Aqualine Spacelight HQI fixtures ..

[JeremyR]

I'm running a 250 + PC combo and love it. Their intensity blows away other 250w lamps,and the color is very good. The fixture also looks great. They do run hotter than standard hoods, but I think the bonuses outweigh the negatives. I love mine.

 

[MattM]

They're great lights. Absolutely stunning color. They're just a little on the pricey side.

We have considered carrying them, but I didn't think anyone would spend the money...

 

[skipb]

Jeremy,

Thanks for the response .. do they have fans built in?? Can't tell from the website. Is there more than 1 ballast(remote?)for a dawn and dusk effect??
Thanks,

Skip

 

[fnj]

I have the AquaSpacelight 3x250 w/PC actinics. I like it a lot, this is my first MH fixture so I don't have anything to compare it against. They don't have fans, just vents on each end of the fixture and over each MH bulb. The ballasts are all internal to the unit. There are 2 plugs one for the MH's and one for the PC's.

HTH

 

[skipb]

I'm in the process of deciding on what MH fixture to buy. I'm not a DYI person :-( I decided I wanted to use the 250watt 10k Ushio MH bulbs. Have asked about the CSL or Hamilton hoods with very few responses on other boards. Everyone must be DYI's ..

I was surfing the net yesterday and found the REEF FANATIC site. They seem to feature the Aquline brand lights .. any experiences with these lights??? I'm looking at the Spacelight 250watt MH + 4 pc combo ... Opinions ?? etc.

Tanks,

Skip

 

[JeremyR]

FNJ answered you pretty well.. you can do dawn dusk, no fans, ballasts are in the unit not remote.

Matt: you might be surprised.. I"ve sold a few and I've not been carrying them long. Put one in the store, and people will buy it.

 

[MattM]

Yeah, Tom and I have been discussing it and we'll probably place an order at the Atlantic City show next month.

 

[kcinminni]

Is Ushio the only manufacturer of the 150W HQI metal halide bulbs?

 

[Jawbone]

KCinminni - No the German Equivlant is
BLV221301
HIT-DE 150cW
F-75368
Germany

But I run the USHIO because the light seems more gooder

 

[kcinminni]

Originally posted by Jawbone:
No the German Equivlant is
BLV221301
HIT-DE 150cW
F-75368
Germany

What does that mean in English? The reason I ask is this: I just got a Jalli hood with 2 150watt HQI MH and 1 96watt PC actinic. I have no idea what the color is on the MH or what brand the bulbs are. Do you know if they're all 10,000K? I haven't seen anything else out there.

 

[Anonymous]

Here in the US you will see three brands of 150W DE bulbs generally...

Aqualine-Bushke (used in all Aqua Medic units)
Ushio
Iwasaki

AB also has a 5K bulb but thats really for FW planted tanks.

I've been speaking with Lou at Tropic Marin who is now distributing the Geisemann Lichttechnik hoods which are similar to the AquaMedic systems (more expensive) and they use the Osram HQI bulb. FWIW Lou also told me that HQI is meaningless, it's basically the name used by Osram to designate their bulbs similar to the "O3" is nothing but a Philip's catalog number, HQI has just become a generic term, but that the proper way to refer to these bulbs is "Double-Ended".

 

[pez]

Although the acronym might be meaningless, don't DE lamps generally need a special ballast (usually designated with HQI somewhere)? I have been pricing DE setups and they are much more expensive than mogul setups - mostly do to the ballast.

-Tom

 

[MattM]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Jawbone:
<strong>KCinminni - No the German Equivlant is
BLV221301
HIT-DE 150cW
F-75368
Germany

But I run the USHIO because the light seems more gooder</strong><hr></blockquote>

Jawbone -

That may in fact be the same light as the one you are running. You list a BLV catalog number, but BLV is the Germany-based manufacturing branch of Ushio. They're the same company.

Check the Germany area on this map

 

[MattM]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by pez:
<strong>Although the acronym might be meaningless, don't DE lamps generally need a special ballast (usually designated with HQI somewhere)?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Tom -

You are correct.

FWIW, HQI stands for "Halogen Quartz Iodide". Which was a lighting technology once used in these lamps. They have evolved over the years and today double-ended lamps are really just Metal Halide, even though people still call them HQI.

I believe that the HQI ballast requirement is partially due to some of the other "things" you see inside a single-ended mogul metal halide lamp. There are resistors & thermistors and other stuff that helps to fire them, but all this is lacking in the double-ended lamp - the ballast has to do all the work.

[ March 22, 2002: Message edited by: MattM ]</p>

 

[bigtank]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by MattM:
<strong>

We have considered carrying them, but I didn't think anyone would spend the money...</strong><hr></blockquote>

Awesome systems. I have a 2x150 and am very happy with it. Only problem is that the bulbs now need to be replaced (it's okay, it's been over a year) but I will have to take down my tank soon.

I think you should carry them, maybe set one up on one of your systems.

 

[skipb]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the information on these lights. I'd say, go ahead and put them in your stores ..

I've been convinced that they are the way to go and I don't have the luxury of seeing before I buy .. I live in Ct and have checked all the "good" LFS's and no one carries them ... Not interested in selling anything but the standard MH systems. Well they lose !!!

Again thanks to all that have responded ..

Skip

 

[ACROPHORIA1]

i got mine from Jeremy two months ago,I am extremly pleased,and Im not saying this cause I spent a lot of money,this light kicks @$$!!some of my acros went into shock,they were under 175s 10k in my other tank but have recovered.
my mushrooms have never looked better,and some new colors in my acros

aquaspacelight 3 250s

 

[Jawbone]

Good to know I have been Duped
And not for justification but I have worked in american Manufacturing plants for years and know for certain that when "The Widget Co." makes a product under their name brand it usually is a one pass product ( Passed Quality Control Test and or no Flaws in product ). The same Company will Market under a different name or will sell to other Companies that may not have as good of a mfg. plant and will settle for "seconds" or even "thirds".

I dont know if that is the case in this particular instance but it seems the USHIO bulb is clear white while the other bulb seems like a yellow white.

I ran the German bulb for about 8 months (till the bulb glass started to look dark) then I changed to the USHIO

using either bulb though I was immediatley impressed and very pleased with my purchase of the light system Definatley a must have.

 

[Anonymous]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Jawbone:
<strong>I dont know if that is the case in this particular instance but it seems the USHIO bulb is clear white while the other bulb seems like a yellow white.

I ran the German bulb for about 8 months (till the bulb glass started to look dark) then I changed to the USHIO</strong><hr></blockquote>

Out of curiosity what are the markings of manufacture if any are on your Ushio DE bulb? It SHOULD be of German manufacture. Looking at Ushio's corporate structure it looks like BLV makes ALL of Ushio's metal halide bulbs, and the separate European Ushio presense is for other lighting products. In other words BLV=Ushio, however there are two other German bulb manufacturers, Osram and Aqualine.