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View Poll Results: How often do you change out your 20K XM bulbs?
6 Months 4 18.18%
7-8 Months 0 0%
9 Months 9 40.91%
10-11 Months 4 18.18%
12 Months 3 13.64%
13+ Months (I am Cheap) 2 9.09%
Voters: 22. You may not vote on this poll

 
 
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  #1  
Old 02/21/2006, 06:34 PM
MK Reefer MK Reefer is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 354
XM 20K bulb life?

Just wondering what the concensus on the life of these bulbs is.

Thanks
Mike
  #2  
Old 02/21/2006, 08:47 PM
MK Reefer MK Reefer is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 354
I voted for 9 months...

Mike
  #3  
Old 02/21/2006, 08:51 PM
smoknreefrs smoknreefrs is offline
Moved On
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Hackensack, NJ
Posts: 650
i vote 9 months
  #4  
Old 02/21/2006, 10:19 PM
Aquaduck Aquaduck is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Waterloo, Ont. Canada
Posts: 920
I voted 10 months. Mine went from blue to purple at that time. I ran them 7 hours a day.
  #5  
Old 02/21/2006, 11:02 PM
epicentyr epicentyr is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Posts: 238
I voted 6 mos because mine tend to crack around the hottest part of the bulb. I have spent over $1200 at hellolights in the past year and still havent learned my lesson. I keep saying next time I'll change brands but I like the color so much I end up staying.
  #6  
Old 02/22/2006, 10:10 AM
MK Reefer MK Reefer is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 354
Quote:
Originally posted by epicentyr
I voted 6 mos because mine tend to crack around the hottest part of the bulb. I have spent over $1200 at hellolights in the past year and still havent learned my lesson. I keep saying next time I'll change brands but I like the color so much I end up staying.

Same thing just happened to one of my bulbs, at exactly 6-months..

Mike
  #7  
Old 02/23/2006, 11:54 AM
MK Reefer MK Reefer is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 354
bumping for more votes

Mike
  #8  
Old 02/23/2006, 05:23 PM
surfnvb7 surfnvb7 is offline
I bleed orange and maroon
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: HOKIE in Charlottesville, VA
Posts: 2,453
i'm gonna give another bump for this, i'm very interested in reading more responses...

i havent used the XM 20k yet, but I have used the XM 15k's since last june when they came out.

one of the bulbs literally only lasted about 5months before it turned yellow, and bleached my corals. the other bulb is "ok", is very blue when it comes on but looks more yellow when it is about to turn off. but i am still getting good growth and excellent color from my corals after 8months with it running.

my g/f has a 20k bulb on her nano (175w magnetic ballast), and i'd have to say my 15k bulb that is still good, is much bluer than her XM 20k during the first 2-3hrs my 15k bulb turns on...

is it just me, or does the quality control on XM bulbs kinda make you wonder? seems like you cant compare the same 20k or 15k bulb to another bulb of the same wattage almost.
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