A great refugium lightbulb, IMHO!

[mpdharley]

Marc,

How hot do these bulbs run? I built a wood "canopy" for my refugium to house the VHOs. I'd like to continue to use it if I switch to these bulbs.

[melev]

I never turn off the light, and I can put my hand on the bulb for at least 30 seconds without having to pull away. I don't touch the ceramic base though, as I'd guess that would be the hottest part.

[magyk74]

Melev the commercial electric bulb that you used (not the flood light) did you get good results. I just purchased the one that is supposed to give off 150 watts and uses 40

How was this light did you have positive results from it? I'm also using a 8 inch reflector.

[melev]

The first bulb I used was 29w and put out 75w of lighting, at 6500K. It ran hotter than the new bulb, and overall worked just fine with my macro algae. Sometimes the bulb would overheat and not quite turn off (it would be a dull glow), and I'd replace it temporarily with another one until it was cool, or just replace it with a new bulb.

I used it for 1.5 years with good success, and for $7 each, I felt I got my monies worth.

I did have to drill some vent holes around the base of the reflector to prevent the ceramic base from overheating.

[magyk74]

so the bulb that I bought using 40 watts putting out 150 should be fine

[slo_knight]

...on a timer. It uses 19w (an hour?)...

Sorry to get all nerdy, but I thougt that I should say something just in case someonce wants to calculate how much it is costing them to run an appliance per month.

For anybody out there watts are units of power, which is voltage x power. Since voltage is fixed (standard wall socket), this indicates how much current (units of amps) the unit pulls.

Electricity bill will show a rate in terms of $$ per kiloWatt_Hours

So, Rate x Wattage x Time = $$$

Please excuse the digression.

[melev]

Thanks Slo_knight. One day I do need to figure out what all my equipment is using so I can figure out my total montly reefing expense is.... but only after a few beers.

[mpdharley]

Only one problem with calculating how much the total reefing expense is. If we do that, then we either have to lie to our Signifcant Other or tell them the truth!

Right now I just tell her "I don't think it's all that much"

[slo_knight]

Very funny, but excellent point. I feel ya' on that one. Well, at least scrapbooking isn't as expensive (yet) as reefing, otherwise we would be broke!

[qwuintus]

I have 2 18" LOA flourescents I want to use for my 20gallon fuge. I have a 50/50 corallife and a 10,000k corallife bulb on them. Would I be able to grow stuff with them or are they weaksauce?

[reefer20G]

PLEASE, make it stop.

I do not mean to be rude or anything, but qwuintus, please, your avatar is driving me crazy. In the past week I have been reading the threads that you have been posting very quickly, and even making my window scroll, just so I can move it off the screen.

I do not want to get too off topic, but you have put NOTEs in your posts about your avatar giving people migraines. Just change it already.

Please do not hate me, I just do not get it.

[qwuintus]

sorry.. my computer wont let me save as a gif. only bitmap so im waiting to figure out how i can save it before i change it.

[reefer20G]

Try this:

[qwuintus]

@ school right now, but ill pm you in about 30 minutes when im home. - if your still on...

[reefer20G]

I will be here. np.

[melev]

Originally posted by qwuintus
I have 2 18" LOA flourescents I want to use for my 20gallon fuge. I have a 50/50 corallife and a 10,000k corallife bulb on them. Would I be able to grow stuff with them or are they weaksauce?

I'm sure it will be fine. What is the total wattage?

[qwuintus]

15w each

[melev]

So you have 30w of PC lighting that is probably the equivalent of what?

[qwuintus]

they are NO flourescents, and im not sure what they are equal to.

[melev]

Well, then they are equal to 30w which isn't much. You might consider switching to the bulb I'm recommending, because you don't need a reflector, you don't need a shield, and it only uses 19w put puts out 75w. $10 is all it cost.

[qwuintus]

alright thanx, i went the day before and saw the spiral one, the base for the screw on bulbs with a chain link for the switch is about $3 and I have some wiring at home. THanx man.

[mpdharley]

Well, I just replaced my 2 95 watt 10k VHO with the bulbs Marc is recommending.

Prior to the 10k VHOs, I was running 6500k VHOs (Corallife). Between the 10k and 6500k, the 10k definitely gave me better growth. I ran each of the other bulbs for two weeks, so in two weeks I'll be able to let everyone know how these bulbs compare to the others.

For info, my fuge is 48x24x24 with about a 7" DSB. I'm running three of these bulbs for a total output of 225watts.

[melev]

I look forward to your perspective, mpdharley. I really had my doubts, but it has proven to be an excellent light for my setup. My refugium is much smaller, holding 5g with 2" substrate.

My cheatomorpha is densely packed, and is ready to be cut back and shared again. I should probably post a picture in this thread. Tomorrow I'll put one up.

[jjmg]

Just so everyone knows, the company is saying the 19w of flourescent is putting out equal to 75w of incandascent ( a normal light bulb) which is not equal to a 75w flourescent bulb.

So mpdharley, I believe you just went from 190 watts of flourescent to 57 watts of flourescent. You really have to talk apples to apples.

For example, who believes that two 96w PC will put out as much light as a 175w halide?

But I do see them as very good lights for a fuge, I was just reading it that some people didn't realize that different types of bulbs put out different amounts of light.

[ONAGI]

will give this a try on the fuge as well.