Old bulbs = Algae problems?

[christyf5]

I'm pretty sure they don't sell the non-R ones anymore anyway.

Christy

[EmilyB]

I purchased 250w Iwasaki bulbs....horrid yellow...Jon has them now..Jon are they R bulbs? or non R bulbs? Who knows how to tell because they were likely in stock for who knows how long before I bought them?

Limiting current, or increasing current, dependent on the resistor, that R thingy, changes the wavelength?

[bongy]

Hi guys,

You can look at my tank to compare the two Iwaski bulbs. The yellow tang side is the new one with 'R'.

http://www.canreef.com/phpBB2/viewto...=4071&start=15

They are 250watt with 2 VHO actintic. The new one is around 15 months old and the old one is about 2 years. I read somewhere that Iwaski last longer than the other MH bulb without noticably shift in spectrum. (Something like 2 years if I remember correctly)

Hopefully, the old one will last till boxing day this year so I can get new one.


Bongy

[Troy F]

Hey Deb, even the R bulb isn't crisp white like some of the higher K bulbs but it's waaaay less yellow than their older bulbs. Jack, PM me your address and I'll send you a bulb. I'll try to figure out which one is just a year old.

[Delphinus]

Maybe a little off-topic, but, the Iwasaki webpage says not to run their bulbs on "combination MH/MV ballasts." To my knowledge just about every ballast we can buy is a combination MH/MV! I.e., M57/H37, M58/H38, etc. etc. Even the EYE Electric (Iwasaki) ballasts appear to be both mercury vapour and metal halide!

The reason I am confused about this is, for a time, I ran a non-R and a R 250W side by side. I never really could perceive much of a difference. Unless I am colour blind (who knows maybe I am), I wonder if this means that I'm running the "R" version on a suboptimal ballast because my ballasts are for sure "250W MH or MV."

So what's up with that, any ideas? I've tried looking for a H38 ballast (err. or whatever a 250W MV is) that wasn't also a M58 (250W MH), and, well, not that I looked all that hard, but all I could find were these combo ballasts. Does "combination ballast" perhaps refer to something else?

[christyf5]

I've got two H37 ballasts if that means anything.

Christy

[Jack]

Troy, thanks, I sent you a PM.

Christy, that means you have the optimal ballasts for Iwasaki.

Bongy, is it just me or does his tank look dimmer, but bluer, on the right side of the tank ("R" bulb) but the left side looks more intense and whiter (non "R" bulb)?

Tony, I'm really glad you posted that question. I specfically am running the MH/MV ballasts, M58/H37 ballasts. I know that Iwasaki says that you shouldn't run them but they run fine. I am using a pair of non-resistor Iwasaki bulbs and the colour is yellow like toilet pee water... but when I flick on my 2x110w VHO actinic it's very white.

I am interested in seeing how much whiter Troys "R" bulb will look over my tank. I'm not sure if I can get pictures but this can be a test... I have good eyes!

I posted awhile as to where I could get 250w H37 MV bare ballasts for my lights but I got no response.

[bongy]

Hi Jack,

I am looking at the tank now but I can't really tell. My eyes are really bad at sensing the difference. I can't even tell which side is bluer.

Maybe I should get my eyes check.

[Canadian Man]

Originally Posted by EmilyB

I purchased 250w Iwasaki bulbs....horrid yellow...Jon has them now..Jon are they R bulbs? or non R bulbs? Who knows how to tell because they were likely in stock for who knows how long before I bought them?

Limiting current, or increasing current, dependent on the resistor, that R thingy, changes the wavelength?

Yes the bulbs I got from you were R bulbs.

[Delphinus]

Christy, where did you get your ballasts from and can you tell me a brand/model # at all? PM me if you prefer. Thanks..

Bongy, maybe I need my eyes checked too, but I too can only barely perceive a difference between the two sides and I'm not sure if I'm imagining it because the suggestion is there that the right hand is maybe slighlly bluer. Perception and psychology is a funny business. What's throwing me off is that right in the center at the top there is a bit of a spot above the congruence of the light rays that is a bit darker. This gives me the impression that there is a line dividing the two sides. So the two sides different enough that I can maybe perceive that there is some kind of difference, not they're not different enough that I can quantifiably identify what that difference is. I guess maybe Jack's right, the right hand side is slightly bluer. I think.

Jack, I spent at least 2 minutes searching the web for info when I was wondering about this. And it occured to me that most 250W ballasts we're using must be the MH/MV versions. I know that they're "fine enough" because that's what I run, and I'm not unhappy with the results. It's just that ... I never really noticed a huge difference between the R and the non-R, and I'm wondering if maybe I WOULD notice more of a difference if I had only the H37 ballasts. If I could find a H37 that wasn't also a M58 then I'd just buy it to try it and settle the question in my mind once and for all. Oh well...