Need help choosing MH bulb

[Smitty750]

ok i cant make up my mind I have a Current Outer Orbit HQI magnetic ballast light fixture with 3x250w DE MH and 8x39wT5HO. I cant decide between the Ushio 14k and the Phoenix 14k. Heres my dilema I dont like a tank that looks unnaturally blue. I like the white with a blue tint look i guess, but I hate having any yellow at all. Im worried the Phoenix are going to be way to much blue but the Ushio will have a little yellow to it, am I wrong in my assumption? Also what bulb out of the 2 is brighter? I plan on using T5 supplementation as well.

 

[tkeracer619]

The phoenix will be too blue for you. I have no personal experience with the Ushio 14k

 

[troyman]

i have the same fixture i like the current 10000k bulb the actinic lights in the fixture balances it out you get a nice white look

 

[rkb]

This is my experience with the 2 x 150w and 4 x 39w T5s and I have ran both the Ushio and Phoenix in the 150w HQIs. The Ushio is a much brighter bulb compared to the Phoenix in the 150w, but I'm unsure how this is in the 250w. Also, the Ushio is quite a bit less blue than the Phoenix and is more like a 10K bulb than a 14, in fact I would call it a 12K. I settled on the Phoenix and run a mix of T5s to give me the color I want. I run two daylight type T5s and two actinics. But, I could get the color I want out of the Ushio by running all actinic T5s.

Here is a quick color comparison of the 150w bulbs- all taken with my iPhone.

Current 10K-

Ushio 14K-

Phoenix 14K-

Its funny, in the pictures the Ushio looks less blue than the Current but the light that is seen in the reef top is much more yellow in the Current compared to the Ushio. I think the Ushio would be a good choice but I would want to pair it with plenty of actinic to get the color that I prefer.

My 40B with the 2 150w Phoenix and 4 T5s, my T5s front to back are UVLs- 75/25, 454, Super Actinic and a Aquasun.

 

[Smitty750]

Thanks a lot RKB that's exactly what I was looking for you're photos helped a ton and I really like the way you're 40B looks very nice color. I ordered the Ushio 14K and 6-ATI Blue plus T5's 2-UVL actinic whites and 2-KV fiji purple so ill play around with the T5's to get the right color. Ill let you know how it looks.

 

[rkb]

Glad it helped, I like the plan you have and I really like the ATI bulbs. I score my UVLs for 15 each or I would have mixed ATI Aquablue Specials and Blue Pluses. I think you will like the Ushio's brightness, if my tank was deeper I would go with Ushios.

Thanks for the kind words about my 40B, it is indeed a labor of love. I look forward to see how you lighting looks. I may next time around go with the Ushios and 3 Blue Plus T5s and one Aquablue Special.