Best MH lights for coral growth

[kpatrick]

In the past I have used Hamilton 14K bulbs in my PFO HQI 250W pendants. I used 3 of them (750W) on my 125g tank and I did not see a lot of coral growth over the last year. I know the 14K bulbs dont have the PAR that the 10K bulbs do but I like the blue look that the 12K and 14K bulbs produce.
I no longer have the MH setup since I moved and sold my last tank. I now have a new tank and I am getting ready to purchase new lighting so I thought I would ask which 250W double ended bulbs you think give the best growth? If 10K is the best then I may have to supplement with some VHO or PC actinics or even switch to single ended MH bulbs instead of double ended bulbs depending on what everything thinks is best. If I remember right, the last setup I had with (3) 250W PFO HQI pendants, Icecap electric ballast and 14K hamilton bulbs cost around $900 total. If I can get a better setup for less than great. If not, I am prepared to pay that again as long as I get better coral growth and still have the blue look. I would love to get everyones input since this is a large purchase. Starting over sucks!!!!

 

[maxalmon]

I just went thru this and decided on XM 10k's, you could also go for the ushios, but I think the xm's have a better par? I had really wanted 6500k's but you can't get a 6500k in a DE bulb, I was going to run the 6500's while I was at work and then 10k's after work

 

[shrimpi]

6500 to 10k
This range best produces light comparable to daylight sun.
I just posted this color-temp IMG on another thread but here you go.
Jessica/ Shrimpi

 

[kpatrick]

So if I use a 10K bulb and then add an actinic (to get the blue look that I like) will that decrease the effectiveness of the PAR value of the 10k bulb or not?

 

[kpatrick]

 

[sudc]

Originally Posted by kpatrick
So if I use a 10K bulb and then add an actinic (to get the blue look that I like) will that decrease the effectiveness of the PAR value of the 10k bulb or not?
I dont believe so. I always ran actinics with my 10k's and had very good growth. I recently switched to phoenix 14k's and would never go back for all the growth in the world!!!

The corals may grow slower but they look 1000 times better, night and day!
As far as 6500's, those are frag tank bulbs, imo not display bulbs. Some people may like the look but if you like 14k's like you said in your 1st post, you will HATE 6500's, i guarantee. No matter what you supplement with, you will hate how it looks compared to the 14k's you like.
If you are going 250w's, Try the reeflux 12k's, supposedly they have comparable par to 10k's but look like 14k's. I have seen them and they do look like 14k's, dont know if they grow like 10k's

 

[topfins-mj]

SUDC, are you saying that you enjoy the 14K's much better than the 10K's, I too have to change my bulb this month and I am in the market for a better look. I am not too concern about growth more than health of the corals.
If I have a 150Watt fixture on my 46 gallon with two actinics. Would I be able to get a 14K Phoenix double ended HQI?

 

[zanclus]

I run 400W XM 10k with 165 W VHO 03 actinics for supplemtation. Gives me great growth and the 03s takes that hint of yellow and turns it blueish . a nice combo IMO.

 

[sudc]

Originally Posted by TopFins-MJ
SUDC, are you saying that you enjoy the 14K's much better than the 10K's, I too have to change my bulb this month and I am in the market for a better look. I am not too concern about growth more than health of the corals.
If I have a 150Watt fixture on my 46 gallon with two actinics. Would I be able to get a 14K Phoenix double ended HQI?
Yes and yes!!! I switched from my 10k's which did give me great growth to the 14k phoenix and LOVE them

I wouldn't get 10k's again if they were FREE. And yes the phoenix 14k's are DE HQI's.
You know how you see a coral in a store on online that looks sick but you get it home and it doesn't look nearly as good? That happened with EVERY coral i had under 10k's. With the phoenix 14k's, the corals look BETTER in my tank than at the store. This goes for sps, lps, softies anything. When i switched them and they 1st came on, my wife almost fainted it looked so nice.
Granted the growth seems to be slower but i'm not looking to supplement my income with frags, i want my display to LOOK good, not make me money. I HIGHLY recommend the phoenix 14k's! The only caveat is there are kind of blue. Personally, I like the look a million times better but i could see people thinking they are too blue.
Reeflux makes a great 12k that is the best of both worlds but their 150w bulb is kind of crappy,imo. The 250w reeflux is NICE though.

 

[peckhead]

do the reeflux 12k 250w have any yellow tint to them at all? im running 10ks right now and wanna get something that isnt yellow at all because i dont want to run my actinics anymore
thanks

 

[sudc]

Maybe just a tinge of white/yellow. I've seen them a few times and i knew that they were not 14k's by looking at the color but also knew they weren't 10k's. Much closer to 14k than 10k though.
If you want no yellow at all and wanna get rid of the actinics, go with the phoenix 14k's. You can barely tell if the actinics are on or off with the phoenix 14k's.