what are the best De 14k out there? - Page 2

bowfront · 12/20/2005, 11:45 AM

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

FWIW Ushio has owned BLV for the last 15 years. This is around the same time they started manufacturing metal halide bulbs.

johns · 12/20/2005, 12:14 PM

OK. So can anyone explain then why so many bulbs are available in both BLV and Ushio variants? And not just that they are being marketed or sold in different countries, becasue it appears that with testing these are actually different bulbs?

Maybe that negates the theory that the BLV and Ushio 14ks are one and the same bulb - maybe like the 10k and 20k that are actually different.

moonpod · 12/20/2005, 12:47 PM

johns here is the deal:
Per Ushio/BLV, the 14k is the same bulb. The only difference is the labeling.

The 10k bulbs are different for whatever reason.

BLV makes the bulbs for Giesemann. Why? How many metal halide bulb makers do you really think there are in Europe? Do you think Giesemann or Aqualine Bushke for that matter have their own light bulb factories? No, they contract out.

As for why are the BLV and Ushio bulbs different? Who knows. They are targeted for different countries--BLV as far as I know has always made the "cores" for the Ushio MH bulbs, which for whatever reason may have lead to different lines of bulbs for North America and the rest of the world. Technically speaking, the US is not supposed to get the BLV 10k bulb. Those bulbs when sold in the US are "reimported", the dealers don't get 'em from Ushio, whereas they get Ushio bulbs from Ushio North America. The major source of BLV bulbs in the US that I know of is Sunlight Supply and they bring 'em in from Europe.

johns · 12/20/2005, 12:54 PM

OK. The main thing I wanted to be sure of was whether the BLV and Ushio 14k is the same. So thanks for clarifying that.

BlueStag · 12/20/2005, 02:00 PM

I've had the Ushio 14k DE bulb now for about 1 week and still burning it in. Just like everyone says its brighter and whiter than the phoenix14k DE(eyeball test

). If your in the 10k camp you'll like it. If your in the 20k camp, maybe not. I have the 250w version.

jimbo045 · 12/20/2005, 02:25 PM

I'm useing South Pacific Sunlight 14,000Ks. They seem fine. JD

hahnmeister · 05/30/2007, 03:56 PM

I think I would like to ressurect this thread:

It appears that with the recent testing of UShio and BLV bulbs by Sanjay, there are some different bulbs being made under each name. The BLV nepturion 14,000K seems to be a bit brighter than the Ushio, and, FWIW, seems to be the exact same bulb as the G-man 14,500K. From Sanjay's recent article...
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/sj/index.php
It appears that Ushio alone has many versions of a 10,000K, 14,000K, or 20,000K.

So Im seeking some clarity on this subject... what is what as far as the Ushio/BLV(HIT) lighting goes?

Justin James · 05/30/2007, 05:05 PM

Megachrome marine. They are 13,000K but give the growth of a 10,000K without the yellow.

hahnmeister · 05/30/2007, 11:59 PM

Actually, I believe the G-mans are rebadged Ushio/BLV bulbs. Compare the BLV nepturion 14,000K to the G-man Coral/14,500K in their 400 watt versions... they are identical.

Justin James · 05/31/2007, 04:20 AM

Well the Megachrome bulbs are made in Germany and I doubt the Ushio bulbs are made in germany. Perhaps Ushio is coppying off of Megachrome :P

hahnmeister · 05/31/2007, 01:48 PM

Why do you doubt the Ushio are made in Germany? Ushio is a German company too...
http://www.ushio.com/corporate/globalnetwork.htm

Justin James · 05/31/2007, 02:35 PM

Well theres something I didn't know.

hahnmeister · 05/31/2007, 03:20 PM

I believe all of their aquarium bulbs are made in the EU/Germany. From looking at the spectral graphs and outputs, it looks like the Giesemann bulbs overlap with the BLV nepturion bulbs.

Justin James · 05/31/2007, 05:07 PM

Interesting. So it would come down to price then with thouse two I guess.

anemoneguy · 06/01/2007, 06:59 AM

so im really confused... i just bought the mechachrome coral because i thought it was the best bulb on sanjays testing for color and par. i think its a little washed out for lack of a better word. i use hqi ballasts for the de bulb. i was going to try the a/b bulb to see if i could get closer to the other side of my tank that for now has 10 k bulbs that came with the current usa fixture.i have no idea what bulbs they are i guess current bulbs. anyway the mechachrome coral doesnt seem to penetrate as deep, but again maybe it does because the corals do seem to enjoy/like the bulb.are the 14 k bulbs an all around better choice because of spectrum? i was trying to get a bluer bulb that appears crisp to the eye. by the way 250 watt is what i have.

12/20/2005, 12:14 PM	#27
johns Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,684	OK. So can anyone explain then why so many bulbs are available in both BLV and Ushio variants? And not just that they are being marketed or sold in different countries, becasue it appears that with testing these are actually different bulbs? Maybe that negates the theory that the BLV and Ushio 14ks are one and the same bulb - maybe like the 10k and 20k that are actually different. __________________ Visit my Reefkeeping Tank of the Month: http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/component/zine/article/4 Current Tank Info: 190G Custom Starphire Peninsula, External Overflow, 30G Sump, 70G GrowOut, 2x400W MH + 4x54W T5 over peninsula, 1x250W DE HQI over GrowOut, Octo Pro 300 skimmer, Eheim 1262 return w/ Wavysea, 2xTunze Streams + 2 Nano Streams, Neptune ACIII controller

12/20/2005, 12:47 PM	#28
moonpod Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: B.H., Los Angeles Posts: 13,053	johns here is the deal: Per Ushio/BLV, the 14k is the same bulb. The only difference is the labeling. The 10k bulbs are different for whatever reason. BLV makes the bulbs for Giesemann. Why? How many metal halide bulb makers do you really think there are in Europe? Do you think Giesemann or Aqualine Bushke for that matter have their own light bulb factories? No, they contract out. As for why are the BLV and Ushio bulbs different? Who knows. They are targeted for different countries--BLV as far as I know has always made the "cores" for the Ushio MH bulbs, which for whatever reason may have lead to different lines of bulbs for North America and the rest of the world. Technically speaking, the US is not supposed to get the BLV 10k bulb. Those bulbs when sold in the US are "reimported", the dealers don't get 'em from Ushio, whereas they get Ushio bulbs from Ushio North America. The major source of BLV bulbs in the US that I know of is Sunlight Supply and they bring 'em in from Europe. __________________ Excuses are just the nails for the house of failure. Current Tank Info: 32" Leemar starfire cube now empty and not quite so stinky

12/20/2005, 12:54 PM	#29
johns Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,684	OK. The main thing I wanted to be sure of was whether the BLV and Ushio 14k is the same. So thanks for clarifying that. __________________ Visit my Reefkeeping Tank of the Month: http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/component/zine/article/4 Current Tank Info: 190G Custom Starphire Peninsula, External Overflow, 30G Sump, 70G GrowOut, 2x400W MH + 4x54W T5 over peninsula, 1x250W DE HQI over GrowOut, Octo Pro 300 skimmer, Eheim 1262 return w/ Wavysea, 2xTunze Streams + 2 Nano Streams, Neptune ACIII controller

12/20/2005, 11:45 AM	#26
bowfront 10 & Over Club Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 1,663	Would BLV (which is now really just Ushio) still be developing bulbs for geisemann now that they are a part of Ushio? FWIW Ushio has owned BLV for the last 15 years. This is around the same time they started manufacturing metal halide bulbs.

12/20/2005, 02:00 PM	#30
BlueStag Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Huntington Beach Posts: 1,054	I've had the Ushio 14k DE bulb now for about 1 week and still burning it in. Just like everyone says its brighter and whiter than the phoenix14k DE(eyeball test ). If your in the 10k camp you'll like it. If your in the 20k camp, maybe not. I have the 250w version.

12/20/2005, 02:25 PM	#31
jimbo045 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Aiea, HI. Posts: 1,788	I'm useing South Pacific Sunlight 14,000Ks. They seem fine. JD

05/30/2007, 03:56 PM	#32
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	I think I would like to ressurect this thread: It appears that with the recent testing of UShio and BLV bulbs by Sanjay, there are some different bulbs being made under each name. The BLV nepturion 14,000K seems to be a bit brighter than the Ushio, and, FWIW, seems to be the exact same bulb as the G-man 14,500K. From Sanjay's recent article... http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/sj/index.php It appears that Ushio alone has many versions of a 10,000K, 14,000K, or 20,000K. So Im seeking some clarity on this subject... what is what as far as the Ushio/BLV(HIT) lighting goes?

05/30/2007, 05:05 PM	#33
Justin James Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NS, Canada Posts: 510	Megachrome marine. They are 13,000K but give the growth of a 10,000K without the yellow.

05/30/2007, 11:59 PM	#34
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	Actually, I believe the G-mans are rebadged Ushio/BLV bulbs. Compare the BLV nepturion 14,000K to the G-man Coral/14,500K in their 400 watt versions... they are identical.

05/31/2007, 04:20 AM	#35
Justin James Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NS, Canada Posts: 510	Well the Megachrome bulbs are made in Germany and I doubt the Ushio bulbs are made in germany. Perhaps Ushio is coppying off of Megachrome :P

05/31/2007, 01:48 PM	#36
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	Why do you doubt the Ushio are made in Germany? Ushio is a German company too... http://www.ushio.com/corporate/globalnetwork.htm

05/31/2007, 02:35 PM	#37
Justin James Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NS, Canada Posts: 510	Well theres something I didn't know.

05/31/2007, 03:20 PM	#38
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	I believe all of their aquarium bulbs are made in the EU/Germany. From looking at the spectral graphs and outputs, it looks like the Giesemann bulbs overlap with the BLV nepturion bulbs.

05/31/2007, 05:07 PM	#39
Justin James Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NS, Canada Posts: 510	Interesting. So it would come down to price then with thouse two I guess.

06/01/2007, 06:59 AM	#40
anemoneguy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: indpls Posts: 364	so im really confused... i just bought the mechachrome coral because i thought it was the best bulb on sanjays testing for color and par. i think its a little washed out for lack of a better word. i use hqi ballasts for the de bulb. i was going to try the a/b bulb to see if i could get closer to the other side of my tank that for now has 10 k bulbs that came with the current usa fixture.i have no idea what bulbs they are i guess current bulbs. anyway the mechachrome coral doesnt seem to penetrate as deep, but again maybe it does because the corals do seem to enjoy/like the bulb.are the 14 k bulbs an all around better choice because of spectrum? i was trying to get a bluer bulb that appears crisp to the eye. by the way 250 watt is what i have.