HQI 150 Hamilton 14k vs Phoenix 14k?

oct2274 · 07/05/2007, 04:41 PM

I was wondering what peoples opinions were on these bulbs. Which one do you like better and why, especially as far as color and how it makes your corals and fish look. Also are what are the differences in par between the two? Pics would be nice even though I know that the color representations might be off a bit, it will still give an idea...........

TIA

oct2274 · 07/06/2007, 12:29 PM

anyone?

wonk · 07/06/2007, 05:06 PM

I like my phoenix 14k's, but I have not exp with Hamilton.

RobSW1 · 07/06/2007, 06:43 PM

i am running hammy 14k's right now and i love the color. Its almost anice pur white, but has a tinge of blue.....the downside is they dont have as much par as most of the other 14k bulbs.

vthondaboi · 07/06/2007, 08:36 PM

the hamiltons will have more of a blue tint then the phoenix

I've had both in my 60g

Texsun · 07/06/2007, 10:29 PM

My experience was the opposite - Phoenix more blue than Hamilton.

GQuinn · 07/07/2007, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Texsun
My experience was the opposite - Phoenix more blue than Hamilton.

My Phoenix bulb was bluer than the Hamilton like Texsun said.

hahnmeister · 07/07/2007, 08:09 AM

They are very similar bulbs. The pheonix looks bluer, and has slightly more blue and actinic... but the real reason for the difference in how they look is based on the hamilton's higher levels of warmer spectrums like green and red.

SDguy · 07/07/2007, 08:15 AM

I ran a hammy on one side and a phoenix on the other for a while. The hammy looked more "natural", like daylight...very white, maybe a hint of warmth/yellow. The phoenix looked very blue compared to it, but, the warm colors on my fish looked just as nice. I went with all phoenix for a few reasons. No data on Sanjay's site for the hammy. Less "pop" of blues and greens by the hammy. All this even though I admit I liked the overall natural look of the hammy better...reminded me of snorkling

sditch · 07/07/2007, 11:38 PM

Hey guy's, I tried them all the 14ks (almost) and went with the Giesmenn. Very Bright and nice hint of blue on my M58 style ballest. Below is a Pic with 4x54 T's Gman Pure Actinic.

NanoGurl · 07/08/2007, 07:43 AM

I've had both the phoenix and hamiltons 14k. I didn't like the hamiltons they were too yellow on my setup. I switched to phoenix 14ks and fell in love with the color. If you don't have accent lighting and want a more blue/actinic look, go with the phoenix.

Pyrrhus · 07/08/2007, 10:17 AM

A lot of it comes down to the ballast you are using. In most cases the phoenix looks better on an electronic ballast and the hamilton looks better on an HQI ballast.

Most of the PFO pendants at ATR have Hamilton 14k bulbs (250w and 400w) on HQI ballasts.

oct2274 · 07/08/2007, 11:41 AM

ya, i have icecap electronic ballasts. I think I'll try the phoenix bulbs for now. I have 4 T5HO's to help supplement so I can shift the color pretty much any direction. Thanks for chimming in skip

BTW, I think that flasher I got from you yesterday day might be a filimented flasher. The colors changed once I got him in my QT tank. Either way a great flasher!

bureau13 · 07/08/2007, 12:01 PM

Hey, which Giesemann bulbs exactly are those? Are they the Coral bulbs? I thought when looking at Sanjay's site they had a color temp in the 9K range...I don't suppose you have any pictures without the T5s on? 4x54 is going to impact the output of 2x250 pretty severely I would think?

jds

Quote:

Originally posted by sditch
Hey guy's, I tried them all the 14ks (almost) and went with the Giesmenn. Very Bright and nice hint of blue on my M58 style ballest. Below is a Pic with 4x54 T's Gman Pure Actinic.

Genin · 07/08/2007, 02:31 PM

IME, my Pheonix 14k is much brighter and less blue than the Hamilton I used to use. I use a PFO HQI ballast by the way.

07/05/2007, 04:41 PM	#1
oct2274 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 2,347	HQI 150 Hamilton 14k vs Phoenix 14k? I was wondering what peoples opinions were on these bulbs. Which one do you like better and why, especially as far as color and how it makes your corals and fish look. Also are what are the differences in par between the two? Pics would be nice even though I know that the color representations might be off a bit, it will still give an idea........... TIA

07/06/2007, 08:36 PM	#5
vthondaboi Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 916	the hamiltons will have more of a blue tint then the phoenix I've had both in my 60g __________________ 250G - 75G Sump, ATB 10.5 deluxe, ACIII, 72 Cree LEDs, 2xMP40ES and 2x6055, Eheim 1262 return, and PM Calcium Reactor Current Tank Info: 90G, Aquactinics Solar Flare, Tunze 6045, 2x6055 single controller and Nano Wavebox, Alpha Cone 170 - 75G Aquactinic TX5, Tunze 6025 & Remora

07/06/2007, 10:29 PM	#6
Texsun Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 962	My experience was the opposite - Phoenix more blue than Hamilton. __________________ Fish heads, fish heads Roly-poly fish heads Fish heads, fish heads Eat them up, yum! Current Tank Info: Dipping my toes back with an Elos Mini...

07/07/2007, 08:15 AM	#9
SDguy Fish heads unite! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 23,384	I ran a hammy on one side and a phoenix on the other for a while. The hammy looked more "natural", like daylight...very white, maybe a hint of warmth/yellow. The phoenix looked very blue compared to it, but, the warm colors on my fish looked just as nice. I went with all phoenix for a few reasons. No data on Sanjay's site for the hammy. Less "pop" of blues and greens by the hammy. All this even though I admit I liked the overall natural look of the hammy better...reminded me of snorkling __________________ Peter SDMAS member Marine tanks since 1989. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º> Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.

07/08/2007, 10:17 AM	#12
Pyrrhus Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Tempe, AZ Posts: 2,713	A lot of it comes down to the ballast you are using. In most cases the phoenix looks better on an electronic ballast and the hamilton looks better on an HQI ballast. Most of the PFO pendants at ATR have Hamilton 14k bulbs (250w and 400w) on HQI ballasts. __________________ Severe Knowledge In Plumbing

07/06/2007, 12:29 PM	#2
oct2274 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 2,347	anyone?

07/06/2007, 05:06 PM	#3
wonk Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 256	I like my phoenix 14k's, but I have not exp with Hamilton.

07/06/2007, 06:43 PM	#4
RobSW1 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Tallahassee, Florida FSU Posts: 244	i am running hammy 14k's right now and i love the color. Its almost anice pur white, but has a tinge of blue.....the downside is they dont have as much par as most of the other 14k bulbs.

07/07/2007, 08:09 AM	#8
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	They are very similar bulbs. The pheonix looks bluer, and has slightly more blue and actinic... but the real reason for the difference in how they look is based on the hamilton's higher levels of warmer spectrums like green and red.

07/07/2007, 11:38 PM	#10
sditch Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Houston,Texas (USA) Posts: 750	Hey guy's, I tried them all the 14ks (almost) and went with the Giesmenn. Very Bright and nice hint of blue on my M58 style ballest. Below is a Pic with 4x54 T's Gman Pure Actinic.

07/08/2007, 07:43 AM	#11
NanoGurl Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Earth Posts: 4,306	I've had both the phoenix and hamiltons 14k. I didn't like the hamiltons they were too yellow on my setup. I switched to phoenix 14ks and fell in love with the color. If you don't have accent lighting and want a more blue/actinic look, go with the phoenix.

07/08/2007, 11:41 AM	#13
oct2274 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 2,347	ya, i have icecap electronic ballasts. I think I'll try the phoenix bulbs for now. I have 4 T5HO's to help supplement so I can shift the color pretty much any direction. Thanks for chimming in skip BTW, I think that flasher I got from you yesterday day might be a filimented flasher. The colors changed once I got him in my QT tank. Either way a great flasher!

07/08/2007, 02:31 PM	#15
Genin Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: PA Posts: 755	IME, my Pheonix 14k is much brighter and less blue than the Hamilton I used to use. I use a PFO HQI ballast by the way.