Source for 8000°k MH bulbs

[wolfiewill]

For those few who use 8000°k MH bulbs, I have found an inexpensive source at http://www.lightexports.com/servlet/StoreFront . I have purchased four bulbs now, 2 x 150 watt DE, and 2 x 175 watt mogul style Plusrite. I have paid only $$19.95 each, plus $18.00 shipping (USPS) for a total of $57.90 for a pair and no duty added.

[fischkopp]

Not too bad, thanks for sharing!

I wonder how you would judge the color of the light output? I have seen an ADA MH and a no-name MH, both 8000K, side-by-side and noticed a greenish tint on the no-name version. The ADA had a more pleasant bluish-green. That was my impression anyway.

[wolfiewill]

Not too bad, thanks for sharing!

I wonder how you would judge the color of the light output? I have seen an ADA MH and a no-name MH, both 8000K, side-by-side and noticed a greenish tint on the no-name version. The ADA had a more pleasant bluish-green. That was my impression anyway.

Odd you should say that: I changed my 6700 k 150 watt bulbs one at a time (they are side by side) and started the new one 6" higher to have exactly the same lux reading at the surface as the old light was providing. I do this to condition the plants to the brighter new light over a few days instead of pounding them with higher intensity light immediately. And the comparison of the two is remarkable. This is over my Congo tetras and the 8000 k allows the colours of the Congos to pop quite noticeably. The blue is especially accented. It does look bluer than the 6700 k beside it and now that I have 8000 k lights over all of my larger tanks, I really notice the differences between the 8000 k MHs, the LEDs (at 6500 k) and the CFs at 6700. It is quite a big difference when they are side by side like this. They are bluer, not greener. The 6700s and 6500s are yellower. I've been a big fan of 8000 k lights for a long time but couldn't find a supplier for a while. I would like to find an 8000 k LED light now to match for my future tank.

[charlie]

My take on the 2 different tints is if the tint does not bother you when you are looking at the tank with one bulb, it`s all good, I doubt you will have 2 tanks side by side with 2 different 8000K looking at them 

[wolfiewill]

My take on the 2 different tints is if the tint does not bother you when you are looking at the tank with one bulb, it`s all good, I doubt you will have 2 tanks side by side with 2 different 8000K looking at them 

Wow. After bragging about my new 8000 k MH bulbs I woke yesterday morning to a green tank. One of the new mogul style bulbs is way off in colour. It's a definite puke green. The other one is fine. The supplier suggested that it's the ballast: one's a Hamilton ballast, and the other is an 'Energy Saver'. The Energy Saver output is about 2/3 that of the Hamilton. The rep at Buchanan's, here in Ottawa, suggests it's the bulb. I'm going to switch them later today to see. Does anyone have any experience with this issue?

[Stussi613]

Wow. After bragging about my new 8000 k MH bulbs I woke yesterday morning to a green tank. One of the new mogul style bulbs is way off in colour. It's a definite puke green. The other one is fine. The supplier suggested that it's the ballast: one's a Hamilton ballast, and the other is an 'Energy Saver'. The Energy Saver output is about 2/3 that of the Hamilton. The rep at Buchanan's, here in Ottawa, suggests it's the bulb. I'm going to switch them later today to see. Does anyone have any experience with this issue?

The lower output might affect the colour temperature a bit, but I don't see a 33% reduction causing that drastic a difference.  The mix of gases in the arc tube inside the bulb is what determines the colour temperature and if the ballast is strong enough to strike the arc and get the bulb running it should be able to produce the light it was designed to.  The biggest thing you would see is the reduction in output.

Who did you talk to over at Buchanan's?  If it was Sandy I'd say it's the bulb, he's usually right about that stuff.

One thing I was going to say before, but didn't initially, was that you get what you pay for.  If you take 10 Ushio bulbs and put them in a spectrometer they all produce the same colour temperature and light output with very little variances.  Because they are made to exacting standards.  That's why they cost more than the cheap brands do.

[wolfiewill]

So I changed the bulbs and the same thing happens to the 'good' bulb on the Energy Saver ballast. So it's the ballast as Jeff at J & L said. The guys at Buchanan's were surprised, too. So I've ordered a new 6500 k bulb for that tank. It looked good before, so unless I want to replace the ballast (at almost the same cost as a new fixture), I'll have to use the lower temp bulbs. And, you are right, you do get what you pay for. The Giesemann bulbs in the Giesemann fixtures are terrific. But I'm willing to fight this battle for a $20 bulb rather than pay more, 'cause I'm going to replace these MH lights in the next year or so anyway. And I haven't decided what to replace them with or what I'm going to have in these tanks. Spending more on them is not in the budget at the moment.