help on selecting new HQI bulbs

[aquabod]

Hi,

its about that time that we all probably dread....having to buy new metal halide bulbs!!! i have to buy 4 250 watt HQI's and would like 20k's. Can anyone recommend a good bulb for the money and the best website to buy from...thanks in advance for your help.

 

[RUGDOG]

I dont rememeber where I bought from last time but I love XM bulbs.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

If you like 20K, I recommend XM bulbs, too. If you don't mind 14K, Phoenix bulbs are hard to beat. Phoenix 14k is pretty blue, too.

Tomoko

 

[JR's Reef]

Try Hellolights they have free shipping on all bulbs

 

[JR's Reef]

http://www.hellolights.com/

 

[Tomoko Schum]

hellolights have great customer service, too. I've been very happy with them. They also have good sales periodically. If you sign up with their site, you get a notice on upcoming sales.

Tomoko

 

[jkburn88]

Ditto on the XM 20k bulbs. I really like the color.

I also order big ticket items from Hello Lights, but I get bulbs here:

http://www.aquabuys.com/

They're in Lawrenceville, GA. Great customer service on the phone, and fast shipping. I use them because they are much closer than California and I worry about bulbs arriving in one piece.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Hellolight packs their bulbs very well. I have never had any damaged bulbs from them. However, shipping ground probably takes a little longer from CA than from GA.

Tomoko

 

[aquabod]

thank you very much , i will check out these web sites that you gave..... i dont want a realy blue tank, but enough to show up the colours of the fish and corals.......do you think i shoould go with 14/15k....is there much difference between 10 and 15k?

 

[Tomoko Schum]

The color depends greatly on brands.
XM20 is quite blue initially, but within two months it mellows out to very nice color. Phoenix 14K appears very nice and crisp blue. Actually I really could not tell the difference much when I switched my 7 months old XM20 to Phoenix 14K color wise except the intensity of Phoenix was much greater. The color of Phoenix bulbs do not seem to change much over time to my eyes while the intensity does drop.

Tomoko