Help me with Halide bulb selection!

[Mikeyjer]

ok, we've been running the XM-20k 250w SE bulbs for awhile. I don't like the coloring of some corals underneath it. I believe they could look a lot better then they are right now. Since it is under a bowfront canopy, it's very hard to rig anything else in there to go with it. I'm wondering if there's a 20k in another brand like Ushio that would do much better then XM bulbs in coloring and growth as well.....

 

[Highside]

I like a lot of blue also, but I recently got the 14k phoenix and I can live without actinics on this bulb. There is not a hint of yellow with this bulb. Lower K bulbs will definantly give you better growth.

 

[Ebay Fish]

Check out the "new" Coralvue 250 10 K SE bulbs. They have excellent par withour that yellow XM look! http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/
----Sean

 

[Mikeyjer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12155610#post12155610 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ebay Fish
Check out the "new" Coralvue 250 10 K SE bulbs. They have excellent par withour that yellow XM look! http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/
----Sean

Thanks Sean, I might give that one a try cause I am just not happy with the coloring of my corals. Some stuffs look great, but some isn't looking really nice. I wonder how my stuffs would look under this new light?

 

[platax88]

I am going through the EXACT delema as we speak. I am so sick of the XM 20K ... but on my ballast they seem to be the best PAR of the blue bullbs. I don't run supplemental lighting either... so need a bulb with high Kelvin.

What kind of ballast are you running, because i think that would drive your decision. I am running magnetic ballasts.

According to Sanjay's testing, the XM has 73 PAR on magnetic ballasts.

Here are a few choices that compare in PAR to the XM we currently have (on magnetic ballast):

South Pacific Sunlight (SPS) 20K bulbs - 69 PAR
Sunburst 12K - 68 PAR
Aquaconnect 14K - 62 PAR

I think i am going to try the Sunburst because i have seen many pics of tanks with this bulb ... and it seems to be the perfect mix of blue and white. Should be way less blue than the XM. I have never seen the SPS 20k. Has anyone used this bulb? How does it compare in blue to the XM?

Sean -- do you carry any of the bulbs mentioned above?

 

[Mikeyjer]

I am running ARO Electronic Ballast running 2x250w SE XM-20k right now. I've thought about changing it for awhile. I'm being told to go with Coralvue Reeflux bulbs and was told that 12k would be a great choice for stand alone without supplement actinics. But the 10k have a higher par, but doesn't look that great without supplement actinics. I have this tank sitting in my living room, I want it to look good so I need to find just the right bulb for what I need it to do. It would be hard to rig any other type of lighting by the halides because there's really no room left to stick anything else in there.....

 

[Ebay Fish]

The coralvue reeflux lighting that you are talking about was used on this tank of the month: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-09/totm/index.php
----Sean

 

[KAiNE]

I run ARO ballasts and have used XM 10Ks as well as Coralvue (Reeflux) 10ks. I like the color of the Coralvue's better and i supplement w/VHO actinics.
I currently run a Coralvue 12k in the center with coralvue 10ks on either side.

 

[Mikeyjer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12164863#post12164863 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ebay Fish
The coralvue reeflux lighting that you are talking about was used on this tank of the month: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-09/totm/index.php
----Sean

Thanks for finding that article for me Sean!!! I was thinking about the 12k reeflux bulbs anyway after many research. Do you guys carry that bulb??? Thanks again!

 

[cee]

There is a big difference between the 250 W and the 400 W Reeflux bulbs. In the 400 W versions, the PAR is virtually identical between the 10k and the 12k. Not so in the 250 W bulbs. I ran both and the 10k had a tad of yellow on a CV ballast and the 12k was too dim. The Aquaconnect 14k is a good bulb if you can afford the $$ and have an eballast. Radiums are a good choice, but only on an HQI ballast (not electronic) IMO. I'm currently diggin' the SPS 20k bulb which can be dialed in on a CV ballast anywhere from 14k (identical to a Phoenix spectrum) to a deep 20k depending on what you desire.

 

[Ebay Fish]

As to try to not post against the "terms of agreement" of Reef Central of shill posting, I cannot say whether Emerald Bay does or does not sell Coralvue Reeflux bulbs. But I will say that Wooglin is really happy with his 10K that he got
----Sean

 

[Mikeyjer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12169168#post12169168 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cee
There is a big difference between the 250 W and the 400 W Reeflux bulbs. In the 400 W versions, the PAR is virtually identical between the 10k and the 12k. Not so in the 250 W bulbs. I ran both and the 10k had a tad of yellow on a CV ballast and the 12k was too dim. The Aquaconnect 14k is a good bulb if you can afford the $$ and have an eballast. Radiums are a good choice, but only on an HQI ballast (not electronic) IMO. I'm currently diggin' the SPS 20k bulb which can be dialed in on a CV ballast anywhere from 14k (identical to a Phoenix spectrum) to a deep 20k depending on what you desire.

Dave,

So you think the SPS 20k bulb would be ok to run on a ARO e-ballast?? What you mean by dialed in on a CV ballast? Thanks!

 

[platax88]

I just ordered the SPS 20k bulb to run on magnetic ballasts. They are supposed to be less blue than the XM but around the same PAR.

I will let you know how they work

 

[Mikeyjer]

k, let me know cause I need to change bulbs soon, thanks!
By the way, have you seen XM 20k before? I like how it looks, but just not liking how it make the corals look, some corals, not all.

 

[platax88]

Mikeyjer -- Thats what i have been running for the past 2 years -- the XM 20K.

At first i liked them, but i have been getting tired of such blue look. Also, i have to agree with you, some corals look crappy under them. For instance my zoos have gotten dingy ... not as colorful. SPS other than caps don't seem as colorful although i think growth is pretty good under them.

Hopefully the sps 20K is a little brighter and less blue. If i do not like it then i will bite the bullet with my next purchase of bulbs and add supplemental VHO or T5 actinics and go with one of the white bulbs ... i know thats not an option for you though.

They should be in later this week, but obviously will have to burn in before i can tell you my true feelings about them

 

[Avalanche Wolf]

I have 2xT5 58w attinics now and running the Ham 10ks now which need to be replaced. I noticed that they have sps 10k and a 12k. I am wondering with the 12k if it will be too blue and with the supplement attinic i have now if I would be better off with just the 10k's

Either way i have to go down and buy atleast one bulb today as last night one of my 3 shifted yellow almost redish green last night.

I was running the XM 175w 20k in the middle for a long time and seemed to get better growth in the middle compared to the corals that were on the sides getting the 250w 10k light.

 

[Avalanche Wolf]

Well that Sean guy wasnt around to help ... gesh

lol but i got my new bulbs and already what a differance. You dont notice how yellow they have gotten until.

I picked up the 250w 10k. They have the tint of a 15k range bulb and for the price you cant beat. I think I MIGHT go to 12k bulb but still very happy with the 10k compared to the 10k hamilton that always looked like a 6500 bulb.

Thanks again Kevin, and get that slacker Sean in there to help ya out !!

 

[eyebedam]

I really like the phoenix 14ks. They have a really crisp look to them. What kind of prices does that Sean Guy have on fis bulbs?

 

[Avalanche Wolf]

I picked up the Coralvue 10k bulbs for 49 which was a better deal than what i had found online.

 

[Mikeyjer]

Jason,

Are you able to run just the phoenix 14k alone without supplement?