14K Phoenix Metal Halide Bulb

[Zoous]

Anybody using this bulb for their lighting? What do you think?

 

[jackson6745]

I used the 250w for a few months. looked great for the first month but then became dim and more blue. It actually looks like a 20k. I'm not crazy about them

 

[Zoous]

So you don't recommend getting it?:banghead:

Which bulb would you get then? Looking at DE 250W?

 

[House of Laughter]

I have 4 and swaer by the m - they are bluer and less par than a 10k, but, they have more par than a 20k.

So, I use them exclusively -

House

 

[Tonyscoots84]

rich would recc. the hamilton 14k's the ones im getting... ive seen pics and they really look nice so imma give em a try... there about 80.00 a bulb...

 

[joe]

i use a 250 of this type bloeed,
and i love them.
not to blue, and its a great middle rang bulb.
no other actinic suplementation used

 

[spykes]

damn rich would love the new iwasaki 14K they are the new 14K bulb. i gotta say the P14K suck compare to them and guess what iwaski 14Ks @175 wattss has 80+ par, which is a powerhouse because they beat out the 10K Xm bulbs.

 

[joe]

damn rich would love the new iwasaki 14K they are the new 14K bulb. i gotta say the P14K suck compare to them and guess what iwaski 14Ks @175 wattss has 80+ par, which is a powerhouse because they beat out the 10K Xm bulbs.

Really, I didn?t know that,
That interesting and also good to know.
What kind of color do they give off, in comparison to a 14k Poniex bulb

 

[jackson6745]

The iwasaki 14k is a real 14k, not a 20k that says 14k on the label. I posted a link with the this bulb in action, let me find it.

My favorite of the 250w DE blue bulbs is the AB20k. Color is awesome but they do suck on a larger reef because of the brightness, or lack of it.

Zoous, what size tank and what do you plan to keep?

 

[jackson6745]

PAR does not equal brightness. It is said that the phoenix 14k has the same PAR as a 10k....maybe true but I ran an 10k BLV+ ab next to a P14k and the 10k appears twice as bright.

 

[Zoous]

Rich,

The tank is a 20 gal. high. Hopefully plan to keep some SPS's and a couple of fishes.

 

[jackson6745]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=6693222

 

[Tonyscoots84]

i dont no what bulbs to go with either.. im gettin the retrofit kits from hello lights for a good price 2 250 watts SE's... i want something blue with a really brite white.. what to get... rich told me to go with the hammys 14k but is there something better that will run with i think the ballast is aro..

 

[jackson6745]

Zoous, in the 250w DE the phoenix is the favorite DE but BLV makes a 14k bulb that supposed to be awesome. I have no experience with the BLV 14k but I ues the 10k and its awesome (for a 10k).
For a 20gal I would go with the 20k AB but I suggest you see them in person first before buying.

 

[Zoous]

Rich, looking at the pics from the link you provided. The Iwasaki bulb look really awesome.

 

[jackson6745]

Rich, looking at the pics from the link you provided. The Iwasaki bulb look really awesome.

I don't think so. I would not run that bulb without actinics. look how it washes out the color of the coral comapred to the 14k hammy.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

as per the pics the iwasaki is alot whiter with hardly any blue i think.. but the hammys are nice and blue and make the color pop...

 

[Zoous]

Personally, just looking at the pics the Iwasaki is really bright white and just makes the pic look very clear. Yeah Rich, it does wash out the coral colors though. Definitely would need actinics if I was go with the Iwasaki.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

Personally, just looking at the pics the Iwasaki is really bright white and just makes the pic look very clear. Yeah Rich, it does wash out the coral colors though. Definitely would need actinics if I was go with the Iwasaki.

vho superactnics would do the trick if u went with a really white bulb like that iwasaki bulb u saw... thats what i would do...

 

[DRZL]

14K hammies have a soft blue color to them, they dont have as much PAR or the crispness of the P14K, and in all fairness AB20K has the lowest PAR of any of the options, not to mention that it is BLUE w/ a capital B. You really have to see the bulb to know if you'll like it, as it has no tint of white or anything just straight BLUE.

Another thing about the P14k's is that their nanometer peaks right where VHO Superactinics do, thus producing a true fluourescing effect not just blue light.

I use P14K's and i am now finally overdriving them on an HQI ballast, and lately things have been looking better even though the bulb is more than a yr old now. So until I find something that doesnt require 10000000W of act supplement Im sticking w/ P14K's. IMO they have a really pleasing color, and have the highest PAR of the blue bulbs, works for me.

BTW
Visual brightness doesnt equal better light, its the lux/lumens that matters not to mention there is also PUR (photosynthetic USABLE radiation) vs PAR (Photosynthetically AVAILABLE radiation), which blue is thought of to be the most penetrating in a natural reef environment.(water filters out all others after a number of meters, hence the blue color of the ocean)