Need new bulbs phx 14k or????
- Thread starter GSMguy
- Start date
turtleman9100
New member
I am thinking about phoenix 14k myself. Are aquamaxx bulbs any good?
SHOmuchFUN
New member
I'm going to be in the same boat in a few months... Haven't really found anything better myself. Reeflux makes nice bulbs, but I have an M80 ballast. Not sure that they run best on an HQI M80 ballast.
Garage1217
GET OFF MY LAWN
Go aqualine AB 20k 
Pricey but the best bulb I have ever seen, and I own phoenix 14K as well 
IMO worth every single penny spent! Plenty o par as well, I have SPS at ALL levels in my tank, and I have amazing color and growth out of all of them. After running AB20K's, the phoenix make the tank look like diluted windex. The phoenix is a great bulb for the cash though.
Pricey but the best bulb I have ever seen, and I own phoenix 14K as well IMO worth every single penny spent! Plenty o par as well, I have SPS at ALL levels in my tank, and I have amazing color and growth out of all of them. After running AB20K's, the phoenix make the tank look like diluted windex. The phoenix is a great bulb for the cash though.
46FiatYamaha
New member
aquacave has the AB 20k's for $120, I'm trying to justify it myself since I'm looking for new bulbs too. Just curious, do you have pics of the AB's garage1217?
Garage1217
GET OFF MY LAWN
You can get the AB's for $99 every day from hello lights. Or snag them on a 10% off day for $89.99. While I have shopped at aqua cave myself and received fast shipping, they are usually overpriced compared to everyone else.
Garage1217
GET OFF MY LAWN
my camera does not even come close to showing what they look like in person no matter the setting. You would have to see someones tank in person. IMO the perfect bulb.
CleveYank
20 Years and Over
Overall the Phoenix is a decent bulb.
Great PAR on HQI, good color, decent growth for anything that's not a 10K.
I run them on bluewave 7's and they lose their umph within a year. (It was that time just this week as a matter of a fact.)
I recently picked up a couple cheap DE enclosures that I'm going to to wire into my ARO's for frag tank and maybe under the electronic they will last longer. Doubt it, but we'll see. But for nonsupplimented they really can't be beat for the cost. $120 for 1 AB or 2 Phoenix? Plus for myself if I went to the ABs I'd be at $720 for bulbs.
Last edited:
jakano
New member
When I was searching for new bulbs I had a hard time deciding myself. I think you were on my thread GSM. I went with the Iwasaki 14k and at first really liked them but after a short time they just were to bright and they didnt make the corals look good at all. I went with Reeflux 20K's next and I dont care what they say its not a 20k bulb and I had trouble using them on a M80 ballast there made for electric only it seems.
So I though I would go with Ushio's and from pics I had seen they look the best but the PAR is horrible. Ive since settle on the Phoenix bulbs and on my HQI ballast find them quite nice. I also run two aquascience blue bulbs and I think it looks fantastic. I believe that those AB bulbs are the best though, I had a used one I ran over my sump and the color was great but the price is the problem. It really doesnt seem to get better than the Phoenix when you factor in cost. Nice color, high PAR, and good price seems like a good combo. GSM do a search for a thread about the ushio 14k vs ?? I think its hahnmeister who makes reference to the fact that AB bulbs are just rebranded bulbs made by someone else and that someone else has the same bulbs for much cheaper, kind of like Hit/blv and Ushio are.
So I though I would go with Ushio's and from pics I had seen they look the best but the PAR is horrible. Ive since settle on the Phoenix bulbs and on my HQI ballast find them quite nice. I also run two aquascience blue bulbs and I think it looks fantastic. I believe that those AB bulbs are the best though, I had a used one I ran over my sump and the color was great but the price is the problem. It really doesnt seem to get better than the Phoenix when you factor in cost. Nice color, high PAR, and good price seems like a good combo. GSM do a search for a thread about the ushio 14k vs ?? I think its hahnmeister who makes reference to the fact that AB bulbs are just rebranded bulbs made by someone else and that someone else has the same bulbs for much cheaper, kind of like Hit/blv and Ushio are.
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