Which MH bulb best for 90 gallon

[gixxer600]

I have a dual 175 watt ballast and i was wondering which would be the best bulb as far as penetrating light to the bottom of the tank. Not sure what style ballast it is but it is a Hamilton tech brand and it powers both MH and actinic with the same ballast. also looking for a good color bulb

 

[gt6188a]

I love XM 20K bulb.

 

[coolsurf]

I am very partial to Pheonix 14K but I have been told the 10K is real good as well. I believe the 10 & 14K provides better coloring but the higher K's provide better growth. I am not positive though.

 

[pufferchris]

I like the radium 20k or the ushio 20k ( I like more blue vers yellow)

 

[rolo65]

coolsurf;537321 wrote: I am very partial to Pheonix 14K but I have been told the 10K is real good as well. I believe the 10 & 14K provides better coloring but the higher K's provide better growth. I am not positive though.

Not trying to come across negatively....but it's actually the other way around.....10k gives better growth(more yellow) and 20k gives better color(more blue)...and the 14-15k bulbs is kinda between....(more whitish)...get good growth but a little less color....that's where supplemental lighting from PCs or T5s come in....so depending on what you want whether it be color or growth...if you want brands though....Radiums 20k are very nice...I have a blue life SPS 14k bulb and I like it...but some say they are yellow for a 14k....mines pure White.....but again with MH bulbs....the arc can vary the actual color of the individual bulb....so you might get a 14-15k bulb that looms like a 10k or maybe one that looks a little more like a 20k....plus it depends on the ballast too....but usually a 14-15k bulb will suffice....

 

[coolsurf]

rolo65;537335 wrote: Not trying to come across negatively....but it's actually the other way around.....10k gives better growth(more yellow) and 20k gives better color(more blue)...and the 14-15k bulbs is kinda between....(more whitish)...get good growth but a little less color....that's where supplemental lighting from PCs or T5s come in....so depending on what you want whether it be color or growth...if you want brands though....Radiums 20k are very nice...I have a blue life SPS 14k bulb and I like it...but some say they are yellow for a 14k....mines pure White.....but again with MH bulbs....the arc can vary the actual color of the individual bulb....so you might get a 14-15k bulb that looms like a 10k or maybe one that looks a little more like a 20k....plus it depends on the ballast too....but usually a 14-15k bulb will suffice....

Not taken negatively at all. I was not sure and I appreciate your clarification. :up: Thanks!

 

[mikesommers]

gixxer600;537273 wrote: I have a dual 175 watt ballast and i was wondering which would be the best bulb as far as penetrating light to the bottom of the tank. Not sure what style ballast it is but it is a Hamilton tech brand and it powers both MH and actinic with the same ballast. also looking for a good color bulb

What kind of ballast - Electric, magnetic, hqi? I run Ushio 14k right now. Excellent par, LPS almost can not handle being out in the open on the bottom. IMO I would go with ushio's due to the high par they will produce. Ushio bulbs are over rated on there k rating IMO. I have 14k 250 watt and they look like 10k bulbs. I am wanting to switch to Ushio 20k+. I will say that my SPS have gone crazy under these lights!!!! LOTS of growth. I think the 20k+ will be a perfect bulb. Ok growth and good color.

Hope this helps

Mike

Its truly important to know what ballasts you have, Radium bulbs are pulsed start, XM and Ushio SE are probe start. Radiums will not fire on just any ballast.

 

[gixxer600]

The ballast is magnetic. sorry for that i should have known to put that in there.

 

[mikesommers]

gixxer600;537588 wrote: The ballast is magnetic. sorry for that i should have known to put that in there.

I really like Ushio. Just remember that they are a very bright bulb. The 14k looks best with actinic supplement. You will get CRAZY growth with them. What corals are you keeping?

 

[mikesommers]

I take that back. This is crazy but there 175 watt is pulse start:confused2: Thats about crazy. So that rules that out. I would start with what kind of corals are you going to keep, and do you like light on the bluer side or whiter side. Do you have supplement lighting????

 

[gixxer600]

i am keeping everything from softies to sps. i dont have supplemental now but it is on the way.

 

[gixxer600]

as far as the light color goes as long as its not yellow its good with me.

 

[acroholic]

For color rendition in a 20K bulb, you cant beat Helios. But for the best combination of color and PAR you can't beat Radium.

 

[drnecropolis]

When firing on a monster magnetic ballasts Radiums will tend to "white out" more.. Compare mine to others on an electronic.. My radiums look more like 14's.. I'm not complaining though.. That's why I have 2 72" VHO's worth of actinics though..

 

[gixxer600]

will a 175w 20k bulb send enough light to the bottom of a 90 gallon tank. i am using spider style reflectors at the moment but might possibly be switching to another style reflector.

 

[grouper therapy]

Acroholic;537716 wrote: For color rendition in a 20K bulb, you cant beat Helios. But for the best combination of color and PAR you can't beat Radium.

That depends on the ballast imo. I have the pfo hqi ballast on helios and the color is much blueer than a Radium on the same ballast while maxing out the par meter at the surface!