Anyone here use AquaConnects 14k+?

[DaddyJax]

I have recently switched to AC14k+ from Ushio 10k. I supplement with 2 T5 actinic and for the first couple of weeks I was thrilled. But then one day after two weeks of use I had three things bleach on me! My Orange cap is pinker when it was a deep orange and my orange digi hasn't had full polyp extension since that day. Everything in my tank just looks lighter and pale.

[tangwang]

I run AC's, and I don't seem to have that problem... Then again I do feed pretty heavily in my display tank.

Matt

[DaddyJax]

Hows it going Matt!!:D

I was just trading with someone the day all of this happened and we were talking about his tank being pale as well. He feeds very light and has very little fish but I am the opposite and is running the same setup as I am. I am wondering if the bulbs just burned in and it shocked my system or what.

[jsweir]

I have pheonix 14ks and my orange caps are a light pink as well (on the bottom too).

[david8956]

Like this ?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/david8956/000_3507Small.jpg
DaddyJax - the day after we traded some frags last week I had a serious problem with this Cap....the tissue just sloughed off the 2 large flat, almost horizontal surfaces (including the bottom side in the same areas). Looked just like RTN, I expected to see it completely dead the next morning, but it just stopped (???) Looks like #$@%, but maybe it will pull through. If not, time to frag it.
Strange because I have not added anything to my tank except 2 part, everything has been stable, and nothing else was effected. I sure hope these problems are not related to these bulbs. Mine are about 4 months old so I know it was not due to light shock in my case. Wonder if the light colors are due to something missing from the color spectrum these bulbs emit?

[DaddyJax]

Well I know that they emit almost no red. Mine does not look that pale but more than it did the day you came by. The milli hasn't changed either. Let me know if you have any spectrum analysis that might shed some light on this(no pun intended).

[david8956]

A couple of spectrum graphs (using IceCap ballasts because that is what I run)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/david8956/XMvsAquaConnectSmall.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/david8956/ACvsReefLuxSmall.jpg
Appears both the 10 K XM and the 10 K ReefLux bulbs emit more red than the AquaConnect's do.

[DaddyJax]

Even thought they are 10k and the AC are 14k that is a pretty big difference.

[david8956]

Not sure what you are referring to.......the par difference between the XM's and the AquaConnects, or the large color spikes around 530 nm (green/yellow)and 590 nm (orange) with the ReefLux bulbs. Par on the 10 K Reeflux is almost the same as par on the 14 K AquaConnects.

[twon8]

10k's are bright, and corals viewed under them are going to look brighter than when under 14ks. have you checked for monit-eating nudis?

[david8956]

He went FROM 10 k's TO 14 k's, not the other way around.

[DaddyJax]

Well there are no nudis for sure. I am starting to see a change in color for the better today. I have been keeping tabs each day to see. I will continue to monitor. I think that the bulbs burned in and sent some kind of uv ray or something because to have that happen in one day is strange.

[ReeferAl]

The AC14K is just about as bright (by PAR measurements) as a Ushio 10K. In fact depending on the ballast it may be brighter. On the Reef Fanatic ballast for example:
http://www.cnidarianreef.com/lamps.cfm

DaddyJax, what ballast are you using?

[DaddyJax]

Icecaps.

[ReeferAl]

On the Icecap ballast the PAR values for new Ushio and AC14K bulbs are virtually identical. Now, comparing old ushio to new AC bulbs may be a different story. There may well have been a significant increase in light output with the new bulbs. That could have caused some "partial bleaching" with resultant lightening of the corals. There is also going to be quite a bit more blue light, whatever effect that has.
The delay in bleaching may have been due to the new bulbs "burning in" if in fact they don't reach their peak output for a week or two.

Allen

[DaddyJax]

That is the conclusion I have come to accept as well. My corals are all coming back and even more vibrant. Thanks for everyone's help.

[Ceak]

how do you like the AC14K DaddyJax? Any pics?

[Emster]

I have had my AC250 14k's in for 12 days now and everything looks great so far. I had Hamilton 10k's before.I'm running Hamilton electronic ballasts. My colors are better especially the greens. I really like these bulbs so far. Friday will be two weeks and I will let you know how everything is going as they burn in.

[DaddyJax]

I will be posting pics soon.

[Ceak]

great!

what are you running, 250s or 400s?