What's your favorite mH bulb and why?

[Mik_101]

Im happy with my 10k 2x175 watt XM like mentioned befor they do run VERY yellow. I do suplement with t5 actinics and it makes them white. A thing i like about these bulbs is that they are not to expencive and ther a exelent bulb. nce i set up my 2x250's im befenetly putting on XM 14k.

Hears a picture of the tank with both halides and actinics on.

[Sebae again]

I use Phoenix 14 k. Intensity with a nice amount of the blue spectrum.

[steve fedyk]

I like the colour of Magechrome 13000k 250 HQI with VHO white and blue actinic. Its looksgreat to my eyes.

[steve fedyk]

[christyf5]

Currently I'm running 250W Ushio 10K. Previously I have had Iwasaki 6.5K (very yellow but not so bad when supplemented with actinics) and I've tried the Reeflux 10K (made the tank look pink, it was very weird, they lasted 5 minutes on the tank) and XM 10K (not as white as the ushios so I sold them, again they didn't last long as I didn't like the color).

I'd like to try something more blue eventually but haven't found anything that has decent par in that department. I may just take the plunge anyways. I'll look for some photos if you'd like.

[fkshiu]

Originally Posted by christyf5

Currently I'm running 250W Ushio 10K. Previously I have had Iwasaki 6.5K (very yellow but not so bad when supplemented with actinics) and I've tried the Reeflux 10K (made the tank look pink, it was very weird, they lasted 5 minutes on the tank) and XM 10K (not as white as the ushios so I sold them, again they didn't last long as I didn't like the color).

I'd like to try something more blue eventually but haven't found anything that has decent par in that department. I may just take the plunge anyways. I'll look for some photos if you'd like.

I'm using Christy's old XM 10Ks. They appear whiter using an HQI ballast than a stardard magnetic. However, I do supplement with both VHO and T5HO actinics.

Personally, I'd consider both Radium 20Ks and Iwasaki 175W 15Ks revolutionary for separate reasons. When they came out, Radiums were the very first to give that actinic pop with just a MH bulb. The Iwasaki has PAR that rivals many 250W bulbs without looking yellow at all.

[sharuq1]

Thanks for all the opinions. It seems like several people really like the phoenix. Is it blue enough to run without supplemental actinic? I'd like the option of not having to do the actinic, so I am looking for something that doesn't run yellow but doesn't run ridiculously blue. Something in the middle to slightly bluer I guess.


kronk, what ballast are you running?

Is anyone running a phoenix on the galaxy?

[danny zubot]

Who sells the pheonix bulbs?

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Originally Posted by sharuq1

Thanks for all the opinions. It seems like several people really like the phoenix. Is it blue enough to run without supplemental actinic? I'd like the option of not having to do the actinic, so I am looking for something that doesn't run yellow but doesn't run ridiculously blue. Something in the middle to slightly bluer I guess.

I run the Phoenix and Aquaconnects 14000k bulbs without actinics. I find that with these bulbs, actinics don't really do much for the colour. I only use actinics when the MH are off. Nice blue-white light, but not too blue. Still very bright over my tanks, I find. The AC are over a year old now too and going strong.

[Lance]

I'm running Ushio 250W DE 10k with T5 actinics and am very happy with the blend of the two.