New Fuge Bulbs on the Market (1 Viewer)

[AggieBrandon]

My girlfriend Kim and I were in Houston yesterday browsing the hardware stores looking for plumbing parts and other miscellaneous things that were needed around the house. I have read on Reef Central that Home Depot was going to stop carrying the bulbs that people have been using to light their refugium. I'm pretty sure they have stopped carrying the 5100K bulb (the compact fluorescent bulb inside the flood lamp) and they are only available by special order. I have been using the normal compact fluorescent bulb from Home Depot with good results. This bulb is 6500K and puts out 75 watts worth of light while only using 19 watts of power. This bulb is made by Commercial Electric and costs about 8-9 bucks. Home Depot item number is 772-429. Here is a photo:

I looked in the lighting section at Home Depot a few weeks ago and was not able to locate any of this type of bulb. I also looked at Lowe's without any luck. Well we were in Wal-Mart so I decided to check the lighting section. I remembered seeing something on Reef Central about Wal-Mart carrying a 6500K bulb now. Sure enough there were several different bulbs on the rack that were 6500K. The bulbs are compact fluorescent and made by Lights of America. There were 3 different wattages to choose from. Largest was 100w output 25w usage, Middle is 75w output 20w usage, and the smallest was 60w output 15w usage. The price of the largest was about 5 bucks and the smaller bulbs came in a 2 pack for 8.50. Here is a photo of the largest and the middle:

The model number (located on front of package in bottom left corner) on the large bulb is 2825 S and the model number on the middle bulb is 2220S 2VP. I think I will try them out and see how they do. Hopefully they work as well as the Home Depot bulbs...especially since they are cheaper

If anyone else has used them or is going to try them out, please post your results.

Thanks.

Brandon

 

[Guest]

I bought the same bulbs but i got a 2 pack from wal-mart for like $10.

 

[Guest]

LOA: uses 65 watts, but gives 4500 lumens, as compared to the ones you listed giving ~ 1100 lumens

In my fuge I used one of the commercial electric 19w bulbs, but I never got good chaeto growth until I went with the LOA setup. Now I toss a cup or cheato every week.

Home depot carries them in the exterior lighting section, the whole pendant (including ballast) is $40.00.

 

[AggieBrandon]

The commercial electric gives off 1100 lumens and has a life of 10000 hrs where as the lights of america bulbs I found at wal-mart give off 1471 lumens (large bulb) and 1152 lumens (middle bulb). Both LOA bulbs I posted have a life of 6000 hrs. You can run these bulbs with a clip on light fixture (about 5 bucks). I have had excellent caulerpa growth and good chaetomorpha growth with the commercial electric bulb. I throw out about 8 lbs of macro every 3-4 weeks.

B

 

[Niko5]

Whats "LOA"

 

[ShaneV]

Lights of America

 

[Guest]

I have been using the bulb in the top picture for a couple of months now. I havent had much macro in my sump until about a week ago but I have had some xenia for that whole time which has grown like crazy from the bulb. The sump is also growing quite a bit of corline all over the place (not sure if that needs light to grow or not). I also have some halmida (the calcium plant, not sure about the spelling) that has grown quite a bit as well in the couple months. I would definetly recommend the bulb to anyone as it is cheap and works pretty well as far as I can tell.

 

[Niko5]

Im going to pick one up tommorow ill post my results... I currently use the top 19watt one.

 

[Guest]

This is the LOA fixture I was talking about: 4550 lumens 65 watts, $40.00, 10,000 hours.

I switched to it after I read an article by A.Calfo that talked about high light and high flow in refugiums.

http://www.lightsofamerica.com/floods.htm#

Many are able to get good growth from 19w, but my system was not one of them.

 

[Niko5]

Why does the reflector have more Lumens? is it the reflector?

 

[Guest]

Nick, It's a different bulb.

 

[JSimpson]

Just to add a little info here.

I stopped off at Walmart on my way home today to check these bulbs as well. In addition to the 20w and 25watt bulbs above, I found a LOA 30 watt, 2000 lumens 6500k bulb as well for something like $8.75. Model # 2830S

 

[Niko5]

I picked up a 25 watt today well see how it looks tonight.

I couldnt find the 2 little ones. they did have a big spirial one it was short and fat but I couldnt find what K it was. Maybe this was the 30 watt JSimpson saw...

Mine was $4.somethin hehe

 

[JSimpson]

Nick,

Yes, the 30watt is shorter and a fatter spiral - shaped more like a flood bulb. The back of the package tells the K rating, if you were looking at the same bulb I found.

 

[Niko5]

I looked and looked but I couldnt find it. did you get one? could you take a pic?

 

[bigbird123]

fugeight

I have two of the lights just like the LOA (Flourex). I bought these like three yrs ago when I was FOWLR. These are suppose to put out 400w of light for the price of 65w. They are really bright and I have great growth with one of them on my fuge. I trim about 2.5 #s a week. They are real cheap to run. They work off of micro-chip technology--no real ballast. They are also mogul based bulbs. I think they are great for anyones fuge.

Steve

 

[JSimpson]

Pics of bulb and rear of package showing color temp on right side

 

[JSimpson]

OK, try again to show the rear of packaging, with color temp on right side

 

[landfish]

so where did you find these bulbs at???? Walmart??? I have never seen them and I always am looking for 6500K bulbs. I will have to go take another look

 

[AggieBrandon]

Man I wish the store I was at had that bulb that is 135 watts and uses 30. I found mine at the Katy Mills wal-mart.

B