Geismann Super actinic lights

CrayolaViolence · 08/14/2018, 02:38 PM

I purchased a few of these lights hoping to bring out some of the glow in my corals. When I replaced my old bulbs with these, the lights barely came on. I am talking, they might as well have been off. These were two bulbs bought at the same time from the same source, so I am wondering if it's just a lottery odd coincidence or if these bulbs are so blue on the spectrum you can't really see the light as bright.

Any one here have these bulbs? Are they super dim? Or are mine defective. Thanks.

Jay Ellul · 08/14/2018, 03:40 PM

That is how a true actinic bulb looks to our eyes as we cannot see the spectrum it emits.

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CrayolaViolence · 08/14/2018, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay Ellul

That is how a true actinic bulb looks to our eyes as we cannot see the spectrum it emits.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So there will not be any glow from the lights at all? There is a tad on the end of the tubes but that's it.

paal · 08/14/2018, 04:09 PM

When they are brand new, sometimes only the ends light up. Give it a couple of hours and I think you should be good

sfdan · 08/14/2018, 05:18 PM

An actinic bulb will look dimmer than a full spectrum bulb or a "blue plus" style of bulb, but still it will be quite a bit brighter than a light which is off, and it will be equally bright across its full length. And I have geismann super actinic bulbs, and to my eye they look no different from other actinic bulbs i've used before.

CrayolaViolence · 08/14/2018, 06:02 PM

Thanks. I called the seller who sent me replacements and told them to charge me for the replacements because the super actinic lights do actually work but are basically black lights and don't look like they work when near more white lights.

paal · 08/14/2018, 11:51 PM

My Giesemann pure actinics looked just like my ATI actinics. A few of them needed some burn in time though. How long have yours been running?

Bpb · 08/15/2018, 07:33 AM

Yes. They’re not broken (most likely). Actinic bulbs really need their burn in time. The first several days you run them they’ll look broken and the more they age the brighter they’ll get. Eventually toward the 12-18 month mark they’ll be almost as bright as a blue+ bulb visually if you look at them running next to each other.

They’ll also appear to not be working while they warm up which takes a few minutes

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08/14/2018, 02:38 PM	#1
CrayolaViolence Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,867	Geismann Super actinic lights I purchased a few of these lights hoping to bring out some of the glow in my corals. When I replaced my old bulbs with these, the lights barely came on. I am talking, they might as well have been off. These were two bulbs bought at the same time from the same source, so I am wondering if it's just a lottery odd coincidence or if these bulbs are so blue on the spectrum you can't really see the light as bright. Any one here have these bulbs? Are they super dim? Or are mine defective. Thanks. __________________ "The good thing about science is that it's true whether you believe it or not." Neil deGrasse Tyson Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef tank

08/14/2018, 03:40 PM	#2
Jay Ellul Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 192	That is how a true actinic bulb looks to our eyes as we cannot see the spectrum it emits. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ Jay

08/14/2018, 06:02 PM	#6
CrayolaViolence Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,867	Thanks. I called the seller who sent me replacements and told them to charge me for the replacements because the super actinic lights do actually work but are basically black lights and don't look like they work when near more white lights. __________________ "The good thing about science is that it's true whether you believe it or not." Neil deGrasse Tyson Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef tank

08/14/2018, 04:09 PM	#4
paal Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Norway Posts: 368	When they are brand new, sometimes only the ends light up. Give it a couple of hours and I think you should be good

08/14/2018, 05:18 PM	#5
sfdan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: San Francisco Posts: 451	An actinic bulb will look dimmer than a full spectrum bulb or a "blue plus" style of bulb, but still it will be quite a bit brighter than a light which is off, and it will be equally bright across its full length. And I have geismann super actinic bulbs, and to my eye they look no different from other actinic bulbs i've used before.

08/14/2018, 11:51 PM	#7
paal Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Norway Posts: 368	My Giesemann pure actinics looked just like my ATI actinics. A few of them needed some burn in time though. How long have yours been running?

08/15/2018, 07:33 AM	#8
Bpb Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 3,148	Yes. They’re not broken (most likely). Actinic bulbs really need their burn in time. The first several days you run them they’ll look broken and the more they age the brighter they’ll get. Eventually toward the 12-18 month mark they’ll be almost as bright as a blue+ bulb visually if you look at them running next to each other. They’ll also appear to not be working while they warm up which takes a few minutes Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro