Whitest 10k mh bulb?

[scumonkey]

I've been using 10k 250w reef grow bulbs from catalina aqua.....
One went out after only 2 months (but I liked the white colour) so I ordered another to replace it.
They sent me an awful 15k bulb instead (no way I'm using this), and I had to pay extra shipping cause they were short with the postage.
Rather than send it back I bought another one through the mail....again they sent me the wrong bulb! I sent it back (they were supposed to refund my shipping- but didn't) and they sent me another -this time 10k....
When I screwed it in and turned it on- it has the most garish yellow colour I've ever seen from a MH (completly unacceptable) - nothing like the other bulbs I'm using (same company)-I AM THROUGH WITH THESE PEOPLE!!!:letitallo
Question....
What is a decent 250 w 10k mh with a nice White colour..Ushio, XM ????
I need to replace this yellow crayon of a bulb asap!

 

[Psycho graphic]

I'm new to MH lighting myself, but don't MH bulbs need to "Burn in" to acheive their proper color?

 

[scumonkey]

Yes...they do BUT...I have been using these reef grow bulbs for awhile and have NEVER seen one burn with this horrable yellow colour!
They usually start off a bit on the blue side , and then burn into a bright white. This actually looks more likre a 6k bulb- not 10k (a lableing mistake they seem to make a lot). The last bulb they sent was labled 10k but was(by their own admission) misslabled and was actually a 15k

 

[fishywoo]

Scumonkey It also depends on the Ballast you are using. I tried using reeflux 10K on a magnetic ballast and the color was extremely yellow. Whereas other people using a different ballast with the same bulb reported a crisp white look.

 

[House of Laughter]

All,

Bulb color is dependant on how hard the ballast drives the bulb - you should review Sanjay Yoshi's article on this very topic and you'll have a totally different appreciation for which bulb to run on which ballast.

I ran a PFO ballast with an XM 10k and man was that white - I also ran an Aqualine Bushke 13k with the very same ballas and it was a nice white with a tiny hue of blue - another nice combo IMO.

House

 

[druluv]

A little expensive but I always get good results from ushio 10k

 

[scumonkey]

Please lets not get all tech about ballest etc...:joke:
Just pretend I have the optimum ballest to run the bulb...
what is a good crisp white 10k bulb (generaly speaking)
One with a good track record '(I've seen Sanjays site).
Colours viewd on a computer monitor mean nothing- they pick up the aspects of your screen settings.
I'm just looking for a bulb that generally burns white...(not buttercup yellow -like a cheap ebay bulb).
If you guys still can't just give up a good bulb guess without going into ballast ....
Then my Ballast (i'm guessing-it's what is listed on the bulb package)-) is a ANSI Ballast M58
If anyone knows what type ballast Catalina uses on their retrofits (that's what I have), please chime in!