time for bulb change?

[shoelevy]

ever since i started my reef tank in nov last yr, i haven't changed my bulb

i bought both bulbs 2nd hand at 3mths old so that makes them about 10mths old now.

both bulbs are BLV 20kk 250W SE

all was fine until it recently, this 2 weeks i notice all my mushrooms stretch out alot for light.

does the way my mushrooms are reacting signify a need to change the bulbs?

when changing to new bulbs, what steps can i take to reduce shock on corals?

[ervine]

if u intending to get back 20ks then not that bad.. but if u suddenly change to 10ks i think ur corals might be in for a shock...

but u can control it by limiting the no. of hours the new bulbs fire off per day... say usually 8hrs u start with 5? then over a few days increase...

[shoelevy]

if u intending to get back 20ks then not that bad.. but if u suddenly change to 10ks i think ur corals might be in for a shock...

but u can control it by limiting the no. of hours the new bulbs fire off per day... say usually 8hrs u start with 5? then over a few days increase...

i am indeed looking at XM 10kk bulbs

but i'm also not ruling out XM 15kk bulbs as offered by reedepot

but i'm not so sure on the pros and cons of either except that 10kk has better PAR but i fret about the visual appeal since i myself do not use actinic supplements and don't plan on using them either

thanks for your input on oning for shorter time then increasing them.

how about this thing about the burn-in time of 100hrs for mh bulbs? what changes can i expect to see once the 100hrs burn in time is reached?

thanks

[ervine]

i am indeed looking at XM 10kk bulbs

but i'm also not ruling out XM 15kk bulbs as offered by reedepot

but i'm not so sure on the pros and cons of either except that 10kk has better PAR but i fret about the visual appeal since i myself do not use actinic supplements and don't plan on using them either

thanks for your input on oning for shorter time then increasing them.

how about this thing about the burn-in time of 100hrs for mh bulbs? what changes can i expect to see once the 100hrs burn in time is reached?

thanks

if i'm not wrong the colour temperature will stabalise after burning in... not quite sure what else changes...

but i've not visually seen any difference.. maybe coz the change is rather gradual..

Oh.. i din know XM had 15ks... Hmm.. if u try out do let us know how it looks, I also don't run actinics with my BLV 20k... was contemplating the move to 10k but finances are up in a bunch now so cannot move any money into the tank...

[shoelevy]

Oh.. i din know XM had 15ks... Hmm.. if u try out do let us know how it looks, I also don't run actinics with my BLV 20k... was contemplating the move to 10k but finances are up in a bunch now so cannot move any money into the tank...

if i'm not mistaken they recently brought the 15kk in

you can check them out in their website

blv 20kk is IMO VERY blue...so not surprising you don't run actinics with them..think the tank will look so blue that its ugly if u add in more actinics

the blueness is kinda the reason why my photo pics in my tank thread look as though they were taken with only actinics

you wan me to share how 15kk look ah?....wa...pressurising me to take the 15kk eh

but i'm still thinking about which to get as still reading and waiting for more responses here so don't get your hopes too high

aniwae, just to share, not sure if this has been mentioned here before

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthre...light=change+mh a thread in RC about the issue of replacing bulbs yearly.

i've only read the first 3 pages and apparantly most of them inside seem to think mh can be used much longer than a yr....a few claiming use for up to 2yrs

[ervine]

if i'm not mistaken they recently brought the 15kk in

you can check them out in their website

blv 20kk is IMO VERY blue...so not surprising you don't run actinics with them..think the tank will look so blue that its ugly if u add in more actinics

the blueness is kinda the reason why my photo pics in my tank thread look as though they were taken with only actinics

you wan me to share how 15kk look ah?....wa...pressurising me to take the 15kk eh

but i'm still thinking about which to get as still reading and waiting for more responses here so don't get your hopes too high

aniwae, just to share, not sure if this has been mentioned here before

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthre...light=change+mh a thread in RC about the issue of replacing bulbs yearly.

i've only read the first 3 pages and apparantly most of them inside seem to think mh can be used much longer than a yr....a few claiming use for up to 2yrs

hm.. well for me i noticed a slight difference in the corals when I swapped an 10-11mth old 20k bulb with a 5-6mth old one... but then it could just be my own imagination lah... haha...

which reminds me.. I also supposed to change my bulb soon... shucks, where's the money from singapore pools when you need it!

[shoelevy]

which reminds me.. I also supposed to change my bulb soon... shucks, where's the money from singapore pools when you need it!

money from singapore pools?

you mean gambling winnings?

what changes in your corals did u see or thought you saw when you changed the 10mth old bulb to the 5mth old one?

since its time for you to change bulb too, how's about trying out the 15kk XM bulb too?

btw, i spoke to my friend and he said XM bulbs are fantastically bright...

[ervine]

money from singapore pools?

you mean gambling winnings?

what changes in your corals did u see or thought you saw when you changed the 10mth old bulb to the 5mth old one?

since its time for you to change bulb too, how's about trying out the 15kk XM bulb too?

btw, i spoke to my friend and he said XM bulbs are fantastically bright...

Haha yah gambling winnings.. just kidding of course..

as for changes in my corals.. cannot really remember specifically, just felt as if the corals perked up after the newer bulb went in...

I also wanna try the XM bulb but like i said.. now finances are not looking up.. sigh..

[shoelevy]

I also wanna try the XM bulb but like i said.. now finances are not looking up.. sigh..

same here...just bought Ca R so now really pok gai

let's side track abit, ervine, do you use Ca R? any tips?

[ervine]

same here...just bought Ca R so now really pok gai

let's side track abit, ervine, do you use Ca R? any tips?

me also no money to get CR leh... only got a DIY KR...

BUT.. nvm.. I found the ultimate money saving solution liao..

I've given up all my SPSs... now only LPS.. so light also no need so strong, don need CR, don need all the expensive stuff.. haha...

will try SPS again when I get my Singapore Pools Scholarship..

[Dispar_Anthias]

Ran my 400 XM 20k bulb 1hr+ ago..... surprise the colour is not blue at all... crispy white almost same as radium blue 400..... Not sure abt 250 though

[ervine]

Ran my 400 XM 20k bulb 1hr+ ago..... surprise the colour is not blue at all... crispy white almost same as radium blue 400..... Not sure abt 250 though

a lot of difference from BLV 20k? maybe it's not burnt in yet?

[shoelevy]

Ran my 400 XM 20k bulb 1hr+ ago..... surprise the colour is not blue at all... crispy white almost same as radium blue 400..... Not sure abt 250 though

maybe you can take a pic of the colour with your 350D and show us?

[Dispar_Anthias]

a lot of difference from BLV 20k? maybe it's not burnt in yet?

I am not sure... i have nv used a BLV be4 and also neither have i used at 250watter be4... FWIW, I notice that 250 20kk(mainly radium and BLV i withness at frens' place) and 400 20kk does differ alot.. one can be close to actinic blue while the another is crispy white....

For example... radium 250watt 20kk is dark actinic blue while radium 400 is crispy white.... so i am not really sure how your 250watt will turn out...

but anyway review from Rc is that the growth of coral in 15kk and 20k of XM bulb does not differ alot...

[Dispar_Anthias]

maybe you can take a pic of the colour with your 350D and show us?

Sure..... but now lights not on.. maybe tomorrow or give the bulb few days to burnt in be4 showing you guys the pic

[Dispar_Anthias]

ever since i started my reef tank in nov last yr, i haven't changed my bulb

i bought both bulbs 2nd hand at 3mths old so that makes them about 10mths old now.

both bulbs are BLV 20kk 250W SE

all was fine until it recently, this 2 weeks i notice all my mushrooms stretch out alot for light.

does the way my mushrooms are reacting signify a need to change the bulbs?

when changing to new bulbs, what steps can i take to reduce shock on corals?

Yours is 20kk... 20k normally have a shorter lifespan compred to 6500k or 10kk ..... 6-8months already the max... My radium ran for 6-7months(bulb burnt/died) and i change it today

[shoelevy]

DA, since 20kk doesn't really have high PAR,which is the reason why i wanna go lowerkk, why did you choose to use 20kk again when time for replacement?

is it for aestatic purposes?

thanks and hope to see how your bulb looks in next few days