what are the best De 14k out there?

[myusername]

I am using 2x250wDe MH 10K Ushio, 2x65w actinic, But it time for me to by new ones now. I would like to add more actinic in the tank. So,I thought I would go to a 14K.So I need to know.what is the best 14k and how much?

[danair]

I'm using the Pheonix 14K and love it. I actually started turning off my actinic suplimentation after the MH's fire up to save the heat.

[myusername]

How much are they? and you do not have any photos of your tank to see how your corals look.

[danair]

Everything's shut down for the night. I'll try to get a photo tomorrow.

[myusername]

I just went to Ushio's web sit,and I got lost.could not find info on reef lights.

[Herbert T. Kornfeld]

the pheonix bulbs have the highest output of the 14,000Ks (except the Aquaconnects which are much more $$$ and the same bulb in PAR and spectrum really). They are my personal favorite.

$55 (with shipping!!!) at illuming.com is where I get them...

[myusername]

Thank you for the info.

[jackson vile]

what about the astrulux?

[moonpod]

Of the "blue" 14ks the phoenix has the highest output. There is now also a "true" 14k option the BLV/Ushio which is white with just the barest tint of blue. Both available at reefgeek.com

[danair]

Originally posted by myusername
How much are they? and you do not have any photos of your tank to see how your corals look.

Here are a couple of pics of my tank with the 250Watt Pheonix 14K HQI's only. The full tank pic look a little darker and bluer that it really is, but should give you a feel for the blue tint.

[myusername]

Thank you and Merry Christmas. I thank I am going to by the Pheonix 14k. TO. moonpod , I love your photos in your gallery. How could you buy all the different bulb? I thank you for it ,that made the differents.

[johns]

Of the "blue" 14ks the phoenix has the highest output. There is now also a "true" 14k option the BLV/Ushio which is white with just the barest tint of blue. Both available at reefgeek.com

Has the PAR even been checked yet on the BLV 14k?

[Deuce67]

I just installed a pair of ushio 14k on PFO M80 HQI ballast yesterday. Its definitely bright and nowhere near as blue as the Phoenix. I dont see any blue tint to them at all. Maybe the bulb needs burn in time. Supplemented with 2 54w T5 blue plus is great but without it looks really white.

[Herbert T. Kornfeld]

johns, Sanjay juat found out about the Ushio 14,000Ks a few days ago (his work is building up on him), and so it will be a while before standardized testing.

[gcarroll]

Has the PAR even been checked yet on the BLV 14k?

To my knowledge, Sanjay has already tested the bulb and I could have swore that the Ushio guys said they had the results already. I don't know when he will release the results. The Ushio guys were at my place on Friday and I swapped out the new Nepturion 14K (after 2 1/2 months) for the new Nepturion 20K! Let's see hou the corals color up now.

[johns]

Nepturion?

I dont think you are allowed to drop a name none of us have heard before without a little explanation.

[vanillagorila]

Im going with the 14k's too

[rock455]

Megachrome -- IMO

[moonpod]

Originally posted by johns
Nepturion?

I dont think you are allowed to drop a name none of us have heard before without a little explanation.

Nepturion=BLV=Ushio

[Herbert T. Kornfeld]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...&pagenumber=13

You are correct gcarroll, my bad. I must have read something else into it when I read it.

[johns]

Nepturion=BLV=Ushio

Why does Reefgeek have both a BLV and a Ushio 10k and 20k (different prices even). Are they really exactly the same?

But yet they only have the Ushio 14k. Are they going to get a BLV 14k and will it really be exactly the same?

[moonpod]

The BLV and Ushio 10ks are not the same bulb (Sanjay tested these and they are different--close but different). The 20k putatively is not the same (the "Nepturion" 20k I believe is a new bulb). The 14k is the same b/c it's new. BLV I THINK was already making a 10 and 20k bulb when Ushio acquired them. The problem with BLV bulbs in the US (why they are more expensive) is that they are "reimported" from Europe or Asia. Technically BLV bulbs are for the European and Asian markets and Ushio is for the north american market.

[johns]

So to partially answer my own question, there IS a BLV 14k because it's listed here on this website:

http://www.viclite.com/blv_10k.htm

But it sounds like you are saying that in the case of the 14k, the Ushio and BLV are the exact same thing (presumably because this was developed while Ushio/BLV were joined as a single company) So no use waiting around to see if anyone in the states gets the 14k BLV then?

And the reason why the 10k and 20k versions of these are different is that they were developed separately at different companies and both are still being offered now that they are a single company. Why so many people would continue to say these are the same bulb then is beyond me. All they have in common then is the same kelvin rating.

[moonpod]

the only BLV/Ushio bulbs that are the same are the new 14k Nepturions. The rest are different b/c yes they were developed prior to Ushio acquiring BLV.

So the 10k bulbs are NOT the same--either DE or SE. Sanjay has tested those and they do indeed test different.

A different issue is the Giesemann bulbs that are made by BLV for Giesemann. There seems to be very, very little difference between the BLV 10k and the Giesemann 13k--albeit I believe that the claim at least is that the G'mann uses a "more stable" phosphor combo for better color stability. The next question is just how different is this "new" Nepturion 14k and the Giesemann 14.5k?

[johns]

Thanks for confusing me more.

J/K

I think I might be getting it...maybe.

But...

Would BLV (which is now really just Ushio) still be developing bulbs for geisemann now that they are a part of Ushio?