+KeeperOfTheZoo Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Ok, so I've officially had another of those 'I'm very new to reef keeping' kinda moments. I got in touch with the lady I bought my set up from. I'd already determined pretty much just shy of the purchase that she was well meaning but pretty clueless about saltwater aquarium keeping. If my hours of crash course studying hadn't clued me in, her long list of 'Things I've killed' would have done it. **shudder** I bought my tank the end of Sept. I still feel like I got a great deal on it, but it's been a major lesson in how NOT to do things thanks to it's previous owner. Hence my fondly dubbing the poor thing my 'rehab reef'. Anyway, I'm replacing the bulbs in my lighting fixture as I'd planned to do since getting the tank (I have a list of things I'm replacing/upgrading). Nothing fancy, I have a 72" 4x96w power compact Coralife fixture with LED moonlights. None of the LEDs work anymore, but that's not my primary concern. I figured with the overall lack of attention to detail given to the tank by the old owner that the bulbs in the fixture had to be old. What I didn't realize was just how old they were! Six year folks. The gal emailed me back and said she didn't realize you had to replace bulbs before they burned out and she figured the bulbs were about the same age as the fixture was because she couldn't remember ever replacing them. Note to self: always ask how old the bulbs are when you buy a lighting fixture. But hey, in my defense, at least I know the bulbs need to be replaced more often than every 6 years. So, my next question(s) is.... will replacing the bulbs shock/stress the few softies I have in my tank? How do I go about helping everything adjust? Even better question, how are any of my corals managing to get enough light from 6 year old bulbs to survive? I thought the spectrum would shift after 9-12 months and make the bulbs mostly worthless!?! I have red mushrooms (that are budding like mad, even the babies are now starting to bud), a green ricordea, zoas, palua nepthea and pom-pom xenia. All of which are healthy and beautiful. I also have a few frags of purple digi, one is just as happy as can be, the other couple aren't extending all their polyps. I realized after the fact that I don't have enough light for them, even if my bulbs weren't ancient. I'm still shaking my head over this... six year old bulbs. Yikes. Oh, one more question! I was going to order bulbs from hellolights.com. Was going to go with their cheaper no-brand bulbs instead of coralife bulbs. Are these bulbs decent quality? I haven't read anything negative about them. Someone on a yahoo list I'm on suggested ordering really cheap-o bulbs from aquatraders.com, but I've read horrible things about stuff from aquatraders. Mostly their equipment, but I've also found some posts on other forums talking about the poor quality of the bulbs, though some say they are decent. I don't want to cheap out on the bulbs, obviously I can replace with coralife and expect a long, long life span (cough, cough)... but if I can save a few dollars and get good quality from hellolights I'll be even happier. Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Most of the corals you have there could probably survive under a regular light bulb. Hellolights has always had a good reputation, but I have never bought from them myself. I try to buy locally on things like bulbs. The small savings you get from online is not worth it to me. I try to support the local stores as much as possible. Also if you have a problem with the bulbs (which seems to happen often in this hobby) you actually have a resource for help. Once you have the new bulbs just reduce your lighting period by half for a few days. Then add an hour every 2 days until you are back to your regular schedule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Coralife bulbs are really bottom of the barrel, especially for the high price they command. Check with Prof as to what he can quote you on SPS brand bulbs. I revently bought 4x 96w actinic PC's from him to replace mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barderer Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 well I always thought replacing every 6 m was a bit of an overkill... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barderer Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 speaking of this subject where do you guys get your replacement bulbs for your biocube 29? I have found the coral life ones to be better than most. What brand do you guys get etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KeeperOfTheZoo Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 LOL!! So Gabriel you're saying the survival of my corals isn't due to the wonderful extended life properties of coralife bulbs!?! I'm still shaking my head at how old those bulbs are. I think I like my softies even more now. Tough adaptive little critters, and pretty too. Is there a place local to buy bulbs at a reasonable price? I've looked and they are about $65+ per bulb at local stores. They are $20 something at hellolights. More than 50% isn't a savings I'll scoff at (even with shipping added in), plus I live an hour and a half N. of Austin so it's a drive for me to get to a 'local' FS. I like to buy local too but I manage to maintain all my various hobbies by being as frugal as possible. My growing saltwater addiction is actually second to my other main ($$) hobby which is my little farm (yes, a farm type farm... horse, cows, chickens and turkeys oh my! Never mind the kids rabbit, ball python, cockatiel, three fresh water tanks, cats, dogs and other more regular domestic stock... I truly am the keeper of a zoo). I'm in one or the other of the two LFSs I know of in N. Austin pretty much every weekend buying something, even if it's just water (until I can find a good deal on an RO/DI unit). And of course can't forget Rockin' Reefs! Though I missed Laura on our try into town last weekend. Wah! Anyway, just want to say I agree... local is wonderful. Unless I find a really great deal online! Will check with Prof (Dave @ Epic Reefs, right?). Thank you for that reference! Would very much like to support the folks who are a part of ARC. Nick... I am so lost on bulb brands! Heck, I'm still trying to figure out if I should stick with 10k or go to 12K or 14K, think the 20K will be way to blue and I'm not real, real keen on super blue looking tanks (though Laura has one that is beautiful and if I had more than one tank I might try a small one for the novelty of it). I hope more folks will chime in on that topic. Maybe you could start a new topic talking about bulb quality? Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdavis735 Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 when i had pc lighting i used coralife bulbs(not for 6 years),but they worked great for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barderer Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 There is a company that makes 14k bulbs in a 3 pack. They look nice. Also, nanotuners is selling their bulbs for 10 bucks a pop. Great deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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