Very happy to return to 10K's!!!!

Fliger · 11/04/2006, 06:23 PM

In just a week I notice a huge difference in my corals. I was one of the first Phoenix users and LOVE the bulb. I even arranged some overseas orders for our local reef club a couple years back. But that was when I didn't have T5's. Over that ~2 years I really became used to 14K's and forgot how much better I enjoyed 10K with supp lighting.

The biggest diff I've noticed is in my blue corals. Like Turakis and Gomezis and Torts. Their color looks REAL now. Almost everything in my tank turned purple under the Phoenix which might sound cool but I really like blue better. In just a week the true color of my corals is returning. Not just the influenced color but the true color. They still looked purple for a few days but the last few days they've really shifted back to blue.

I went from 250W Phoenix off HQI ballasts to 150W 10K bulbs on Icecap e-ballasts. My tank looks almost as bright! The T5's I'm running are 2x ATI Blue+, 1x ATI Aquablue (white bulb), 1x UVL SuperActinic. Chiller isn't working as hard, saving about 360W/hour (hqi ballasts were drawing 330W).

Just thought I'd mention it cuz I wasn't 100% sure about the switch over the first few days but my corals look incredible now and I'm having a growth spurt, my ca uptake has really increased.

Just an observation I wanted to share.

sidog1 · 11/04/2006, 06:44 PM

fliger,
that's interesting that you dropped from 250w to 150w. does the elos planet do something different? curious about this. thanks

Shawnts106 · 11/04/2006, 06:57 PM

what brand 10K's?

I like 10K's with suppliments too!

T5's ROCK HARD!!!!!!!

Fliger · 11/04/2006, 07:06 PM

Well, although I loooove the Planet II - I don't think thats it entirely. I think its just that 10K's burn brighter and natural. The T5's compliment it so well. Its just very white with a shade of blue and awesome!

Shawnts106 - they are the Elos bulbs. They are incredible bulbs. To date my favorite MH bulbs are Giesemann 14.5K Coral, Elos 10K and Phoenix. I've used a lot of others but these just stand out as the best IMVHO! T5's are da bomb. One thing I like about the Elos pendant is the powerful fan that draws air across the bulbs and upward above the tank. Also the DE bulbs have a built-in UV protection which is kinda cool in case my glass ever cracks. They say you can run it w/out the glass but I'd never try it, lol.

I'm loggin off but I'll get some shots soon.

cham · 11/04/2006, 07:34 PM

I just put two 175w XM 10,000k's over my T5 supplimented tank, all driven on new icecap ballasts. Looks great in my opinion too. My T5's are 11,000k and actinic VHO's and they drown out most of the MH shimmer.

makoJ · 11/04/2006, 08:03 PM

I agree I switched from 3 - 12k 400w reeflux to 3 - 10k 400w reeflux and have seen nothing but better color!

cwegescheide · 11/04/2006, 08:22 PM

Hey Fliger I thought you said you have/had a Giesemann fixture? Elos? You got some pics of it? You know recently I have been contemplating chainging to a lower kelvin bulb, around 10K or so. I think I want to switch too. The more I think about it I sortof wish I kept the 13K Giesemann bulbs my fixture came with.

One thing I'm a little concerned with is what will happen to my coraline on my rocks?

The one pair of T5's on my Eco unit really don't do much either I think. I wish I had 2 pair.

Chris

Wiskey · 11/04/2006, 08:26 PM

I have to agree, I love the look of 10K bulbs.

I use 3X250W XM10K without any sups.

Whiskey

chrisd1009 · 11/04/2006, 08:32 PM

I was using a 3 bulb combo. 20k (for a few months) then 15k (for a few more months) with a 10k in the middle and no actinic supplements. All of my coral grew towards the middle of the tank. I switched to all 10k and added t-5 actinic supplements and my corals went through a crazy growth spurt. Colors and growth look great. (btw, all MH bulbs are XM 250 on Icecap ballasts and luminarc minis)

Fliger · 11/04/2006, 09:07 PM

Hey Chris yeah I had the 48" Eco 230 but I sold it to a local. When I bought it I had them switch out the stock 13K's for the 14.5K's. I replaced it with an Aquamedic Sunlight NG cuz I wanted four T5's in a fixture. Its a great fixture for the price but I decided to replace it with an Elos (sold the aquamedic to another local). I've only had it for about a week now and it came with the Elos bulbs. They are very similar to the 14.5K bulbs by Giesemann. The Sunlight NG I had was running BLV 14K's and I found they were a little yellower than I was hoping for.

cwegescheide · 11/04/2006, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fliger
Hey Chris yeah I had the 48" Eco 230 but I sold it to a local. When I bought it I had them switch out the stock 13K's for the 14.5K's. I replaced it with an Aquamedic Sunlight NG cuz I wanted four T5's in a fixture. Its a great fixture for the price but I decided to replace it with an Elos (sold the aquamedic to another local). I've only had it for about a week now and it came with the Elos bulbs. They are very similar to the 14.5K bulbs by Giesemann. The Sunlight NG I had was running BLV 14K's and I found they were a little yellower than I was hoping for.

So would you say the 14.5K bulbs are a little less blue than the 14K Pheonix? I'm afraid the 10K XM DE's in my Giesemann will be too yellow. I wouldn't mind something a little less blue than the Pheonix.

Isn't that Elos a Monster? I think I've seen some pics of it.... Got pics?

Hockeydad · 11/04/2006, 10:23 PM

and I like the look and growth better! Running three 400 watt de's 10k Krystal Star with T5's actinics.

marine134 · 11/05/2006, 12:29 AM

a friend of mind run the 2X150 DE 10k with 2x96 watts PC actinic 03/super actinic for his 120 gal and all his agriculture acropora colonies keep it original color.

carib · 11/05/2006, 12:34 AM

cwegescheide,Giesemann14,5K are white w/very natural look and less yellow then any 10k bulb.For 10k users this will be my #1 recomendation,for myself I couldn't manage to find anything better than AC14K.

twon8 · 11/05/2006, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by carib
cwegescheide,Giesemann14,5K are white w/very natural look and less yellow then any 10k bulb.For 10k users this will be my #1 recomendation,for myself I couldn't manage to find anything better than AC14K.

agreed, i love the ac14k, but have a hard time acquiring them.

Gundo5000 · 11/05/2006, 01:48 AM

Any pics?

Nuuze · 11/05/2006, 02:06 AM

Tagging along to see Fliger's T5 combo. I'm running 2 Giesemann Actinic+ and 2 Giesemann Pure Actinic at the moment on my Planet II from Elos...

Kip · 11/05/2006, 06:49 AM

i started as a 10k bulb user, then went blue for a few years, and am now back to 10k.

at first it was hard going back to 10ks because my eyes had to readjust and the bluer bulbs were covering up some inadequacies in my tank, but after that.... the 10ks now look much more natural and are bringing out stronger colors than I'd seen before.

if you go to 10ks and immediately see yellow (and you know the bulb is performing properly)..... do some water changes and run carbon.... you get that water crystal clear and those 10ks will be beautiful.

benf · 11/05/2006, 07:24 AM

where are the elos bulbs sold? i would be looking for 250w

benf · 11/05/2006, 08:47 AM

Also, forgot to ask...how would u compare the look to the 10k Ushio?

Fliger · 11/05/2006, 09:55 AM

Well, having held the AC14K in my right hand and the Phoenix in my left hand - seen them running and seen their spectral plot graphs I'm pretty sure they're the same bulb. Every AC bulb says "Made in Germany" except the 250W DE which IIRC says something like Made by Aquaconnect. Even AC quickly came off their claim when it was posted on their website. But thats been discussed ad nauseam.

Either way, it is an awesome bulb especially if you can't supplement.

Kinda like Kip said - it also kinda forces you to keep your water clear since yellowish water is much more visible. You know when to replace your carbon and/or GFO right away! Kinda like having white carpet vs brown carpet.

I'll get some pix but I'm sooo bad at FTS cuz of white balance. If anyone can send me a quick read on how to adjust white balance using Canon Rebel XT that would be awesome. I only have a hard time with wider shots.

MiddletonMark · 11/05/2006, 01:25 PM

Yet Fliger... why then an AC SE bulb, no Phoenix?
I agree on the DE, but for SE ... there is just the AC, and IMO it looks different than the DE. [Better, but nearly impossible to find]

To my eye, a combination of 10k, actinic, and a 20k radium is hard to beat. But it all depends on having the 10k mixed in IMO.

Nuuze · 11/05/2006, 02:27 PM

Fliger,

I just took my fixture apart to clean all the reflectors from all the grease from the protective film. Since I had most of it opened I went a little further underneath. All I can say is wow! This light is built like my X5! Not one thing was left out to cut cost, no wire nuts or crimps, everything is fasten down with screws. Even splices in the wires for the ballasts is held together by little power blocks with screws. Definitely European made! And the shell; I think it's more solid and thicker than the bumper on my Integra! What an awesome light!

Nuuze

benf · 11/05/2006, 04:13 PM

Are you saying the Elos bulb and the Aquaconnect are the same?
And are they 10k or 14.5...what are they listed as... So many bulbs have been mentioned in this thread that i am now unsure of what the Elos bulbs actually are and where to get info on them and purchase them.

Waxxiemann · 11/05/2006, 06:24 PM

I got 2 ushio 10k's up and running yesterday. They are DE w/ a BLue Wave 7 HQI ballast in Lumen max 3 reflectors. I find them pretty yellow so far. I hope they settle down.

I may start ozone and see if it changes.

I was used to only 2 t5's (1 10k and 1 actinic +) so maybe I am not quite used to it yet. They look BRIGHT.

my 2c.

11/04/2006, 06:44 PM	#2
sidog1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 393	fliger, that's interesting that you dropped from 250w to 150w. does the elos planet do something different? curious about this. thanks __________________ -Simon Current Tank Info: 120gallons...

11/04/2006, 06:57 PM	#3
Shawnts106 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,442	what brand 10K's? I like 10K's with suppliments too! T5's ROCK HARD!!!!!!! __________________ Love yourself! NO MATTER WHAT! Current Tank Info: Currently out of the hobby

11/04/2006, 07:06 PM	#4
Fliger Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 9,532	Well, although I loooove the Planet II - I don't think thats it entirely. I think its just that 10K's burn brighter and natural. The T5's compliment it so well. Its just very white with a shade of blue and awesome! Shawnts106 - they are the Elos bulbs. They are incredible bulbs. To date my favorite MH bulbs are Giesemann 14.5K Coral, Elos 10K and Phoenix. I've used a lot of others but these just stand out as the best IMVHO! T5's are da bomb. One thing I like about the Elos pendant is the powerful fan that draws air across the bulbs and upward above the tank. Also the DE bulbs have a built-in UV protection which is kinda cool in case my glass ever cracks. They say you can run it w/out the glass but I'd never try it, lol. I'm loggin off but I'll get some shots soon. __________________ Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional. Closed minds should come with closed mouths. When life hands you lemons, add vodka! Current Tank Info: Current: 210G Elos System, 2x400W + 6x54W Photon w/Aquaconnects, H&S skimmer, Deltec FR509/ROWAphos+Elos Carbon, 6101's and 6201's, Ocean GEOtronic 900 Chiller/Heater, Biotopus II Controller w/SMS. Elos System 70.

11/04/2006, 08:03 PM	#6
makoJ Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 1,472	I agree I switched from 3 - 12k 400w reeflux to 3 - 10k 400w reeflux and have seen nothing but better color! __________________ TOTM March 2008 It takes a strong man to cry, but it takes an even stronger man to laugh at that man. 300Gal SPS tank Current Tank Info: in the planning stage

11/04/2006, 08:26 PM	#8
Wiskey Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Phoenix AZ Posts: 2,622	I have to agree, I love the look of 10K bulbs. I use 3X250W XM10K without any sups. Whiskey __________________ I know but Whiskey was already taken. Let Algae be your Guide. Official member of the “Old Man” Club!!

11/04/2006, 06:23 PM	#1
Fliger Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 9,532	Very happy to return to 10K's!!!! In just a week I notice a huge difference in my corals. I was one of the first Phoenix users and LOVE the bulb. I even arranged some overseas orders for our local reef club a couple years back. But that was when I didn't have T5's. Over that ~2 years I really became used to 14K's and forgot how much better I enjoyed 10K with supp lighting. The biggest diff I've noticed is in my blue corals. Like Turakis and Gomezis and Torts. Their color looks REAL now. Almost everything in my tank turned purple under the Phoenix which might sound cool but I really like blue better. In just a week the true color of my corals is returning. Not just the influenced color but the true color. They still looked purple for a few days but the last few days they've really shifted back to blue. I went from 250W Phoenix off HQI ballasts to 150W 10K bulbs on Icecap e-ballasts. My tank looks almost as bright! The T5's I'm running are 2x ATI Blue+, 1x ATI Aquablue (white bulb), 1x UVL SuperActinic. Chiller isn't working as hard, saving about 360W/hour (hqi ballasts were drawing 330W). Just thought I'd mention it cuz I wasn't 100% sure about the switch over the first few days but my corals look incredible now and I'm having a growth spurt, my ca uptake has really increased. Just an observation I wanted to share. __________________ Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional. Closed minds should come with closed mouths. When life hands you lemons, add vodka! Current Tank Info: Current: 210G Elos System, 2x400W + 6x54W Photon w/Aquaconnects, H&S skimmer, Deltec FR509/ROWAphos+Elos Carbon, 6101's and 6201's, Ocean GEOtronic 900 Chiller/Heater, Biotopus II Controller w/SMS. Elos System 70.

11/04/2006, 07:34 PM	#5
cham Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Winter Garden, FL Posts: 3,326	I just put two 175w XM 10,000k's over my T5 supplimented tank, all driven on new icecap ballasts. Looks great in my opinion too. My T5's are 11,000k and actinic VHO's and they drown out most of the MH shimmer.

11/04/2006, 08:22 PM	#7
cwegescheide YOU have been ignored! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 5,302	Hey Fliger I thought you said you have/had a Giesemann fixture? Elos? You got some pics of it? You know recently I have been contemplating chainging to a lower kelvin bulb, around 10K or so. I think I want to switch too. The more I think about it I sortof wish I kept the 13K Giesemann bulbs my fixture came with. One thing I'm a little concerned with is what will happen to my coraline on my rocks? The one pair of T5's on my Eco unit really don't do much either I think. I wish I had 2 pair. Chris

11/04/2006, 08:32 PM	#9
chrisd1009 Lurker Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 228	I was using a 3 bulb combo. 20k (for a few months) then 15k (for a few more months) with a 10k in the middle and no actinic supplements. All of my coral grew towards the middle of the tank. I switched to all 10k and added t-5 actinic supplements and my corals went through a crazy growth spurt. Colors and growth look great. (btw, all MH bulbs are XM 250 on Icecap ballasts and luminarc minis) __________________ But my water parameters are perfect? The best customer service is the one you don't need. Current Tank Info: planning phase

11/04/2006, 09:07 PM	#10
Fliger Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 9,532	Hey Chris yeah I had the 48" Eco 230 but I sold it to a local. When I bought it I had them switch out the stock 13K's for the 14.5K's. I replaced it with an Aquamedic Sunlight NG cuz I wanted four T5's in a fixture. Its a great fixture for the price but I decided to replace it with an Elos (sold the aquamedic to another local). I've only had it for about a week now and it came with the Elos bulbs. They are very similar to the 14.5K bulbs by Giesemann. The Sunlight NG I had was running BLV 14K's and I found they were a little yellower than I was hoping for. __________________ Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional. Closed minds should come with closed mouths. When life hands you lemons, add vodka! Current Tank Info: Current: 210G Elos System, 2x400W + 6x54W Photon w/Aquaconnects, H&S skimmer, Deltec FR509/ROWAphos+Elos Carbon, 6101's and 6201's, Ocean GEOtronic 900 Chiller/Heater, Biotopus II Controller w/SMS. Elos System 70.

11/04/2006, 10:23 PM	#12
Hockeydad Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 275	Went back to 10k's and I like the look and growth better! Running three 400 watt de's 10k Krystal Star with T5's actinics. __________________ 120 gal. Euro design glass tank with three 400 watt PFO de and actinics. Closed loop Oceanmotion Super Squirt. 40 gal refugium, 120 gal sump. Knop/Geo reactors. All sps!! Current Tank Info: 120 Euro all sps

11/05/2006, 12:29 AM	#13
marine134 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: California Posts: 164	a friend of mind run the 2X150 DE 10k with 2x96 watts PC actinic 03/super actinic for his 120 gal and all his agriculture acropora colonies keep it original color.

11/05/2006, 12:34 AM	#14
carib Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: los angeles Posts: 218	cwegescheide,Giesemann14,5K are white w/very natural look and less yellow then any 10k bulb.For 10k users this will be my #1 recomendation,for myself I couldn't manage to find anything better than AC14K.

11/05/2006, 01:48 AM	#16
Gundo5000 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 1,333	Any pics? __________________ GUNDO Current Tank Info: In-Wall 135 Reef + 40 gallon propagation tank.

11/05/2006, 02:06 AM	#17
Nuuze Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Fairfield, California Posts: 4,131	Tagging along to see Fliger's T5 combo. I'm running 2 Giesemann Actinic+ and 2 Giesemann Pure Actinic at the moment on my Planet II from Elos...

11/05/2006, 06:49 AM	#18
Kip Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Dropping 2, hitting 3 Posts: 2,522	i started as a 10k bulb user, then went blue for a few years, and am now back to 10k. at first it was hard going back to 10ks because my eyes had to readjust and the bluer bulbs were covering up some inadequacies in my tank, but after that.... the 10ks now look much more natural and are bringing out stronger colors than I'd seen before. if you go to 10ks and immediately see yellow (and you know the bulb is performing properly)..... do some water changes and run carbon.... you get that water crystal clear and those 10ks will be beautiful. __________________ Sept'06 TOTM Taking a break from the hobby while we move to a new house.

11/05/2006, 07:24 AM	#19
benf Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: wesley chapel, florida Posts: 4,106	where are the elos bulbs sold? i would be looking for 250w __________________ Ben Current Tank Info: None :(

11/05/2006, 08:47 AM	#20
benf Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: wesley chapel, florida Posts: 4,106	Also, forgot to ask...how would u compare the look to the 10k Ushio? __________________ Ben Current Tank Info: None :(

11/05/2006, 09:55 AM	#21
Fliger Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 9,532	Well, having held the AC14K in my right hand and the Phoenix in my left hand - seen them running and seen their spectral plot graphs I'm pretty sure they're the same bulb. Every AC bulb says "Made in Germany" except the 250W DE which IIRC says something like Made by Aquaconnect. Even AC quickly came off their claim when it was posted on their website. But thats been discussed ad nauseam. Either way, it is an awesome bulb especially if you can't supplement. Kinda like Kip said - it also kinda forces you to keep your water clear since yellowish water is much more visible. You know when to replace your carbon and/or GFO right away! Kinda like having white carpet vs brown carpet. I'll get some pix but I'm sooo bad at FTS cuz of white balance. If anyone can send me a quick read on how to adjust white balance using Canon Rebel XT that would be awesome. I only have a hard time with wider shots. __________________ Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional. Closed minds should come with closed mouths. When life hands you lemons, add vodka! Current Tank Info: Current: 210G Elos System, 2x400W + 6x54W Photon w/Aquaconnects, H&S skimmer, Deltec FR509/ROWAphos+Elos Carbon, 6101's and 6201's, Ocean GEOtronic 900 Chiller/Heater, Biotopus II Controller w/SMS. Elos System 70.

11/05/2006, 01:25 PM	#22
MiddletonMark Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 14,548	Yet Fliger... why then an AC SE bulb, no Phoenix? I agree on the DE, but for SE ... there is just the AC, and IMO it looks different than the DE. [Better, but nearly impossible to find] To my eye, a combination of 10k, actinic, and a 20k radium is hard to beat. But it all depends on having the 10k mixed in IMO. __________________ read a lot, think for yourself Current Tank Info: 58g stony reef [250w10k, 250w 20k MH, 2x vho act, Octopus150, 6060 + 6000] ; 60g mixed tub

11/05/2006, 02:27 PM	#23
Nuuze Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Fairfield, California Posts: 4,131	Fliger, I just took my fixture apart to clean all the reflectors from all the grease from the protective film. Since I had most of it opened I went a little further underneath. All I can say is wow! This light is built like my X5! Not one thing was left out to cut cost, no wire nuts or crimps, everything is fasten down with screws. Even splices in the wires for the ballasts is held together by little power blocks with screws. Definitely European made! And the shell; I think it's more solid and thicker than the bumper on my Integra! What an awesome light! Nuuze

11/05/2006, 04:13 PM	#24
benf Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: wesley chapel, florida Posts: 4,106	Are you saying the Elos bulb and the Aquaconnect are the same? And are they 10k or 14.5...what are they listed as... So many bulbs have been mentioned in this thread that i am now unsure of what the Elos bulbs actually are and where to get info on them and purchase them. __________________ Ben Current Tank Info: None :(

11/05/2006, 06:24 PM	#25
Waxxiemann Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 2,418	I got 2 ushio 10k's up and running yesterday. They are DE w/ a BLue Wave 7 HQI ballast in Lumen max 3 reflectors. I find them pretty yellow so far. I hope they settle down. I may start ozone and see if it changes. I was used to only 2 t5's (1 10k and 1 actinic +) so maybe I am not quite used to it yet. They look BRIGHT. my 2c. __________________ "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." Albert Einstein