If you could only use ONE bulb, what would it be?

[ejmeier]

Hi guys, I'm in the midst of deciding my bulb/ballast choice right now. I have already decided on 250w DE, but I'm just getting back to the hobby, and there are tons more (new) bulbs than when I left!

I am going for color. It is probably going to be strictly SPS with nothing else, except a clam or two. (And fish of course!) Growth is secondary - I want color first and foremost. For me, on my old tank, I liked the 400w 20k XM as a standalone bulb for color, when it was burning on a magnetic ballast that is. (Maybe it would've been too blue if underdriven on an e-ballast.)

For now, I am trying to have hanging pendant lighting with an emphasis on top-down viewing on the tank (~30g). I want the pendant absolutely as small and least obstructive as I can make it - hence the decision for HQI.

So what do you guys like for this situation? I have looked at Sanjay's site, but when you get up in the 14k - 20k range, it doesn't really show a lot of the 'true' color temperatures of the bulbs on certain ballasts. I'm relying on you guys to help me out with that.

What bulb/ballast combo would you guys recommend?

 

[Don Berry]

I would say one of the more common responses to your question would be the Phoenix 14K on a M80 HQI ballast. It's going to give you PAR around 88 which is as high as BLV or Ushio 10K. The color is going to be white with a hint of blue. If you want more blue go with electronic ballast with Phoenix 14K. You will lose some PAR with electronic though.

 

[alten78]

I only use a 250w mh phoenix 14k bulb in a pendant cuz of space over my little hex. Ive been very happy with it thus far, it originally came with the AB 20K but that was too blue for me and I didn't get much growth...great color though. Its the aquamedic fixture so i really dont know exactly the ballast is other than electronic.

Just my .02

 

[Julio]

i would use the new Iwasaki 14K.

 

[ejmeier]

Well, I am about 90% that no matter how much research, studying, and planning I do, I'll probably end up buying at least three bulbs before I find the one I like best!

So many choices... The Phoenix looks promising, but wasn't there a thread about it causing color loss over time? (Can't find it now, anybody got a link?)

Haven't heard of the Iwasaki 14k, but I'll have to look into it. Arghhhh, there are SO many 14k, 15k, and 20k bulbs - practically every company makes one. That is like ~20 different bulbs to choose from!