Best 250 Watt DE for AquaMedic Fixture/Ballasts

[chriscolt]

:smokin:

Jeremy:

I have an Aquamedic 48" 250Watt x2, 150Watt x 1 - Fixture with 2 - Aqualine 250Watt DE 10K (13K) bulbs and a single 150Watt DE aqualine 20K in the center. I find the 250 Watt bulbs a bit too yellow for me although the corals really perked up since replacing an older Hamilton Lighting Hood with 175Wx2 - and 188Watts of Actinic. I want to maintain the PAR that I am getting with the Aqualines but want more Blue to give my green/yellow corals that extra flouresence that you get.. What bulb do you recommend to accomplish this?

Chriscolt

 

[Jeremy B.]

You could always stick with the Aqualines as the 250's (my favorite DE 250 10k lamp) and then use the 20k in the middle like you have now unless you really dislike the coloration that much. IF that is the case the Phoenix 14k is going to be your next best bet for the 250's. I don't think the Reeflux or even the Ushio's are going to give you the color you're after, as they probably aren't blue enough for you. The Phoenix gives off an amazing amount of par for it being a "bluer" lamp. There really isn't anything else on the market that would touch it. If you feel that those lamps are a little on the blue side then stick in an Ushio or AB 10k 150 inbetween them to whiten things up just a bit.