This article presents the spectral analysis of the six lamps and their corresponding ballasts as listed in Table 1. These lamps were tested using the identical setup to all my previous tests, thus allowing for direct comparison between the lamps.

CoralVue 400W Reeflux 12000K

Figure 1: CoralVue 400W Reeflux 12000K Lamps on all ballasts

CoralVue 250W Reeflux 12000K

Figure 2: CoralVue 250W Reeflux 12000K Lamps on all ballasts

CoralVue 175W Reeflux 12000K

Figure 3: CoralVue 175W Reeflux 12000K Lamps on all ballasts

Reef Optics 250W 10000K

Figure 4: Reef Optics 250W 10000K Lamps on all ballasts

Reef Optics 250W 14000K

Figure 5: Reef Optics 250W 14000K Lamps on all ballasts

Reef Optics 250W 20000K

Figure 6: Reef Optics 250W 20000K Lamps on all ballasts.

Conclusions and Discussion

As seen from the data, the Reef Optics 20000K and 14000K have very similar spectrums and 20000K has slightly better output.  Comparison to other lamps rated at 14000K and using a 250W HQI ballast shows that the PPFD range for these lamps on this ballast is from 109 to 64, and this lamp falls outside the range at the low end.  For the 250W 20000K Reef optics lamp, the range of PPFD on a HQI ballast for all other lamps is from 106-67, and this lamp also fall outside the range at the low end.  The Reef Optics 250W 10000K lamp is within the range of the other lamps tested with the HQI ballast but falls towards the high end of the bottom third.

The Coralvue 12000K lamps are also poor performers in terms of PPFD values especially the 250W lamp. The data shows that the Coralvue Reeflux 175W lamp performs only slightly lower than the 250W lamp.  The 400W Reflux 12000K will spectrally appear quite blue as shown by the spectral plot, with output very similar to lamps sold as 20000K.

There is basically nothing in these lamps that makes them stand out among the crowd of low cost, low output metal halide lamps that have recently swamped the hobby.  Additionally, its becoming quite clear that there is a large influx of lamps rated from 12000K-15000K that have very similar spectral characteristics of a blue lamp with the large spike at around 454 nm with lower output’s else where. A user preferring a blue look is probably better off with lamps being sold as 20000K.