firebirdude
User and Abuser
So I bought two 250W HQI bulbs from Fish Street because I was already ordering something else and had a coupon. I usually use Phoenix 14k bulbs, but I figured for the 12 bucks a piece I paid I'd take a swing at em. I ordered one 14k and one "purple blue" whatever that's suppose to be. They arrived in thin plain white boxes with stickers on them denoting which was which. Inside was just the bulb inside a clamshell plastic holder. They arrived unbroken, so I can't knock the packaging I suppose.
I popped my old Phoenix out and popped in the "purple blue" FishStreet bulb. Re-hang the pendant and fire it off. Nothing but crackling and flickering. I gave it ~60 seconds, but it was evident this bulb was not going to fire off (using an Ice Cap ballast btw). Weak sauce. I pulled the pendant back down and the bulb had some pretty nasty marks on the inside of it. I grabbed a towel and tried to gently pop the bulb out, only to have one of the metal blade ends snap off. Ugh. The glass didn't break, but rather the metal tab seperated from the glass and exposed the two wire conductors. So I tossed it and decided what the hell, let's try the "14k" one. Pop it in, re-hang the pendant...and.... she works. The color is way off compared to the Phoenix. It's much whiter than the 14k Phoenix, but certainly not yellow. Honestly, I kind of like it. It's probably just the change that I like and I don't know how my corals will respond. But the tank is nice and bright and the water looks.... more clear.
I'm certainly not saying I'm going to be switching my routine bulb choice. But I am going to leave it up for awhile and see how the tank likes it. I'm not sure what to expect. Hopefully not a huge algae outbreak. lol
Adding pictures taken right before I took down the 14k Phoenix and then a pic of the 14k FishStreet bulb.
I popped my old Phoenix out and popped in the "purple blue" FishStreet bulb. Re-hang the pendant and fire it off. Nothing but crackling and flickering. I gave it ~60 seconds, but it was evident this bulb was not going to fire off (using an Ice Cap ballast btw). Weak sauce. I pulled the pendant back down and the bulb had some pretty nasty marks on the inside of it. I grabbed a towel and tried to gently pop the bulb out, only to have one of the metal blade ends snap off. Ugh. The glass didn't break, but rather the metal tab seperated from the glass and exposed the two wire conductors. So I tossed it and decided what the hell, let's try the "14k" one. Pop it in, re-hang the pendant...and.... she works. The color is way off compared to the Phoenix. It's much whiter than the 14k Phoenix, but certainly not yellow. Honestly, I kind of like it. It's probably just the change that I like and I don't know how my corals will respond. But the tank is nice and bright and the water looks.... more clear.
I'm certainly not saying I'm going to be switching my routine bulb choice. But I am going to leave it up for awhile and see how the tank likes it. I'm not sure what to expect. Hopefully not a huge algae outbreak. lol
Adding pictures taken right before I took down the 14k Phoenix and then a pic of the 14k FishStreet bulb.
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