you might find best, though I think it's fair to say that the yellower bulbs give your coral an unnatural look and don't show off the colors well. The lower Kelvin-rated bulbs are said to foster better growth, though. I'd recommend that you find something in the middle. A good choice in the PC bulbs are the "50/50s" which are a mixture of 10,0000Ks and 20,000Ks. They give off a good intensity and also show the corals's color fairly well.

kevinohio · 02/26/2009, 01:52 PM

but do you have an opinion on the bulb makers? Do you feel one brand is better than the others?

Avi · 02/26/2009, 06:38 PM

I 've never heard of Arcadia as a brand that offers bulbs for aquarium fixtures but that doesn't mean that they aren't good. The others are all brands of bulbs that are good. I don't think you'd find one brand to be markedly better than any of the others.

Gooch79 · 02/26/2009, 08:24 PM

hellolights has some pc bulbs on their halfoff/clearance section as low as 4 dollars a bulb! Hellolights apparently bought out remaining stock of a supplier that was either discontinuing the bulbs or they were going out of business.. but if you're budget minded you should check that out.

02/26/2009, 12:20 PM	#1
ugluk Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: King of Prussia, Pa Posts: 336	PC bulbs I'm looking to buy some PC bulbs (luckily Foster & Smith have them on sale) and I was wondering if they are all the same or if some are better then others? There certainly are differences in the price: All-Glass Aquarium- 14.99 Arcadia- 24.99 Coralife- 21.69 Current- 19.19 Also anyone have any coupon codes for F&S? Thanks.

02/26/2009, 01:39 PM	#2
Avi Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Westchester County, NY Posts: 7,327	Well, the essential difference between them is .... the number of watts of the bulbs, and related to that, the configuration of the pins that fit your fixture's bulb-sockets. Assuming you know what that is, the differences in the available bulbs for your fixture would be the Kelvin-rating of the bulb. So, for example there are 6700Ks...10,000Ks....and 20,000Ks. The 6700Ks are yellower in the kind of light they emit and on the higher Kelvin-rated bulbs, bluer. It's somewhat a matter of aesthetics as to which you might find best, though I think it's fair to say that the yellower bulbs give your coral an unnatural look and don't show off the colors well. The lower Kelvin-rated bulbs are said to foster better growth, though. I'd recommend that you find something in the middle. A good choice in the PC bulbs are the "50/50s" which are a mixture of 10,0000Ks and 20,000Ks. They give off a good intensity and also show the corals's color fairly well. __________________ I'd keep the whole ocean if my den were big enough Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef with 210 lbs. of live rock, Aqua-C EV180 Skimmer, Aquactinic double 250W MH with blue plus t5 support; 58 gallon freshwater planted tank using CO2 and T5s; 30-gallon cube with a few fancy goldfish; and a 110 gallon FOWLR

02/26/2009, 01:52 PM	#3
kevinohio Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: mayfield ohio Posts: 514	but do you have an opinion on the bulb makers? Do you feel one brand is better than the others? __________________ kevin Current Tank Info: 75 gallon FOWLR

02/26/2009, 06:38 PM	#4
Avi Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Westchester County, NY Posts: 7,327	I 've never heard of Arcadia as a brand that offers bulbs for aquarium fixtures but that doesn't mean that they aren't good. The others are all brands of bulbs that are good. I don't think you'd find one brand to be markedly better than any of the others. __________________ I'd keep the whole ocean if my den were big enough Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef with 210 lbs. of live rock, Aqua-C EV180 Skimmer, Aquactinic double 250W MH with blue plus t5 support; 58 gallon freshwater planted tank using CO2 and T5s; 30-gallon cube with a few fancy goldfish; and a 110 gallon FOWLR

02/26/2009, 08:24 PM	#5
Gooch79 Penguins Fan Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Seymour, CT Posts: 505	hellolights has some pc bulbs on their halfoff/clearance section as low as 4 dollars a bulb! Hellolights apparently bought out remaining stock of a supplier that was either discontinuing the bulbs or they were going out of business.. but if you're budget minded you should check that out. __________________ Brett Current Tank Info: 90g Oceanic Tech softie tank with 40g sump/refug