Favorite de 250 bulbs

alebrun · #1 09/26/2006, 07:14 PM

What are your favorite de 250 watt bulbs? Which one look the best on a reef tank. Not too much white , not too much blue

2crazyreefers · #2 09/26/2006, 07:18 PM

Geisman megachrome 13 K

smatter · #3 09/27/2006, 08:20 PM

Aqualine Buschke 10000 is my favorite, the time-tested original. I use them as stand-alone bulbs. They put out plenty of 420nm light, no need for actinics. I have not tried the Giesemann bulbs yet, but I will say their fixtures are nice. The Giesemann Megachrome Coral bulb scored high in Sanjays tests, with high PAR and good color. Stay away from the Phoenix unless you like the phoney blue look.

Ti · #4 09/27/2006, 09:21 PM

xm 20k

bc_slc · #5 09/28/2006, 02:24 PM

Hands down, no questions asked, 250w DE Phoenix 14ks. Give them about 2 days to burn in and they are the perfect white.

Mat

stevem650 · #6 09/28/2006, 04:57 PM

Phoenix DE 250w 14ks...I have 3 without any supplement actinics. Nice crisp white/blue.

Scuba Dog · #7 09/28/2006, 08:51 PM

I hate to sound like a parrot, but I have always been pleased with the 14k phoenix 250.

kdblove_99 · #8 09/28/2006, 10:04 PM

looks like i will ahve to try the Phoenix when i buy new ones.

I have Ushio 10K and they are pretty darn white. ACtually to white for my personal taste. I want a little blue added

Ceak · #9 09/29/2006, 11:33 AM

2crazyreefers -

FYI the Ushio14K (or BLV Nepturion 14K) are very very very similar to the guiesmann marine 13.5K (they might even be the same bulb rebranded as Guiesmann's) and are usualy found at almost half the price.

Look it up!

RichConley · #10 09/29/2006, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bc_slc
Hands down, no questions asked, 250w DE Phoenix 14ks. Give them about 2 days to burn in and they are the perfect white.

Mat

What ballast your running them on?

Mine look like a toilet bowl with that blue stuff in it.

stevem650 · #11 09/29/2006, 01:30 PM

I run mine on Icecap 250 electronic ballast. Looks great.

Deuce67 · #12 09/29/2006, 01:42 PM

I like my 12K Reeflux on Icecaps.

BLANKENSHIP76 · #13 09/29/2006, 05:01 PM

Anyone tried Hamilton 14K bulbs???

chrishei · #14 09/29/2006, 06:27 PM

pheonix 14k here and love the balace of color

alebrun · #15 09/29/2006, 06:52 PM

I am running 2 250 aqualine 20k de bulbs. I have a 92 gallon courner reef with a total of 500 watts of lifgting. I not a 100% convinced that I have enough lighting on it because the tank is 24 '' deep. Im not really willing to upgrade to even brighter lighing because I'v allready spent about 3500$ on all of my equiptment. I wonder if I swith to a different kelvin rating bulb if it will brighten it up a bit because you know 20k bulbs arnt that bright any way. I am getting some good color on my sps corals so its not like its a total brown out. By the way its a mixed reef

Deuce67 · #16 09/29/2006, 07:58 PM

Here is a couple of pics of my tank. Its a 90g standard which is 24" deep.
The first pic was taken at the end of Jan 06. I was using Ushio 14k then. I thought then that I had good coloration on my tank.

I switch out the Ushios for the Reeflux 12ks at the end of March 06. Compared to the Ushios, I thought they were too dim. But I decided to give it some time and see how my corals react.

Here is a recent pic. I like the colors of my corals and the growth is pretty decent I think.

BLANKENSHIP76 · #17 09/29/2006, 08:01 PM

I like the color

alebrun · #18 09/29/2006, 08:10 PM

Deuce 67, Are you running any atinics on top of the halides?So your saying that the 12ks brought out better color than the 14k's.I see that alot of peole here on reefcentral run 14k bulbs eather hamilton or ushio. I also see that you have some clams towards the bottom of the tank. I geuss ther getting enough light since they are very light dependent.

Deuce67 · #19 09/29/2006, 08:18 PM

I dont really need the actinics. The 2nd pic does have them on. For the most part, I only use actinics for the dusk and dawn effect. If Im in the mood for a bluer look, Ill turn them on. The Ushio 14k didnt really have any blue in them. My crocea clam does well under the RF 12ks. I think the reason why not too many folks here uses the RF 12k is there is not any info on it as far as par rating goes.

bc_slc · #20 10/05/2006, 04:40 PM

I am running them on PFO HQI ballasts.

Mat

Quote:

Originally posted by RichConley
What ballast your running them on?

Mine look like a toilet bowl with that blue stuff in it.