Lumatek + Ushio Colorlite 20,000K = good :)

[Len]

I just replaced my lighting and really like the new setup. It's bright and just the right shade of blue ... much better than Radiums IMHO. I hope my corals respond well to it.

And yes, I got the bulb in response to this article:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/12/aafeature1

 

[Anonymous]

What wattage?

 

[Anonymous]

I guess it would be asking too much for a before and after picture of your cesspool?

Louey

 

[Len]

hehe. Yes, it's too much to ask!

250W (the bulbs are discontinued from what I hear).

 

[Anonymous]

Well thats no good!

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Len,

i'm also look at Ushio Colorlite 20,000K lamp for my replacement as well. any chance you could post a picture so i can decide whether it is good to switch over?

Many thanks,
Adrian

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Len,

i'm also look at Ushio Colorlite 20,000K lamp for my replacement as well. any chance you could post a picture so i can decide whether it is good to switch over?

Many thanks,
Adrian

His camera is broken

 

[Len]

Hehe. I honestly missed the picture request ... wasn't intentional :lol:

Anyhow, it looks very close to the Radium, but a bit whiter. My corals are responding VERY well. Apparently old Radiums aren't good for my corals. Now that I've switched, their colors are coming back, and the tips are no longer dying off. I wish I had done the switch a year ago.

 

[Anonymous]

Is the Aqualite 20K the replacement for the bulb you have Len?

 

[Len]

I have no idea. I do know that the Coralite was EXTREMELY fragile. Of the six bulbs I bought (for backup since I think they're being discontinued), half of them broke during shipping!

 

[Anonymous]

Ahhh now that makes sense they'd discontinue it then. I'll drop them a line, they have a great CS team

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Len, is Lumatek the brand of ballast you're using? I seem to remember you were using Sunlight Supply's blue wave ballasts at one point.

 

[Len]

Yeah, it's the brand. I've owned a lot of ballasts (Sunlight, PFO, Aqualine, Icecap) but I think the Lumateks are my favorite thus far. They might burn the bulbs out faster though, but it is really bright for a 250W.

 

[Anonymous]

Did you like the Sunlight supply ballasts though? They are currently on my plan under the MH option as a reasonably priced alternative (you can buy a double ballast to power two pendants for around $200), combined with a couple of Lumenmax mini pendants and the Phoenix DE bulbs.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, it's the brand. I've owned a lot of ballasts (Sunlight, PFO, Aqualine, Icecap) but I think the Lumateks are my favorite thus far. They might burn the bulbs out faster though, but it is really bright for a 250W.

When I can afford it I'm going to try to pick up a Lumatek 600W switchable (burns HPS & MH), then I can run a 400W MH. The Lumateks are supposed to produce anywhere from 10%-30% more lumens from each bulb. However, I know of a few people who do have problems with their digital ballasts dying on them.

Also, is the digital ballast really that much quieter? For the price difference, it would have to be completely silent. The output is a consideration, that and being switchable.

 

[Len]

The Sunlight worked great for me too. Mine weren't electronic.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Len.

 

[pwj1286]

Yeah, it's the brand. I've owned a lot of ballasts (Sunlight, PFO, Aqualine, Icecap) but I think the Lumateks are my favorite thus far. They might burn the bulbs out faster though, but it is really bright for a 250W.

When I can afford it I'm going to try to pick up a Lumatek 600W switchable (burns HPS & MH), then I can run a 400W MH. The Lumateks are supposed to produce anywhere from 10%-30% more lumens from each bulb. However, I know of a few people who do have problems with their digital ballasts dying on them.

Also, is the digital ballast really that much quieter? For the price difference, it would have to be completely silent. The output is a consideration, that and being switchable.

The whole "digital" marketing is somewhat confusing to me. Is "digital" another name for "electronic" ballasts? If so, I have a lot of expirence with the CoralVue 175/250/400 Watt Electronic ballast, which are dead silent.

Check these guys out. http://www.coralvue.com/400metalb.html They also have "dimmable" ballasts. They are really cheap.

I also see that you are thinking about buying a 600 watt MH ballast, but do 600 watt MH's exist? I never heard of that wattage. I only heard of (for the aquarium industry anyways) 70/175/250/400/1000. Even then, there are bizzare wattages like 430 watts.

 

[Len]

I got some Aqualites in today. They are physically different then the Coralites, but it's not a huge difference. I'll burn them in and see if they look different. I did notice the Coralites are stamped with M80 designations but the Aqualites are M58 (probe start).