mh lights

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big t

tankless
Joined
Oct 21, 2003
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Location
Denver
Hey I just thought I would start a new thread about MH lights. I just ordered some EVC tech 14k's that I am going to run on my M80 hqi ballast over my reef side. I have not seen the 250 w version in person, but have seen the 400 and it was one of the most impressive bulbs that I have ever seen. I have read a lot of good things about how good the 250's look, and am pretty excited to try them out. Hopefully I will get these bulbs in next week and can show some pics. Anyone here tried them, they are reasonably priced and have a good output on the hqi ballast, comparable to 250w radiums.
 
I will be needing some new bulbs soon so keep us informed.
 
I almost ordered some reeflux but read to many bad comments on them. Right now I am leaning towards XM bulbs. What do you not like about the reeflux bulbs. I have to buy 6 so I want to make sure I get something good.
 
Brenden, my problem is that they don't seem to have much punch. I went from the 10k xm's to the reeflux and have had quite a bit of color loss. All my water params are fine and have not changed. I even went so far as to change from my pfo ballast to the e ballast that the reeflux are supposed to run on. I still have problems with the lack of intensity.

I will say yet some of my acropora are loving the lights and some do have better color. I just can't have any shaded areas or it's a major color loss. With the xm's I never had to worry about this.
 
I was considering getting the 12k reeflux myself, they look pretty nice, but I read a lot of bad info about their rep for inconsistant colors, peetering out after a few months, not being made to run on magnetic ballasts, and arriving broken, so decided to look at other stuff. I have been running radium's and xm 20's and happy with both, but the radiums are too spendy, and I wanted just a bit more blue and brightness then what I get with the xm's. I will definately post up some side by sides with all bulbs involved and will see which of the 3 are best for my tank.
 
I am running 14k CoralVue HQI's now. I also want more blue. Keep us posted.
 
I run a 12K 250W reeflux bulb over my cube and when I had it over my 75gal next to my 20K XM bulb, you couldn't tell the difference. I had people come over and I asked them if one side looked any differently than the other and they said, "Nope"

Here's the pic I posted here before to show the comparison:)

 
Krish: When the reeflux bulb burnt in did it not loose some of the blue?
 
Nope! The bugger is still real blue! I want to get back one of my old 20K XM's from my friend that bought my old setup to see how it looks over the cube to get a comparison, but up until I took down the tank, I left the reeflux over my 75gal to help burn it in and it was on there a total of about 3 weeks and no change...:)
 
I am running 2 reeflux 12k bulbs on coralvue electric 250 watt ballast. I am happy with them. The color is amazing, nice and blue. They have been running 3 months with no problems. I turned my VHO actinic off, because they look very nice with or without the supplements. I could never find any numbers for the 12k bulbs. They look to have similar performance and color to the XM20ks. For my 120 gallon zoanthid tank, it has been a nice bulb.
 
Elmo, I may be going back to the xm's.. I wonder how the xm's would be affected if at all on this coralvue e ballast??

Anyone know about this??
 
Hi there Sue!

I am not sure about that exact question since I have had no experience with a Coralvue E-ballast.

However, the set of bulbs I am currently on (i run only 1 bulb, but rotate them) have been run for about 13 months, and both are still the same color as they were about 5 months ago.

I will continue to run them....until some major drastic color shifts happen, or when my anemones start to dislike it..I am sorry to have gone off course with XM bulb talk rather than Reeflux.

I'll keep an eye on this one, too.

Best,
Ilham
 
I will follow this thread, I need a new ballast and bulbs.
Tom when you get them hooked up give me a call and I will come check them out...

Matt
 
I'm wondering what other bulbs can be run on this coralvue e ballast... It shouldn't only have to be the reeflux bulbs, right??
 
Elmo, thanks for reminding me about that link. lol, sorry I knew about it but have had skimmer on the brain for the last few days..:badgrin:
 
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