150w MH recommendation, please

[stancfii]

I have a 40br, currently running 2x39w t5: one blue+, one actinic+ for dusk/dawn. My current MH is a Phoenix 14k in a Hamilton reefstar on an M81 ballast. The Phoenix is a bit too blue (I ran it solo for a couple weeks), and colors are a tad washed out. What would be a crisp white bulb with a touch of blue (and no yellow) that would look good w the t5s I'm using? I'd like a little more par than what the Phoenix has, but sanjays data doesn't have all the bulbs I've looked at.

Possibilities:
XM10k
Ushio 10k
Ushio 14k
Reeflux 10k
Reeflux 12k
Radium (although I think that may be more blue than the Phoenix)

Thanks for the help!

 

[Jeremy B.]

The Radium 150w DE is actually more white than what the 14k Phoenix is, it's certainly not the same animal as the single ended counterparts in 250w and 400w. You might also try the Ushio 14k (this is a true 14k lamp, not really blue at all) supplemented with some ATI Blue Plus lamps.

 

[sirreal63]

I would second the 150 watt Radium, it is probably my favorite 150 watt bulb.

 

[stancfii]

Thanks, guys, I appreciate it. I did find a new coral+ bulb in the closet and swapped out the blue+ for it. With the actinic+ and coral+, the colors look good enough to make it work until it is time to swap out bulbs in a few months.

 

[stancfii]

Does the 150w radium (on the m81) have the same life expectancy as the 250 on a m80? Also, any idea on how the par of the Ushio 14k compares to the radium?

Thanks