Best 250W Metal Halide bulb out there

46gReef · Apr 27, 2010

Yeah def purple, I like the blue tint but my fixture does have 4x39W T5's as well so I could run 4 actinics if the phoenix 14K isn't blue enough for me(which I have a feeling it wouldn't be)........I'm sure I'd see better growth with the phoenix then I would the megachrome......

Sea MunnKey · Apr 27, 2010

46gReef said:
Yeah def purple, I like the blue tint but my fixture does have 4x39W T5's as well so I could run 4 actinics if the phoenix 14K isn't blue enough for me(which I have a feeling it wouldn't be)........I'm sure I'd see better growth with the phoenix then I would the megachrome......

I do supplement mine with T5 Actinics ... to pop out the colors for sure :smile:!!

Paul

LegoZ81 · Apr 27, 2010

tc269 said:
DE EVC 20K or 14K are my favorite

I am using SE EVC 14k 1smile1

fishoutofwater · Apr 27, 2010

I have had the best results with the pheonix. Love the color.

surfjeepzx · Apr 28, 2010

I started with Ushio 10k's and VHO actinic sups. Growth and color was great. then I got the 400w bug and went to radium 20k's. I'm OK with the color of some corals but overall the color of the 250 ushios was more intense.

My friend has an almost identacle tank in lighting except he runs the radium 250w 20k's and vho sups. It's a more blue look but not that drastic than my 400w 20k's. The big difference is his tank has much better color. More intense flourscents. We swap many corals and all colors in his tank really pop.

I think next year when I need new bulbs I'm going to reinstall my 250 ballasts and go with a 14k pheonix. I think 250's with good par are better than 400's with average par.

condor · Apr 28, 2010

hamiltons are my fave. outa s and g's i ran a h.t. 250w 14k on an hqi ballast. wow, not good, only a radium can take that. the 14k looked like a 10k

Werdlone · Apr 28, 2010

looks like the popular choices are radium SE and phoenix DE bulbs...I personally use the phoenix bulb and love them. A big reason why I use phoenix bulbs...I can get them for $50 each and they last for 12-18 months before having any significant color/par shift. Radiums are a bit more $ and I'm pretty sure they don't hold their spectrum as long.

waxy · Apr 28, 2010

+1 Radiums here, I'm using 4 250watt Radiums. Used XM, and many other ones. Radiums are affordable, look great and are perfect.

20k Spectrum

herefishy · Apr 30, 2010

ReeferBen said:
I just put a SE Phoenix on my tank and love the color and growth so far.

Where did you find the SE Phoenix? I love the color from the DE Phoenix I have but the SE's seem to be pretty hard to find...
Thanks

Mavjoy · Apr 30, 2010

I'm running 14K Phoenix here for 10 months now with 4 T5s. Great colors and growth IME:bigsmile:. I'm thinking of getting the same bulb in a couple of months from now.