Generic vs. Brand....age old question

[andysgirl8800]

Alright, I am looking to replace my metal halide bulbs this weekend and went to the ultimate discount source, EBAY! However, I wanted to get an honest opinion about whether or not I'd be shooting myself in the foot if I purchased something like this....

2pc 175W 175 watt 14000K Metal Halide Aquarium Bulb 14K - eBay (item 390133056900 end time Jan-17-10 08:59:27 PST)

Or should I just turn a blind eye to the price tag and go with the brand name Hamiltons, Coralife, etc? Has anyone else purchased generic bulbs before?

 

[XxKnuckleheadxX]

14000K Metal Halide Bulb - Phoenix, Mogul Base
i would just go with that.

 

[andysgirl8800]

I guess that's the average going price for MH bulbs, huh?

 

[XxKnuckleheadxX]

mmm they range pretty widely i see some go for over 100 bucks.. i would say most would go for 60 to 80 each.

 

[XxKnuckleheadxX]

ive heard great things about phoenix bulbs though..

 

[andysgirl8800]

Hmm. I was hoping not to break the tank....I mean bank. But I don't want to sacrifice my corals either.

 

[dcantucson]

I went with the Phoenix bulbs and am happy with their performance to date.
Never tried the generics, but think I would in the future.

 

[XxKnuckleheadxX]

the one you found on ebay comes with money back garuntee.. they say it works just as good and looks as good. up to you on whatcha wanna do.

 

[yote]

You gonna carry Phoenix DE bulbs Knucklehead?

 

[ccCapt]

The brand makes a HUGE difference in metal halide bulbs. You pretty much get what you pay for. I tried the Ebay bulbs and if you don't mind low PAR and the color shifting after a few months then you should be OK.

I borrowed a PAR meter from a member of my reef club and did some tests on a bunch of 175w MH bulbs I've used. When I did this test, I didn't turn off any pumps/powerheads and placed the probe in the same location for all the bulbs.
(note the difference between the Iwasaki bulbs and Ebay bulbs)

 

[andysgirl8800]

Capt,
This info is very helpful. Thank you for posting! I admit I had to Google PAR readings and coral requirements !:12:

 

[Rcpilot]

I bought a 175w 14k bulb for $10 + $10 shipping. It works and it's blue but I have to be honest and say I haven't really used it yet. No reflector.

For $10 apiece, you could buy 6 of them and replace them every 2 or 3 months if you wanted. Same price as a $60 bulb from a big name.

I'm cheap - as long as the corals grow and look vibrant - I don't care if the bulb is made by the Rotten Sh*t Company.

 

[ccCapt]

For $10 apiece, you could buy 6 of them and replace them every 2 or 3 months if you wanted. Same price as a $60 bulb from a big name.

That's 1 way of looking at it, the other way is your using 175 watts of electricity and getting 470 PAR with Ebay bulbs while I'm using the same amount of power and getting 1575 PAR (over 3x more) with Iwasaki bulbs. You can change the Ebay bulbs every day and you will still not get any better PAR.

 

[andysgirl8800]

Thanks everyone. I may have to hold off on the bulbs for now and maybe buy them together with a new ballast. Time to replase the good 'ol magnetics!

 

[XxKnuckleheadxX]

You gonna carry Phoenix DE bulbs Knucklehead?

i can get them..

 

[yote]

i can get them..

I'm gonna be needin a price on em before to long.:D
It'll be time to replace mine in a couple more months.

 

[dcantucson]

Yote are you replacing yours once a year? I have the same bulbs as you.

 

[Rcpilot]

Just looked at my bulb. The brand is Artemis. I bought it from Hobby Lighting. They are in Canada ........ eh.

eBay Store - Hobby Lights Oneshop: Single Ended, 35W-150W, Double Ended

Not sure if anyone has done a PAR test on these bulbs.

 

[daugherty]

i would get the iwasaki 15k bulbs they are only about 80 bucks

 

[ccCapt]

Thanks everyone. I may have to hold off on the bulbs for now and maybe buy them together with a new ballast. Time to replase the good 'ol magnetics!

Why replace the magnetic ballasts? In general, magnetic ballasts last forever (1 of the 3 I'm using has been in use over my tank for 20 yrs) and depending on what bulb you use, produce better PAR or a "bluer" color or both. Now if you didn't have any ballasts already, I would suggest electronics just because they will fire a wider range of bulbs, including HQI bulbs, which a standard pulse start magnetic ballast will not fire.