New MH Fixture-Hate the Bulbs!

Stormtrker · 07/15/2006, 03:14 PM

I have a 75G tank that is 1 year old. Slowly converting to SPS over past 4-5 months. Was running T5HO lighting with fairly good results. Last week got a great deal on a Coralife Pro retro fixture for $200 new in box. It consist of 2x150W 10,000K HQI and 2x96W actinic 03 PC. Well finally got lights installed in hood and find I hate the color of the MH bulbs. They are a yellow/green color. What brand bulbs would you recommend to give a more crisp/light blue color that will also promote good growth? Do you think the current new Coralife bulbs will lose some of the yellow/green color as they burn in? Thanks for any help. Posted this in the SPS forum but thought might get more response here.
Carla

Sk8r · 07/15/2006, 03:26 PM

Supplement them with actinic. I use Ushio 250 10000, which is very yellow, and 2 actinics balance it out.

bertoni · 07/15/2006, 03:52 PM

http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/

That site has a lot of data on bulbs. Actinic supplemented should help, but other bulbs might produce coloration that you like better. Maybe the AB 10,000 K, for example.

Stormtrker · 07/15/2006, 04:43 PM

Thanks, they are already supplemented with 2x96w actinics. Thanks for the internet link Bertoni!

bertoni · 07/15/2006, 05:36 PM

Wow, what brand bulbs do you have? They're still yellow?

Stormtrker · 07/15/2006, 06:54 PM

These are the Coralife MH brand bulbs. The MH bulbs are off now and only actinics are on, they are super actinic 03's. Very purple/blue in color. They are the exact same color I got from the new UV brand T5 super actinic bulbs. You would think they would help tone down the yellow of the MH bulbs. I am definitely going to replace the MH bulbs. Right now I am thinking probably with Phoenix 14K.

dots · 07/15/2006, 07:02 PM

I have the same system, but the enclosure not the retrofit.
over a 75.

Yes, the bulbs are yellow, but your PAR will drop considerbly when you move up in K. As it was, the 10k was not a fast grower itself.

I switched out the 10k with the 14k phoenix and it was too blue.
I then switched out one of the PCs to a hamilton full daylight and balanced to my likes. The color is good, and the SPS surrvive, but don't grow very fast. In fact, I am upgrading to 250's because with the 150's you are limited toward the top and real estate gets tight.

All in all, they are surviving with the new bulbs, but I will never get any growth to brag about until I up to the 250's.

So be warned, it may look good but not perform as you would like.

Stormtrker · 07/15/2006, 07:14 PM

Can you upgrade to 250W by changing out ballast? As you can tell I am really don't know much about MH!

dots · 07/15/2006, 07:45 PM

Nope, I thought from a manufacturing point of view, the only diffenence would be the ballasts and bulbs also...I would assume everything else would be the same. They make like eight different versions of the thing, would be very poor in design if it is.

However, the 250's came out after I bought the 150's and thought that they might have a retrofit and emailed them......they said there were no plans for it. And then some guy who works at a store in AZ claimed that he had taken them apart and they were completly different. But like I said, from a design and manufacturing point of view, that is dumb, and still don't believe it. Still, I like the all in one set up and the ability to control your lighting schedule, and just wish I had the 250's instead.

45commando · 07/15/2006, 08:37 PM

I would give the bulbs a chance to burn in a while.I think most brands use the 100 hour period.If they are still yellow,it is possible you have bad bulbs & you may want to try & get a free replacement.If after another burn in time,you're still not happy,then go for another brand-just trying to save you some cash.I just replaced my XM 10K's a few weeks back & did have bad bulbs.After 100 hours,both bulbs looked dull & terrible colour.I got replacements,that practically fired right up with great colour & output.HTH

bertoni · 07/16/2006, 12:25 AM

I'd go with the suggestions, burn them in for a while, and if they still are yellow, try to exchange them.

I don't know whether 250 W and 150 W DE bulbs are physically interchangeable. For the size tank you have, investing in a setup with better reflectors would give a lot more light, I bet, and possibly save some money in electricity.

DLBerlin · 07/16/2006, 06:20 AM

150w and 250w DE bulbs use a different socket.

07/15/2006, 03:14 PM	#1
Stormtrker Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast Posts: 375	New MH Fixture-Hate the Bulbs! I have a 75G tank that is 1 year old. Slowly converting to SPS over past 4-5 months. Was running T5HO lighting with fairly good results. Last week got a great deal on a Coralife Pro retro fixture for $200 new in box. It consist of 2x150W 10,000K HQI and 2x96W actinic 03 PC. Well finally got lights installed in hood and find I hate the color of the MH bulbs. They are a yellow/green color. What brand bulbs would you recommend to give a more crisp/light blue color that will also promote good growth? Do you think the current new Coralife bulbs will lose some of the yellow/green color as they burn in? Thanks for any help. Posted this in the SPS forum but thought might get more response here. Carla

07/15/2006, 03:26 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Supplement them with actinic. I use Ushio 250 10000, which is very yellow, and 2 actinics balance it out. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

07/15/2006, 03:52 PM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/ That site has a lot of data on bulbs. Actinic supplemented should help, but other bulbs might produce coloration that you like better. Maybe the AB 10,000 K, for example. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/15/2006, 05:36 PM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Wow, what brand bulbs do you have? They're still yellow? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/15/2006, 07:02 PM	#7
dots Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 6,258	I have the same system, but the enclosure not the retrofit. over a 75. Yes, the bulbs are yellow, but your PAR will drop considerbly when you move up in K. As it was, the 10k was not a fast grower itself. I switched out the 10k with the 14k phoenix and it was too blue. I then switched out one of the PCs to a hamilton full daylight and balanced to my likes. The color is good, and the SPS surrvive, but don't grow very fast. In fact, I am upgrading to 250's because with the 150's you are limited toward the top and real estate gets tight. All in all, they are surviving with the new bulbs, but I will never get any growth to brag about until I up to the 250's. So be warned, it may look good but not perform as you would like. __________________ ~Doug

07/15/2006, 04:43 PM	#4
Stormtrker Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast Posts: 375	Thanks, they are already supplemented with 2x96w actinics. Thanks for the internet link Bertoni!

07/15/2006, 06:54 PM	#6
Stormtrker Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast Posts: 375	These are the Coralife MH brand bulbs. The MH bulbs are off now and only actinics are on, they are super actinic 03's. Very purple/blue in color. They are the exact same color I got from the new UV brand T5 super actinic bulbs. You would think they would help tone down the yellow of the MH bulbs. I am definitely going to replace the MH bulbs. Right now I am thinking probably with Phoenix 14K.

07/15/2006, 07:14 PM	#8
Stormtrker Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast Posts: 375	Can you upgrade to 250W by changing out ballast? As you can tell I am really don't know much about MH!

07/15/2006, 07:45 PM	#9
dots Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 6,258	Nope, I thought from a manufacturing point of view, the only diffenence would be the ballasts and bulbs also...I would assume everything else would be the same. They make like eight different versions of the thing, would be very poor in design if it is. However, the 250's came out after I bought the 150's and thought that they might have a retrofit and emailed them......they said there were no plans for it. And then some guy who works at a store in AZ claimed that he had taken them apart and they were completly different. But like I said, from a design and manufacturing point of view, that is dumb, and still don't believe it. Still, I like the all in one set up and the ability to control your lighting schedule, and just wish I had the 250's instead. __________________ ~Doug

07/15/2006, 08:37 PM	#10
45commando Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 1,321	I would give the bulbs a chance to burn in a while.I think most brands use the 100 hour period.If they are still yellow,it is possible you have bad bulbs & you may want to try & get a free replacement.If after another burn in time,you're still not happy,then go for another brand-just trying to save you some cash.I just replaced my XM 10K's a few weeks back & did have bad bulbs.After 100 hours,both bulbs looked dull & terrible colour.I got replacements,that practically fired right up with great colour & output.HTH __________________ "It's not the size of the dog in the fight;It's the size of the fight in the dog!" -Sir Winston Churchill. Current Tank Info: 92G Corner tank, 250 wt 14K MH, 20G sump, 5G fuge, mixed reef

07/16/2006, 12:25 AM	#11
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I'd go with the suggestions, burn them in for a while, and if they still are yellow, try to exchange them. I don't know whether 250 W and 150 W DE bulbs are physically interchangeable. For the size tank you have, investing in a setup with better reflectors would give a lot more light, I bet, and possibly save some money in electricity. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/16/2006, 06:20 AM	#12
DLBerlin Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 395	150w and 250w DE bulbs use a different socket.