175 watt MH Bulb Suggestions

[supertech3]

O.K. it is getting to be time for a bulb replacement and I have not done any research yet into the newest bulbs for 175 watt SE. I have mag m57 ballasts with xm 15k bulbs, they were new last year and thought to be a great new product until now we all know that they did not perform as well as expected and now I need to know what you all think I should consider I want to consider bulbs 10k-15k:confused: :

[DrBDC]

Go with the Iwasaki 15,000K bulbs. More par than most of the 250's.

[supertech3]

who also has the suggested bulbs for the lowest price?

[DrBDC]

Here's where I got mine:

http://www.coralreefecosystems.com/

[supertech3]

could someone post the perfomance plots for various bulb manufactures here for me to review

[Obi-dad]

If you go with the Iwasakis, make sure to acclimate your corals - switching from the xm15ks to the Iwasakis will put a LOT more PAR in the tank and will probably cause bleaching unless the corals are acclimated (screen method or raising the lights being preferred over just shortened photo-period).

I have had XM10k (slight yellow/purple cast) and much prefer the Iwasaki (much whiter, no yellow). But it is not a blue bulb even though it says '15k'.

You can see performace in articles like this (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/12/review) . Or you can go to Sanjay's website (http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/index.htm) .

[DrBDC]

Here you go. Plug in your bulbs and ballasts, read em' and weep. :D

http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/select2lamp.php

[supertech3]

well made some comparisons and the Aqualine buschke13k looks like a good bulb also anyone tried this bulb?

[DrBDC]

On an M57 ballast that def. does have a good output. Although it will be very white compared to what you're used to.

[supertech3]

DRBDC,thanks for your input, I guess I'll need to decide how to go. It is just such a risk when we have to make decisions like these, I sure a dissappointed in the way the xm's did for me at first the looked good and just faded faster than expected.

[DrBDC]

Like Obi-dad said though, plug in the XM 15,000k's you have and compare to the par of the new bulb choice. The XM15,000K's are so low in par it will take a bit of acclimation to the increase. I had a pair of the XM 15's and I loved the color. The XM10,000k's are so high in par I thought I was in heaven. Then the par results came out and I just couldn't stay with it so I went with the XM10's at that time. I'm on electronic ballasts and the Iwasaki's are some serious par with these ballasts so that was my choice at the time. I do want a little bluer I think so I'm almost thinking about going to 400's and pick any bulb I want since I now have a chiller to hook up. I know, big jump, but with my bulb/ballast combination I just can't see spending money for a 250 ballast set when many of the cool bulbs are lower par than I have now.

It's really hard to pick a bulb just on the numbers too since every tank and coral selection is different. I think even the surrounding room colors/lights end up making a difference in perception. Sometimes if you check the LFS's you can pick up 6 month used bulbs for about 15-20 and do some testing to see what you like. You could probably pick up 4 different ones and bring back the 3 you didn't like, maybe depending on the store. Doesn't hurt to ask.

[supertech3]

On my last bulb acclimation I did 4hr 1st day, 6hr 2nd day, and 8hr 3rd day. Do you think it will work for my next set-up?

[Obi-dad]

If I was going from xm15k to any 10k bulb, I would not risk 4 hours the first day, unless you are putting a screen over the tank, or raising the lights.

[Hammercoral]

look at the reeflux 10K bulbs, Will the m57 start up the Iwasakis??

[DrBDC]

It should. He has a par output on the pages with it. If it didn't it would have a 0 pppfd! :lol:

[supertech3]

from what i've read the iwasaki's will start, but the usio's will be a problem with the m57