And Another MH Bulb Question...

[Rollins4Miles]

I'm going to be replacing my mh bulbs as the ones that I'm using now have run their course. I have an Odyssea dual halide w/ t5 fixture running on electronic ballasts. Yes, I know it's a cheapo but it really has earned it's keep so far. It uses 250W DE bulbs. With that said, I would like to limit the replies strictly to 250W DE bulbs. Please do not tell me about your awesome Radiums that won't work for me. It just makes me jealous!!! Someday I'll try them out - but not today.

I've used 14,000K Phoenix bulbs in two different Odyssea fixtures and they have performed extremely well. I get great color and growth from these bulbs but I feel like I want something new. I want to focus more on the coloring of my sps rather than growth. I'm looking in the 20,000K range but there are a number of bulbs available and always seems to be a mix of opinions - and then someone chimes in that the 250W Radium rocks the world and ruins it for all us DE guys.

If I have to stick with the Phoenix bulb then I won't mind. They're extremely cheap compared to all the other name brand bulbs out there and perform very well with my setup. I'm just really craving some intense sps colors! So does anyone have any opinions or suggestions? It would be great if someone has used the Phoenix and switched to a 20,000K bulb and noticed a significant difference.

 

[HumbleFish]

I can't tell you which lamp to get - but I can tell you which lamp not to get: Hamilton 14k. Now, I was running Radiums before so maybe I got spoiled. But I decided to try something different (and save a little $$$), so I went from 20k Radiums to the 14k Hamiltons. Big, big disappointment. The bulbs are too white, and when on by themselves almost look a bit "weak". FWIW, coral growth seems about the same.

 

[Rollins4Miles]

Thanks for your input!

I've heard that the Hamiltons run a little on the white side and that's what I'm trying to avoid. If I do 14Ks again it'll definitely be the Phoenix bulbs. I've seen Ushio 20K bulbs in action and I thought they were a little on the white side as well. It was set up right next to the Phoenix and the Phoenix bulb had more blue. I could be wrong but, in layman's terms, isn't it the bluer the light the better the color? Or is that overly paraphrased?

 

[JAustin]

FYI. My Ushio 20k de halides were very blue. Not as bright as Phoenix de but nice.

If your looming to save a little get the Phoenix. They can be had for under $50 each.

When I went back to Phoenix I got better growth and cor out of my sps.

 

[Dave & Monica]

I installed Ushio 20k's and they are so dim compared to the 14k pheonix bulbs. I don't have your fixture, and also note I have the lumateck adjustable 250w, and 250w HQI settings yield very different results. The HQI setting is very white. Overall, not impressed with the ushios.

 

[jda]

XM 20K are bluer, but darker and won't look as nice IMO or grow the coral as well. These would be my 2nd choice, but I never see a reason to stray from 14K Phoenix.

 

[Timber77]

i would stay with the phoenix if anything change out your ballasts to something that can overdrive them

phoenix and radiums are my favorites, both can look very different depending on what you are using to drive them.

 

[Dave & Monica]

So maybe it's a perception, 20k bulbs seem to bing out yellow and reds better. Now I'm not thrilled with the ushios, but had them for a long time and just decided to use them. I do notice the yellows are more pronounced, nd reds are a bit sharper. They've been in only a week so lets wait and see.