How do Ice cap E-ballasts burn Pheonix 14k bulbs?

I'm running two IceCap 250's plus one Guisemann with Pheonix 14K DE bulbs and I like the color so much that I haven't bothered running my VHO actinics (Saving power).

The coral and clams seem to like it just fine.

Paul
 
All three ballasts are running the Pheonix 250w 14K DE bulbs.

(two ballasts are IceCap and one is a Guisemann)

Paul
 
I have this setup. I am very happy with color and growth. I have no room for actinic supplements, and didn't want the large magnetic ballasts. I do no regret my decision. I have a link with pics if you want.
 
Sorry to Hijack ... how blue are the DE Phoenix 14000K 250 watters? Anyone have a link to a picture showing only these bulbs (no actinic supplement) ?

Thanks
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9979564#post9979564 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DarG
Sorry to Hijack ... how blue are the DE Phoenix 14000K 250 watters? Anyone have a link to a picture showing only these bulbs (no actinic supplement) ?

Thanks

A pic isn't going to tell you much, since it totally depends on your camera settings/monitor settings, etc. I think they're just blue enough...not as much as a 20k bulb....I've heard others describe them as making the tank look like blue toilet water, so it's pretty subjective.

Here's a recent pic where I think I have the best representation of, at least, what my eyes see when I look at my tank in person (meaning color, not brightness...I have to lower the camera exposure so corals don't glow white in the pic):
ORAtortfrontandcenter5-15-07.jpg
 
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blue toilet water IMO.

THat being said, I like the phoenix better on HQIs. My icecap also seems to burn through them faster than my HQI.
 
SD Guy, thanks for the pic.

Looking at the numbers, the par looked a bit better on an HQI ballast but it seems that often enough the color temp is higher with an e-ballast which would shift the color more to blue and correspondingly drop the par some.

I ask about this bulb because it has pretty good par for a bluer bulb. Blue toilet water is pretty blue though. Can anyone make a suggestion for a 250 watt DE bulb that may be not quite as blue as the phoenix but still has a definitive blue hue and still has good par?

I actually like the color of the Iwasaki 50000K de 150 watt bulbs or maybe with a little more blue that that. But that reference probably doesnt help because of the wattage difference with the Iwasaki being a 150 watt bulb, and that I dont think too many people have used that bulb. But it is crisp whitem definitely more white than blue but has a definite blue (actually purplish) tint.

Thanks
 
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