What 250 Watt 20K DE bulb would you get.

shark007 · 02/08/2010, 12:01 PM

I have a 40 breeder with only a 250 watt reefstar on it. I am looking at going to 20K it is a DE bulb. What would you get? The tank is sps dominant.

shark007 · 02/08/2010, 01:06 PM

However would I get better growth from a 14k or 20k or will I really not notice that much difference..

nikon187 · 02/08/2010, 01:09 PM

Personally if i were going with a 20k bulb it would be a single ended fixture not DE so i could run the radium. For your setup i would run either a hammilton 14k, pheonix 14, you will get better growth in general from a lower kelvin bulb ( 10-14k)

shark007 · 02/08/2010, 01:20 PM

yeah i have the 14k from hamilton. I want growth but I want a little more blue. Maybe I could add a t5 or two.

xtm · 02/08/2010, 01:44 PM

I found that the SE 250w Radium is very, very similar to the 250w Ushio 20K's. I've used the 20K Ushios for a long time and it's been my favorite on the DE platform, when being pushed by an M80. It's a little dim on Icecap electronic ballast but very intense on an M80. I loved the 20K Ushio when I was on DE, I thought my reef had plenty of growth and coloration. My Formosas kept having growth spurts and frequently showed new blue tips about every 2 weeks. The 20K Ushios have plenty of actinic in the 420nm range, making actinic supplementation pretty much unnecessary.

I just went through a pair of Radiums and I'm not using them again. I noticed that they have dimmed a lot around the 7th month, and boy are they expensive. They are great bulbs but expensive.

I strongly recommend the 20K Ushio on DE format, powered by an M80. You'll love it.

old salty · 02/08/2010, 02:26 PM

I am using Ushio 20K bulbs on Icecap electronic ballasts. The coral colors are awesome but the growth is much slower than with 14K bulbs (Giessemann.)

shark007 · 02/08/2010, 02:56 PM

Thanks everyone for the info. I want growth but I want a little more color. I looked at the ushio and liked them. I guess all trail and error and see how the color and growth go.

02/08/2010, 12:01 PM	#1
shark007 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 321	What 250 Watt 20K DE bulb would you get. I have a 40 breeder with only a 250 watt reefstar on it. I am looking at going to 20K it is a DE bulb. What would you get? The tank is sps dominant.

02/08/2010, 01:09 PM	#3
nikon187 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 4,717	Personally if i were going with a 20k bulb it would be a single ended fixture not DE so i could run the radium. For your setup i would run either a hammilton 14k, pheonix 14, you will get better growth in general from a lower kelvin bulb ( 10-14k) __________________ ----------------- Current Tanks: New 210 custom 84 x 24 x 24, 60g sump, SWC 250 extreme with bubble blaster 5000, 2 vortech mp40, 2 vortech mp10, 12 T5, Water blaster 5000, warner marine bio pellets, 60g clownfish cube, red carpet anemone with a 25g sump,SRO octopus 1000sss, 250w radium, lumenarc large.

02/08/2010, 01:44 PM	#5
xtm Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Panorama City, CA Posts: 4,703	I found that the SE 250w Radium is very, very similar to the 250w Ushio 20K's. I've used the 20K Ushios for a long time and it's been my favorite on the DE platform, when being pushed by an M80. It's a little dim on Icecap electronic ballast but very intense on an M80. I loved the 20K Ushio when I was on DE, I thought my reef had plenty of growth and coloration. My Formosas kept having growth spurts and frequently showed new blue tips about every 2 weeks. The 20K Ushios have plenty of actinic in the 420nm range, making actinic supplementation pretty much unnecessary. I just went through a pair of Radiums and I'm not using them again. I noticed that they have dimmed a lot around the 7th month, and boy are they expensive. They are great bulbs but expensive. I strongly recommend the 20K Ushio on DE format, powered by an M80. You'll love it. __________________ Function before fashion Current Tank Info: 120g SPS Tank (48x24x24)

02/08/2010, 02:26 PM	#6
old salty Genius Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: The Island of Misfit Toys Posts: 3,131	I am using Ushio 20K bulbs on Icecap electronic ballasts. The coral colors are awesome but the growth is much slower than with 14K bulbs (Giessemann.) __________________ "The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers." Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: Out of the marine aquarium hobby

02/08/2010, 01:06 PM	#2
shark007 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 321	However would I get better growth from a 14k or 20k or will I really not notice that much difference..

02/08/2010, 01:20 PM	#4
shark007 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 321	yeah i have the 14k from hamilton. I want growth but I want a little more blue. Maybe I could add a t5 or two.

02/08/2010, 02:56 PM	#7
shark007 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 321	Thanks everyone for the info. I want growth but I want a little more color. I looked at the ushio and liked them. I guess all trail and error and see how the color and growth go.