New Halides!

[colin779]

Just got my new 175w Ushio 14k's put in last night. I was running XM 10k's but was not happy with the color, they were a little to yellow (even with actinics), i wanted a little more blue.

The XM's were past there prime, but these Ushio's do not seem to be any less bright, they are pretty white with just the amount of blue i was looking for, hopefully it doesnt change much as they burn in (if they do change hopefully it goes to the blue side not the yellow side). I will post some pictures a little bit later this evening.

Next step is actually put some reflectors above each bulb, as of now is an old-school hamilton fixture that is simply white coated sheet metal that is bent down along the sides of the actinic tubes and the halides in the middle. What would be a good way to attach a reflector? I was thinking of just getting some aluminum or something and kinda bending it into a reflector and then screwing it into the fixture thats attached to the canopy.

 

[jake65]

same boat I'm in, looking to get more blue color out of my halides. Looking forward to seeing the pics

 

[Bored4ever86]

usually the 12K+ bulbs burn in bluer rather than yellower, they tend to be a little on the yellow side for the first 10-50hrs then the color burns into the blue

great bulb choice hope you like them

 

[Ugla]

Anybody know how do the ushios 14's compare to 10k's on brightness? I have 250 10ks on Icecap ballasts and am considering switching.

 

[colin779]

To me they seem about the same, but my 10k's were probably about a year old.

 

[colin779]

Here's two pictures, i was having issues getting the exposure exactly right last night. These only have about 12 hours on them right now, i will post some more once they get to 100 or so.

These two are from today.

 

[colin779]

The algae isssues i think were coming from my really old spectrum shifted 10k's. I do 10g a week water changes and the tank in not very heavily stocked. Now that i have the new bubs ill be dong a little manual removal and hopefully the fish and water changes will starve out the rest =)

 

[colin779]

Anyone have any ideas on those fluorescent green things on the rock that's in the top middle? There's also a pretty wicked garden of them going on the lower left. They look kinda cool but i have no idea what they are.

 

[reef18ster]

Anyone have any ideas on those fluorescent green things on the rock that's in the top middle?

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53599

 

[colin779]

awesome! thanks man, i tried to figure out what they were a while back and wasnt having any luck so i kinda just forgot about it.

 

[KrautBurner]

The algae isssues i think were coming from my really old spectrum shifted 10k's. I do 10g a week water changes and the tank in not very heavily stocked. Now that i have the new bubs ill be dong a little manual removal and hopefully the fish and water changes will starve out the rest =)

looks like you could use a Lawnmower Blenny
I picked one up a few weeks back. he made short work of the hair algea in my tank.

now he's eating Flaked food

 

[mal1099]

just wondering why you didnt go with a 20k bulb if you wanted more blue? currently im running a 250 reeflux 20k and love the color. im current upgrading to a 150 with 3 400watt reeflux 20k bulbs. hoping it keeps the same color.

 

[colin779]

My lfs uses 20k bulbs and they are to blue for me, i like the brighter white/blue color the 14k's give. These seem like they are brighter then a lot of the 20k's that i have seen. I know they are brighter then the ones at my lfs, i will check what wattage his are, but i know they are at least 250 if not 400 and mine are only 175's.

How do you like the reeflux bulbs mal? i was looking at the 12k's the sell but ended up going with the ushio's.

 

[colin779]

looks like you could use a Lawnmower Blenny
I picked one up a few weeks back. he made short work of the hair algea in my tank.

now he's eating Flaked food

I have a Blue Eye Kole tang in there, he does a pretty good job, the last month and a half or so its just been growing faster then he can eat it.... haha

 

[KrautBurner]

My lfs uses 20k bulbs and they are to blue for me, i like the brighter white/blue color the 14k's give. These seem like they are brighter then a lot of the 20k's that i have seen. I know they are brighter then the ones at my lfs, i will check what wattage his are, but i know they are at least 250 if not 400 and mine are only 175's.

How do you like the reeflux bulbs mal? i was looking at the 12k's the sell but ended up going with the ushio's.

you talking about Shark Reef?

I think his are 250 watt
but he only has one light over each 75gal tank.

 

[colin779]

Yes, but they are already more blue then i care for, if he had two per tank and lowered them i think it would be super blue.

 

[KrautBurner]

you are welcome to come look at my tank,
I've got 2x250w MH's 20,000K
but they look less blue than Eric's

 

[colin779]

that would be cool, whereabouts are you located?

 

[KrautBurner]

that would be cool, whereabouts are you located?

East Bremerton, near Fairgrounds and HWY303

I'll PM you.

 

[mal1099]

I really like the reeflux bulbs rob from arsa recommended them and i have been very happy since i switched.