14000K HQI 250W Phoenix bulb
- Thread starter ti-christ
- Start date
Also, I know that I had a KH spike but all my parameters are stable for at least 2 weeks if not 3 weeks and the coral on the picture above just started to die from the tips????!!!!???
:sad1: :sad1: :sad1: :sad1: :sad1: :sad1:
I did not want to stress more my coral but I think that tomorrow, I will but back my old bulb...because I do not know what to do and what to think!!!!
Except for the 10 ppm of nitrate all parameters is the same than the previous year!!!
Do you think that I will lost all my SPS from this KH spike!
:sad1: :sad1: :sad1: :sad1: :sad1: :sad1:
I did not want to stress more my coral but I think that tomorrow, I will but back my old bulb...because I do not know what to do and what to think!!!!
Except for the 10 ppm of nitrate all parameters is the same than the previous year!!!
Do you think that I will lost all my SPS from this KH spike!
PogoMonogo
New member
+1 to this. I had sps doing TERRIBLE when i put these bulbs in. Now everything is doing great after i went witha different bulb.
sfsuphysics
Active member
Here's a couple pictures, one was shortly after I put the bulbs up (in fact moved everything over to the tank). 180g tank, 4'x3'x2', 2x250w e-ballast, 5.5hrs a day, 4x54w T5s (UVL Super Actinic, ATi Blue Plus)
November
February - I was originally showing off the scratch I buffed out
rbnice1
New member
im running 250watt phoenix on magnetic ballasts. My currwent bulbs are 18 months old and I get great growth with them still. Swapping htem out in a week or 2. I also checkedc with a par meter and I am at pretty good par. Im using lumenmax reflectors at 16 inches off the water.
MikeandNicole
New member
I use the pheonix 14k 250w bulb and love it. I have had no issues.
redfishsc
New member
I'm in agreement with those that like the Phoenix. I'm getting good growth under mine. Of course it's a 250DE sitting over a 25g puddle, but the ONLY coral that was light-shocked when I first put it on there 2 months ago was a micromussa and an acan. Nearly killed the micromussa. Every acro and monti I had responded well. I was VERY careful to acclimate them to this light though. Started at 10" high and used a sheet of acrylic covered in notebook paper, filled with punch-holes, for a couple days. Every day I'd tear off a 3-4" section of the paper until nothing was left. Now I have the light lowered to around 7" from the water surface.
I upgraded from a cheezy Nova Extreme 4X24 T5
If I had to make a guess on why your corals are suffering, it's precisely what you said--- they slowed growth with the bulb change and alk spiked up. The alk spike is more likely what the issue continues to be, not the lights.
When you changed the lights, it may have shocked them (too much light, a new Phoenix is pretty powerful at PAR production) and also different spectrum--- the Phoenix is WAY bluer than a 10,000K. So, more PAR than the old bulbs, and much more blue.... sounds like light shock.
As for what to do, you can try putting your old bulbs back in and stabilize your alkalinity. Get things looking good again, and slowly swap the bulbs and put some screen/eggcrate over your tank to acclimate them slowly to the new Phoenix.
I upgraded from a cheezy Nova Extreme 4X24 T5
If I had to make a guess on why your corals are suffering, it's precisely what you said--- they slowed growth with the bulb change and alk spiked up. The alk spike is more likely what the issue continues to be, not the lights.
When you changed the lights, it may have shocked them (too much light, a new Phoenix is pretty powerful at PAR production) and also different spectrum--- the Phoenix is WAY bluer than a 10,000K. So, more PAR than the old bulbs, and much more blue.... sounds like light shock.
As for what to do, you can try putting your old bulbs back in and stabilize your alkalinity. Get things looking good again, and slowly swap the bulbs and put some screen/eggcrate over your tank to acclimate them slowly to the new Phoenix.
tibob32
New member
I have no complaints about my 250w DE. Growth could be better, but it's alright.
As far as your problem goes, I'd blame the alkalinity. That being said, it could be the light, did you replace the UV screen after replacing them? If not, you could be toasting your corals with UV
As far as your problem goes, I'd blame the alkalinity. That being said, it could be the light, did you replace the UV screen after replacing them? If not, you could be toasting your corals with UV
Mattik
New member
I am using a DE Phoenxix 259W 14K bulb over my 75g tank and it does just fine. I probably need a second one for this size tank, but truth be told, I can't complain about slow growth even with only one bulb running....
Of course, I have a custom tank thank is only 36" long, so that probably helps.
Of course, I have a custom tank thank is only 36" long, so that probably helps.
In my experience, you won't recover from an alk spike in a few weeks. It has taken me nearly four months to get back to the kind of growth I was used to seeing.
My guess is that your ca rx had a snafu and spiked your alk way more than you caught it at.
Fwiw, I'm running two 250 phoenix on ice cap ballasts. The bulbs are about a year old, and I will run them until I get the funds to replace them with xm 10k. Probably be around 16-18 months when I replace
good luck with your alkalinity - keep it steady and you will see results - just not overnight.
Hth,
My guess is that your ca rx had a snafu and spiked your alk way more than you caught it at.
Fwiw, I'm running two 250 phoenix on ice cap ballasts. The bulbs are about a year old, and I will run them until I get the funds to replace them with xm 10k. Probably be around 16-18 months when I replace
good luck with your alkalinity - keep it steady and you will see results - just not overnight.
Hth,
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