What is your choice of MH Bulb?

[thirty5]

I need to replace my MH's. I am running 3 250w and 4 48 inch VHO. I want to replace them all.

I was thinking of going with all BLUE Actinics and then runnin 10K MH. What is you thought?

Also what is your brand of choice for MH?

Anthony

 

[scumonkey]

I run 2 -250w 10k XM's with 2-36" 90w super Actinic blue tubes.
The end results look Ice White!

 

[masterswimmer]

The new Iwasaki 250w 14k DE MH is sweet. Those pix are with no actinic supplementation. 14k bulb but very crisp white.

swimmer

 

[Dj Orion]

just ordered the phoenix 14k 150w, i'll let you kow how it is...

 

[thirty5]

The new Iwasaki 250w 14k DE MH is sweet. Those pix are with no actinic supplementation. 14k bulb but very crisp white.

swimmer

Unfortunately i need SE

 

[masterswimmer]

Unfortunately i need SE

Iwasaki 175w SE makes an incredible bulb too

R

 

[Tonyscoots84]

im using 2 250 watt 10 k reeflux bulbs love the color combined with 2 t5 super uri actnic bulbs... really niceeeee

 

[roncgizmo]

Here try this, it might give you a better idea if you see it.

http://www.coralreefecosystems.com/ltg_bulb_color.htm

 

[prattreef]

im using 2 250 watt 10 k reeflux bulbs love the color combined with 2 t5 super uri actnic bulbs... really niceeeee

I agree, I like this combo very much but it also depends on the ballast you use. I use Ice Caps and these lamps perform very well. I think the Coral Vue ballasts work well too. Not so sure about standard Tar ballasts.

 

[JLAudio]

I was using phoenix 14k just before I sold my lights and LOVED IT! You really dont even need to use your actinics. Im curious if there 10k's are a little whiter, because that with your VHO's will be really nice

 

[prattreef]

I was using phoenix 14k just before I sold my lights and LOVED IT! You really dont even need to use your actinics. Im curious if there 10k's are a little whiter, because that with your VHO's will be really nice

Like so many things in this hobby, there are lots of variables. Not all 10K's are created equal--in fact none are-- some are surprisingly blue, some are crisp white, some are quite yellow and all look different on different ballasts. And more often than not, the DE and SE versions of the same lamp are quite disimilar.

Fun isn't it

 

[thirty5]

I am seeing that there is no definitive answers. I think that I might go with 3 XM bulbs (10K 250W), and then 4 Actinic (Blue).