Bulb Selection Questions/Issues

[firsthesitation]

K so it came time to order new bulbs for my Outer Orbit and I thought I was gonna do it right. Put in my order with Marine Depot for:

2x250 14k Phoenix MH
2x54 AquaBlue+ Giesmann Bulbs
2x54 Actinic+ Giesmann Bulbs

Here's my issues.
1) The Phoenix aren't blue. If you turn off the T5's the MH's have a yellowish hue, no blue. I understood they were supposed to be between a 14 and 20K for coloring.
2) The AquaBlue+ have nothing blue about them either. Its a pure white bulb.


Solutions.

I'm thinking about ordering/Exchanging (waiting for a response from MD regarding that) the Giesmann Pure Actinic bulbs instead. Wondering though if I should order a different 14K? I see XM makes a 15K? Or should I just go to 20K's??

Any helps appreciated!!

[smariner]

Try the EVC 20K lamps. They're a really nice blue.

Hope this helps,
Chad D. Bryant

[Toddrtrex]

I have the same fixture over my 75. I currently have the Phoenix bulbs in there (( plus the actinics that came with the fixture )), I am indifferent to the color of the Phoenix bulbs, it just isn't doing anything for me. For Xmas I received 2 20K XMs, just haven't gotten around to installing them yet -- hopefully will do that tonight or tomorrow night. But, I did see the same fixture with the 20K XMs at an LFS and really liked them.

For reference, I tend to like a bluer look, and over my 58 I have 2*250 Radiums (( plus 1 96 dual actinic PC and 1 96 50/50 PC )) and I couldn't be happier with the color.

[TBHockey]

Wow...i run 3 -14k Phoenix 250w and i feel they have a nice blue color to them.

[tufacody]

I find it really strange when people say the phoenix 14k isn't blue. I just installed one in my 24" OO, and to counter the blue I used two aquablue specials, an ATI blue plus and a geisseman actinic plus. I also have one in my belize sun and find it to be windex-blue as well. Frankly, I kinda miss the warmth of a 10k bulb and will likely switch back to one.

[firsthesitation]

I also prefer the blue look. I was told by Marine Depot to let them burn in for a week and if I dont like the coloring they'll exchange them for me. If such is the case I'll look at the XM 20K's, originally I was debating between them and the Ushio 20K's anyways.

I liked the look of the factory configuration minus the 10K bulbs. The 420/460nm configuration looked good with the Hamilton 14K's I had in there I just wanted a little more blue. Its strange cause I've had hamilton's in my fixture at home and work and both of them did not have a burn in period, they were just blue from the first firing.