Replaced my MH's. Super blue...

RVANANO · 02/07/2011, 04:36 PM

I have a Giesemman Infinity fixture. I had the Megachrome 15,000k 250MH's in there for the last year. I just replaced them with XM 15,000k's and they are super blue.

Do the colors change after a but like car headlights? I thought 15,000k's were more white with a slight yellow look. Which is how my previous bulbs looked. These look to me like what the 20k radiums I have seen look like.

tkeracer619 · 02/07/2011, 05:15 PM

It really depends on the ballast as to the final color. They will change a bit but probably not a whole lot.

RVANANO · 02/07/2011, 05:59 PM

How could a ballast change color temp? Shouldn't 250W be 250W regardless? I am used to working with cars and HID setups and none of the different ballasts I have used have changed the color.

In that sense, what I had before was 4300k like what any new car with HID has (pure white) and what I have now is b/t 7000-8000k (plasma blue).

tkeracer619 · 02/07/2011, 07:45 PM

Unfortunately it doesn't work like that. A watt is a unit of power. 250w is 250w but you cannot determine the current or voltage that was applied to get that 250w. There is not enough info.

I want to run 3k (bright yellow) on my jeep but our cops will pull and ticket for it...

RVANANO · 02/07/2011, 07:52 PM

I have 3k fogs and don't have any issues here in VA

I have the Giesemann ballasts. I suppose the megachrome 13,000k or the XM 10,000k would give me the color I want. I will give Marine Depot a call tomorrow to see if it's possible to swap them out.

tkeracer619 · 02/07/2011, 08:43 PM

Yeah I want to run them in the fogs and the headlights. They don't really mind the fogs here but they seem to really care about the headlights. It is probably because the only people who generally do it would be someone with a modified car and any chance to pull one of us over is usually abused.

I have no experience with that ballast so I cannot give you any ballast specific suggestions. An xm10k will probably be yellow. A 12k reeflux is probably more like what you are looking for.

chadfarmer · 02/07/2011, 10:10 PM

XM 10,000k will be yellow

allsps40 · 02/07/2011, 11:34 PM

If you want a crisp white bulb Coralife 14k is the whitest I have used, their 20k is is more like a Phoenix 14k bulb.

RVANANO · 02/08/2011, 08:01 AM

Thanks for the suggestions.

In regards to the headlights, it seems only the idiots who run HID kits in a non HID headlight housing get into trouble. That is b/c the cutoff shields aren't designed for those lights.

I retro-fitted Acura TSX projectors in my BMW. The TSX projectors are THE best HID projector housings IMO. And I don't have any issue with blinding people or police. Check this link for my install

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/show...nd-35W-3k-fogs

bmkj02 · 02/08/2011, 09:49 AM

I just got a set of 250w XM 15k bulbs and they are nice and white. It all depends on the ballast you are running. I run mine on Ice Caps ballast.

RVANANO · 02/08/2011, 11:36 AM

Marine Depot told me to run them for 80-100 hours and if the color didn't change to a satisfactory spectrum, I could exchange them. Now that is good customer service!!

02/07/2011, 04:36 PM	#1
RVANANO SWAGON Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,404	Replaced my MH's. Super blue... I have a Giesemman Infinity fixture. I had the Megachrome 15,000k 250MH's in there for the last year. I just replaced them with XM 15,000k's and they are super blue. Do the colors change after a but like car headlights? I thought 15,000k's were more white with a slight yellow look. Which is how my previous bulbs looked. These look to me like what the 20k radiums I have seen look like. __________________ Brandon "Your opinion is appreciated. Unless it's stupid" -Me Current Tank Info: "Nano" 300 peninsula reef in progress

02/07/2011, 05:15 PM	#2
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	It really depends on the ballast as to the final color. They will change a bit but probably not a whole lot. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

02/07/2011, 05:59 PM	#3
RVANANO SWAGON Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,404	How could a ballast change color temp? Shouldn't 250W be 250W regardless? I am used to working with cars and HID setups and none of the different ballasts I have used have changed the color. In that sense, what I had before was 4300k like what any new car with HID has (pure white) and what I have now is b/t 7000-8000k (plasma blue). __________________ Brandon "Your opinion is appreciated. Unless it's stupid" -Me Current Tank Info: "Nano" 300 peninsula reef in progress

02/07/2011, 07:45 PM	#4
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Unfortunately it doesn't work like that. A watt is a unit of power. 250w is 250w but you cannot determine the current or voltage that was applied to get that 250w. There is not enough info. I want to run 3k (bright yellow) on my jeep but our cops will pull and ticket for it... __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

02/07/2011, 07:52 PM	#5
RVANANO SWAGON Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,404	I have 3k fogs and don't have any issues here in VA I have the Giesemann ballasts. I suppose the megachrome 13,000k or the XM 10,000k would give me the color I want. I will give Marine Depot a call tomorrow to see if it's possible to swap them out. __________________ Brandon "Your opinion is appreciated. Unless it's stupid" -Me Current Tank Info: "Nano" 300 peninsula reef in progress

02/07/2011, 08:43 PM	#6
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Yeah I want to run them in the fogs and the headlights. They don't really mind the fogs here but they seem to really care about the headlights. It is probably because the only people who generally do it would be someone with a modified car and any chance to pull one of us over is usually abused. I have no experience with that ballast so I cannot give you any ballast specific suggestions. An xm10k will probably be yellow. A 12k reeflux is probably more like what you are looking for. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

02/07/2011, 10:10 PM	#7
chadfarmer Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: ST Charles, MO far from nanook Posts: 11,045 Blog Entries: 1	XM 10,000k will be yellow __________________ If you think you know the answer than ask 3 more people the question Current Tank Info: 200 Gal RR,ATB medium, 4 AI blue sol,230 LBS LIVE ROCK, no sand , 40 GAL sump, airstar1800, 3 tunze 6105 1- 6205 1-6305, Geo 818, profilux3ex with toys

02/07/2011, 11:34 PM	#8
allsps40 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Arizona Posts: 4,627	If you want a crisp white bulb Coralife 14k is the whitest I have used, their 20k is is more like a Phoenix 14k bulb.

02/08/2011, 08:01 AM	#9
RVANANO SWAGON Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,404	Thanks for the suggestions. In regards to the headlights, it seems only the idiots who run HID kits in a non HID headlight housing get into trouble. That is b/c the cutoff shields aren't designed for those lights. I retro-fitted Acura TSX projectors in my BMW. The TSX projectors are THE best HID projector housings IMO. And I don't have any issue with blinding people or police. Check this link for my install http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/show...nd-35W-3k-fogs __________________ Brandon "Your opinion is appreciated. Unless it's stupid" -Me Current Tank Info: "Nano" 300 peninsula reef in progress

02/08/2011, 09:49 AM	#10
bmkj02 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: FLORIDA Posts: 297	I just got a set of 250w XM 15k bulbs and they are nice and white. It all depends on the ballast you are running. I run mine on Ice Caps ballast.

02/08/2011, 11:36 AM	#11
RVANANO SWAGON Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,404	Marine Depot told me to run them for 80-100 hours and if the color didn't change to a satisfactory spectrum, I could exchange them. Now that is good customer service!! __________________ Brandon "Your opinion is appreciated. Unless it's stupid" -Me Current Tank Info: "Nano" 300 peninsula reef in progress

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Replacing 54w UVL super actinc ?s	reefcrazy0821	Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment	2	12/08/2008 12:24 PM