Recommendations for 20k MH bulb?

b0bby1 · Dec 13, 2007

hey guys, i currently have a crappy JBJ DE 150w 14K bulb running over my 20 gallon. i hate the color on although i do get great growth on my palys/zoas with it. i want to upgrade to a 20K bulb, any suggestions? i was thinking about the 20k Radium DE, any good?

chadfarmer · Dec 13, 2007

my friend only use xm 20k

never seen the radium

TyreeUM · Dec 13, 2007

I run 250 watt radiums-Im not sure they run on all balasts though-but they are sick...I tried XM 14k for 6 months and had incredible growth but I like the color of the radium better

surfn · Dec 13, 2007

you don't have many choices for 150w DE. phoenix 14k run on electronic should be pretty blue though. i haven't heard many good things about DE XM bulbs.

not sure of AB 20k makes a bulb in 150w...(looks more like a 14k bulb IMO)

Hypertek99 · Dec 13, 2007

Go with Phoenix

b0bby1 · Dec 13, 2007

i was thinkin phoenix but then saw surfn's tank and i love the color. i saw he was using a DE 250w 20k Radium and his tank looks great. they have 150w 20k radiums for sale on marine depot. i don't like the XM 20k, seems to be a bit dull to me.

surfn · Dec 13, 2007

b0bby1 said:
i was thinkin phoenix but then saw surfn's tank and i love the color. i saw he was using a DE 250w 20k Radium and his tank looks great. they have 150w 20k radiums for sale on marine depot. i don't like the XM 20k, seems to be a bit dull to me.

nope, i use SE.......totally different ball game. different ballast, different reflectors etc.

b0bby1 · Dec 13, 2007

o, i didn't no that. do you think it would be a totally different color than yours since its double ended?

surfn · Dec 13, 2007

b0bby1 said:
o, i didn't no that. do you think it would be a totally different color than yours since its double ended?

IME........you can't compare DE and SE bulbs.....even if they are made by the same company.

the SE XM20k and the DE XM20k look *nothing* alike in terms of blueness and intensity.

b0bby1 · Dec 13, 2007

that helps me out a ton, i think i will go with the phoenix 14k then.

3mm3 · Dec 14, 2007

I ran the phoenix 14k and did not like them. They just seemed to lack intensity. The color was nice but that was it.
I run xm now

fiction · Dec 25, 2007

3mm3 said:
I ran the phoenix 14k and did not like them. They just seemed to lack intensity. The color was nice but that was it.
I run xm now

The color it produces it what makes it so great, so if your looking for a light to really showcase the corals colors then the 14k phoenix is hard to beat.

3mm3 · Dec 25, 2007

The problem with the 14k was that my high light acros lost their colors that I wanted because 14k seriously lacked on the par. I then switched to 20k and got the colors back, now I run 10k with actinic supplementation and the color is even better.
So my experience with the 14k was a disappointment as far as the acro colors go. With the montipora it did seem to provide enough light with 1 exception My purple haze needed tons more light.

fiction said:
The color it produces it what makes it so great, so if your looking for a light to really showcase the corals colors then the 14k phoenix is hard to beat.