MH Bulb Replacement

[scoobydoo]

MH Bulbs
It's time to replace my mh's and vho's. I have 3 250W hqi de mh's and 2 140W actinic VHO's. Currently the mh's are 13K. The bulbs I have came with the hood I bought from ----. The package says: SLI Lighting HSI-TD AquaArc. Can I buy any double ended bulb?
I'm told 10K is the best for color and growth. I'm planning on getting the super actinic for the vhos. Do I get ones with a built in reflector?
Anyone have any experience with Hamilton bulbs? Where's a good place to buy them?
Thanks.
Carrie

 

[thegrog]

Pretty much any DE bulb will work. Hamilton is a very good brand. Yes, get the ones with the built in reflector. 10,000K MH with actinic VHOs will work wonderfully.
As for where to buy them, board rules prohibit naming sources.
Hope this helps!

 

[scoobydoo]

Thank you. I think I found what I need with a 10% coupon at champion but they only have XM bulbs. Are they good bulbs?
Carrie

 

[hurt]

I love XM bulbs, they put alot more PAR into the water than most other brands, and they are relatively cheap in comparison to some bulbs. As for growth, 6500K Iwaski's are the best PAR #'s I've seen, but the coloration won't be as good. I'd say 20K's will give you corals the best color, but much slower growth. It's a trade off-par vs color. Generally the lower the K rating the better the growth and coloration is worse, the higher the K value the the slower the growth and better the color.

 

[scoobydoo]

Hurt,
I think I decided on the XM 10K 250W and super actinic VHOs. Thanks for your input.
Carrie

 

[hurt]

That's exactly what I run-2 250w XM 10k's and 2 110w VHO super actinics. I'm very pleased with the results and I think you will be as well.

 

[scoobydoo]

I have 3 250W 13k and 2 140W actinic vho's now. Do you like the 10K? Are they yellow at all? I'm told the vho's remove the yellow. I thought about going with 15K but will get better growth with the 10K.
Carrie

 

[hurt]

I love the 10k's. If only the 10k's are on, then yes it is a bit yellow, but I always run my VHO's while the MH's are on and before/after the MH are turned on/off. As such with the VHO's on, the tank is not yellow at all, much more of a white, light blue color. A 250w 10K XM on my IC ballast will produce 530 PAR, with the same ballast a 20K XM produces just 270 par. This link should help make your decision much easier. It has pictures of each bulb on with and without actinics, as well as the par ratings with different ballasts.
http://www.cnidarianreef.com/lamps.cfm

 

[scoobydoo]

Yep, I'm on a 12 hour cycle with vho's coming on 2 hours before and after the mh's. Then I run moonlights for a few hours. Thanks for the link and I'll check it out.
Carrie