PDA

View Full Version : 250W Pheonix 14k DE or Reeflix 12k DE?


nikonosis
02/25/2008, 09:15 AM
Which one should I get? I want a really blue look but not quite as blue as 20ks.

Toddrtrex
02/25/2008, 09:30 AM
I have both bulbs, and I like the Phoenix a lot better. The Reeflux just seems dull to me, for lack of a better word. I haven't found the Phoenix to be too blue, I am very pleased with its color.

nikonosis
02/25/2008, 10:33 AM
Thanks, ill have to go with the phoenix then. I used 12k reeflux SE's on our 180g and always wanted to try out a phoenix but they are DE. Now I have a DE fixture and I guess ill have to try it out.

tkeracer619
02/25/2008, 10:39 AM
I like the reeflux much better than the Pheonix. Pheonix washes out some of the colors.

nikonosis
02/25/2008, 10:49 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11936387#post11936387 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tkeracer619
I like the reeflux much better than the Pheonix. Pheonix washes out some of the colors.

thats how i felt about the reeflux...

DarG
02/25/2008, 10:51 AM
The Phoenix bulbs I ran for a little while were very blue. Washed out blue. I hated them. I say this all the time but I think some runs of these bulbs are bluer than others. They have higher par than the Reeflux 250 watt DE. The ones I had were undoubtedly 20000K + in color and that's on HQI magnetics.

I like the Reeflux supplemented with a couple of T5 actinics. But it's not a very bright bulb. My Iwasaki 50000K 150 watt DE's appear as bright as the Reeflux 12K DE 250 watt. But Id take the Reeflux over the Phoenix any day.

tkeracer619
02/25/2008, 10:55 AM
Everbody has their own taste. Some people like the 20k blue the pheonix puts out. On an E ballest I was not happy, maybe its completely different on an HQI. Those bulbs were sold 4 months into their use.

nikonosis
02/25/2008, 10:59 AM
I have an HQI ballast.

DarG
02/25/2008, 12:39 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11936530#post11936530 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nikonosis
I have an HQI ballast.

Really blue is 20000K. You may or may not fine the Phoenix too blue but they are really 20000K bulbs. Atleast most of them are. There are some users who call them white with a blue tint which is why I dont believe that they are consistently the same color. Mine were run on Magnetic HQI ballasts and they were a 20000K + blue color. The Reeflux are not very blue. I need to supplement with actinics to like them. But I really like them with the Actinic T5's. Without the supplementation I would use something else but thats just me. Some reefers are using them alone and love them.

reefsafe
02/25/2008, 12:43 PM
My vote is for the REEFLUX. phoenix is too blue. my $.02

nikonosis
02/25/2008, 12:54 PM
I like a bluer look and I guess thats why I didn't like the reeflux12ks much when I had them. I was just wondering if the DE's were more blue.

xtm
02/25/2008, 01:07 PM
I've used the Phoenix for 1 year and I will not use it again (IMO) The corals look washed out like the blues are too much but almost no green and brown. Since you like the blue look I think you will be happy with the Phoenix.

fittiger
02/25/2008, 01:23 PM
I just switched over from the 12k Reeflux DE's to the 14k Phoenix. I really liked the look of the Reeflux but i had no room in my hood to add actinics so my corals didnt' look as nice. The Phoenix are nice. I feel mine does give off a white color light with a fairly strong blue tint, though I wouldn't call it 20k blue.

If I had strong actinics I would go for the Reeflux, and because I don't I'll probably stick with the Phoenix.

My ideal would be a white light, maybe with a small blue hint, with corals florescing (so that you have an idea of what I was looking for)

ezcompany
02/25/2008, 01:27 PM
if you like the blue then Phoenix is your bulb. like someone mentioned it really is a 20k bulb with high par.

coraldaddy
02/25/2008, 01:38 PM
If you are running the PHX bulbs on a mag ballast it will be bluer then if you run it on an electronic ballast, I've got both mag and e-ballast with PHX bulbs and the mag ballast is bluer to my eyes anyways.

DarG
02/25/2008, 01:41 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11937637#post11937637 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fittiger
I just switched over from the 12k Reeflux DE's to the 14k Phoenix. I really liked the look of the Reeflux but i had no room in my hood to add actinics so my corals didnt' look as nice. The Phoenix are nice. I feel mine does give off a white color light with a fairly strong blue tint, though I wouldn't call it 20k blue.

If I had strong actinics I would go for the Reeflux, and because I don't I'll probably stick with the Phoenix.

My ideal would be a white light, maybe with a small blue hint, with corals florescing (so that you have an idea of what I was looking for)

If you want a bright crisp white bulb with just a slight blue tint then the Iwasaki 14000K DE 250 watt is a bulb you might like. Probably pretty close to a true 14000K but it may be higher.

DarG
02/25/2008, 01:51 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11937784#post11937784 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coraldaddy
If you are running the PHX bulbs on a mag ballast it will be bluer then if you run it on an electronic ballast, I've got both mag and e-ballast with PHX bulbs and the mag ballast is bluer to my eyes anyways.

What type of magnetic ballast (ANSI) ? Most everyone reports them bluer on electronics. Mine were bluer on ARO electronic than M80 and they were very very blue on M80.

If you are running both ballast types now with Phoenix bulbs it could be the bulbs themselves. Like I stated, I dont think they are consistently the same color from run to run.

nikonosis
02/25/2008, 02:42 PM
which has more par? the 12k reeflux or the 14k phoenix

DarG
02/25/2008, 04:33 PM
Phoenix by a good bit.

nikonosis
02/25/2008, 05:00 PM
phoenix it is then.

OneReef
02/25/2008, 05:18 PM
I have heard nothing but good things about the Phoenix.

tboneman
02/26/2008, 06:53 AM
I have tried both bulbs on a pfo 250 watt hqi ballast and to my eye I prefer the look of the phoenix. I like its higher par(brightness), and although I was afraid of reports of its being too blue it turned out to be just right for my taste.