[Techy-Mechy]

I'm designing a nano reef and I am going to use a 10,000K AB double ended metal halide bulb for the primary lighting. How much actinic supplementation do you use with this bulb? I would like to keep my overall actinic retro kit length under 14" (pendant dictates the size) but I'm having a devil of a time finding true actinic 03 bulbs that will fit my needs. Can you suggest a good looking actinic 03 retro kit that is at or under 14" long?

Thanks,

Dave

[Ninong]

Dave,

Check with Custom Aquatic. They sell the Osram 24w PC actinics that Aqualine Buschke uses in their Aquaspacelight fixtures as actinic supplementation for the AB-10000 lamps: http://www.customaquatic.com/customa...bCatID=lt-rpcb Item #AB-75607.

They meet your size requirements and you can get by with less actinic supplementation when using AB-10000 DE lamps. In fact, even though both the AB-10000 and the Ushio/BLV 10,000K HQI DE lamps are a crisp white, the AB-10000 is just a tiny bit more bluish-white than the Ushio/BLV.

According to AB-Aqualine, their second generation AB-10000 lamps (all of them) are actually 13,000 Kelvin:

aqualine 10000 – the 10000 Kelvin light experience

Second generation – now with improved technique

Soon after its introduction in 1994, the 10000 Kelvin bulb became the best selling specialty bulb for seawater aquarias. We have set a standard with this bulb by which other bulbs have to meet their standard.. After a development of more than a year, we present now the aqualine 10000 second generation. This light bulb was reworked and substantial improvements have been made :

To improve the stability of the color a second ion getter has been introduced in the 150 and 250-watt light bulbs. This results in the fact that ions of the quartz glas, which gradually go into the bulb and lead to a yellowish color, will be absorbed. Thecold white light color now remains over the entire operating life.
The bulb is now elliptically preformed. Through this, production tolerances can be reduced and the resultant color differences of the single bulb are reduced to a minimum.
The color temerature of the bulbs has been increased by 3,000 Kelvin to an effective 13,000 Kelvin increasing the cold white component.
The 400-watt light bulb has been completely reworked to remove the time to time problems such as damage due to transport, and the thermal effect.
Improved the socket holder with nickel plating vibrations during the operation are avoided and the bulbs are substantially quiter now.

We are pleased to announce that despite the extensive improvements, the prices of the bulbs have not been changed.

Ninong

P.S. -- You have to be aware that a lot of the input into a lamp manufacturer's decision about Kelvin designations for their products comes from their marketing department, not necessarily their R&D department.

[Techy-Mechy]

Ninong,

Thanks a million for the lead! I've been looking and looking for a bulb like this but do you know of the overall length of the bulb and socket?. Now... what ballast should I use to drive the bulb (I couldn't find a single bulb retrofit kit).

What do you think of the 13W actinic bulbs/ballast kits sold by Lamps Now?

http://www.lampsnow.com/13watts.html

Are these a true actinic 03 or are they just blue bulbs? I'm sure that I don't want "blue" bulbs - I want the true actinic 03 bulbs.

Also - how much actinic supplementation do you recommend for the 150W bulb (one 24W PC, two 13W PC's, etc.)?

How would you position the bulbs if you only had one PC with a PFO mini pendant? I am retrofitting a 20 gallon tank - 24"Lx13"Wx16"H - with a divider wall perpendicular to the length of the tank at about 6.5" to 7" from one end. This wall will divide the main viewing area from the sump/refugium/reverse carlson surge device. I want to hand the mini pendant so that it's long axis is on center with the long axis of the main tank and place the actinic PC(s) somewhere next to the mini pendant. Would you place the PC perpendicular to the mini pendant - located over the front or rear of the main viewing area - or would you place the PC parallel to the mini pendant ?

I will really appreciate your thoughts on this matter and thanks,

Dave

[Ninong]

Originally posted by Techy-Mechy:

Ninong, Thanks a million for the lead! I've been looking and looking for a bulb like this but do you know of the overall length of the bulb and socket?. Now... what ballast should I use to drive the bulb (I couldn't find a single bulb retrofit kit).

I believe the overall length is about 12" but I don't have one to measure. Talk to Custom Aquatic or another vendor about which ballast to use.

What do you think of the 13W actinic bulbs/ballast kits sold by Lamps Now?

I don't really know much about that size except that its only about 7.5" long. I'm not even sure where Lampsnow gets there lamps, or AHSupply either, for that matter. Neither one seems willing to admit where they're coming from. Who knows? China???

Are these a true actinic 03 or are they just blue bulbs? I'm sure that I don't want "blue" bulbs - I want the true actinic 03 bulbs.

All we are talking about here is semantics. Names that manufacturers have chosen for their "blue" lamps. The "03" designation is simply part of the original product code number for the Philips actinic fluorescent lamp that everyone liked so much that all the other manufacturers decided to started calling their products "03" actinics. The obvious difference between these so-called actinic power compact fluorescent lamps is that some emit strongest at 420nm and others at 450nm. So some are a darker blue and others are a more medium blue. That 7100K designation was pulled out of thin air, too--it means absolutely nothing.

Also - how much actinic supplementation do you recommend for the 150W bulb (one 24W PC, two 13W PC's, etc.)?

Strictly a matter of personal preference. In Giesemann's most expensive fixture, they supplement 2*250w 10,000K HQI DE lamps with 2*30w NO Philips 03 actinics. AB-Aqualine, in their Aquaspacelight, uses 2*24w Osram PC actinics to supplement 2*250w 10,000K HQI DE lamps and 4*24w Osram PC actinics to supplement the 6-ft fixture with 3*250w 10,000K HQI DE lamps.

How would you position the bulbs if you only had one PC with a PFO mini pendant? I am retrofitting a 20 gallon tank - 24"Lx13"Wx16"H - with a divider wall perpendicular to the length of the tank at about 6.5" to 7" from one end. This wall will divide the main viewing area from the sump/refugium/reverse carlson surge device. I want to hand the mini pendant so that it's long axis is on center with the long axis of the main tank and place the actinic PC(s) somewhere next to the mini pendant. Would you place the PC perpendicular to the mini pendant - located over the front or rear of the main viewing area - or would you place the PC parallel to the mini pendant ?

I don't know that much about the PFO mini pendants other than seeing pics of them. Don't forget to check out the prices on the single lamp Giesemann Nova II fixture and the single lamp AB-Aqualine fixtures. They are not that much more than the PFO mini pendant. The Nova II has a separate ballast and the AB fixtures have enclosed ballasts.

Your supplemental actinics can go anywhere you chose. If you want an appearance of "depth," place them towards the rear of the tank. If you want maximum impact on the color of the 10,000K HQI DE lamp, place them in front of the HQI DE lamp. Or, if you have two separate PCs, you could place one in front and one in back.

Ninong