Favorite MH bulb(s)?

[charlie]

I use the single ended 400w 20k radiums, and have no complaints about growth.

 

[davejnz]

I've used 250w SE CV10k's for about 1yrs,color was great but growth wasn't all that.The bulb actually looks like a 14k on my IC ballast.I then tried the XM10k and my IC had trouble firing it after a couple weeks and i thought it looked too yellow for a 10k.I have since gone back to 250w `sakis on an H37 ballast supplemented with T5blue+.They do a great job balancing out the saki..

 

[johnlewis]

10 K XM SE I would like to see how the 15k's look when I can find them in 250w.

 

[Woodstock]

10 K XM SE I would like to se how the 15k's look when I can find them in 250w.

Ditto...

 

[NHLblues44]

I recently swithched to 250 watt double ended aqualine bushke 20k's and I love them. They are a crisp white but still bring the colors out of the solomon zoas and such which require the higher kelvin to look good. I have 2 of them with 2 t5 ocean blue actinics for supplementation and I think it looks incredible compared to my other tank with 2 175 ushio 10ks and 3 110 watt vho actinics. And the fixture is built like a tank.

 

[Sharkbait]

I'm using 2 250w hamilton HQI's 14k w/ 2 140w VHO super actinics. Growth has been amazing especially in sps. Also very colorful.

 

[Woodstock]

Welcome to Reef Sanctuary Sharkbait!!!!

 

[BigReepher]

What about the 150 watt bulbs? They're great for shallow tanks.

 

[Eric]

has anybody ever heard of a sunburst halide bulb I got a pair of 12 ks really happy with them just wondering

 

[Woodstock]

Not I. Post some pics of your tank once they burn in for a few weeks!

 

[Witfull]

updating,,,even though its only been a month now,,,and all the test say the 250 XM 15K are not the best bulb as far as ppfd etc,,,im loving them. the color is a crisp blue white, requires no strong actinics, except to give the glowing effect. one thing i have noticed is that my new E-ballast drives the bulb a bit brighter than the tar ballast. my corals seem to like them too,,,,wonder what the ppfd on them is a4 2.5 inches from water level?

 

[Woodstock]

Get a new capacitor for the TAR ballast and then compare :tongue:

I really, really like my XM 15k's.

 

[Woodstock]

Update*** I have switched bulbs.. I do love the color of the XM 15k's but the low PAR/PPFD just stinks! I am now burning 2 10k Sun Aquatics. They are SO BRIGHT... I hope they tone down a bit

 

[mattie]

i too have switched.
i was running the 14k hamilltons becouse i loved the color but w/ 4 vho atnics it was a little blue
i switched to xm 10k's becouse on the ice cap ballast they are supposed to burn in at about 12k. they are super bright and i have seen a huge difference in the growth rate of the sps corals
and color is nice with all the actinic i am running

 

[Woodstock]

Nice Mattie... I will probably turn full circle and end up back with an XM 10k I really wish XM would revamp their weak 15k bulb.

 

[Mad Mike]

If the sun at it's highest is only 6500k, why do we exceed that? I read that someplace and it really made me stop and wonder.

I use a 10k 150. I'm looking for 6500k 150DE. I think XM has them I have to double check tonight.

 

[Woodstock]

The lower the kelvin number the more intensity the bulb has... a 20k bulb is much, much bluer and less intense than a 6500k. A 10k bulb is stronger than a 20k, but less than a 6500k.

6500k = yellow and VERY intense
10000k = not as yellow, less intense
20000k = very blue, very low intensity

HTH

 

[Witfull]

im in such a qaundry about bulbs too,,,par vs color,,,GRR

 

[cheeks69]

Here's a cool chart !

 

[Woodstock]

Thanks Robert... that's much better than my interpretation!