Metal/Halide/Bulbs

[neptune]

i have a question...im switching from 250 se bulbs 14ks hamalton to HQI 250 14ks what is the best de bulb to buy?? i have 2x ice cap 430 ballest
i heard good things about phenix bulbs ..but i wanted some opinions
i plan on putting them in in reflector mini pendants and adding them inside my hamiltom hood over my 90 gallon

 

[prattreef]

The Phoenix are nice, but might be a bit blue depending on your taste. The Ushio 14K DE looks very promising not as blue as the Phoenix and considerably brighter. Reeflux 12K and 10K are possibilities too.

 

[bad coffee]

I like the phoenix without any actinics. The bulbs are inexpensive. But I have noticed I've needed to change them more often than other MH's.

I had a ushio 10kk that I liked as well.

B

 

[cali_reef]

neptune" data-source="post: 234748" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

i have a question...im switching from 250 se bulbs 14ks hamalton to HQI 250 14ks what is the best de bulb to buy?? i have 2x ice cap 430 ballest
i heard good things about phenix bulbs ..but i wanted some opinions
i plan on putting them in in reflector mini pendants and adding them inside my hamiltom hood over my 90 gallon

I don't know how you plan to power 250W MH bulbs with a IC 430 VHO ballast..

 

[House of Laughter]

I like the phoenix without any actinics. The bulbs are inexpensive. But I have noticed I've needed to change them more often than other MH's.

I had a ushio 10kk that I liked as well.

B

I agree - I prefer the Pheonix as well, but after 6 months, they really start to get blue. I would say 10 months is the best out of these bulbs.

I am going to also try the ushio as I saw it at MACNA and we'll be carrying them.

House

 

[pecan2phat]

Aqau-Connects if you can get them. Next best attempt might be the Ushio 14k.
Hammys and Reefluxs are pretty blue and dim IMO.

 

[neptune]

my ballest are ice cap...????????powering my 2 hamilton se halides single ballest i think 660's they were ponoyreefers. but it sounds like ushio is #1
choice..i also planned on running vho 50/50 and 10.000k uri 110 2 bulbs

 

[neptune]

what are the aqua connects? do you have a link pecan?

 

[pecan2phat]

http://www.aquaristics.com/pro_lighthit.php

 

[cali_reef]

IC 430 and IC 660 are both for VHO bulbs, you must have the IC250MH.