250W DE bulb recommendation?

[cr500_af]

I currently have Phoenix 14K bulbs and they are a little whiter than I'd like. Looking to go to 20K bulbs at replacement time, and would like some recommendations. I'd like to avoid extreme blue coloration, but I want it bluer than what I have. If I had moguls I'd have tons of choice, as well as being able to see shots of the color on Sanjay's site, but I need help picking some DEs.
Thanks!

 

[smoothie]

Ushio 20 is a nice bulb

 

[mockery]

I'm the Charlie, try out the evc! They are suppost to be great!

 

[cr500_af]

AugustaSalty;431506 wrote: phoenix 14ks = awesome

I'm getting good growth, but the color is too white for my tastes. Even with two T5 actinics, it needs more blue. The actinics look great with the MHs off, but when the MHs come on they wash out virtually everything the T5s are giving me and the colors don't pop enough.

 

[johnr2604]

cr500_af;431539 wrote: I'm getting good growth, but the color is too white for my tastes. Even with two T5 actinics, it needs more blue. The actinics look great with the MHs off, but when the MHs come on they wash out virtually everything the T5s are giving me and the colors don't pop enough.

Are you running those on a mag or electronic ballast?

 

[smoothie]

Good question. Being overdriven will cause more white

 

[johnr2604]

Smoothie;431597 wrote: Good question. Being overdriven will cause more white

Yep, they will usually be bluer on an electronic ballast

 

[drnecropolis]

I think he told me earlier that they were on EVC ballast.. Which would make them Electronic I think..

 

[wbrown]

I have the radiums, think I'll be sticking with them for the foreseeable future. Almost as blue as actinics, but they lack the flourescence the tubes give.

 

[drnecropolis]

The only isue with Radiums is the don't make. 250 DE bulb..

 

[wbrown]

DrNecropolis;431640 wrote: The only isue with Radiums is the don't make. 250 DE bulb..

crap, you're right, the DE's are XM's..
Radiums are on another tank.
not enough coffee yet..

 

[cr500_af]

Like Ansley said, EVC ballasts, not overdriving them. Sandie's tank has the 150W version of the same bulb, and I don't like its color either (run on the stock Viper ballast).

I'm thinking about taking Charlie's advice and trying the EVC/Helios bulbs, but this isn't an immediate thing since these still have at least 7-8 months to go and I'm not having trouble with money weighing my hip pocket down at the moment... just want to have a plan so that when I get the chance to grab some I'll know exactly what I want.

 

[mojo]

Don't bother with the XM 20K 250w bulb. The PAR was so bad on that bulb that I removed it after 3 days and put it on the shelf...

 

[johnr2604]

dawgdude;431645 wrote: Ive run them on mag and elec ballasts. Still looked whiter on both and I am still not impressed with the 250w version of the phoenix. They are just not the same color as the 150w bulbs. If you want something bluer then phoenix bulbs are not one I would recommend.

Yeh, I think it really depends on the ballast. I've been tossing around the idea of changing to SE radiums becuase Like Barry, I don't like the color I get on my Phoenix 14's with the new ballast I'm running (they were great on my old ballast).

 

[johnr2604]

Here is another question I thought about. Did phoenix change there design over the past year? I know that when I ordered new bulbs a few months ago I was noticing two different model numbers on there DE 250's. I know they changed packaging but did they change more?

 

[cr500_af]

Now to find a sponsor that carries the EVC bulbs...