Help me get white/blue 175w light

[EmilyB]

I just went back to a Hamilton fixture for the VHO's and to get rid of my 250w pendants using Coralvue Reeflux bulbs because I couldn't stand the yellow.

The Hamilton bulbs came on very white and went to pure green in two days.

ACCCCK... I just want white/blue whatever....

 

[Len]

Hey Em,

Ushio's new 14K is pretty white with a tint of blue (no yellow at all). XM's 10K is completely white to my eyes. If you want more blue, consider Aquaconnect (or Phoenix if you're using DE).

 

[ChrisRD]

The new Iwasaki 14K would be worth a look too - very bright for a 175 watter.

 

[mattf0124]

I've had good luck with xms, another thing you might consider is your ballast, a friend of mine was having your problem, all of his bulbs either started yellow, or changed within days. I gave him an old xm 15k, that burned a nice bluish white for me, it was yellow in his rig, I put it back in mine and it was a nice bluish white.

 

[Anonymous]

for a 250w screw in bulb, I would recommend the Reeflux 12000k bulb to anyone who wants blue/white look

 

[mr_X]

i bought a 14k bulb from a guy in hong kong on ebay for 12 dollars.
i couldn't be happier. nice blueish hue.
i think it's the same as you guys buy, just without the expensive name.

i think i paid 2 dollars too much actually
this says 20k bulb, and that's what i ordered, but he ended up making a mistake and sending a 14k bulb in a 20k box...when i got it i turned it on, and i liked it so much i ordered a second.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... &rd=1&rd=1

 

[EmilyB]

Len, Chris, would your recommends work with the existing ballast do you think? Or am I now forced to buy HQI....if I had a better memory, I think I would have remembered going through this years ago.. :x

 

[ChrisRD]

You should be fine with the existing ballast in the fixture. If your fixture has magnetic ballasts chances are they're ANSI M57 type (standard probe start 175 watt). If it has electronic ballasts - even better. The Iwasaki 14K is intended for M57 or electronic ballasts (but it actually performed best on electronics in Sanjay's tests).

Sanjay's study that included the Iwasaki lamp:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/12/review

A vendor who sells these lamps at good prices:
http://www.coralreefecosystems.com/ltg_bulbs-mh.asp

HTH