250 watt DE Phoenix 14K vs. 250 watt DE Iwasaki 14K (pics)

gcarroll · #1 09/18/2007, 07:30 PM

Well, I just got my 250 watt DE Iwasaki 14K bulbs. I put one in to take pics. Here it is compared to a 3 week old Phoenix 14K. Both bulbs are running on SLS Galaxy ballast. This is a six foot tank with only 2 of the 5 bulbs running.

Phoenix 14K on the left, Iwasaki 14K on the right. No supplemental lighting.

Yinger · #2 09/18/2007, 08:07 PM

Greg, my buddy has had those bulbs for about a month now and he mentioned that once they burned in, it became more blue...

OliverM3 · #3 09/18/2007, 08:12 PM

Nice! thanks for that. I was considering the Iwasaki.
I made the right choice going with the Phoenix 14k.
For my taste anyway.
I like the frag tray good idea.

gcarroll · #4 09/18/2007, 08:29 PM

Yinger - that is good news if the bulb maintains it's intensity.
OliverM3 - I love the Phoenix bulb also. If it were not for the 3 - 250 watt Radiums, I'm not sure I would really love these bulbs alone.

Paulairduck · #5 09/18/2007, 08:33 PM

I think I like the Phoenix better, but if the Iwasaki still has burn in time, will we see. Tank look's great

bdare · #6 09/18/2007, 08:57 PM

I'm currently trying to decide what 150W DE bulb I should go with. Do you think you would like the Iwasaki bulb if you had 2 x 39 Ice cap T5 retros with it?

I'm only going to have a single 150 so I'd like to go with a lower Kevlin bulb to get more par, but I will be supplementing with T5's. I'd like a combination that will end up looking like the Phoenix bulbs w/o atintics. What do you think?

gcarroll · #7 09/19/2007, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bdare
I'm currently trying to decide what 150W DE bulb I should go with. Do you think you would like the Iwasaki bulb if you had 2 x 39 Ice cap T5 retros with it?

I'm only going to have a single 150 so I'd like to go with a lower Kevlin bulb to get more par, but I will be supplementing with T5's. I'd like a combination that will end up looking like the Phoenix bulbs w/o atintics. What do you think?

I have no experience with the new Iwasaki 150 watt DE. I do have the 150 watt DE Iwasaki 50K which is very bright.

I will allow more time for break-in and take new pics.

cweder · #8 09/19/2007, 11:58 AM

I use the Phoenix 14K and think there great. I would like to see them compared to the Reeflux 12K . Anyone know about how they would compare?

PSam · #9 09/19/2007, 12:14 PM

I dumped phoenix for the reeflux 12K. Much happier. My tank looks better after 1 month on the reeflux. Will never go back back to phoenix, unless I get hqi ballast, then i'd try it again.

cweder · #10 09/19/2007, 12:28 PM

I run my phoenix 14K on the magnetic HQI ballast not electronic ballast. I think this makes a significant difference. I believe the HQI ballast will push the bulbs another 50 watts. So I would like to see them compared on HQI mag ballasts. Would still like to see pictures if you have them even on electronic ballasts.

SDguy · #11 09/19/2007, 02:00 PM

Do you have less colorful corals on the right, or is it the bulb?

gcarroll · #12 09/19/2007, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cweder
I run my phoenix 14K on the magnetic HQI ballast not electronic ballast. I think this makes a significant difference. I believe the HQI ballast will push the bulbs another 50 watts. So I would like to see them compared on HQI mag ballasts. Would still like to see pictures if you have them even on electronic ballasts.

I am running the SLS Galaxy e-ballast. Unlike other e-ballasts on the market which are tuned to exactly 250 watts, the Gallaxy ballast is tuned to European HQI specs. It runs the bulbs at approx. 270 - 285 watts depending on the bulb. So in my crude testing with a PAR meter I have seen no more than 5-10% drop in par from a M80 magnetic HQI ballast. To the naken eye, most people cannot tell the difference between a Galaxy and an HQI running side by side.

Quote:

Originally posted by SDguy
Do you have less colorful corals on the right, or is it the bulb?

both!

kdblove_99 · #13 09/19/2007, 04:51 PM

I have Phoenix also.

EVen though corals look better on the left, to me the one on the right looks more natural

HaroldT · #14 09/21/2007, 05:26 PM

I like the look from the Phoenix bulb. Nice looking.

tony13 · #15 09/21/2007, 08:55 PM

Has anybody ran the Reeflux 250w DE 12k lamps compared to the Phoenix 14k 's? I have E ballasts and am looking for more pop in the colors than growth at this point. I like the Phoenix side better in the pic above, but you'll have to post pics once the Iwasaki's break in.

SDguy · #16 09/21/2007, 10:41 PM

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by SDguy
Do you have less colorful corals on the right, or is it the bulb?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

both!

LOL, well that's biased then

eddtango · #17 09/21/2007, 11:46 PM

I use 2-Phoenix 14k HQI 250s on my 125 gal. They rock!

Blue Reef Girl · #18 09/22/2007, 02:25 AM

Could someone please post some more pictures with the 250 watts Phoenix 14K. I was thinking of ordering soon. I have the 150 HQI with 14K and it rocks. Please give me some choices so post those pictures please.

michaeldaly · #19 09/22/2007, 10:01 AM

I personally prefer the colour of the iwasaki

PSam · #20 09/22/2007, 10:39 AM

I do too. the phoenix is unnatural to my eye.