Okay, I'm sick of being confused. I want blue light NOW.

[Anonymous]

HQI 250W DE pendant. What do I need ballast- and bulb-wise to make my tank blue without sacrificing too much growth? I have heard 14K bulbs are great, but I want this to be my last lighting purchase, since I messed up before and got some crap fixture/bulb.

Please help because I'm frustrated as hell.

Peace,

Chip

 

[shawnz28]

I say for a good combination of intensity and blue coloration I would go with the Phoenix 14K's. These bulbs are practically indentical to the AquaConnect 14K that people rave about

 

[danmhippo]

I'd suggest you get 20K bulb instead. OR, get supplemental actinic.

Hellolights carries 250W DE 20K at around $80.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

I just put a Phoenix 14K bulb over my cube and it's a great bulb. I don't use actinic, just the MH, so this bulb IMO gives me the blue tint without being too blue. I had been using the Coralvue 15K, which they no longer make, now it's 14K. I ordered the Phoenix because it seems to be the bulb of choice for a decent price.

Here's the color of the bulb. This was taken on Tuesday afternoon, so the bulb had only been running for about 5 hours, still needs to burn in some I suppose. I think I read it takes about 100 hours for the true color of the bulb to show up. (anyone??) btw...no flash on this pic. It's a bit blurry - I cleaned the Remora and it's MJ powerhead that morning, so microbubbles everythwere.

 

[Anonymous]

I use a 250 20k HQI bulb run is a Reefoptic HQI reflector and a Sunlight Supply HQI ballast. It is blue but bright.

 

[Anonymous]

That color does look good. Is it possible to get even bluer than that? Again, I'm 'upgrading' just once more, so I want to get it right. Would a 20K bulb really be that much bluer? And, since I'm putting acros/sps on the top level, the 14K would still give me the growth, correct?

Obviously I'm looking for DE and not mogul, as well.

Peace,

Chip

 

[Anonymous]

I use a 250 20k HQI bulb run is a Reefoptic HQI reflector and a Sunlight Supply HQI ballast. It is blue but bright.

Tim, do you have any pics? I'd like to see how blue it is.

Peace,

Chip

 

[danmhippo]

I started out with 2x 20K, didn't really feel much, just feel the color is good and bright.

But once I had a bulb went out on me, and I got a 14K as temp substitute. 2 bulbs on the pendent side by side, the 20K is significantly a crisp blue, and 14K is noticeably yellower.

When I used the 20K pendant, I did not need additional actinic.

 

[shawnz28]

The Phoenix/AquaConnect 14K's have a bluer look that other 14K's such as the Hamilton or the Coralvue though still not as blue as a 20K. 20K is much bluer but then it will go back to your original question of will you sarifice growth with a 20K and the answer is yes. Honestly a couple of people you may want to ask the opinion of is moonpod or Todd March over on RC.

 

[mikesroth]

I actually have the same concern. I think my current lights (bought used pendants) are 10K or lower. So we are thinking of going 14k or 20k. Now if we suppliment with actinics, and keep 10k for the MH would that cause the coral to slow it's growth, or would that not matter as much since they are also getting the 10k spectrum?

 

[Anonymous]

I use a 250 20k HQI bulb run is a Reefoptic HQI reflector and a Sunlight Supply HQI ballast. It is blue but bright.

Tim, do you have any pics? I'd like to see how blue it is.

Peace,

Chip

I'll check when I get home.

 

[Anonymous]

I just got the 250watt 20k aqua medic fixture from hellolights. I have to tell you that I don't know what brand bulb it is, but it isn't as blue as I thought a 20k should be. I really didn't want to have to supplement with actinic but I guess I'm going to have to do something.

When it first comes on, it sure is yellow. I wonder if they sent me the right bulb?

 

[Anonymous]

I just got the 250watt 20k aqua medic fixture from hellolights. I have to tell you that I don't know what brand bulb it is, but it isn't as blue as I thought a 20k should be. I really didn't want to have to supplement with actinic but I guess I'm going to have to do something.

This is what my problem is with my current pendant. It certainly doesn't LOOK blue at all.

Peace,

Chip

 

[Unarce]

Chip,

When I first established this set-up, I switched from an Ushio 10K to the XM 20K 250W XDE. It was crisp blue after the burn-in period. After about a month, it became a bit whiter, but with a purple tint instead, which sort of washed out the colors. It also seemed to develop a delay when firing.

I now have the Giesemann Megachrome Blue, which is probably more like a 14K. I would like more blue, but I won't be buying a low priced bulb again.

I think the AB 20K has the most actinic effect of the high-end brands. I'll see if I can locate a thread with a comparison.

 

[Unarce]

I found one:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showt ... genumber=1

If anyone has a pic of their USHIO 20K 250W DE, please post it. I'd really like to see how that one looks.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the help, Karl. I appreciate it. I'll keep researching as well.

Peace,

Chip

 

[Anonymous]

I am running the XM 20k's and the Phoenix 14k's. The Phoenix is the same blue as the XM, but it is much brighter.

Bunches of people around here have been running the Phoenix for months with no loss of growth.

I think I am switching to all Phoenix instead of a mix.

 

[Anonymous]

A generous fellow reefer is sending me two 20k Coralview 250W moguls to try in my fixture. We'll see if they work.

Peace,

Chip

 

[Mihai]

I have 250W DE 14K Hamilton bubls with no actinics and I'm happy with it. I have PFO ReefOptix II + PFO magnetic ballast -> happy with them.

If you go 20K you'll compromise growth (not my experience, but others reported this) but you'll get more blue -> your choice.

M.

 

[wade1]

As Sanjay so gracefully put it, sunlight is not blue (neither is moonlight for that matter).

"If you want your tank looking like Papa Smurf pee'd in it, then by all means..." - Sanjay in #reefs talk.

I really believe that the high K lamps do not provide the neccessary spectrum nor intensity (in many cases) for our corals. If your corals were harvested from 30-100' underwater, then perhaps that would be ideal. Most are not.

But then, you didn't ask that question, so I'll let it lie. I prefer 10+20kK or even better, 6500K + 20kK.