Phoenix 14k gone

dodger745 · Mar 12, 2015

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/ac/index.php

mcarroll · Mar 13, 2015

Just for reference for any Sanjay fans out there, this IS NOT a Sanjay article.

mcarroll · Mar 13, 2015

Interesting and thorough, but acedemic. (Not directly useful.)

Does not study when to change bulbs/what levels are problematic, which I think is all anyone cares about.

Unfortunately all we know from reading that is that this guys bulbs lost x% of brightness.

For example, I changed bulbs to avoid actual symptoms that would occur on the occasions I was slack. So the article doesn't really tell me anything very useful.

Rickyrooz · Apr 7, 2015

So which bulb seems to be the next best to the Phoenix. I run 250 watt HQI Phoenix bulbs and now that they are discontinued I really don't want to change my fixture to run Radiums. Has anyone found a good replacement HQI bulb? Why was the 250 watt HQI discontiuned yet the 150 watt HQI and 250 watt mogul are still in production?

dodger745 · Apr 7, 2015

they are saying that they will start making the 250w bulb again soon. luckily i found a pair before they dissapeared. a lot of ppl are saying the aquamaxx bulbs are good.

kevensquint · Apr 7, 2015

Reeflux 12k is a solid alternative.

Rickyrooz · Apr 8, 2015

I made a bunch of calls today and spoke with reps from SOS Lightbulbs, Premium Aquatics, TB Aquatics, Aquarium Specialty, Bulk Reef Supply, Drs. Foster & Smith and Hello Lights and all of them lead me to believe that this bulb will not be coming back. I may try the Hamilton 14k, Ushio 20k, XM 20k or switch to mogul and use the Radium 20k.

mcarroll · Apr 9, 2015

No experience with Ushio, but the others, in order of my preference, are Radium, XM and Hamilton. All good, decent bulbs....Radiums win for being a bit brighter (270 watts vs 250 watts) and better color. Also the most $...at least used to be before I switched to LEDs.

itche_scratche · Apr 10, 2015

Tag, i need to replace mine in 3 month. So far for all the reading im leaning toward xm20k for 250w de.

dodger745 · Apr 10, 2015

someone earlier in the thread claimed to contact hexarc blue and confirmed reproduction for late spring. im hoping this still stands

Rickyrooz · Apr 29, 2015

Maybe Aqua Cave knows something, they have an ETA of June 1st.

Availability: PRE-ORDER - ETA 06/01/2015

itche_scratche · Apr 29, 2015

Hope Aqua cave is right. Cross my finger.

evolved · Apr 30, 2015

FWIW, BRS has left them on their page as "out of stock" this whole time.

MEControls · Jun 18, 2015

Good Morning. Just registered but I have been following this thread....

I too have given up on LED. Started with 2 Radion G2's then shifted to AquaRay LED (friend is a USA rep for Aquaray) while the AR was much better All my SPS lost color and several colonies were lost. I guess AR is creating a few new SPS focused light tiles and even have a new strip running 410Nm so we shall see.
So, after an extensive search...finally purchased 2 Cayman Sun 250 HQI reflectors. Was able to get (1) Corallife 20k and 1 XM 15K....Neither are a good bulb. Nothing is as good as the Phoenix's I ran years ago. Even with the terrible bulbs I have now, I am seeing color return.
Based on recent searches, there's a big movement (SPS tanks) shifting back to MH lighting. I pray these bulb companies take note and bring back these bulbs.
SO far the MH's aren't presenting a problem even with the Phoenix, AZ heat we have.

I guess my question is this....I have narrowed my lamp choices down to the Ushio 20k or the Aquamaxx 14k. Suggestions? experience?
I emailed the place that was listed here about the 250 watt Radium DE bulb but haven't received a reply. If they have those, I'll get 2.

Thanks
Sean

bknapp · Jun 18, 2015

Sean, I went from the Phoenix 14K to the Aquamaxx 14K and I'm not overly pleased with them. They're more purple (a red tint with the blue mixes to be purple) than blue and I'm not sure how the PAR fares on comparison. Needless to say at this point when I need new halide bulbs I'm not going with the Aquamaxx bulbs again.

I'm running 250 watt double ended bulbs.

MEControls · Jun 18, 2015

My LFS can get the Ushio 250 20K...I may give these a try.

That's disappointing to hear about the Aquamaxx
As a "curious" test, I ordered those $16 250 watt 14k DE bulbs from the place on Ebay. They claim they exactly duplicate the Phoenix 14k. Big claims but at $16 a bulb, I figured why not. They should arrive today. Also, I running both fixtures on the Galaxy selectable HQI ballast's

Ike · Jun 18, 2015

MEControls said:
My LFS can get the Ushio 250 20K...I may give these a try.

That's disappointing to hear about the Aquamaxx
As a "curious" test, I ordered those $16 250 watt 14k DE bulbs from the place on Ebay. They claim they exactly duplicate the Phoenix 14k. Big claims but at $16 a bulb, I figured why not. They should arrive today. Also, I running both fixtures on the Galaxy selectable HQI ballast's

Fairly low par on those bulbs, so depending on your tank size and reflectors it may not be a good choice.

Ike · Jun 18, 2015

MEControls said:
Good Morning. Just registered but I have been following this thread....

I too have given up on LED. Started with 2 Radion G2's then shifted to AquaRay LED (friend is a USA rep for Aquaray) while the AR was much better All my SPS lost color and several colonies were lost. I guess AR is creating a few new SPS focused light tiles and even have a new strip running 410Nm so we shall see.
So, after an extensive search...finally purchased 2 Cayman Sun 250 HQI reflectors. Was able to get (1) Corallife 20k and 1 XM 15K....Neither are a good bulb. Nothing is as good as the Phoenix's I ran years ago. Even with the terrible bulbs I have now, I am seeing color return.
Based on recent searches, there's a big movement (SPS tanks) shifting back to MH lighting. I pray these bulb companies take note and bring back these bulbs.
SO far the MH's aren't presenting a problem even with the Phoenix, AZ heat we have.

I guess my question is this....I have narrowed my lamp choices down to the Ushio 20k or the Aquamaxx 14k. Suggestions? experience?
I emailed the place that was listed here about the 250 watt Radium DE bulb but haven't received a reply. If they have those, I'll get 2.

Thanks
Sean

There is no such thing as a DE Radium.

For those of you thinking about switching to mogul, I would highly suggest it. The radiums are hands down the best SPS bulb in the market IMO. The Phoenix not being available as DE anymore makes an even stronger argument.

MEControls · Jun 18, 2015

Yes, Ive heard that as well.

Tank is 48 inches wide and 20 inches deep. So far the Caymans seem to do a pretty good job of delivering the light to the tank. These were all I could get my hands on.

overbay487 · Jun 18, 2015

I have 14k ushio,s. They are an exellent bulb but not blue enough for my taste. I am going with the 20k next time. The good thing with ushio is that their color is the exact same on either bulb side by side every time. Great par values also.