250 watt DE bulb only lit tanks

gavin123 · 03/20/2008, 07:04 PM

Does anyone run just 250 watt double ended bulbs? Im in the market for some new bulbs, but i'm not sure what to buy. Before i purchase some new bulbs, i'd like to hear some opinions. I don't supplement my tank with actinics, because i'm hanging the lights from the ceiling, so I like the clean look. I also like the bluer look, and i have a mixed reef but I am more interested in SPS.

What bulbs should i run alone?
what 250 watt bulbs should i run if i supplemented with an actinic 54w T-5?

werdlone · 03/20/2008, 07:14 PM

I run 250 watt DE 14k phoenix bulbs on sunlight supply magnetic HQI ballasts without actinics. Perfect color IMO. I get great colors out of my corals and like the bluish color of the tank. Excellent growth as well. I have heard alot about reeflux 12K but haven't seen them personally...so my choice is 14k phoenix bulbs.

gavin123 · 03/20/2008, 07:18 PM

Thats what i've been running, I do like them. But i was just wondering if there was anything else out there that would compare.

USC-fan · 03/20/2008, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by werdlone
I run 250 watt DE 14k phoenix bulbs on sunlight supply magnetic HQI ballasts without actinics. Perfect color IMO. I get great colors out of my corals and like the bluish color of the tank. Excellent growth as well. I have heard alot about reeflux 12K but haven't seen them personally...so my choice is 14k phoenix bulbs.

I have the exact same setup. Looks great.

reefredy75 · 03/20/2008, 08:03 PM

I run 250w phoenix only on ice cap ballasts and love the colors

gavin123 · 03/20/2008, 10:32 PM

well then it looks like i will buy the same. can you guys post some full tank shots of the phoenix or others that are comparable.

a2fire2i · 03/21/2008, 12:50 AM

Not the best picture, but I run 250 HQI 14k Pheonix as well.

dphins · 03/21/2008, 06:58 AM

With the phoenix bulbs, do you guys have a hard time taking pics of your tank because of the color? My pics are always to blue.

erendon · 03/21/2008, 07:30 AM

Here is my 180 lit by X3 250W DE Giesemann 14.5K with X2 54W T-5 Megachrome actinics.

gsxunv04 · 03/21/2008, 08:00 AM

how do you have a dawn/dusk effect when you just run 2 14k's? do you cut one on then both the go back to one? or do you just cut them both on at once and let them run the whole day?

ScottL4619 · 03/21/2008, 03:39 PM

I run 3 X 250 HQI 14k Phoenix Bulbs with Blueline ballasts. I like the color, but wish it was a little bluer. I'm not sure if I have just adjusted to the color, or if the bulbs are getting older and changing spectrums, but it doesn't seem quite as blue as when they were new. I don't run actinics for the same reason; I hang my pendents from the ceiling and like that look without VHO bulbs hanging off the sides.

I'm not sure if I would want a 20k bulb though. I think it might just be too blue and I think you lose a lot of PAR with the 20k's. I wish there was a place to see them side by side in person (14k vs 20k vs anything else that is comparable).

dailydriven911 · 03/21/2008, 11:00 PM

Here's my 250w DE reeflux 12k on an Icecap hqi ballast.

03/20/2008, 07:04 PM	#1
gavin123 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: bay area Posts: 490	250 watt DE bulb only lit tanks Does anyone run just 250 watt double ended bulbs? Im in the market for some new bulbs, but i'm not sure what to buy. Before i purchase some new bulbs, i'd like to hear some opinions. I don't supplement my tank with actinics, because i'm hanging the lights from the ceiling, so I like the clean look. I also like the bluer look, and i have a mixed reef but I am more interested in SPS. What bulbs should i run alone? what 250 watt bulbs should i run if i supplemented with an actinic 54w T-5? __________________ 90 gallon oceanic 2 X 250w DE Blue wave 7 2 X Reef Optix 3 Plus Reflector mag 9.5 return on penductor 40 gallon sump Koralia 4 asm G-1x skimmer phosban reactor Current Tank Info: 50 gallon Reef tank, soon to be SPS

03/20/2008, 07:18 PM	#3
gavin123 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: bay area Posts: 490	Thats what i've been running, I do like them. But i was just wondering if there was anything else out there that would compare. __________________ 90 gallon oceanic 2 X 250w DE Blue wave 7 2 X Reef Optix 3 Plus Reflector mag 9.5 return on penductor 40 gallon sump Koralia 4 asm G-1x skimmer phosban reactor Current Tank Info: 50 gallon Reef tank, soon to be SPS

03/20/2008, 08:03 PM	#5
reefredy75 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Big D, Texas Posts: 179	I run 250w phoenix only on ice cap ballasts and love the colors __________________ ReefRedy75 A reef tank has a way of making any job a low paying job! Current Tank Info: 140 gal SPS, ASM skimmer PM sump/fuge 2x 250 MH 10K XM 220w VHO actinic icecap ballasts

03/20/2008, 10:32 PM	#6
gavin123 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: bay area Posts: 490	well then it looks like i will buy the same. can you guys post some full tank shots of the phoenix or others that are comparable. __________________ 90 gallon oceanic 2 X 250w DE Blue wave 7 2 X Reef Optix 3 Plus Reflector mag 9.5 return on penductor 40 gallon sump Koralia 4 asm G-1x skimmer phosban reactor Current Tank Info: 50 gallon Reef tank, soon to be SPS

03/21/2008, 12:50 AM	#7
a2fire2i Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sarasota, FL Posts: 1,964	Not the best picture, but I run 250 HQI 14k Pheonix as well. __________________ Corey Current Tank Info: 120 Mostly SPS Reef

03/20/2008, 07:14 PM	#2
werdlone Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: michigan Posts: 273	I run 250 watt DE 14k phoenix bulbs on sunlight supply magnetic HQI ballasts without actinics. Perfect color IMO. I get great colors out of my corals and like the bluish color of the tank. Excellent growth as well. I have heard alot about reeflux 12K but haven't seen them personally...so my choice is 14k phoenix bulbs.

03/21/2008, 06:58 AM	#8
dphins Last place no more! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Godfrey, IL Posts: 3,165	With the phoenix bulbs, do you guys have a hard time taking pics of your tank because of the color? My pics are always to blue. __________________ I work with a bunch of monkeys! Current Tank Info: 120 rr tank. Hamilton Cebu light fixture.. Apex controller. ATB 840 v1.5 skimmer. Lifereef calcium reactor with Geo 2nd chamber. Tunze 6100, 6105 and 6045. 40 breeder sump with eheim 1262 return. Pacific coast chiller...

03/21/2008, 07:30 AM	#9
erendon Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Chicago, Il. Posts: 444	Here is my 180 lit by X3 250W DE Giesemann 14.5K with X2 54W T-5 Megachrome actinics. __________________ He who tries and fails is wiser than he who does not try out of fear of failure. Current Tank Info: 180 Gal Reef, DYI fuge/sump, 3x 250's, 1400 K phoenix.

03/21/2008, 08:00 AM	#10
gsxunv04 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 874	how do you have a dawn/dusk effect when you just run 2 14k's? do you cut one on then both the go back to one? or do you just cut them both on at once and let them run the whole day?

03/21/2008, 03:39 PM	#11
ScottL4619 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 478	I run 3 X 250 HQI 14k Phoenix Bulbs with Blueline ballasts. I like the color, but wish it was a little bluer. I'm not sure if I have just adjusted to the color, or if the bulbs are getting older and changing spectrums, but it doesn't seem quite as blue as when they were new. I don't run actinics for the same reason; I hang my pendents from the ceiling and like that look without VHO bulbs hanging off the sides. I'm not sure if I would want a 20k bulb though. I think it might just be too blue and I think you lose a lot of PAR with the 20k's. I wish there was a place to see them side by side in person (14k vs 20k vs anything else that is comparable). __________________ Scott Current Tank Info: Empty...

03/21/2008, 11:00 PM	#12
dailydriven911 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bonney Lake, WA Posts: 550	Here's my 250w DE reeflux 12k on an Icecap hqi ballast. __________________ Red Sea Reefer 170, Kessil A360N w/ controller, MP10wes, RKL, BM Curve 5, Aquamaxx Reactors