Need Advise on lights

[svb57]

I am looking to replace my 250 w 14K Pheonix bulbs with either 250w 10K XM's or 250w 10K Ushio's...

Any oppinions on these two or others you would suggest?

Thanks
Jim Mc

 

[NewSchool04]

are you using DE or SE bulbs and what ballast? That will have a huge impact on PAR and what color you're getting out of the bulb.

This will help you compare some bulbs w/ different ballasts, I've been looking for a new 10K bulb to replace my Phoenix 14K also, HQI ballast.

http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/selectcolortemp.php

 

[svb57]

Am using DE bulbs with Blue Wave ballasts.

Again thanks for all input.
Jim Mc

 

[NewSchool04]

we are both in the same boat svb57! What type of color and PAR are you looking for? I might be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[svb57]

I am not sure what I am looking for.

I use to have VHO's on the tank and had real good growth rate on my Monti Caps then switched to 14K DE Phoenix and atinics. The results since Feb have been less growth and colors too blue. Thats why I thought of going with 10K DE bulbs. Not sure this makes since or not.

Jim Mc

 

[gotfish8]

Check out the reeflux bulbs. They have a ton of par and a nice white color for the 10ks and the 12ks are just slightly blue.
What exactly are you looking for color or Par?

 

[svb57]

gotfish8

As stated above not sure what Par I am looking for.

Jim Mc

 

[Edward Smith]

Ditto on the reeflux but the 10K's are too yellow for me but I like a lotta blue.

 

[NewSchool04]

gotfish8, where did you get any PAR info on the reeflux? I've been looking but Sanjay hasn't tested them. Can you point me to something?
Think about what color you are looking for svb57. White, more blue, blue white? You should be getting great growth with your Monti caps with that Phoenix, it's not a bad bulb but burns out quickly.
Once you figure out what look you are going for, then you can look at bulbs and take the ones out that don't fit.
I'm looking for a White w/ blue hint, less than the Phoenix color. I'm also looking for more PAR b/c I'm curious what the difference will do for my stonies. I have wittled it down to two bulbs, the EVC 10K and the Aqualine Buschke 10K.
I just can't make up my mind on which one.

 

[NewSchool04]

I'm not running actinic suplement on my tank either so you have to take that into account.

 

[NewSchool04]

Ed and Gotfish, what ballast are your using for the reeflux and are they DE or SE?

 

[svb57]

You say the Pheonix burn out quicker? Mine been in for 7 months burning 10 hours a day. Can they already be burning out?

I would be looking for more white since I have the actinics.

Jim Mc

 

[mbunaman]

I noticed that the Phoenix bulbs at about 5-6 month mark loose their intensity. I had a friend who is running the same ballast and fixutres and the same bulbs and his bulbs were one month old. I asked him if I can experiment. I took one of my bulbs and put it in one of his three fixtures. The bulb looked dim and the color was washed out. So I am going with the aquaconnect bulbs. Also there is the Giesemann 14.5K bulbs but I heard they are more of a white color and more true to the 14.5K color. The Phoneix in my opinion is almost a 20K bulb . I am in the same boat, love the blueish color but cant find the right bulb. I heard that the aquaconnect is a better quality bulb and is very similar to the phoneix. Few points lower for PAR but thats ok since I keep mainly Zoos and LPS and some clams.

 

[NewSchool04]

I'm not sure how to explain it, the bulb still works but it's lost a lot of what your corals are looking for . . . intensity. I'm not expert at this but from what I've read and talked to industry experts, the bulb is short lived. Good for a short period of time and then . . .

I know, my explaination sucks but it is what it is.

 

[NewSchool04]

the aquaconnect is pricey mbunaman, 120 bucks last time I checked. Look into the AB or Aqualine Buschke 10K. I've heard a lot of very good things about this bulb with a nice white / blue look and higher PAR. Premium has them.

 

[mbunaman]

Yeah I saw the AB 10K in a fellow hobbyist's tank and I wasnt turned on. It was to yellow for me. I started my tank with XM 10k and two URI VHO actinic bulbs and still was not the color I was looking for. So I tried the phoenix. Perfect coloration but the quality of the bulb diminished. I might just bite the bullet and get the aquaconnects because I love the colors the phoenix gives off, the giesemann bulbs are good from what I have read, but they are in the similar price range also.

 

[NewSchool04]

Do you have any info on how long the aquaconnects last?
Wow yellow for the AB 10K's? That is disheartening. Was he running them on a HQI ballast?
This bulb choice and research is getting old!

 

[hansnfrans]

I run a 175w 10k Ushio over my 30gal holding tank and it is waaaaay too yellow for my taste. It is run off of a 175w PFO magnetic ballast.

Might wanna go with Reeflux bulbs. If you've been to Rod's, you can see that they have got a nice color to them (especially the 14k) and they last twice as long as those short-life phoenix bulbs. They aren't expensive either, probably a few bucks more than a phoenix 14k.

 

[jjjimmy]

I am running the Ushio 10K DE on Icecap ballasts and they seem a bit yellow. If you don't mind the price, I would recommend the Giesmann 13K bulbs. Crisp white.

 

[schmoeger6]

I'm running Reeflux 10K's on a pfo magnetic ballast and love them. Nice white with just a hint of blue, and good par. I've also overdriven them on my SLS hqi ballast and they seem to loose the blue, totally white. Bulbs are about 7 months old, may try the 12K reeflux next. A little more blue, but still good par.