Is BLV/Ushio 14000K yellow?

[Navyblue]

I run Osram magnetic ballast. 10000K BLV and Hamilton looks obviously yellow by themselves. I don't want to see any hint of yellow this time round, I wonder if I should try the BLV 14000K?

I have seen the Phoenix 14000K, to me it is crisp white with a hint of blue. No way that it is very blue like most people describe it here, I guess it is the ballast. Most people here seems to be running electronic ballast, most people around here runs magnetic ballast, which I suppose the ballast we use makes bulb more yellow and less blue.

I dislike the monochromatic look, many seems to think that the Phoenix is so. But if the BLV 14000K is yellow I'd still go with the Phoenix and supplement the full spectrum with T5.

Though I prefer to keep the T5 blue for the dusk dawn effect. I have 4 tubes of T5 and I know that even with 1:3 white to blue ratio it would look white with a hint of blue, which is not blue enough as dusk/dawn effect for me.

Thanks in advance. :)

[Gary Majchrzak]

400w SE 14k Ushio is currently my fav but I wouldn't consider either the 10k or 14k Ushio "yellow". I'm not a fan of the deep blue look. IMO 14k Ushio is perfect balance blue/white. (For more blue supplement with something else or go with higher kelvin MH.)

[GSMguy]

14k ushio looks yellow to my eye, my pheonix on magnetic ballast is much bluer , ushio 20k is not nearly as blue as pheonix


I run everything on m-80 ballasts

[EnderG60]

I have one. It was pretty yellow for the first few weeks, then burned into a bright white with a yellow hint.

Not my taste at all so I switched back to the XM20k.

I still cant find a 14k bulb that looks like a 14k and has more par then the xm 20k on a mag balast. So ill stick with the bluer bulb and more light.

[GSMguy]

Enderg60 you might be looking for the iwasaki 15k ;)

[EnderG60]

I wasnt aware they had them in 400w's got any pics/links?

[Navyblue]

Forgot to mention, I am using 150W DE.

I'm not a fan of the monochromatic blue look and strongly subdued red either, but at the same time I try to avoid any yellow tint, which IMO look more like sunshine than underwater.

So basically I am looking for the bluest full spectrum light that is absolutely free of yellow tint. As mentioned I've tried the BLV and Hamilton 10000K and they are still to yellow unsupplemented. I have tried BLV 20000K, it looks great IMO, ice bluish white, but it is visibly dimmer and turns my yellow leather a little browner, though it seems to do SPS and crocea a few inches under water fine.

Regarding to the XM 20000K, how does it compare to the Phoenix?

[GSMguy]

Oh I thought we were talking 250w, my bad.

[gcarroll]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14061416#post14061416 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Navyblue
I have seen the Phoenix 14000K, to me it is crisp white with a hint of blue. No way that it is very blue like most people describe it here, I guess it is the ballast. Most people here seems to be running electronic ballast, most people around here runs magnetic ballast, which I suppose the ballast we use makes bulb more yellow and less blue. Based on your description of the Phoenix, the BLV Ushio is yellow. If we are talking 250 watt bulbs, yoiu definitely should consider the AquaMaxx 14K or the Iwasaki 15K.

[Navyblue]

No problem, but I am using other wattage as a gauge as well, it seems that 150W is not too popular here.

[gcarroll]

For 150 watt, consider the Iwasaki 50K and AquaMaxx 14K

[GSMguy]

Greg is who I usually ask for bulb advice,

Isn't there a DE radium too at 150w?

[EnderG60]

I had a pheonix 14k 150w on my nano along with tow 50/50 PC's they evened the color out pretty well and added some more PAR. Might consider adding a pair of T5's to the mix to whiten it up a bit.

I use 50/50 T5's on my 58g with a 400w xm 20k and it evens it out very nicely.

[Navyblue]

Btw, how yellow is it? It might have a chance to work out as I have 214W of blue T5s to balance the 300W of yellowness, if the yellow is not too bad. I'll take out my old BLV 10000K and see how it works on my tank, can I assume that the BLV 14000K is visibly less yellow than the 10000K? Else I'd go with others.

The others would be
- BLV 20000K
- XDE 20000K
- Phoenix 14000K

Among these does the Phoenix has the best PAR?

[Navyblue]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14061908#post14061908 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
Greg is who I usually ask for bulb advice,

Isn't there a DE radium too at 150w?

I think there is, but it's not available to me locally.

[ksed]

I dont know if par value means anything any more.
Read :
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/12/

Maybe Greg can chime in