MH Users

[Stigmatic]

So i finaly gave in and bought some new bulbs.... I wanted to get some input on what bulbs you have liked and what growth patterns you noticed. I started with XM 10k, then went to the XM 15k, and now ordered the Ushio 10K's The 15K's had a nice blue tint but i had more growth out of the XM 10K's

 

[sticky]

I get very nice growth from the phoenix 14 ks.

 

[jmkarcz]

I bought the 14,000 k Pheonix DE bulbs. I really like the color for the light and the tank, it's so crisp, and the blue is high enough that the color is just as if I'm burning some atinics. I have 2 @ 250W. I have been considering 2 atinic compacts for those late night and mornings... I also run like 30 moon lights over the tank, but they have not run since I installed the halides.

I haven't noticed the growth yet that everyone brags about, BUT, I am also running the lights for only 4 hours a day, and everything is doing quite well, thinking about moving to 6 or 7 hours. I dropped them down now, so the intensity is there.

J

 

[RCS]

All the tests I've seen show the 15K XM bulbs to have awful PAR output, so your growth decline doesn't surprise me. Their 10K bulbs have some of the best, so you should have substantially better growth, all else being equal.

That said, I've been extremely happy with my 14K EVC Hqi bulbs.

 

[jandlms]

My coralvue 14K seem to be doing all right so far (only had them a couple of weeks)

Initially they really ticked off the RBTA.
jandlms

 

[jmkarcz]

Jon

You mean the one with the identity crisis?

J

 

[jandlms]

Me or the RBTA?
Jon

 

[FEEDERFISH]

I have 14K DE Hamiltons, 250Wx2, I like them, they give a nice crisp white over my tank, I would like to try a 10K with some actinics, but for now its just the MHs. I replaced my MHs once, and went with 14K Hamiltons again

 

[jmkarcz]

Isn't your RBTA growing on top of and intangled with something?

J

 

[sticky]

fwiw-electronic ballasts will give a more blue light than the magnetics. I have 3 ro pendants on blue wave magnetics with 14k phoenix bulbs for 7 hours and I think my corals are on steroids. Ask anyone in the Central Wisconsin Club as a few stop in every month or so. I also use randys 2 part original recipe number 1.

 

[jandlms]

Yeah,
The RBTA was having some sort of obscene union with that Anthelia. It has moved quite a bit since the new lightbulbs wen in.
Jon