Difference between DE and Mogul based MH?

[Myka]

The easiest way to get the whitest lights possible without risking too much money when you don't know the bulbs you like is to just go for a 10K MH bulb (which will be higher PAR than say a 15K anyway), and choose T5s to pull the light the way you want it. You do realise though, that your corals will look much nicer if you have a slight blue hue by using T5s with blue or actinic color? I have found that a blue or blue plus (blue + actinic) with a Fiji Purple (kinda reddish so it pulls away from the blue hue) for T5s REALLY makes the corals' colors pop. Really nice combination.

[mark]

Other consideration is the reflector height.

When making my canopy was looking for a low profile 250W pendant to fit inside, seemed the DE's where shallower than the SE's

[Tangman]

Originally Posted by mark

Other consideration is the reflector height.

When making my canopy was looking for a low profile 250W pendant to fit inside, seemed the DE's where shallower than the SE's

This is true and DE bulbs also run cooler than SE bulbs.

Also some SE end bulbs are specifically designed to run on HQI ballasts or electronic, check the bulb particulars, and will not ware out prematurely

[BlueAbyss]

Yes I'll be going with a 10K bulb, and using 'actinic' T5HO for the blue and general illumination. I've read good things about a couple 10K bulbs, hopefully the bulb and ballast combination I end up choosing doesn't push the bulb too yellow... from what I was reading, 10K bulbs often end up being more like 8K bulbs.

So, I'm getting a 175W electronic ballast, now I just need to figure out which one

[mark]

Originally Posted by BlueAbyss

So, I'm getting a 175W electronic ballast, now I just need to figure out which one

do they even make 175W DE bulbs?

[BlueAbyss]

No, they don't, but electronic ballasts work with any bulb including 150W HQI bulbs.

[fkshiu]

If you want BRIGHT white and you're going with 175W electronics then the only bulb for you is the Iwasaki 15K. It is a true WHITE bulb with as much or more PAR than many 250W bulbs.