Better bang for the buck!

[Milhouse]

I have a Current Outer Orbit that I'm thinking of using for a 58g that I'm setting up. It has two 150w HQI's and 4 39w T5's. The HQI's are 10k, the T5's are Currents 460nm and 420nm(basically blue and actinic). So if I was to choose to replace either the T5's or the HQI's first, which would give me the bigger bang for the buck? I'm assuming the T5's since the 420nm are pretty much worthless and I've heard that Current's HQI bulbs aren't too bad. Is that the general consensus? I was going to replace the T5's with all ATI Blue Pluses.

 

[THE ROOK]

I've also read that the Current bulbs work well with their ballasts thus I'm running the 10k's in my unit. I'd also like to try two of those blue+ t-5's if their worth the change.

 

[grigsy]

Currents stock HQI bulbs are not very good.

I think you would do better with an Ushio 10K personally. Or, although I don't really like the color, many people like the Phoenix bulbs.

 

[GSMguy]

go with Ushio 14k all the PAR of the ushio 10k none of the yellow.

replace the t5s later, the difference in MH bulbs will be much greater..