Okay I'll chill with the questions for a minute after this one, I don't want to fill up the board, I'm changing a lot of things about my set up and this forum has proven to be very valuable so far, Thanks a lot to everyone who has helped. So I bought the last two bulbs today that I needed to complete the replacment of all my power compacts, but the guy at the store didn't have any more Coral Life bulbs, so I bought a Hamilton atinic and daylight bulb instead. He said they would be exactly the same, they were the same type. But when I put them in and started the light they looked a little different, the Hamiliton atinic was much brighter blue than another new Coral Life attinic... does that mean its better? Which brand of bulb do you all perfer? The Coral Life bulbs were ten dollars more...
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Different Brands of Light Bulbs
- Thread starter Snorkel in my tank
- Start date
Good question, and I have an answer for you.
The only bad bulb is one that does not fit the spectral and intensity requirements of your corals (whole nother can of worms there!).
I have used Coral Life, JBJ, Jalli, Custom Sea Life (company no longer exists, but Mike, one of the previous owners, has started up a new company with some interesting bulbs), GE (All Glass Aquarium uses these), Hamilton, and a few others. Most give off a good spectral wavelength. I set up a 250gal planted FW angelfish tank for one of the founders of AllGlass Aquarium, Jerry Ritzow, using a combination of AG 9320K and Coral Life 10000K. The tank looks great with no complaints about either brand of bulb.
Coral LIfe actinic bulbs have a broad band blue spectrum that gives a deep blue, but duller appearance, but still gives you a high peak of 420nM.
The Hamilton actinic starts at about 410nM and goes up from there with a really intense 420nM peak. It gives a little brighter appearance. The corals needs are still being met, but what it really comes down to on the two brands is "what do you like the looks of better, Hamilton's or Coral Life's?" I have always liked Hamilton's lights, and around my area they tend to be a bit cheaper.
I have found that the brand of ballast has a noticeable effect on the durration a PC (power compact) bulb will last. Each bulb I have tried in the same fixture has lasted a similar amount of time with no specific brand lasting any longer than another (it is more of an individual bulb thing).
The best advice I can give you is look at the spectragraph on the box, for saltwater tanks avoid any bulb that is high in red/orange spectrum (enhances brown algae growth), and any that are high in ultraviolet (down in the 390nM and below range) as they can enhance other problematic algaes as well as quickly kill improperly nurished sea anemones (a different story relating to enzime production by Zooxanthellae algae. If you want that info then email me at [email protected]).
Yellow/orange spectrum is fine, just not orange/red, nor infrared for corals just below the water's surface (another reason for good surface turbulance, and that is a whole nother story there as well.).
If you have the funds to do so, try the different brands (sticking with actinic, 10000K, and 12000K PC's), to see which ones your particular corals look better under, and what you like the looks of better.
Have fun with it.
The only bad bulb is one that does not fit the spectral and intensity requirements of your corals (whole nother can of worms there!).
I have used Coral Life, JBJ, Jalli, Custom Sea Life (company no longer exists, but Mike, one of the previous owners, has started up a new company with some interesting bulbs), GE (All Glass Aquarium uses these), Hamilton, and a few others. Most give off a good spectral wavelength. I set up a 250gal planted FW angelfish tank for one of the founders of AllGlass Aquarium, Jerry Ritzow, using a combination of AG 9320K and Coral Life 10000K. The tank looks great with no complaints about either brand of bulb.
Coral LIfe actinic bulbs have a broad band blue spectrum that gives a deep blue, but duller appearance, but still gives you a high peak of 420nM.
The Hamilton actinic starts at about 410nM and goes up from there with a really intense 420nM peak. It gives a little brighter appearance. The corals needs are still being met, but what it really comes down to on the two brands is "what do you like the looks of better, Hamilton's or Coral Life's?" I have always liked Hamilton's lights, and around my area they tend to be a bit cheaper.
I have found that the brand of ballast has a noticeable effect on the durration a PC (power compact) bulb will last. Each bulb I have tried in the same fixture has lasted a similar amount of time with no specific brand lasting any longer than another (it is more of an individual bulb thing).
The best advice I can give you is look at the spectragraph on the box, for saltwater tanks avoid any bulb that is high in red/orange spectrum (enhances brown algae growth), and any that are high in ultraviolet (down in the 390nM and below range) as they can enhance other problematic algaes as well as quickly kill improperly nurished sea anemones (a different story relating to enzime production by Zooxanthellae algae. If you want that info then email me at [email protected]).
Yellow/orange spectrum is fine, just not orange/red, nor infrared for corals just below the water's surface (another reason for good surface turbulance, and that is a whole nother story there as well.).
If you have the funds to do so, try the different brands (sticking with actinic, 10000K, and 12000K PC's), to see which ones your particular corals look better under, and what you like the looks of better.
Have fun with it.
elpescado":20zky1w3 said:Coral LIfe actinic bulbs have a broad band blue spectrum that gives a deep blue, but duller appearance, but still gives you a high peak of 420nM.
The Hamilton actinic starts at about 410nM and goes up from there with a really intense 420nM peak. It gives a little brighter appearance. The corals needs are still being met, but what it really comes down to on the two brands is "what do you like the looks of better, Hamilton's or Coral Life's?" I have always liked Hamilton's lights, and around my area they tend to be a bit cheaper.
yeah I noticed all these things myself, I think I like the Hamiltons better too and they are much cheaper, which made me wonder about quality... Thanks a lot, thats all great info.
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