What DE bulb are you running on your PFO ballast?

mario8402 · 01/27/2010, 08:14 AM

I have 250 watt DE PFO pendants with PFO ballasts hanging over my 180 and I am looking for the best bulb to pair with my PFO magnetic ballasts. I have been reading and have heard about overdriving, underdriving, par blah blah, my head is about to explode. Right now I currently have 3 x XM 10ks and they are a bit too yellow for my taste even with VHO supplementation . I was thinking of maybe switching to Pheonix 14k but I tried one last night and its pretty bluish purple and I just wasnt sure if it was a good match for the ballasts or whatever. Any help is appreciated

mario8402 · 01/29/2010, 10:39 AM

anyone?

gbsteve · 01/29/2010, 12:40 PM

You're using the pfo dual HQI ballast? If so, when I was running that I had the phoenix DE's and loved them. No actinic supplement needed. They did start off pretty blue, but burned in to a more whitish look. Before that I ran phoenix on icecaps and after about 6 months the bulbs seemed dim and really blue, so I switched to the PFO.

mario8402 · 01/29/2010, 02:36 PM

yes, I have the HQI ballast (at least I am pretty sure) they are large silver ballasts and are really heavy lol

01/27/2010, 08:14 AM	#1
mario8402 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Houston Posts: 271	What DE bulb are you running on your PFO ballast? I have 250 watt DE PFO pendants with PFO ballasts hanging over my 180 and I am looking for the best bulb to pair with my PFO magnetic ballasts. I have been reading and have heard about overdriving, underdriving, par blah blah, my head is about to explode. Right now I currently have 3 x XM 10ks and they are a bit too yellow for my taste even with VHO supplementation . I was thinking of maybe switching to Pheonix 14k but I tried one last night and its pretty bluish purple and I just wasnt sure if it was a good match for the ballasts or whatever. Any help is appreciated

01/29/2010, 10:39 AM	#2
mario8402 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Houston Posts: 271	anyone?

01/29/2010, 12:40 PM	#3
gbsteve Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 66	You're using the pfo dual HQI ballast? If so, when I was running that I had the phoenix DE's and loved them. No actinic supplement needed. They did start off pretty blue, but burned in to a more whitish look. Before that I ran phoenix on icecaps and after about 6 months the bulbs seemed dim and really blue, so I switched to the PFO.

01/29/2010, 02:36 PM	#4
mario8402 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Houston Posts: 271	yes, I have the HQI ballast (at least I am pretty sure) they are large silver ballasts and are really heavy lol