Help with my MH please!

[818]

Ok...So I almost did the biggest mistake by purchasing some non-name/brand bulbs. I keep telling myself do everything the right way.

So now Im in the market for some:

2 CoralVue 175w 14k SE

or

2 Phoenix 175w 14k SE

Wich bulbs is best...Ive heard that the phoenix has the best overall ratings.

Where can I purchase the Phoenix in that model I cant find them anywhere? Anyone getting rid of some by chance?

I can paypal ASAP and pick up! My corals arent doing to well with that 36 inch fixture and I need to get the MH lighting up ASAP, they havent seen real sunshine in around 2 weeks

Thanks

Sam

 

[spline9]

Check out the 175w Iwasaki Aqua2's. From what I've heard (and seen) from a fellow MASVC member who runs them, they are similar in color to the Hamiltons but brighter. He says that he likes em better than XMs. I dont have a 175w unit so I dont speak from experience.
coralreefecosystems(dot)com has em.

 

[john37]

does phoenix make a SE? i've only heard of them making DE.
are you running actinics? if so you should go w/a 10K or 12K
on sanjays website it looks like the helios12500K is pretty good and so is the 10K XM.
i dont think i'd go w/a 14k bulb. they dont have good par.

but on your info looks like you have DE so i'll assume the SE are a mistake. I'd go w/pheonix cuz that's what everyone else goes with. haha

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

I've had a pheonix 14K 150 W De and didn't like it. WAY to blue. Plus my corals didn't seem to like it either.

Now the Hamilton 14K's are a nice blue white. I have them in a 400W De on my big tank and like them.

If your also going to run atinics as well, then I'd go for someing in the 10 - 12K range for brightness. I liked the XM 10K 175W SE I had on my hex. I also ran 220 W PC atinic with it though. With the Hamilton 14K, I don't run atinics other than dawn/dusk when the MH is off.

 

[818]

O sorry about that. I wont be running actnics.

So Im definatley going with a 14k.

Ok Im going to contact someone on the hamilton 14k's in a bit.

thanks guys

Sam

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

If your not running atinics, I think the hamalitons are the way to go. They are still bright but give more blue than a 10K but yet aren't as blue as a pheonix. That is unless you like the deep water blue look.

 

[818]

Thanks Brian Hamilton it is. Id like for it to have a look of in between. Not too white/crip nor too deep water.

Thanks

 

[rykwong]

I'm not sure which ones you're exactly getting, but if you go with Hamilton 175W SE bulbs, buy them from Jeff's. They're on sale right now for $50 each

Rich

 

[818]

Hey Im getting some from ScallopKing 2x$50 each new+8 shipping over night.

Jeffs is hella far and Sean(Scallop King) is local.

thanks for the heads up though.

Sam

 

[818]

Yes. Ill be getting the 175w 14k SE Hamilton.

 

[818]

Ok the 2 175w 14K Hamilton SE bulbs are ordered and get here at 3:00pm tommorow.

Thanks guys and thanks Sean for the bulbs.

Ill post some pics...but I heard the burn in time is 100hrs thats weird are all MH bulbs like this?

Sam