Want some advice on replacement bulb

[ca2or]

I have an HQI 250w Corallife Aqualight pro and am getting ready to replace my bulb. What bulb should I get? I am interested in both color and growth. I have heard very highly of the Pheonix 14k but thought I should ask for advice before making an order.

 

[ca2or]

anybody got some input?

 

[ahvrivera]

I'll post it here about the ballast that you have. They are HQI ballast. As far as brand it should be coralife. For that perticular fixture the HQI coralvue 14K will do Or the HQI hamilton 14k. You should be able to get equal growth and color with those perticular bulbs.(Correct me if im wrong on this) Good luck.

 

[ca2or]

so i should buy coralife bulbs? I thought they weren't very good.

 

[ahvrivera]

I wouldnt get coralife bulbs. And they dont come in 14k if im not mistaken.

 

[ca2or]

would you do the pheonix or something else?

 

[ahvrivera]

MPO is hamilton 14K

 

[ca2or]

how is the color and growth?

 

[Paul_N]

I have the Phoenix 14k 250 DE running on a dual electronic ballast. I get great growth and color for the most part. Some colors can get washed out with the icey blue color I get from them.

 

[ca2or]

hmm....should I make modifications to my PC actinic's if I get the Pheonix? Dont want the smurf look going on you know.

 

[Cuda]

I been through the bulb nightmare w/ that fixture and the Hamilton 14k. to me is the best . The P. 14. is on another tank the color is not as nice and the zoos are not as big as in the tank w/ Hamilton 14k.
My first hand 2 cents

 

[ca2or]

Hamilton huh....

 

[J&O'sdad]

I love the pheonix but I run mine on an icecap ballast.

 

[Littlebigaj]

Different ballast and bulb combination's will give you better or worse output results.

Unfortunately your hardware isn't listed here, but you can at least get a better idea of what's going on during your research.

Check out Manhattan Reefs - Sanjay's Lighting Guide and play with the options as a reference.

 

[ca2or]

it isn't listed there either. I am not going to be replacing my entire lighting set up.

 

[ca2or]

Here is the only thing I could find on my ballast

Coralife 250 Watt HQI Replacement Ballast