MH bulb, Please comment

[Ansphire]

I'm about to place an order for a 175w metal halide bulb..

Which one would you recommend?

Its going with two VHO 96W actinics... Which brand and what K's?

 

[mwhite]

You need to be a bit more specific, like what kind of fixture you have, which ballast, and why MH if you interest is in fish?

 

[Ansphire]

oK..

I have a 175w MH ballast ... Not an electronic, one of the old ones. With a screw on bulb.

Fixture.. Well, Its a socket with a metal reflector screwed on to my canopy.

I'm not interested only in fish, I want corals baby!!!

Thats why I got the two 96w actinics and this 175w MH ballast.

Recommendations for Bulb?

 

[Ansphire]

Can anyone help me before I make a mistake?

 

[mwhite]

Look at the following article for a comparison of 250 MH bulbs. It's a bit detailed but for a single ended (SE) bulb like you are looking for, the Iwasaki brand comes out on top. Their 175W probably also comes out as the best for amount of useful light produced (PAR) and for light produced per watt electricity consumed

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/jb/index.php

 

[Ansphire]

Thanks allot!!