Help me choose new MH bulbs

[Rascal]

I currently run 3x250W DE Ushio 10K supplemented with 2 x 54W T5 geissman true actinics and 2 x 110 VHO uri actinics. The MHs and T5s are almost a year old now so I will be replacing them this month. I was thinking of going with something a little bit more blue. I will probably replace the T5s with actinic +, but I doubt that will make too much difference.

 

I looked at Sanjay's charts and there doesn't appear to be another 10K bulb that is any bluer than the Ushios, so I am considering switching to 14K bulbs. If possible I would like to do so without losing a whole lot of PAR.

 

Does anybody have any experience with 14K DE 250W bulbs? Right now I am looking at bulbs by Ushio, Hamilton, and Phoenix, but I'm open to other suggestions as well.

[jamesbuf]

If you want a little more blue, I would just add 2 more super actinic VHOs and stick with the 10K MH bulbs to ensure plenty of growth. From what I've read, none of the 14K bulbs come close to the PAR of any of the 10K bulbs. There might be some out there, I just haven't read about them yet.

 

I've read plenty of good stuff about the Phoenix 14K bulbs too, if you want to go that route. I just don't think you need a 14K bulb to get more blue since you already have both T5s and VHOs already setup to help with that. If you really wanted more actinic "pop" you could always just replace the T5s and get more VHO super actinics. I had read and heard alot about how much better the VHO SA are compared to T5s for blue "pop", but I've seen it in person on several tanks now, and the VHO SA blow the T5s out of the water, in respect to actinic supplementation of course. I'm eventually going to replace my PC lights in my fixture with some VHO bulbs. Shouldn't be that hard at all.

Best of luck with whatever path you choose.

[Rascal]

I had read and heard alot about how much better the VHO SA are compared to T5s for blue "pop", but I've seen it in person on several tanks now, and the VHO SA blow the T5s out of the water, in respect to actinic supplementation of course. I'm eventually going to replace my PC lights in my fixture with some VHO bulbs.

 

Thanks for the feedback. You are absolutely right about the VHOs vs T5s for "pop". I started with PC + T5 and then switched out the PCs for VHOs. What a difference. If I could switch out the T5s for VHOs without changing the ballast I probably would do that. I'll have to look into it.

 

I also like what I read about the HIT BLV 10K DE bulbs, but I can't seem to find a U.S. source for them.

[dbartco]

I really loved the ushio 14k bulbs over the hamilton, plus the par was better.

 

i run vho actinics as well

[Guest Kevin]

I really loved the ushio 14k bulbs over the hamilton, plus the par was better.

 

i run vho actinics as well

 

I have never seen the ushio 14k, currently have the hamiltons. Mind sharing what it is about ushios you liked better (other than par)? I dont run actinics so thus far I feel i need a little blue in my mh.

Edited August 4, 2007 by Kevin

[ReeferMan]

i run xm 10ks but i am going to try and run xm 14ks when the time comes to replace them. I like alot of blue but also like growth. It really depends on your ballast and what the best bulb in the 14k range will have the most par

[dbartco]

the hamiltons were too blue for me and the par for the 400w bulbs were in the 500 range at the surface of my tank. The ushio's were a "whiter" blue and in the 800 range at the surface.

 

 

I ran xm 10k for the first 2 years, but glad I made the switch. I also tried the XM 15k but was dissapointed in PAR. We saw the ushio for the fist time at macna in houston (another good reason to a MACNA!). The guy told us hardly any par dropoff fromt he 10ks, but I didn't believe. I debated for a long time about the change as Sanjay had not tested before I made the change. Gatortailale was the guinea pig and bought some, and after seeing them in his tank I was sold.

 

I don't know if they have the DE bulbs though.

[dschflier]

Good timing for this string. I am about to buy 4 or 5 250 watt MH lights for my tanks. I have SE and have currently been using XM 10k. I was thinking of buying 2 XM 10ks for each side and then the middle one being 14k Hamilton. Any thoughts? Bad idea? Let me know what you think. Currently the acitinic in my tank is done through 2 96 watt pwr compacts which isnt really a strong blue. I do have 2 4' long VHOs I was thinking of attaching or another ballast that can take one 4' long VHO.

[Rascal]

the hamiltons were too blue for me and the par for the 400w bulbs were in the 500 range at the surface of my tank. The ushio's were a "whiter" blue and in the 800 range at the surface.

I ran xm 10k for the first 2 years, but glad I made the switch. I also tried the XM 15k but was dissapointed in PAR. We saw the ushio for the fist time at macna in houston (another good reason to a MACNA!). The guy told us hardly any par dropoff fromt he 10ks, but I didn't believe. I debated for a long time about the change as Sanjay had not tested before I made the change. Gatortailale was the guinea pig and bought some, and after seeing them in his tank I was sold.

 

I don't know if they have the DE bulbs though.

 

Thanks. That's just the sort of information I am looking for. I don't want to go too blue, just a little bit more, so I definitely will not get the Hamiltons based on your recommendation. I am actually wondering if I am just reacting to the yellowing of my bulbs over time, and perhaps I should simply replace them and that would give me what I am looking for. Ushio does make a 14K 250W DE though. Maybe I should just order 1 of them for now and see how it looks.

 

I did replace the Actinic T5s with Actinic + tonight. I couldn't believe the difference. The T5 actinics had always been sort of purple. The actnic + are a lot more blue. The combination of the VHO with these bulbs looks really awesome. I'll have to wait until tomorrow to see how much of a difference it makes with the MHs on.

Edited August 5, 2007 by Rascal