Phoenix 14k 250w hqi

[jrthomas40]

I am looking at getting these phoenix 14k 250watt hqi DE metal halide...i would like to know if anyone has had any experience with this brand of bulbs and how did they like them??...i would like a more blue look in the tank and the reviews say they are as blue as some 20k...any input on it would be great
thanks
larry

 

[digitydash]

Originally Posted by jrthomas40
I am looking at getting these phoenix 14k 250watt hqi DE metal halide...i would like to know if anyone has had any experience with this brand of bulbs and how did they like them??...i would like a more blue look in the tank and the reviews say they are as blue as some 20k...any input on it would be great
thanks
larry
I bought the 20k I didn't like it it was to blue for me so blue when I turn it off their wasn't much difference then the atinics.6hrs of use & rite back in the box

 

[nietzsche]

Originally Posted by digitydash
I bought the 20k I didn't like it it was to blue for me so blue when I turn it off their wasn't much difference then the atinics.6hrs of use & rite back in the box

hey ship them to me

 

[digitydash]

Originally Posted by nietzsche
hey ship them to me

If u want to buy it.If not it will be a replacement just in case mine goes out.

 

[jrthomas40]

Originally Posted by digitydash
I bought the 20k I didn't like it it was to blue for me so blue when I turn it off their wasn't much difference then the atinics.6hrs of use & rite back in the box

which i dont want it to be as blue as my actinics but i do want it to be blue-er than what i have now..i have geismann 14k and they are closer to yellow and not even close to the color i was thinking for a 14k...then i didnt to get the 20k's cuz i was afraid they would be TOO blue like the problem you had...and if the 14k would be a pretty good mix for me...so do you think the 14k's would be more of a bluish white???

 

[digitydash]

Originally Posted by jrthomas40
which i dont want it to be as blue as my actinics but i do want it to be blue-er than what i have now..i have geismann 14k and they are closer to yellow and not even close to the color i was thinking for a 14k...then i didnt to get the 20k's cuz i was afraid they would be TOO blue like the problem you had...and if the 14k would be a pretty good mix for me...so do you think the 14k's would be more of a bluish white???
14k is blue but not real blue.The last true white bulb is 10k I do believe.

 

[bonebrake]

I have seen many metal halide lamps lit over many mature tanks and in my opinion, of those I have seen thus far, the 14,000 K Hamilton Phoenix produces the best color and the corals look amazing under it. This is of course my humble opinion.

 

[viper_930]

To me the Phoenixes don't have much blue to them. They're about the same color as a 50/50 bulb to me. I've thought about even adding actinics to the tank. I don't know why, but there seems to be a wide range of how these bulbs appear. Perhaps it's the ballast. I use both the 150 and 250 watt Pheonix bulbs on PFO magnetic ballasts.

 

[jrthomas40]

well i just seen that pic by the other dude with the 14k phoenix and they were too blue...so i am thinking maybe xm 14-15k or the 20k...hamilton or ushio...i really dont know where to go next

 

[nietzsche]

Originally Posted by ViPeR_930
To me the Phoenixes don't have much blue to them. They're about the same color as a 50/50 bulb to me. I've thought about even adding actinics to the tank. I don't know why, but there seems to be a wide range of how these bulbs appear. Perhaps it's the ballast. I use both the 150 and 250 watt Pheonix bulbs on PFO magnetic ballasts.
yeah that's true, mine doesn't seem blue either and i'm using an IceCap electronic ballast

 

[viper_930]

Here's a pic of 2x150 watt Phoenix 14Ks over my frag tank from a few months ago. The color is accurate on my monitor.

 

[candycane]

I run Ushios and Phoenix 14K. Both brands give a REALLY crisp blue that starts to yellow, as the bulb gets older (as you know). I don’t know if this is your first set of halides, but the only thing I recommend with DE bulbs is to replace them every 6-8 months or so. I was told, don’t know if it is true, that once they start to “flicker”, the conductive gas inside the bulb can push back current to the ballast and destroy the ballast. I know I lost a few ballasts when my lights began to flicker, don’t know if that was the cause though. HAHA. However, both bulbs are like a really nice ocean blue color.
BEAUTIFULL frag tank above. That is NICE!!!

 

[jrthomas40]

see those look a lot more crisp white with a slight tint of blue and the pic zano posted of his 250w 14k where it really does look like just plain actinics

 

[candycane]

Look at the water line at the top of the tank, the frag shelf and the colored corals that are more blue in color. That will give you the best idea.
MAN that is a nice frag tank.

 

[jrthomas40]

Originally Posted by candycane
I run Ushios and Phoenix 14K. Both brands give a REALLY crisp blue that starts to yellow, as the bulb gets older (as you know). I don’t know if this is your first set of halides, but the only thing I recommend with DE bulbs is to replace them every 6-8 months or so. I was told, don’t know if it is true, that once they start to “flicker”, the conductive gas inside the bulb can push back current to the ballast and destroy the ballast. I know I lost a few ballasts when my lights began to flicker, don’t know if that was the cause though. HAHA. However, both bulbs are like a really nice ocean blue color.
BEAUTIFULL frag tank above. That is NICE!!!
my lights have never flickered and have been on there since january and probably longer seeing how i bought the setup slightly used in january...but i have had them off for almost a month....do you use ushio and phoenix at the same time or one set at a time

 

[bbeakl1]

i have the 250w 14k phoneix and i like the color alot, i wanted the whiter blue color also and it was just what i was looking for

 

[candycane]

Both at the same time. If you look at my post about the "blob" that starts Been Awhile, THOSE are under Ushio 14Ks. The bottom picture is a bit better because I got more of the algae off the front of the glass. The water changes weren't done as frequently as I wanted, so I have to get the trates' back down now.
Ushio is little bit bluer. I have around 7 tanks now with 2 4 x 5 foot horse troughs set up for clam breeding and coral propagation. I have just had TREMENDOUS luck with Ushio brand all around. Phoenix is great too though.
If your lights have been on there since January, which is odd that they haven’t began to yellow or brown. Do you look at the bulb much? Notice any burning or carbon at the ends of the bulbs at all? If not, that is just odd. It is hard to notice since your eyes adjust with the age of the bulbs. I usually stare at a light bulb for a minute (this may cause you to go blind though – so I have to recommend against it), then my tank. Since you look at it so much, it's just more difficult to notice if they are getting dimmer or yellowing out.
I have some extra Phoenix bulbs that are ummmmm 50 bucks apiece and the Ushios are 52 a piece. Hopefully I am not breaking a rule by posting that, I just have several of tubes of them in my basemant. I don’t know what you can get them for. I order them by the TUBE (which is usually 20 bulbs), them and heaters because you can never tell and DON’T want them burning out at bad times. I know it is a tough call to make and I figured that since I just have them lying around. I have been using Visatherm Titanium heaters over the last 6 months also with great luck with them (or are they via aqu

 

[digitydash]

here my tank under a 20k hamilton bulb
last 2 are under 10k

 

[jrthomas40]

hmm...there seems to be a lot of votes for the phoenix 14k's....i know a lot of people like the xm, ushio...i have the geismann 14.5 and they seem closer to the 10k range so i am pretty sure it will be a major difference...
here is another question...are all 250w bulbs fit the same sockets...like i have seen some 150's with the round ceramic ends and my bulbs and sockets are flat with metal prongs

 

[candycane]

Originally Posted by jrthomas40
hmm...there seems to be a lot of votes for the phoenix 14k's....i know a lot of people like the xm, ushio...i have the geismann 14.5 and they seem closer to the 10k range so i am pretty sure it will be a major difference...
here is another question...are all 250w bulbs fit the same sockets...like i have seen some 150's with the round ceramic ends and my bulbs and sockets are flat with metal prongs
Well, no. Some of them are mogul based, and the little bit of reading that I have been doing, there is some new kind on the market that has rounded ends. All of mine have the flat ceramic ends, like yours. The 250 are of course larger than the 150's and you NEVER want to run a different wattage bulb then what the ballast is intended for. Smaller or Bigger.
I don't mess with Geismann at all. Nothing against Geismann at all, I just have never used their bulbs. I was going through the same questions when I switched to halides WAYYYYYYYYYY back. I purchased some 20K's of different brands, and they were purple to me. I wanted the white with more of a blue tint. Like natural ocean water when you are diving. I like the Phoenix because of the longevity of the bulb life. However, when it comes to wanting the white with a blue blue tint, most of the underwater pics that I take, you can't tell the difference between them and Ushio 14K's to be honest. I have just been using them for YEARS now.LOL