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View Full Version : Best metal halide bulbs?


marie
03-10-2006, 05:26 PM
At the moment I have 3 Hamilton 10k, hqi 250w bulbs on my tank and I hate the colour, it washes out all the red in the tank. What bulbs is everyone using and are you happy with them?

RonPeter
03-10-2006, 06:18 PM
I am using 14K DE Hamiltons and really like the blue it gives off.

EmilyB
03-10-2006, 06:25 PM
I love my Phoenix 14k 250w DE. They have a pretty good rating as well on Sanjays site.

Bob I
03-10-2006, 06:26 PM
I use a Gieseman 150W megachrome 14.5 K bulb. It is not horribly blue like some other 14,000K bulbs. It is expensive though, but I have found it to be worth it.:mrgreen:

OCDP
03-10-2006, 06:58 PM
20k DE Ushio bulb for me...it's pretty blue though. Planning on swapping with the 14k Phoenix for my next, or the Gieseman 14.5k Megachrome,

TheReefGeek
03-10-2006, 07:09 PM
I like the look of my 20K XMs with no supplimental actinics. More PAR than the 15K XMs too.

GMGQ
03-10-2006, 07:13 PM
Do you have any pics?

I like the look of my 20K XMs with no supplimental actinics. More PAR than the 15K XMs too.

atcguy
03-10-2006, 07:14 PM
I had those bulbs aswell /. I had 2 running on my 120. Looked ok at first but after 8 months they were really yellow. Wendell at OA recommended the Geinsmann 13k 250 hqi. Amazing difference, My colors really stand out now. ie regal tang and my brains.. I have 2 vho actinics aswell.

TheReefGeek
03-10-2006, 07:16 PM
My camera is not good enough to pick up the color correctly, the camera shows more blue that it looks to me, so my pictures wont give you a very good sense of the bulbs.

digital-audiophile
03-10-2006, 08:54 PM
Mogul EVC 250 Watt 14K. I LOVE it!

marie
03-10-2006, 09:05 PM
as an example of what I mean, this is the 250w 10k hamilton. Note the monti cap looks blue and the open brain on the sand bed is completely washed out.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/mariesnell/2006_0305175g0010.jpg

and this is how they looked under 175w 10k xm's. Purple monti cap on the upper left and the brain on the sand on the right

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/mariesnell/2006_0207Image0012.jpg

Bob I
03-10-2006, 09:10 PM
You are right, that is ugly.:sad:

Willow
03-10-2006, 09:14 PM
what was wrong with the xm 10k's? i have run them and was quite impressed. i have also heard good things about the coralvue 10k's. i think jessie runs them on his sps tank.

marie
03-10-2006, 09:44 PM
what was wrong with the xm 10k's? i have run them and was quite impressed. i have also heard good things about the coralvue 10k's. i think jessie runs them on his sps tank.

There was nothing wrong with the xms on the 175w system but now I have a 250w hqi system and I just want to be sure of the new bulbs before I spend a bunch of money. Is the 250w de, 10k, xm comparable in colour to the 175w se, 10k bulb?

StirCrazy
03-10-2006, 11:46 PM
I don't think any bulb can hold a torch to the AB 10K 250 watt. the actualy color is ~13400K

Sun aquatic 10K have a nive high PAR rating but they are hard to find and the company isn't the most reliable, but for a cheep bulb they were good.

Steve

Invigor
03-10-2006, 11:58 PM
Sun aquatic 10K ... but they are hard to find and the company isn't the most reliable, but for a cheep bulb they were good.

you're in luck, steve.

http://www.prairiereefsupplies.ca/index.php?id=36