New Bulbs Coming Out!

[Anonymous]

Twin Arc! that is a great concept, I wonder how well they will work, and if they each give off 250 watts of light or is the light split into 125 each arc. 10K and 20K all in one bulb.


http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant ... de=mh-250w

 

[Anonymous]

These bulbs look fantastic,I saw them a couple weeks ago.

Only one arc is on at a time, and the switch when the power cycles. So, at the very least, you get a double the life bulb. They can also be used with timers so the 10k is on when you aren't home and the 20 k is on when you are. Both arcs are the same wattage.

 

[Unarce]

Interesting!

Rich - What are the benefits of cycling different ratings intermittently?

 

[Len]

I'd try it if they worked with electronic ballasts.

How does the "automatic switching" work?

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting!

Rich - What are the benefits of cycling different ratings intermittently?

Not sure I understand the question.

Mostly, people seem to like the blue look over the white look, but like the growth of the white look, so this bulb give you both in one.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd try it if they worked with electronic ballasts.

How does the "automatic switching" work?

I am pretty sure they do.
They switch when the power cycles.

 

[blackcloudmedia]

Correct me if Im wrong (and I usually am) but wouldnt the sudden changing kelvin temperature and other variations between bulbs stress out the corals?

 

[Anonymous]

I would guess no more stress than moving cloud cover.

 

[Unarce]

Interesting!

Rich - What are the benefits of cycling different ratings intermittently?

Not sure I understand the question.

Mostly, people seem to like the blue look over the white look, but like the growth of the white look, so this bulb give you both in one.

I thought perhaps there was a benefit other than just appearance and growth. I found the kelvin rating change every other day to be a bit odd, but I saw you mentioned that there will be different and like combos. Your idea of having 10k and 20k at different parts of the day makes sense, but wondered if that might defeat the purpose of the bulbs longevity, since having to fire the bulb potentially 4 times a day would put a lot more wear on it.

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmm thats an interesting design.. first thought is "oh great a 50/50 mh bulb is finally out! But as Rich mentioned only one is on at a time? Really curious how that works..

Either way I wonder much of an impact the off center source will affect certain reflectors that pretty much require the light to come from the center.

However looking at it, just looks like 1 more thing that could potentially go wrong with a bulb

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmm thats an interesting design.. first thought is "oh great a 50/50 mh bulb is finally out! But as Rich mentioned only one is on at a time? Really curious how that works..

Either way I wonder much of an impact the off center source will affect certain reflectors that pretty much require the light to come from the center.

However looking at it, just looks like 1 more thing that could potentially go wrong with a bulb

Half empty kind of guy aren't you?

 

[Anonymous]

I like the idea of the bulbs switching. It seems that it would be more natural for the corals. That does answer the way of having clouds pass over. I would also be concerned about bulb life from the on off all day. And if it is 4 on and 4 off then an 8 hour photo period will only be half and half, I would not want to run 12 hours a day for power usage reasons.

 

[Anonymous]

If it cycles at the same rate as the power (60Hz), then you maybe able to see it flickers like some old florescent lamp. It would be interesting to put a light chopper in front of the bulb so that you can make the tank go dark even the the light is on...

 

[Anonymous]

I've read this thread about 7 times now and I still don't see the point of this bulb. :?

 

[Anonymous]

The bulb needs to be on a timer and you can have it go on and off as you like, as long as you can program it in a timer.

http://www.reefbuilders.com/2009/04/08/ ... -personal/

 

[Anonymous]

Is the attraction purely bulb life? I can't think why I'd want to have different colors for different times of the day. Well, maybe. 10K for two hours in the middle of the day to simulate noon-day sun, 14k at other times? Am I edging towards an understanding?

 

[Anonymous]

If it cycles at the same rate as the power (60Hz), then you maybe able to see it flickers like some old florescent lamp. It would be interesting to put a light chopper in front of the bulb so that you can make the tank go dark even the the light is on...

It just like any other MH lamp. I didn't see any flicker at all.

 

[Anonymous]

Is the attraction purely bulb life? I can't think why I'd want to have different colors for different times of the day. Well, maybe. 10K for two hours in the middle of the day to simulate noon-day sun, 14k at other times? Am I edging towards an understanding?

Nice edging!

Not just purely bulb life.
It seems that you can get faster (or at least different) growth under different K, but some don't like the look of the lower K. So, the combo bulb give you the ability to have lower K on during the day and hight K on when you are home all in one fixture. I had lumenarc make me a reflector that holds two bulbs and I run 10 K and 20 k. If I wanted to, with this bulb I do almost the same thing with one bulb.

 

[Anonymous]

Ah, OK, that does make sense. Not sure I'd end up going that way, but can see why some would...

 

[trido]

Is the attraction purely bulb life? I can't think why I'd want to have different colors for different times of the day. Well, maybe. 10K for two hours in the middle of the day to simulate noon-day sun, 14k at other times? Am I edging towards an understanding?

I can see an appeal in these bulbs. For instance, I currently have 20K MH's, actinic VHO's and Actinic+ t5s over my tank. I run the T-5s for only two hours a day for mood lighting. one hour before and one hour after the MHs. I've recently been contemplating switching one or both of the T-5s to a daylight color to bring some of the reds back into my tank if only for a couple hours a day. I have a hot pink stylo with blue polyps (under 14K) that has washed out to a dull purple under 20Ks. It would be nice to highlight those colors again.

If these bulbs truely do last longer (to offset the cost) and have a desirable 20K color. I could quit running my T-5's altogether.

IMO, these bring alot more lighting options to a tank without having extra ballasts and fixtures. IF they are worth a darned.