Not liking 10,000K MH bulbs

[Dieter Kedrowitsch]

This weekend I drove out there to pick up some supplies and decided to
finally 'upgrade' from my 175W 5500K venture MH bulbs to some 10000K
bulbs. All they had in 10,000K was their house name "German" 10,000K.
They could tell me anything about the bulbs except they were German
made and would run on my M57 ballast.

Anyway, I stuck them in and fired them up and they look SO blue. Next
to the T8 atinics I have, they seem to be just as blue. I thought
10,000Ks were supposed to be white and 20,000Ks blue?

I have also noticed they seem half as bright as my el-cheepo 5500K
Venture bulbs.

They have only been running for about 2 days, should I expect them to
burn in to a brighter white rather then this blue? Or do all 10,000K
bulbs look this blue? I would try 6500Ks except they all seem to be
150w or 250w, not 175. Although I remember hearing that it is
possible to run the MV 150s on a M57 MH ballast.

So, any ideas/advice on why they look so dim and blue? I am tempted
to remove them and put the 5500Ks back in.

Perhaps someone can also help identify who's bulb they really are?

Thanks in advance!
Dieter

[Dieter Kedrowitsch]

BTW: "Out there" means That Fish Place. Sorry I didn't include that in the
first message...meant to have it in the Subject.

Also, to describe the bulbs in question, here are the markings on the
box/bulb.

The boxes have a sticker that says "000000031156" "F55 0199 0001" "175W LAMP
10,000K" "(BEI)".

When looking into the bulb, I see two diamond shaped metal tabs one of the
inner bulb. Not sure if that helps.

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[Marc Levenson]

I couldn't possibly identify a bulb based on that description. When I buy
bulbs, I buy them according to brand name, and they are clearly marked on the
packaging and the bulb.

Ushios are German bulbs. I've used Ushio 175w 10,000K bulbs for the past year,
and just replaced them with XM 10,000K bulbs.

A week later, I like the new XMs. My Ushios had turned an ugly yellow color,
and it was driving me crazy with that horrible color. The XMs didn't look good
until about 10 days later, but now I'm happy with them because they've burned
over 100 hours now.

Marc


Dieter Kedrowitsch wrote:

> BTW: "Out there" means That Fish Place. Sorry I didn't include that in the
> first message...meant to have it in the Subject.
>
> Also, to describe the bulbs in question, here are the markings on the
> box/bulb.
>
> The boxes have a sticker that says "000000031156" "F55 0199 0001" "175W LAMP
> 10,000K" "(BEI)".
>
> When looking into the bulb, I see two diamond shaped metal tabs one of the
> inner bulb. Not sure if that helps.
>
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[hyperoglyphe]

"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
> I couldn't possibly identify a bulb based on that description. When I buy
> bulbs, I buy them according to brand name, and they are clearly marked on
the
> packaging and the bulb.
>
> Ushios are German bulbs. I've used Ushio 175w 10,000K bulbs for the past
year,
> and just replaced them with XM 10,000K bulbs.
>
> A week later, I like the new XMs. My Ushios had turned an ugly yellow
color,
> and it was driving me crazy with that horrible color. The XMs didn't look
good
> until about 10 days later, but now I'm happy with them because they've
burned
> over 100 hours now.
>
> Marc
>
>
> Dieter Kedrowitsch wrote:
>
> > BTW: "Out there" means That Fish Place. Sorry I didn't include that in
the
> > first message...meant to have it in the Subject.
> >
> > Also, to describe the bulbs in question, here are the markings on the
> > box/bulb.
> >
> > The boxes have a sticker that says "000000031156" "F55 0199 0001" "175W
LAMP
> > 10,000K" "(BEI)".
> >
> > When looking into the bulb, I see two diamond shaped metal tabs one of
the
> > inner bulb. Not sure if that helps.

A suggestion is to also look for bulbs that are UV shielded.

Dave

[Dieter Kedrowitsch]

Hey Marc, what did your XMs look like before their 100hr burn in? Just last
night I have witnessed these bulbs I have start to shift from the dimmer
actinic blue looking to a very bright blue/white. I will see what they look
like when I get home from work.

I took pictures of the tank lit with the 5500K ventures and the new 10000Ks
and with both types of bulbs, the digital camera insisted it try to shift
the color and made my yellow tail blue damsels look purple and everything
has the wrong hue? How do you get such good pictures of your tanks? This
is a pretty good $600 Olympus camera...

BTW: Got some pics of the new sump I built that I will be uploading this
morning so I can post a link for you to check out. Looks pretty good in the
pictures.

Dieter



"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
> I couldn't possibly identify a bulb based on that description. When I buy
> bulbs, I buy them according to brand name, and they are clearly marked on
the
> packaging and the bulb.
>
> Ushios are German bulbs. I've used Ushio 175w 10,000K bulbs for the past
year,
> and just replaced them with XM 10,000K bulbs.
>
> A week later, I like the new XMs. My Ushios had turned an ugly yellow
color,
> and it was driving me crazy with that horrible color. The XMs didn't look
good
> until about 10 days later, but now I'm happy with them because they've
burned
> over 100 hours now.
>
> Marc



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[skozzy]

> How do you get such good pictures of your tanks? This
> is a pretty good $600 Olympus camera...

I found when I take pictures I use standard fluro light over the tank (the
type I have are called Cool White)

[Richard Reynolds]

> I found when I take pictures I use standard fluro light over the tank (the
> type I have are called Cool White)

if you want a good camera bulb for not a lot of $$$ philips makes a cheaper photo light
that has its own reflector like a flood light, it works nicely


--
Richard Reynolds

[Marc Levenson]

LOL. Well, to be honest, the brand new XM 10,000K bulbs looked just like my one
year old 10,000K Ushios... very very yellow. It was driving me nuts and I
couldn't stand to look at my tank.

Fortunately, about 10 days later (100 hours usage) the tank looks muuuuch
better, with a nice white/blue crisp look to it. I still supplement with
actinics, but only T5s now instead of VHOs.

I wrote an article about taking pictures, which you may have not seen yet?
http://www.melevsreef.com/take_great_pictures.html

There is a white balance feature on most prosumer models that can be adjusted,
even setting it yourself with the aid of something white in the tank. You can
set the camera to accept your own setting, by putting a piece of white PVC in
the tank, and pointing your camera at that and depress the shutter button. I've
had to do that with 20,000K lighting, and I was amazed how good the pictures
came out. Let me see if I can show you a comparison. ... hmm. Well, this is a
picture taken with the white balance corrected, under 20,000K bulbs.
http://www.dfwmas.com/newsletters_html_format/2004March/sp_5.jpg
With the white balance left on Auto, it was bluuuue.

Matter of fact, that picture and many others are in this newsletter, including
the article about taking pictures. Plus the Featured Tank was taken by me as
well:
http://www.dfwmas.com/newsletters_html_format/2004March/DFWMAS_mar04.html

I'd like to see your sump. You can post a link here or email them to me if you
like.

Marc



Dieter Kedrowitsch wrote:

> Hey Marc, what did your XMs look like before their 100hr burn in? Just last
> night I have witnessed these bulbs I have start to shift from the dimmer
> actinic blue looking to a very bright blue/white. I will see what they look
> like when I get home from work.
>
> I took pictures of the tank lit with the 5500K ventures and the new 10000Ks
> and with both types of bulbs, the digital camera insisted it try to shift
> the color and made my yellow tail blue damsels look purple and everything
> has the wrong hue? How do you get such good pictures of your tanks? This
> is a pretty good $600 Olympus camera...
>
> BTW: Got some pics of the new sump I built that I will be uploading this
> morning so I can post a link for you to check out. Looks pretty good in the
> pictures.
>
> Dieter
>
> "Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I couldn't possibly identify a bulb based on that description. When I buy
> > bulbs, I buy them according to brand name, and they are clearly marked on
> the
> > packaging and the bulb.
> >
> > Ushios are German bulbs. I've used Ushio 175w 10,000K bulbs for the past
> year,
> > and just replaced them with XM 10,000K bulbs.
> >
> > A week later, I like the new XMs. My Ushios had turned an ugly yellow
> color,
> > and it was driving me crazy with that horrible color. The XMs didn't look
> good
> > until about 10 days later, but now I'm happy with them because they've
> burned
> > over 100 hours now.
> >
> > Marc
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.672 / Virus Database: 434 - Release Date: 4/28/2004

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[Dieter Kedrowitsch]

Marc Levenson > wrote:

> LOL. Well, to be honest, the brand new XM 10,000K bulbs looked just like my one
> year old 10,000K Ushios... very very yellow. It was driving me nuts and I
> couldn't stand to look at my tank.
>
> Fortunately, about 10 days later (100 hours usage) the tank looks muuuuch
> better, with a nice white/blue crisp look to it. I still supplement with
> actinics, but only T5s now instead of VHOs.

Well as of last night, since I put them in Saturday they seem to have
settled on a nice crisp blue/white look that I'm very happy with now.
Exactly what I expected. It looks really good! I guess these bulbs
just need a little time to figure out what they want to be when they
grow up. Now how long the "That Fish Place" brand lasts...we will
see. They assured me it is a quality true German bulb with their name
on it. With the 32W Actinics I have the perfect balance I'm looking
for. I must say, using a pair of Coralsun 48" 32W T8 Actinic 420s
with a cheepo Lowes electronic T8 ballast makes a LOT of Actinic
light!! Tonight my high powered ballast (Howard Ballast, 114% BF)
will be delivered so I should squeeze out even a little more light
when I wire that in. I was planning to over drive them even more with
an Ice Cap ballast but they work so well on a NO ballast that I'll
just leave them alone once I put the high power NO ballast in. I
never got around to getting aluminum reflectors for them so my
reflectors are 48" long 4" PVC pipe cut long ways in 1/3s. The
insides of this PVC are nice and shiny white so it works great.

> I wrote an article about taking pictures, which you may have not seen yet?
> http://www.melevsreef.com/take_great_pictures.html

I just read that, very helpful indeed!

> There is a white balance feature on most prosumer models that can be adjusted,
> even setting it yourself with the aid of something white in the tank. You can
> set the camera to accept your own setting, by putting a piece of white PVC in
> the tank, and pointing your camera at that and depress the shutter button.

The camera has a few white balance manual presets you can use and an
Auto mode. I assume if I pick Auto and focus in on my PVC sump return
in the corner of my tank, that will do the trick?

> I've had to do that with 20,000K lighting, and I was amazed how good the
> pictures came out. Let me see if I can show you a comparison. ... hmm.
> Well, this is a
> picture taken with the white balance corrected, under 20,000K bulbs.
> http://www.dfwmas.com/newsletters_html_format/2004March/sp_5.jpg
> With the white balance left on Auto, it was bluuuue.

Have you ever heard if a digital camera making blue fish (yellow tail
blue damsels) turn bright purple? Is this related to the white
balance being wrong? Beings my 10000K bulbs are a little bluer them
most from what I've just read this seems feasible. However, it does
it under the 5500K Ventures too. I can't remember if I had the
Actinics on at the time so that may be the cause...

> Matter of fact, that picture and many others are in this newsletter, including
> the article about taking pictures. Plus the Featured Tank was taken by me as
> well:
> http://www.dfwmas.com/newsletters_html_format/2004March/DFWMAS_mar04.html

Awesome photos! I love the 150g short/wide tank.

> I'd like to see your sump. You can post a link here or email them to me if you
> like.

I see you joined Reefs.org, so it looks like you got to check it out.
I'm glad you like it! Not too bad for a first attempt...eh? It
couldn't fit the stand any better.