How long before you decide you don't like your bulbs?

[sugartooth]

I've been using Phoenix 14K 250w DE bulbs for a year and like them. I went to a sale, and they had Aqualine 250w DE 20K's and the owner of the store says I can't go wrong with these bulbs.

I switched them out today and would like to know how long do you give your bulbs a chance before you decide that's the best it's going to get? (Before you yank them out and replace them)

I have heavy dominated sps w/some LPS at the bottom.

Also, if anyone has input on the Aqualine bulbs, I would like to hear how you feel about them.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[EmDy]

give it a month to get burn in and time for your eyes to get used to new bulbs.

[green_frogspawn]

depending on how long you run them i would say around 3 weeks

[sugartooth]

Thanks very much. Would you expect the corals to have reacted fully by then? Is that how long it takes for coral to change permamently according to light they get?

[trueblackpercula]

100 hours burn in time should tell you what they will look like
Michael

[acrohead500ppm]

well your going to exp. slower growth rates, but better colors,
10000k =brown corals that grow like crazy, 20000k corals grow slower but way more colorful
i agree with TBP 100 hrs and youll have the real idea,

[ct_vol]

Yeah, I'd give them at least a couple weeks to burn in a bit before I yanked them... You might notice some changes in your corals in that timespan...

FWIW, I know plenty of people that have excellent coloration with 10000K's and also plenty of people that get excellent growth out of 20000K's

[sirreal63]

Originally posted by ct_vol

FWIW, I know plenty of people that have excellent coloration with 10000K's and also plenty of people that get excellent growth out of 20000K's

I would agree mainly because I kept a decent little 125 under 10k XDE's and had no coloration issues. No "brown" corals as was stated earlier. Feel free to peak at my albums and tell me that 10k only produces "brown" corals. Coloration is not just a function of the color of the bulb.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v362/sirreal63/125/

[drock59]

Sugartooth, are you not liking them at this point? I was considering this same move. Have any pics?

[sugartooth]

Thank you very much for all of the input. I will give it a month or approx. 100 hours on this bulb before making a decision.

drock59- I really like the Phoenix bulbs, it was time to replace them and these Aqualine bulbs were on sale, but still pricey. The owner really pushed these bulbs as well worth the price so I decided to try it.

I was a little nervous trying something new, because if there was nothing wrong with the lights, why change them, right?

I don't have much experience outside of Phoenix 14K and I like the way the corals look with them. I'm worried about what will happen with the change, and how long it takes for the changes to occur before I judge it.

I have no pictures unfortunately. I won't have my camera back for another week and a half.

[drock59]

I can wait a week and a half.

Sirreal, you are running what kind of bulbs in your photos???? Me likey.

[sirreal63]

Each end of a 6' 125 was lit by 150 watt 10K XDE's (DE version of an XM) retro'd into a LuminArc Mini. The center section was lit by a 250 watt 10K XDE in a ReefOptics III, all were powered by ARO electronic ballasts. I had a 160 watt SuperActintic on it but it had very little effect on the color. The color of the 10K bulbs was greatly improved by the LAIII Mini's....don't ask me how but they just looked better, bluer and obviously brighter.

I took this tank down the end of August.

[sfsuphysics]

I don't yank the bulbs, I just grin and bear it with my choice.

I love the Reeflux 12k bulbs, until I found out how much light they ain't putting out. So right now I don't know what to go with with my electronic ballast.