Need advise on HQI

[Welles]

I am using XM 250W 10000K bulb for my SPS tank, but I feel this bulb is too "yellow" for me, so I want to change to 20000K bulb, I think I should upgrade to 400W to keep PAR do not drop too much, after read tons of review and data, I was totally confused, it seems the Radium bulb is the best choice for 400W 20000K, is it right ? any other advisement on this ?

Thanks

[getwood65]

the radium is a single ended bulb.are you talking about double or single ended bulbs?

[Welles]

sorry, I am talking about single ended bulbs

[SPSFiend]

why don't y ou try a 14K ?

[Welles]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7962464#post7962464 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SPSFiend
why don't y ou try a 14K ?


14K is fine, but it seems most 14K is not better than 20K on PAR...

[NewSchool04]

The 400 XM 20K's are very nice.

[Mchava]

Well have you at least tried it. I dont know how high or how much your electric cost is but I dont think your need to got with a 400w set up. You can get jast as good results with 250 and you will not increase your power usage. What kind of look are you going for? Do you want a bluer look or a crisp white/blue look. Also if you are running an HQI ballast on a 400w 20k radium its 471watts and 466watts on the xms. The most par you will get is 147 ppfd on the radiums. With the 250 if you use the 14K Aquaconnects you will see 109 ppfd and only use 322 watts. Its something to look at. Not only that but the 400w will heat your tank up quicker then the 250's

[Welles]

to NewSchool04: Thanks for your advisement :-)

to Mchava: I have use the hamilton 14K SE before XM 10K, I like the blue color that the hamilton 14K have, but under the XM 10K, almost all the coral 's growth is better, I think it is because XM 10K has higher PAR, now I want coral's growth and blue color, that is why I am considering 400W.

[getwood65]

400w radium on an hqi ballast will look like 14k hami but will have more par,although bulb life is between 7 and 8 months.

[REEF-DADDY]

I was really torn between the Radium HQI and XM on an M59 The PPFD on the radiums is about 10 more and they are whiter. The XM's have a bluer color temp. The other thing si teh XM'a lat longer just the facts!

[krueger]

I was using the 250 14K HQI hammy's and noticed very little growth. Someone here on RC was talking about the new Ushio20K+, so I switched to them and noticed some new growth on all of my acro's after one month using them. I'm not sure of the par on them but I love the colour and the growth is ok(probably not as good as a 10K though).

my 2 cents

Mike