caferacermike Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 Hey folks I got my new Icecap 250w ballasts today. I'm planning to order my reflectors by Friday this week from Hellolights as they seem to have the "perfect" plain ol reflector and socket DIY set up that I need. Basically I'm taking a fixture that came with 2x 150 HQI and retrofitting them to 2x 250w and want it all to look the same when finished. So Hellolights offers these bulbs, http://www.hellolights.com/25hqid.html Those bulbs being, Aqualine Coralife Hamilton Ushio XM Pheonix. Now I'm not sure what I've heard but it was something about Ushio bulbs being driven better with Sodium ballasts. I've heard a lot of people like the dual output from Pheonix 14K and they like the cost. I'm tinkering with the XM 10K. I don't know about Aqualine and wonder if it's worth $90 a bulb. I've been told to stay away from coralife but not a solid answer as to why. Hamilton seems to be the all around under dog in the lighting world. Always there, no hype and low prices. I'm leaning towards 10K as I have 2x 96w 48" PC bulbs in both Dual 12k/actinics and super actinics (meaning I have about 8 full sets of PC bulbs I can choose from as I bought tons of them when I got my fixture). I have been filling my tank with a lot of SPS frags and that's why I am changing my bulb wattage and spectrums. Give me ideas and why. $150 is some coin for 2 lightbulbs and since I am already going into the $500 range for this project I want to get it right the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dhayden Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I hear great things about the 14k Pheonixs'. With all that atinic it will be "blue" some of us like that though. 10k's are too white for me, although you MIGHT get a little more growth out of the 10k vs 14k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammondegge Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 fwiw between the XM 10k and actinic supplement and the 14k phoenix i have seen more growth with the phoenix and i like the coloration much better. i have no actinic with the 14k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted August 24, 2006 Author Share Posted August 24, 2006 Ok so I have 12k PC bulbs, dual bulbs and full actinics to choose from. It sounds like I should lean towards the Pheonix with either 12k or dual PC's. So XM's aren't all they are cracked up to be? It seems that some are fanatics of the brand. I'm really just looking for growth. I've had my tank up for a year now and have also gotten a lot of SPS frags. I want the tank to begin filling in. The fixture I bought originally had 2x 150w 20k and 2x 96w dual pc's. My corals thrived and lived but did not grow and multiply much. It was when I was going to replace the 150's with 10k bulbs that I decided to go ahead and switch out to 250's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 I recently switched from XM 15k to Reeflux 10K. I have seen much more growth since. I liked the color a little more on the XMs but I had very little growth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dhayden Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 Reeflux are getting a lot of good press as well. My opinion would probably be the full atinics and the 10k reeflux. The thing is without the full atinics you wont have much of a "sun up sundown" period most of us use. Although if you didnt care about that you could go with the 14k pheonix and the duals. I dont know that the 12k's will benefit you a whole lot with any MH set up. My .02$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropy Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 I'm really just looking for growth. If that is really the case, you might want to think about 250w 6.5k Iwasakis. They will look like poopoo and be heavy on the yellow side, but everything will grow like mad. Some people get enough actinic over the tank to balance the color to something livable, but you will need more than PC's to do it. All my experience is with 175w SE bulbs so I am not much help, but IME the Ushios are really white on E ballasts, and the XM's are really white with a hint of blue on magnetic ballasts. The last bulbs I had (that where awesome) where Aqua2 by Iwasaki. Great growth and color with or without actinics (I used 2x110w VHO), but I am not sure if they have come out with 250w versions yet. Anyway good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted August 26, 2006 Author Share Posted August 26, 2006 Rich thanks. I would have tried the Iwasakis had tehy been available from my list. I was wondering if I could find a 6.5k bulb for growth. What's done is done. The order has been placed. I had wanted to try 10K Hamiltons or Xm's but I've had too many responses from Pheonix to stray away and try something different (here and other fourms as well, pheonix creamed any other suggestions by about 6-1). I got 2x http://www.hellolights.com/phoenix1.html Pheonix 14k And 2x http://www.hellolights.com/25hqidenmhre.html 250w reflectors 12"x6". Being powered by, 2x 250w Icecap halide ballasts. Will be cutting and fitting to my old oddysea fixture in about a week. Who wants pics as I do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted August 26, 2006 Author Share Posted August 26, 2006 fitting is a beep? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted August 26, 2006 Author Share Posted August 26, 2006 Hhahhaaha, the software is touchy. Ok folks do not ever explain in a DIY thread on this site about fit.ting anything ok? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropy Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 I think you will be happy with the Phoenix bulbs. I don't think Iwasaki has DE bulbs anyway and they run best off EYE ballasts. Just talking about all this stuff is making me crazy about getting another setup going... From this point forward I forbid any talking about reef tank setups!!! confused2.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celebrityovernight Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 wow, i'm quite supprised you went w/ the phoenix if you wanted growth. from what i've been reading as of late: http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/sel...ormancedata.php it seems the xm 10ks are give out much more par and would promote much better growth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted August 26, 2006 Author Share Posted August 26, 2006 Vinh I put out a quick couple of threads on 3 sites. I work a lot of hours and just don't have time to make these decisions for myself anymore. I've been running at about 80 hours 7 days a week for about 3 months, that explains the cash to rebuild my lights. I got off today at 3:30 for a youngsters Bday party but I am expected back at 8:00pm. So....... From the response I got from those three threads, Pheonix was by far the most highly recommended bulb. Of course that doesn't mean any one responding to my post actually read and understood what I wanted but hey I'd like to think they did. In fact I was dead set to get the Xm bulbs. I was very surprised to read a couple of responses telling me to pass on them. Maybe XM makes great single socket bulbs and haven't figured out the HQI's yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammondegge Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 you know, it's not just the bulb. i believe there is the perfect bulb for the specific system as viewed by a discerning eye, yet it is often not the same bulb. IME i have found the perfect bulb many times. it was an reeflux 10k SE 175 paired with 2-3' actinic bulbs in a 3' fixture over a 40g tank, and it is 2 150w HQI phoenix 14k's without supplementation on my 4' shallow 55g tank, and it is a single XM 15k 175w bulb over my seahorse tank. when my 7' 200g tank goes up i will have to start all over again with bulbs and combinations. i think this has been the hardest part of system building for me - definitly the most frustrating and costly. as for growth - i have seen more growth in my shallow 55 under 150w 14k's than i saw in the 40 under 175 w 10k's, this could be the brand of bulb, the temp of bulb, the depth of tank, the circulation, feedings .... after all is said it is what you find most suitable and pleasing that is the best bulb for you. until you have to switch everything to LED's of course happy3.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammondegge Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 you know, it's not just the bulb. i believe there is the perfect bulb for the specific system as viewed by a discerning eye, yet it is often not the same bulb. IME i have found the perfect bulb many times. it was an reeflux 10k SE 175 paired with 2-3' actinic bulbs in a 3' fixture over a 40g tank, and it is 2 150w HQI phoenix 14k's without supplementation on my 4' shallow 55g tank, and it is a single XM 15k 175w bulb over my seahorse tank. (oh, but i havent tried the reeflux on that one yet confused2.gif ) when my 7' 200g tank goes up i will have to start all over again with bulbs and combinations. i think this has been the hardest part of system building for me - definitly the most frustrating and costly. as for growth - i have seen more growth in my shallow 55 under 150w 14k's than i saw in the 40 under 175 w 10k's, this could be the brand of bulb, the temp of bulb, the depth of tank, the circulation, feedings .... after all is said it is what you find most suitable and pleasing that is the best bulb for you. until you have to switch everything to LED's of course happy3.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DallasRicordeaMan Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 phoenix all the way.. i have them mysellf and couldnt be happier with actinics its even bettter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropy Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 i believe there is the perfect bulb for the specific system as viewed by a discerning eye, yet it is often not the same bulb. Amen to that. Mine was two of the Iwasaki Aqua2 (175w) with PFO magnetic ballasts supplemented by 2x110w URI super actinics on a Fulham WH7 ballast. The color was absolutely perfect of my 150g! I may go with the setup again on my next tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.