400W DE Bulbs

[alrha]

The only 400W DE Bulbs i am able to find are the PFO (marine depot) and the IceCap (foster & smith).

anyone have any opinions on which I should use? I will be running them on IceCap electronic ballasts.

i have both with me (will have to return one) but cant try them out because then i wont be able to return them.

 

[Deanos]

What color temperature are the bulbs? Are you also using PC/VHO/T5?

 

[alrha]

they come in either 10k or 20k. i was using 10k till now and now got 20k to replace them. being that i have 3x400W bulbs, i figure i can afford to go with 20k and still have plenty of PAR. I'm looking for my corals to POP out.
I also have 2x140W (60") VHO - URI Super Actinics.

 

[jhale]

with 20K MH do you still need actinic vho's?

I'd love to see the 20k's on a tank but i would not want you to try them and end up hating the look. the 10k's are the safe bet, you know you can always add the actinic vho's. If you do go with the 20k's I wonder if you could add some white vho's to offset the blue, if it ends up you don't like the look.
did that help?

 

[alrha]

i have 10k with actinic now, but want MORE glow (i think) cant really know how it would look till i try it.

was just wondering if i should try the PFO or the IceCap bulbs...:scratchch

(not a bad idea using the VHO to offset the blue if it was too blue, i'll wait to see how the 20k look b4 i swap out the VHO)

 

[delv]

PFO also sells 14k....they are nice, but very similar looking to the 20's to my eyes. I've got like 10 400 watt 20K bulbs...I can't bring myself to use them due to the their light (low par) vs. energy consumption (more than 400 watts each)...

d.

 

[alrha]

you have 10 400w 20k bulbs? why would you buy so many if you wont use them? have you ever tried them?
i didnt see that they have the 14k in DE bulbs, can you point to where i can get them from?

 

[alrha]

just got off the phone with PFO, they do have 14k, but are backordered (they dont know till when).
Dont feel like waiting indefinatly for a bulb.

So it's the icecap 20k or the pfo 20k.

the 20k's may have low par vs energy consumption, but if they make the tank look nicer, well that's the whole point of having the tank.

 

[delv]

I have tons of equipment I don't use or really pay for...a perc of building 25,000 gallon aquariums for a living. Ask how long to backorder is, PFO is a pretty good company...I used them on a customers tank, it looks good and throws enough initial light to suitably light a 48" deep tank with a variety of corals.

d.

 

[alrha]

backordered (they dont know till when).

^^^