175w SE Hamilton 10k to 175w SE Iwasaki 14k

[Doug]

I have tried to always keep them orientated correct but have never seen a difference myself. Thats an interesting observation Deb.

Look forward to your views on the new Iwasaki,s. I,m still sticking with my SA or CV, 14K bulbs for now. Does the Ushio 10K not offer a white/blue light and good bulb life? I always thought it was the best 175 I have seen but I prefer the more blue content and bulb price of the cheaper 14K,s.

I have followed most of the Iwasaki 14K threads over at RC though.

[EmilyB]

I should have taken some photos. If I am really nice to hubby, maybe one day we can stick them back in to do that. He hates taking fixtures down...

Apparently the Ushio would not have good color on my standard M57 ballast.

The iwasaki's have gone just a bit more blue, which is wonderful ! The coral colors appear nicer. I think I will like them very much !

[Delphinus]

Excellent! It's by far my most favourite bulb too. I just keep hoping we'll see more of them. Gotta get the word out about them so that people will want them .. if there's anything to the "supply/demand" economics thing..

[Snappy]

I must be really dumb because I don't have a clue what you guys are talking about.

[marie]

Do you have much red colour (red coralline or corals) in your tank? Do they show up as the colour red or do they get washed out.


I am on a quest for a metal halide bulb that will show colours like a vho bulb will and I'm not having any luck

[EmilyB]

Originally Posted by marie

Do you have much red colour (red coralline or corals) in your tank? Do they show up as the colour red or do they get washed out.


I am on a quest for a metal halide bulb that will show colours like a vho bulb will and I'm not having any luck

Yes, and it's all GOOD !! Check out the ballast recommends.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by marie

Do you have much red colour (red coralline or corals) I am on a quest for a metal halide bulb that will show colours like a vho bulb will and I'm not having any luck

Marie, my friend has been on the same quest since selling his vho,s several years ago. After running 14K 400w bulbs for a year, he went to all T-5,s. Just recently he chucked his T-5,s completely. Figures his tank has never looked good since the switch from halides and its all soft corals & huge leathers.

He just put a pair of SA, 14K, 400,s back on. Likes the look but still not the same as the vho look. He is thinking of adding a pair of vho actinics. From our running of T-5 actinics, just not the same as the vho actinics.

I just dont thing the same colour can be reproduced by anything else. I would think, {not using} , that the Iwasaki 14K would be a similar light to the Ushio 10K. My SA 14K,s {175w}, have a nice bluer look but not the same as vho nor my T-5,s.

[EmilyB]

Yes, I am running VHO's with it, so that helps with the colors as well.

[Delphinus]

Originally Posted by Snappy

I must be really dumb because I don't have a clue what you guys are talking about.

Hi Greg,

This lamp here:
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merch...y_Code=mh-175w

I got mine from Reekwerkz though (Ryan and Rusty). Otherwise PremiumAquatics seems to be the only place to pick up this bulb.

It tested very favourably in terms of colour and PAR output (by Sanjay Joshi, sorry I don't have the links handy -- try a search in advancedaquarist.com). And they run on M57 ballasts (i.e., not pulse-start).

Anyhow hope that helps!

[Delphinus]

Originally Posted by Snappy

I must be really dumb because I don't have a clue what you guys are talking about.

Just occured to me that maybe you meant that about the nipple orientation and not what an Iwasaki 14k is. Sorry, my dumb.

There's an old ... I dunno if "urban myth" is the right way to put it, but an addage that metal halide bulbs should be screwed into their socket so that the nipple on the arc tube (that little nub thing on the glass) should be pointed upwards, otherwise you don't get the best light colour off the bulbs.

There have been studies to show that it's nonsense, but enough anecdotal evidence (i.e. people saying that it made a difference for them) that it's not complete nonsense.

I made my sockets in my 75g so that I could rotate them if need be, just to make sure my halides are always orientated that way if I can't screw them in any further.

Man, could there be any worse topic to talk about ... things that sound dirty but ain't. I'll try not to make any reference about clams and wrasses while I'm at it. Whoooops, .. um .. never mind.