Phoenix + HQI Ballast..... Like or dislike

want2reef · 08/12/2006, 08:28 AM

I was thinking of switching from a E- Ballast to a HQI ballast, to get a little more par.

I have heard from some people that the colors look a little washed out with the HQI ballast.

How do you like your setup?

Thanks

Ereefic · 08/12/2006, 08:31 AM

Like

HotHotHot · 08/12/2006, 10:31 AM

I have RO III pendants, Phoenix 14K, BW III & VII HQI ballasts.

I like it, but oddly enough I think the light is too white. I'd prefer bluer. I may go 15-20K when it's time to switch.

HTH
Ed

reefman23 · 08/12/2006, 10:52 AM

I have a 150 watt phoenix on a Hamilton HQI ballast and i love the color...it still has a nice blue tint to it...

Jesse

sellout007 · 08/12/2006, 11:19 AM

I have a 250 - 14k on an aquamedic HQI and I love the color. I am not a fan of a super blue tank though. So for me, this is the perfect color. Not yellow, more a bluish white.

sticky · 08/12/2006, 11:27 AM

I have a blue wave 7 dual ballast 250 14k phoenix.....love them just enough blue to them for me not to need any actinic supplementation. I have a 180 gallon tank and on the far end I have a 250 watt coral vue 20k bulb running on an ice cap elec ballast. It looks really dim compared to the phoenix ...needless to say my third 250 hqi and phoenix bulb will be here Monday.

Genin · 08/12/2006, 12:35 PM

i have my pheonix 14k running on a pfo hqi and love it.

want2reef · 08/12/2006, 07:06 PM

Any of you guys running any actinics?

sellout007 · 08/12/2006, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by want2reef
Any of you guys running any actinics?

I only run my MH for 6 hours a day, so I have actinic lighting on for the other 4 hours. I do not usually run them when my MH are on.

fishykidd916 · 08/12/2006, 08:23 PM

i just got my phoenix bulbs 2 days ago and love the color compared to my old AB bulbs. I run mines in a aquamedic 2x250 w/ t5's actinics. The lights are white with a hint of blue. I also run mines with my actinics . If >50% percent of users are happy with the bulbs, then you'll have a 50% chance of loving the bulbs....HAHa ....that's a good percentage.

btw, how would "washed out" look? cuz it doesnt look washed out to me....

fishykidd916 · 08/12/2006, 08:36 PM

ive just turned off my actinics and it only made it a bit bluer....

here is a picture w/ actinics.....

clkwrk · 08/12/2006, 09:34 PM

I disliked them back to all eballasts

sodaman · 08/12/2006, 09:45 PM

Running BW7, ROIIIs & Pheonix 14ks on my 75gal w/o supplementation and love em.

What did you dislike about them Clkwrk, color, growth?

clkwrk · 08/12/2006, 10:06 PM

color

want2reef · 08/13/2006, 08:00 AM

clkwrk,

Do you have any before and after pics of your tank?

Thanks

gotfrogs · 08/13/2006, 09:33 AM

I love my Mini Pendant System - 2-250W with 14K Phoenix bulbs.

JW Jersey · 08/13/2006, 04:12 PM

I two dislike them on my pfo 250w ballast. Colors do look washed out. I then switched to icecap e ballast and it looks so much better imo.

want2reef · 08/13/2006, 07:06 PM

jw,

What color did you see "popout" when you made the ballast change?

swashbuckler · 08/14/2006, 06:26 AM

phoenix looked pretty drab on my magnetic m81 HQI ballast

08/12/2006, 08:28 AM	#1
want2reef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tracy CA. Posts: 1,353	Phoenix + HQI Ballast..... Like or dislike I was thinking of switching from a E- Ballast to a HQI ballast, to get a little more par. I have heard from some people that the colors look a little washed out with the HQI ballast. How do you like your setup? Thanks __________________ Kevin The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. Current Tank Info: CADlights Artison II 165g, 50g sump,Aquamaxx Q-3 Skimmer, AI Hydra 26 HD.

08/12/2006, 10:31 AM	#3
HotHotHot Obligate Coral Killer Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 643	I have RO III pendants, Phoenix 14K, BW III & VII HQI ballasts. I like it, but oddly enough I think the light is too white. I'd prefer bluer. I may go 15-20K when it's time to switch. HTH Ed __________________ It is NOT a dry heat! Click the little red house to read my 225 thread. Current Tank Info: 200gal NWV, 34ppt, 6" DSB, 750W MH, XM 20K, 220W VHO, CL, MP40W X2, chiller, GAC, Starting NeoZeo 7/18/09

08/12/2006, 07:06 PM	#8
want2reef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tracy CA. Posts: 1,353	Any of you guys running any actinics? __________________ Kevin The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. Current Tank Info: CADlights Artison II 165g, 50g sump,Aquamaxx Q-3 Skimmer, AI Hydra 26 HD.

08/12/2006, 09:34 PM	#12
clkwrk Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Mesa ,Az Posts: 10,257	I disliked them back to all eballasts __________________ ------- Feel free to use my photos for ONLY informative sites, education or enjoyment.All I ask is to include my Reef Central User id and where you got the photo ( RC).

08/12/2006, 10:06 PM	#14
clkwrk Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Mesa ,Az Posts: 10,257	color __________________ ------- Feel free to use my photos for ONLY informative sites, education or enjoyment.All I ask is to include my Reef Central User id and where you got the photo ( RC).

08/12/2006, 08:31 AM	#2
Ereefic Moved On Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 5,821	Like

08/12/2006, 10:52 AM	#4
reefman23 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Huntington Beach, Ca Posts: 740	I have a 150 watt phoenix on a Hamilton HQI ballast and i love the color...it still has a nice blue tint to it... Jesse

08/12/2006, 11:19 AM	#5
sellout007 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 4,402	I have a 250 - 14k on an aquamedic HQI and I love the color. I am not a fan of a super blue tank though. So for me, this is the perfect color. Not yellow, more a bluish white.

08/12/2006, 11:27 AM	#6
sticky Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Wausau, WI Posts: 704	I have a blue wave 7 dual ballast 250 14k phoenix.....love them just enough blue to them for me not to need any actinic supplementation. I have a 180 gallon tank and on the far end I have a 250 watt coral vue 20k bulb running on an ice cap elec ballast. It looks really dim compared to the phoenix ...needless to say my third 250 hqi and phoenix bulb will be here Monday.

08/12/2006, 12:35 PM	#7
Genin Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: PA Posts: 755	i have my pheonix 14k running on a pfo hqi and love it.

08/12/2006, 08:23 PM	#10
fishykidd916 Moved On Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: south sacramento Posts: 98	i just got my phoenix bulbs 2 days ago and love the color compared to my old AB bulbs. I run mines in a aquamedic 2x250 w/ t5's actinics. The lights are white with a hint of blue. I also run mines with my actinics . If >50% percent of users are happy with the bulbs, then you'll have a 50% chance of loving the bulbs....HAHa ....that's a good percentage. btw, how would "washed out" look? cuz it doesnt look washed out to me....

08/12/2006, 08:36 PM	#11
fishykidd916 Moved On Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: south sacramento Posts: 98	ive just turned off my actinics and it only made it a bit bluer.... here is a picture w/ actinics.....

08/12/2006, 09:45 PM	#13
sodaman Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 113	Running BW7, ROIIIs & Pheonix 14ks on my 75gal w/o supplementation and love em. What did you dislike about them Clkwrk, color, growth?

08/13/2006, 08:00 AM	#15
want2reef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tracy CA. Posts: 1,353	clkwrk, Do you have any before and after pics of your tank? Thanks __________________ Kevin The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. Current Tank Info: CADlights Artison II 165g, 50g sump,Aquamaxx Q-3 Skimmer, AI Hydra 26 HD.

08/13/2006, 09:33 AM	#16
gotfrogs Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Dickinson, TX Posts: 1,215	I love my Mini Pendant System - 2-250W with 14K Phoenix bulbs.

08/13/2006, 04:12 PM	#17
JW Jersey Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Brick, NJ Posts: 217	I two dislike them on my pfo 250w ballast. Colors do look washed out. I then switched to icecap e ballast and it looks so much better imo. __________________ -John- Current Tank Info: 225 gallon is under way, Deltec 702,PF601 CaRx,Duel wavy seas supplied by a dart for return,Two tunze 6100's,3 lumrnarcIII reflectors with ice cap E/ballest's

08/13/2006, 07:06 PM	#18
want2reef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tracy CA. Posts: 1,353	jw, What color did you see "popout" when you made the ballast change? __________________ Kevin The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. Current Tank Info: CADlights Artison II 165g, 50g sump,Aquamaxx Q-3 Skimmer, AI Hydra 26 HD.

08/14/2006, 06:26 AM	#19
swashbuckler Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Central VA Posts: 1,726	phoenix looked pretty drab on my magnetic m81 HQI ballast __________________ "Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop" -The Producers Current Tank Info: 40breeder, 150W AquaMedic Oceanlight, 190W VHO Superactinics, AquaC Remora, 5 gallon fuge.