Phoenix 14K 150W advantage

[Esabasard]

I have a current-usa fixture and have current-usa 14K bulbs. I have seen on here that the Phoenix bulbs have a very high PAR with a good color also. Does anyone know how much better that the PAR is on the Phoenix over the current-usa bulbs I have now so I will know when it's time to replace them. Thanks

 

[smatter]

Unfortunately there is no data as far as I know on the Current bulbs. I will tell you I hated the 250w Phoenix, I got rid of it after less than a month. It was a washed out pastel blue and made my tank look like the abyss. I have an HQI ballast and I hear they look better on electronics. A lot of people like them, just not me.

 

[tripstank]

HQI is not defined as either electronic or magnetic. It can be either. I am sure you can e-mail either company and they will tell you their findings as far as par.

Look at Icecap MH ballasts, they can fire both HQI and mogul base bulbs.

 

[msn711]

I love my 14k phoenix bulbs. I saw the 14k coralife bulbs at a LFS back in Austin and one of the guys said they were having problems keeping sps corals colored under the coralife bulbs.

 

[smatter]

I use a 250w HQI M80 ballast, which is different from a standard magnetic ballast. When one uses the term HQI it refers to the M80 or M81 ballasts. If I meant electronic I would have said Blueline or Icecap. I don't like they way they look on an HQI ballast.