XM or Ushio

[skeeter_ca]

Looking at two different bulbs to replace my 5700K on my reef tank.

It seems to be between the XM 15000K or the Ushio 14000K. I'm looking for a white light with a slight blue but not to much. Is the Ushio worth the extra 15 bucks and is the XM much bluer than the Ushio.

Any opinion would be great.

 

[Ti]

Ushio

 

[northbay-reefer]

what is the wattage ? ... if 175watt, I would go Iwasaki 15k you will get tons more par

 

[skeeter_ca]

I haven't seen any Iwasaki on the websites i've searched. I'm looking for 175s. Where do you get them.

 

[northbay-reefer]

Aquadw, you can get them at coralreefecosystems.com, I think premium aquatic also cary them. Sanjay had the test result on this bulb in this lighitng forum, and it has as much or more par than some of the 250watt halide bulbs.

 

[15nano]

Premium sells the ushio. great bulb from what i have heard.

 

[tom obrecht]

I've had both (not in the kelvin your asking about) but I'd go with Ushio. IMO a much better bulb.

 

[skeeter_ca]

Just ordered 3 ushio's 14000K. Thanks for the advise.

BTW, Northbay - Tried to order the Iwasaki's (good review by Sanjay), But nobody had any in stock. Maybe next year when i order again i'll try them. But of course with the way things develop nowadays we could be looking at fiberoptics or something wierd like that by next year.

 

[drouner]

Wrong thread

 

[drouner]

Okay, I got it. just trying to do too many things at one time.

I put an Iwaski 15K on less than a month ago. It is a nice lamp. My blues look a little washed out.

The down side is that it runs very hot. My tank is at 85.7F as I type this. That is with the AC on, a fan on in the room, the hood is open and an IceCap fan on the hood going.

I am thinking about going back the Reeflux 10K becasue of the heat issue.

 

[DrBDC]

Another vote for the extreme par/ppfd levels of Iwasaki. I run XM10,000K's now and can't wait to get a little higher kelvin. I'm happy with the par for now. Stay away from the XM 15,000K bulbs, you may as well put some flashlights over the tank and shine them through blue cellophane.

 

[skeeter_ca]

Well If i don't like them all being 14's i figure i can always mix in my original bulbs. There 5700K's. I think thier called Ventures but not sure. Pretty old bulbs, bought them about 5 yrs ago as i was collecting stuff for my reeftank.