possible new lighting source. Costly tho.

[StirCrazy]

These are a nice looking light but with a average life of 500 Hours and less it is far from afordable (that would ba a change every 50 days running 10 hours a day) and that high life is just for the 2500Watt and 4000Watt versions.. the 1200 watt version has a average life of 150 hours.

if you want to check them out you can see the different types made HERE (http://daeitswp2.mysylvania.com/scripts/wgate/zb2cpcat/!?~language=EN&~template=FRMSTART&~shop=GL-L0) HMI is a osram/selvana copy righted brand name.

Steve

[DJ88]

I am not looking into the larger wattage bulbs. The one I am looking at is a 24W bulb. That is why I am having troubles getting the info at the moment. It is not manufactured by Sylvania. It is manuf by a different company. It was not originally used for the film photography industry. It was used in the medical field.

[ 15 April 2002, 17:06: Message edited by: DJ88 ]

[DJ88]

Take a read of this thread I started on RC.

Keep in mind the starter/transformer for this lighting is $200 then each bulb is over $100. You'll be amazed at the numbers I have gotten tho. As well it needs a 12VDC power supply.

HMI lighting thread (http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=79644)

[ 15 April 2002, 12:41: Message edited by: DJ88 ]

[clintyiu]

Darren,

Sounds like this light is the future for reef keeping. Where did you get it? Let us know when you get more info. Particularly its spectral quality, longevity, colour shift over time etc...

I assume the prices you mentioned are in CDN in which case they are not that bad. Maybe I should cancel my backordered blueline ballast purchase.

Clinton

[DJ88]

Clint,

Don't cancel your order yet. Serious.

One bulb will light up about a 1 foot diameter area in a 20" deep tank. So you would need a few to give an even lighting spread across a tank bottom. Fewer in a deeper tank but when each set up costs over $300 per if you had to run several yearly bulb changes at $100 a pop will get costly. I was thinking of using two to spotlight certain areas of my tank.

As for sepctral analysis and such I can't say. I am still looking into these little critters. Later this week I will post some pictures of the whole set up.

[DJ88]

Bit of an update. As we all kow if a product is made for a specific use it seems companies are more likely to gouge the end user. Well this holds true again. COncider these are used in the medical field. And go from there. :(

I did some more looking and these bulbs were used for things like endoscopy and such. Where they need super bright light. Well those little 24W bulbs are more than the $100 I was told. I haven't been able to get a price list but once I talked to a local rep he said enough after I asked if they were that price. He kinda laughed. and said much higher. nuff said.

The life is longer than the larger wattage bulbs but to be replacing these things a couple of times a year isn't worth it. Oh well maybe down the road the price will drop enough to make these viable. I'd love to try them the color is great. No supplementation would be needed..

One side note. If anyone is wanting to try these things let me know. I would NOT run these things on your tank for more than one to two hours. Use them to simulate noon day sunshine for a short period of time. Anything more and you are probably looking at scorching your corals. FYI

[ 18 April 2002, 08:35: Message edited by: DJ88 ]