best 14-15K range 250 SE MH bulb?

[Charlie97L]

guys, i'm changing it up from 1 ushio 10k + t5 actinics to 2 14-15K mh and VHO actinics, which i'm setting up for the 90.

 

what is (in the clubs opinion) the best MH bulb in that spectrum range? I'm worried i'm going to loose a lot of grow potential by going 14K, but I want a little more blue.

 

thanks guys! :0)

[phisigs79]

i think 10k looks got with alot of actinic but 14k by it self is what i have and i love it

[Charlie97L]

i think 10k looks got with alot of actinic but 14k by it self is what i have and i love it

 

just to clarify, i've decided to go 14K, and am looking for brand recommendations.

[dbartco]

Ushio just came out with one, and say the same par as 10k.

 

Sanjay has yet to test though...

[scarletknight06]

going from the ushio 10k with t5 actinics to the ushio 10k with VHO super actinics will give you much more blue. The vho actinics are way better than the T5's IMO. You probably won't need to change your MH bulb to get the more blue you are looking for if you are switching to VHO's.

 

But if you still wanted to change............... here's my opinion on a couple of the 14-15k SE bulbs I've seen or used.

XM 15k-looks okay, much prefer the crispness of the xm10k or the flourescence of the xm20k bulb. In the middle things just look washed out. not "crisp" enougn and not "flourescing (spelling?)" enough.

 

EVC 14k- terrible bulb. very dim and seems more blue than most 20k bulbs

[Gatortailale]

See here for sample of MH bulbs and spectrum. Note, may not list all bulbs on market, but good start. Try hellolights for other source

 

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_lighti...lbs.asp?CartId=

 

See here for sanjay's graphs and you can compare 250 10 k to others

http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/

 

 

 

 

What brand of ballast are you using or going to use? IMO in the 250w ballast, burning anything over 10k last I checked, amounts to waste. We know that corals can use light from almost all visible spectrum. When you go to 14 or 20k, the bulb is designed to do 1 thing, put out that big blue spike, but not much other light in other spectrums. Thus, you use same electric to get 1 blue spike.

 

You would be better off imo to go with 10k's and add vho actinics - much better than t5 to give you the blue look.

[Charlie97L]

thanks guys, very informative... i think i'll stick with the 10Ks for now.

 

would you go ushio or xm? i've heard good things about the XM. the ushio is definitely yellow, vs. white.

 

edit: i'm going XM... it's got amazing par values... i'll run 220w of uri actinic, and i have room too add more if i need it on the ballast.

 

thanks!!!

[scarletknight06]

I forgot to add that I have used 175w SE 14k aquaconnects, and I did like those bulbs ALOT. they are pricey though. I still prefer the crisp whiteness of the XM's or AB's though

[Charlie97L]

I forgot to add that I have used 175w SE 14k aquaconnects, and I did like those bulbs ALOT. they are pricey though. I still prefer the crisp whiteness of the XM's or AB's though

 

thanks, yea i've read about the ACs... i'm not dropping that much coin for 1 bulb. yay XM!

[davidm]

I had the aquaconnects and I like the 14K Hamiltons a lot better. Not only the color but also the PAR was 30% more using the Hamiltons (measured by the club's PAR meter). (I use 400W, magnetic ballasts.)

[Charlie97L]

I had the aquaconnects and I like the 14K Hamiltons a lot better. Not only the color but also the PAR was 30% more using the Hamiltons (measured by the club's PAR meter). (I use 400W, magnetic ballasts.)

 

yeah, i just installed a phoenix 150de on my 20L frag tank... mostly zoas... i really liked how it made them look next to my 10K. i'm hoping the xm 10K plus actinics will give me close to that look. the t5 actinics just aren't cutting it.