PFO vs Icecap?

[mrrrkva]

Looking to get 4X400 MH. And there is a HUGE difference in price on the ballasts. The PFO's will run about $330 for all 4 (2 -2X400) AND THE Ice cap electronic ballasts will run almost $800!! These are at Marine depot of course. I know the electronic run cooler, anyone else have input?

 

[loganj]

Check out the Coral Vue ballasts. Electronic, 1 yr warranty, and cheaper than the Icecaps. I've never used PFO ballasts, but I've never heard anything bad about them. If you wanted to DIY your ballasts, you could probably use Advance ballasts and save even more $$.

 

[reefrunner69]

If you go to this link (http://www.cnidarianreef.com/lamps.cfm) you can view how different bulbs will preform with different ballasts. I don't know if he used the CoralVue ballasts, I think he did, but you should be able to get an idea which is going to give you the best preformance from your chosen bulb.

 

[reefrunner69]

I should point out those tests are for 250W mogul based bulbs, but should give you an idea.

 

[captivereefs]

CoralVue would be my choice as well. They have a better warranty. Have (2) built in fans in the ballast to keep it cool and efficent and are electronic as well!

 

[mrrrkva]

Where is the best place to get coral vue ballast? I know they were having "issues" with their bulbs, but their ballast dont seem that bad

 

[captivereefs]

They just redisgned the whole line from the ballast up to the bulbs. There was an issue with a small handful of bulbs that were bad. It was not as bad as it sounded. Alot of it was biing fueled by otheres companies posing as hobbiests on some boards. David stands behind what he sells and the bulbs have a 30 day warranty o them. Sent you a PM also.

 

[reefrunner69]

I'll admit, that David stands behind his product, he replaced both my bulbs, but, it was as bad as it seemed, if you don't believe me, ask my corals that literally had the flesh burnt off of them

 

[captivereefs]

David had about 600 bulbs come in with glass that was to thin and was emitting to much UV. This has since been taken care of and i have not had any bad reports from any of my customers who have bought the new sytle bulbs or heard much about it on the boards.

 

[reefrunner69]

Well, I haven't had any problem with my new bulbs, it's the old ones that are the problem, and I do believe there are still some out there, unless he can account for all of them, did he do a recall on the bulbs with the thin glass? FWIW, for sometime, they were blaming magnetic ballasts for the issue.

 

[captivereefs]

The old bulbs are still out there but are being replaced by David if a problem arises. Usually the places that have drastically slashed the price have the old bulbs. I do not carry the old bulbs at all. If a 400 wattt bulb is $40 than it is probably an old style bulb.

It was not the ballast but the thickness of the glass. There was no recall since it would be hard to measurte the glass thickness and that it was only like 600 out of literally thousands of bulbs.

The issue was also made alot bigger than it was on the boards by some other lighting manufacturers/vendors who took the oppotunity to slam CoralVue.

I speak with David about 3-4 times a week and would not sell a product i felt would be detrimental to peoples corals or an inferior product.

I recently sold a member a bulb and he received a bulb that had been damaged in shipping.CoralVue replaced the bulb no questions asked.