Time for new MH bulbs!

B

blide

Well my Ushio 10K bulbs have ran there course (1.5 yrs) and it's time I got something new. So I thought I would post to see if anyone who had Ushio in the past that now has something different could recommend a brand?

My current setup:
2 X 250w Ushio 10K
2 X 110w VHO Super Actinic
2 X 24w True Blue T5's

Here is my list of new MH bulb brands:

1. Reflux
2. XM
3. Ushio

If anyone knows any cons please feel free to speak up.... Oh and I'm not a big fan of my tank looking extremly blue.
 
I switched to XM after using AB's, and I like them better. The color is a little more blue, the price is better, and the electricity bill isn't significatly less, but *I* notice it.
 
Bill I have run all three. Ushio at 250 watts and all three at 400 watts, always at 10k. The XMs have very high par and were very bright, but they seemed to get yellower with age. I did not like the way they colored the tank in the end, either the overall look or the way the sps responded. I took themout after six months. The Ushios I think are a very good bulbs. They have a good white look, good par, and with actinics I think overall looks good. Corals respond well to them and they will give a full year. They are high quality bulbs. The Coralife ReefLux, I have had them about a month maybe a little less. When I turned them on the first thing I noticed was it was the whitest light I have ever seen. It is a very white looking light. But I was totally amazed and remain so about the way the tank and corals looked instantly. I honestly do NOT think corals could look better even under a 20k bulb. And I have seen after a few weeks that my corals are responding positively with growth and better color. Now if they last and do not start changing after a few months I will be sold. And will be very happy to buy them again.
 
The proof is in the pictures. I know that you have seen this thread, but for others wondering why reeflux are better than Ushios and XM check it out. THe pics look much bluer than in reality. TJay, Nathan, Rick and I all have these bulbs and not one of us has complained.


Rick and I have had tanks for a while and IMO I have never had better bulbs. Rick seems to be exceptionally happy as well.

Reef Exotics www.acropora.net offer phenomenal service and are very reasonable and cheap! You can tell them that I recommended you (No I'm not getting kick backs :lol: )

Go with your first choice. You knew I would say that. If you do, your corals will look like they are suspended in mid air! Actually, it will look like some one put a little battery in your corals and turned the lights on inside them :idea:
 
I can't be happier with the "look" and apparently neither can my corals...they seem to love the Reeflux also.

Give the Reeflux a try, Billy
 
Alright I ordered the Reeflux bulbs 8) .

Servo you sure hype of these bulbs a lot, so if they make my softies look jacked up or die I know who to blame. :D
 
We have ricordias and leathers in our tank and lots of LPS they love the reeflux

Latest tank shot today very acurate colors
 
The rig is a catelina Aquarium retro that has a M58 Magnetic Ballast driving two single ended 250 watt reeflux 12Ks

Supplement two 54 wat ATI T5 actinic

the unit will drive four 54 watt T5 and came wit 24 Led moonlights on five different power cords

Tank is an oceanic 90 gallon, ozone, G3 skimmer, sump and fuge phosban reactor, ssb pink fiji caribsea sand guessing a little over 100 lbs of rock from several places

I suppliment lugols, two drops a week, bionic mag, calc and alk. Feed DTs and cyclopeze along with mysis, squid, silversides and nori

flow is a mag 18 return pushing a 3/4 inch sea swirl and two moded mj 12s on a wave maker 1 2 inch drain
 
OK, I'm sold, too. But which is better, the 10kk or the 12? I'm a little tired of the blue glow of my 20kk xm's but I love the look of the corals under them.
 
@ChrisCurtis wrote:
OK said:
Chris I have never seen the 12k myself so I can not speak to the look of that spectrum look. But I believe you would love the look of the 10k bulbs. There is no blue hue from the bulbs at all. But the blue and other colors that comes off the corals themselves is a great as I have seen. I have never been too fond of the blue hue that 20ks give the overall tank, but the corals do look good under them. This light I believe gives you that look and at the same time a crisp white light with relatively high par.
Click to expand...
 
TJay the tank looks great.

Has anyone used the 400 watt reflux? I will be shopping for two new bulbs for my set up soon. The Reflux are on the top of the list so far.
 
@landon_brim wrote:
Has anyone used the 400 watt reflux? I will be shopping for two new bulbs for my set up soon. The Reflux are on the top of the list so far. said:
I have three of them over my tank.
Click to expand...
 
Looks like I will be ordering these guys in the very near future. Is there a particular site that you guys use for ordering these bulbs?
 
SERVO (Ryan) put the link about 12-13 posts above here. That is the only place I know that sells them, maybe someone else knows another.
 
I called them today to get my tracking number and they were very helpfull. (For Yankee's!) :lol:

Ship date
Jan 16, 2006

Estimated delivery
Jan 20, 2006

Destination
Sherman, TX
 
I just ordered three myself. Two for my reef, and one for the Next Wave tank.

Premium Aquatics has them listed, but are out of stock.
 
Custom Aquatics has them also
http://www.customaquatic.com/JHFHDJUHFUHRUTFII3/brandsubcategory.asp?brandid=CV&subcatID=lt-rmhb&offset=15

i just got 2 -250 de
Ken
 
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