Best stand alone 150W DE MH bulb

[fishnfool]

Looking for experiences with 150W DE bulb without actinic supplements. I'm using an HQI ballast. How do Pheonix 14K, XM 20K, Iwasaki 50K or others compare with the Radium 20K as far as fluorescence? I understand that the Radiums do pretty well in this department. Any comments?

If anyone has pics to help me out it would be much appreciated.

[GQuinn]

Out of the bulbs you mention I have only used the Iwasaki 50k, but it is my favorite bulb out of all the ones I have tried. I do not use actinic supplements. Here is a picture of the Iwasaki 50k, but sometimes pictures are hard to tell the true color.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/8602370_Close-up.jpg


Gary

[Bygkid]

The one that I use are the Pheonix 150w DE 14000k HQI in a 29 " deep tank. No actinics or any other supplemental lighting.


http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii75/bygkid/Tank/P3240120.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii75/bygkid/Tank/P1260056.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii75/bygkid/Tank/P1100049.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii75/bygkid/Tank/P2040076.jpg

Soctt

[kdblove_99]

Radium 20K

[pledosophy]

I use the Phoenix and 14K and love it.

[Mark426]

Phoenix 14K

[fishnfool]

Awsome pics you guys thanks for the input!

GQuinn and Bygkid what ballasts are you running?

[DarG]

I would also use the 50000K Iwasaki. Pretty good par for a 150 watt DE, not overwhelmingly blue and it also has a decent amount of actinic energy. Unique color and my favorite bulb of all of them. M81 ballast (Blue Wave 7) . I would love it if EYE came out with a 250 watt DE version that has the exact same color.

The Radium has slightly higher par but doesnt have the actinic bump. The two bulbs look quite different in terms of color. I havent seen the Phoenix but from what I have read, most users report is as a white bulb with slight blue. Not as blue as the 250 watt Phoenix. I also dont believe that it is the same bulb as the 150 watt Aquaconnect which is sometimes said to be the same bulb. So be careful with expectations when looking at the Aquaconnect graph on Sanjays site and expecting the Phoenix to be the same.

[GQuinn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12311832#post12311832 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishnfool
Awsome pics you guys thanks for the input!

GQuinn and Bygkid what ballasts are you running?

I use the Aro 175/150 electronic ballast.

Gary

[dobbs]

I like the Ushio 150W 10K HQI's the best so far. I've tried the Current's, and the XM's.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j184/dobbelmann/IMG_0066-4.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j184/dobbelmann/IMG_0068-1.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j184/dobbelmann/IMG_0069-1.jpg

[fishnfool]

DarG, thanks for the input. I was under the impression that Radiums had a higher blue spike for fluorescence despite having an overall white w/blue tint to it.

dobbs, very nice pics! I am currently using a 20K BLV (ushio?) but find it has a nice white w/blue tint on my HQI ballast but very little in the way of color "pop". How is your 10K in person?

[DarG]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12312716#post12312716 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishnfool
DarG, thanks for the input. I was under the impression that Radiums had a higher blue spike for fluorescence despite having an overall white w/blue tint to it.

dobbs, very nice pics! I am currently using a 20K BLV (ushio?) but find it has a nice white w/blue tint on my HQI ballast but very little in the way of color "pop". How is your 10K in person?

You can look at both bulbs on Sanjays site. The blue spike is about the same for the Radium and Iwasaki. The radiums spike is a bit broader but the Iwasaki does have some energy in the actinic 420nm area as well. It's not a huge 420nm spike like the typical blue 450-470nm spikes. Rather its smaller in intensity but fairly broad over that range like 400 - 430nm. My point was that you can see this in the color of the bulb. It's not a typical blue bulb. It has some visible actinic/purple in the color. But color perception varies between individuals so you may see it differently. But there is a little more actinic energy for color "pop" with those corals that do tend to "pop" under the actinic light.

[fishnfool]

Thank you DarG, very informative. I have been leaning toward trying out the Iwasaki.

[Bygkid]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12311832#post12311832 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishnfool
Awsome pics you guys thanks for the input!

GQuinn and Bygkid what ballasts are you running?



I don't have separate ballasts, they are internal electronic ballasts. Not sure of additional details on the ballasts.

Scott

[DarG]

They are Sunpark electronic ballasts. Decent ballasts, nothing at all wrong with them.

[mile sq. reefer]

GQuinn, what type of ballast do you use to run the Iwasaki 50k's?

[submytion]

How would you compare the Phoniex 150 14K HQI versus the XM 150 14k HQI?

[mile sq. reefer]

I wouldn't. The XM is 15k and the PAR is dissmal. Pheonix on that choice all the way.

[fishnfool]

mile sq. reefer, do you have any pics with the Phoenix? I've heard good things about it. Plus it's cheaper than the Iwasaki :D

I wish there was a definative site that showed various pics of these bulbs with different ballasts over aquariums. Sanjay's site is extemely helpful as far as spectrum and par but I find myself trying to find pics that show them with their actual look. I think having the means to do this would be difficult as there are variables involved...money, camera skills, etc.

Just a thought....

[Fig]

I've ran both the Iwaskai 50k and the Phoenix 14k. I like the Phoenix for color and price. Both are really nice looking bulbs though. Its nice to switch bulbs and see what happens from time to time.

[DarG]

Steve at coral reef ecosystems dot com has the Iwasaki 50K 150 watt DE for 63 bucks. Iwasaki also has a new 20000K 150 DE. More of a typical blue and bluer overall from what I understand.

[fishnfool]

Hey Fig, do you have any pics with the Phoenix? How does it bring out the coral coloration?

Thanks DarG, that's the best price i've seen. I'm thinking I may try both the Phoenix 14K and Iwasaki 50K but not sure if I want to buy both. I guess I could sell one if I dont like it :)

[submytion]

Thanks for the info. I will try it for my next bulb.