Best MH Bulb?

[Chris5]

For those of you with MH's which is the better bulb to use on your reef? Currently i am using a HQI 250w 20k but from what ive been told i should be using a 14k to get a better spectrum and deeper lighting...What is everyones opinion?

 

[jackson6745]

Better? Tough question.

All corals will thrive under any K halide bulb out there as long as the water quality is in check. It becomes a matter of preference.

My favorite is BLV 10k's supplemented with a lot of actinics i.e. 4 PC's, 3-4 VHO's, 4 T5's etc...

 

[scumonkey]

check out this web site...it might help you decide what works best for YOU!!!
http://www.cnidarianreef.com/lamps.cfm

 

[Chris5]

check out this web site...it might help you decide what works best for YOU!!!
http://www.cnidarianreef.com/lamps.cfm

WoW great find, this really helps since you can actually see the difference in lighting with the diff bulbs....:Yikes:

 

[Pedro]

I like AB's and Radiums.

 

[SlamaJama]

my bulb of choice is 1OK XM's, but thy need icecap balasts to reach thr full potential...

 

[nunez1980]

Chris5,

I like phoenix, with HQI ballast.

and all bulbs listed in http://www.cnidarianreef.com/lamps.cfm are SE, and thus could mislead you if you plan on using DE,

SlamaJama,

about xm, why you think icecap balasts are needed for them to reach potential...

on SE a M58 ballast will beat the icecap in PAR, same story with the DE with the M80,

Chris5, the perfect bulb is all personal preference, but for example zeovit people think a bulb such as the 10k BLV will color corals overal much better than anything higher K rating, good luck,

sam

 

[jackson6745]

WoW great find, this really helps since you can actually see the difference in lighting with the diff bulbs....:Yikes:

Keep in mind the person who ran those bulb tests used 10k XM's + 3 VHO actinics to light his reef. (Icecap ballasts)

 

[mshur]

i wanna try new 14k-400w blv/ushio..suppost to be a great bulb speactrums

 

[TimberTDI]

This may be off topic but:

Can someone point to a retro HQI 250w system. I'm currently using a 250w 12k Coralvu with 2 24"VHOs, everything running on two icecap ballast. I would like to continue using the Icecap MH ballast on the HQI setup.

Steven

 

[Chris5]

I have been hearing alot of good things on Phoniex bulbs, iwasaki, radiums and AB's so I will pref be looking into those when the time comes, as for now the 20ks i am using are crystal white/with a hue of blue (thats why they say for the 250w HQI 20ks acntics are optional) ...cant complain at all :birthday:....

 

[efisher]

I am using the CoralVue reeflux 10K with a PFO HQI. According to Sanjays site the peak higher then any other bulbs and you get the colors and growth. Here is his website.
http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/

 

[chazertis]

phoenix bulbs with hqi electronic ballast, duh. haha guys

 

[Reefer420]

since i will have no room for actinics in my hood once i get my 37g cube up and running I'll be running 250w Radium (20k) bulbs overdriven w/ a 250w PFO HQI ballast...supposed to have a nice crisp white w/ blue as compared to running an electronic ballast w/ 20ks, which leads to a much deeper blue...

 

[cali_reef]

I am using the CoralVue reeflux 10K with a PFO HQI. According to Sanjays site the peak higher then any other bulbs and you get the colors and growth. Here is his website.
http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/

I am not sure what you mean, but the XM is a lot brighter than the junk CoralVue bulb. The reeflux does peak a bit at 450nm which gives it a tint of blue, but it is not brighter when averaged.

 

[reefman]

i concur. xm is brighter