Help : Bulb Decision??

[nater]

have a 90 gallon display. i am going to be upgrading to 2x250 SE on lumatec electronic ballasts this week. need bulb input. i am going for best color and growth for SPS. I have heard good things about elos bulbs. Anyone using them? not sure if i want to go 14k or 20k. i will be supplementing with vho. input needed. Thanks

 

[Troylee]

Radium!!!!

 

[nater]

ha, you think? the radiums are 20k's right? have you seen the elos bulbs ever troy?

 

[m and m]

Buy the cheapest ones you can find they all go bad in the end.


















JK i would go 20k radiums

 

[Troylee]

ha, you think? the radiums are 20k's right? have you seen the elos bulbs ever troy?

Not really but it is around the 14k look.. I run overdriven xm20ks on m58 ballast it don't get any bluer!!!! Lol

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Radiums!!!

 

[vince1357]

I have to agree 20k Radiums!

 

[650-IS350]

When it comes to SE I always see & hear that RADIUMS are " THE " bulb to get.

 

[nater]

i'm thinkin that radiums seem to have the good rep. i may just listen to reason. lol. thanks for the feedback. i would still like to hear from someone running elos for curiosity's sake. but i won't be using curiosity on my system. i am leaning towards the obvious favorite, radiums.

 

[ksc]

If you are going to run Radiums, get a M80 (hqi) ballast.

 

[Dylan]

Radiums.

 

[amore169]

Radium.

 

[BHAMR6]

RADIUMS all the way .... I have them on a 65g w/th a galaxy ballast look great . And i have seen them on a 90g and i think it was a 300g on the new icecap and they looked great there to. I have never seen them on the m-80 ballast so i can't help you there.

 

[Aquascaper]

If you haven't already purchased- you may want to consider LEDs.....

Otherwise- Radiums!!!!:wink:

 

[damac20]

+1 on the radiums

 

[nater]

thanks for the massive radium thumbs up. i think i may go with one radium and one elos 14k , maybe 20k to see the difference. give the new bulb on the street a shot.

 

[Dyraxe]

I just bought 3 of the 20k Elos "Abyss" light bulbs 250watt.

I have all Icecap ballasts and LumenBrite reflectors, I also run 2 of the 6 foot VHO actinic bulbs on a 180g tank. I had been using Radiums and I will be swapping them out today for a test. I plan to take a par reading of both. I talked to James at Elos and he said they have been testing these bulbs for a few years and he likes them a lot.

 

[nater]

good to hear there is someone out there that has/will be trying these bulbs. let me know how the color is with them. i assume they shouldn't be that blue. if they are a nice crisp blue i think i may just go for em. if readiums are 20k's and everyone loves them, i feel i shouldn't go 14k. definitely wanna hear the feedback on the bulbs.

 

[jaslapp1]

radium all the way

 

[Dyraxe]

Well it has been one day of looking at my tank with the new Elos bulbs and I got to say they look really nice. I wonder how many of the Radium fanboys have actually seen both bulbs at the same time before jumping the gun and claiming one is better. The bulb has been out for one month so I assume you all have seen both lit inperson right? Riiiggghhhttt.....I love the Radium bulb don't get me wrong but there is something special about the Elos 20k Abyss. The Elos is way brighter with a purple tint. When the bulb turned on the tank looked so much better. I really like how crisp the tank looks. I could post a picture but really every time I see a tank shot showing off a bulb color I want to kick a puppy. (just kidding) Taking a photo of a lighted bulb does it no justice IMO. How ever if you really want to be impressed and live in the Tampa Bay area drop me a PM and you can come see it first hand. So far I like what I see but time will tell.

My favorite bulbs are Aquaconnect 14k, and Radium,

Lets see if the bulb stays this color....could the color shift as it burns in?!!!!???!!! We shall see. If the bulb stays even remotely close to the color I saw all day today then this bulb will become a HUGE HUGE hit. Might even change a few of you radium fanboys minds. =p