Recommend me a 250W DE halide bulb

[RVANANO]

I have a Giesemann infinity fixture with twin 250W DE halides and 4 T5's.

I am currently running 4 actintic + bulbs which are super blue and looking to pair the perfect MH. I think I am using a 10,000k now which I like but I want the best bulb I can get.

I found these but it says they are more bluish and actually look like 13,000k. Will that be too blue with my actintic +'s

http://www.marinedepot.com/10000K_M...bs-Aqua_Medic_USA-MB1233-FILTBUMHDESW-vi.html

 

[Entropy]

I would go with the Phoenix 14k. I really like the color and it will be my next bulb (soon). I haven't seen any good color 10k's out of what I have tried (XM, Ushio, Plusrite).

 

[swanny]

+1 on 14k Phoenix. You can get them online for 49.99 each at SOSbulbs.

 

[Dave & Monica]

Pheonix +1. In addition, also have 4 -39W T5's (2 super antinic + 2 10K) but they are only on for a few hours before and after the HQI's

<a href="http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n237/Dave80014/?action=view&current=IMG_6228.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237/Dave80014/IMG_6228.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[RVANANO]

But aren't the 14k's blueish? I already have blue T5's and last time I tried 15k's it looked like windex in the tank.

 

[Entropy]

The setups I have seen running Phoenix 14k's (in person) are very bright white with a strong hint of blue. The last system I saw had 2 of them with 2x110w VHO actinics and it was very nice. I think you are thinking about 20k bulbs maybe.

 

[Mmiller40gt]

If you use a HQI or a eballast Phoenix will look whiter. if you run it on a normal ballast or a electronic ballast it will be more blue. This is a HQI bulb and under driving it equals more blue.

 

[cvilleh2o]

Phoenix is the way to go fo sho

 

[James77]

Phoenix are ok, a little blah though compared to other bulbs like radium. I'm giving reeflux another shot next bulb change

 

[RVANANO]

I ordered the Phoenix bulbs. Super cheap. If I don't like them, MD has a pretty good policy for returns.

 

[RVANANO]

Just as I was afraid, definitely too blue. Just going to stick with the XM 10,000K's.

 

[Peter Eichler]

The Phoenix bulbs being rated at 14k is misleading, they're 20,000k+. The 14,500k G-man megachrome coral is a really nice bulb with good intensity and is a pretty crisp white with a touch of blue. Far far whiter than the phoenix and should have better intensity than the XM.

 

[Entropy]

I guess it is in the eye of the beholder because I plugged my 14k Phoenix in last night an I think it is perfect. Very bright white with a strong hint of blue. I only have 5 hours on the bulb so maybe it will change, but it looks awesome so far. I am actually on the fence on needed the PC's on at the same time. It looks good both ways. One thing I noticed is the Phoenix is very bright in the center of the tank (36x36) but not as bright as my 10k bulb as you move outward.

 

[azjohnny]

I guess it is in the eye of the beholder because I plugged my 14k Phoenix in last night an I think it is perfect. Very bright white with a strong hint of blue. I only have 5 hours on the bulb so maybe it will change, but it looks awesome so far. I am actually on the fence on needed the PC's on at the same time. It looks good both ways. One thing I noticed is the Phoenix is very bright in the center of the tank (36x36) but not as bright as my 10k bulb as you move outward.

completely agree, its my favorite bulb. I only run my actinc bulbs now to help grow coralline algae

 

[Aqua firemedic]

Phoenix bulbs are very blue........ Running them with actinics is going to be extremely blue. I've only heard good things about radiums...... How about them?

 

[James77]

I love radiums, though they only come in single ended for the 250w version. I just bought a whole new lighting setup to go from Phoenix back to radiums on blue wave ballasts.

Someone compared the 2 side by side:

Ok, so I bought both bulbs to compare. Here's the result:

250 watt Phoenix 14k on the left, 250 watt Radium 20k on the right. Both run on a Sunlight Supply dual HQI ballast. No actinic supplementation. This picture was taken with my iPhone, looks better in person.

<a href="http://s60.photobucket.com/albums/h39/thechad21_2006/?action=view&current=IMG_0440.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h39/thechad21_2006/IMG_0440.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

The phoenix is a crisp white with just a hint of blue. The Radium looks like I'm running actinics, corals are fluorescing like crazy. Green, blue, red and orange corals look amazing but my pink birdsnest looks kind of dull. I prefer the Radium but the Phoenix is still nice.

 

[fishcraze_1]

Radiums are bluer than Phoenix 14k

 

[Dave & Monica]

Radium doesn't make a 250W HQI; plus it costs twice as much. Both are good bulbs and I never had anyone see my tank and say, ya know, it would look better with X@# bulb.... I ususally get Wow, that looks great. As long as that's the reaction from other folks in the hobby, who cares what bulb you use.

 

[gcarroll]

This might be a bulb to consider.

http://www.marinedepot.com/250_Watt...ght_Bulbs-Iwasaki-MB6661-FILTBUMHDETW-vi.html

Whiter than the Phoenix, less yellow than the AB 13K and Ushio 14K. If you like white, it is a beautiful stand alone bulb. I would expect it to look even better supplemented by T5.