Opinions on best 250 DE bulb

[iwantone]

I'm currently using a 10K aqualine Bushke 250 watt DE bulb but am curious if anybody has any strong recommendations as to a different manufacturer or Kelvin.

Thanks

[MrKrispy]

what are you keeping, what kind of ballast?

The phoenix 14k has been my favorite for the past 18 months or so. I don't run actinics. I previously tried a Hamilton 14k and Coralvue 20k. The coralvue plain sucked, was dark and gave poor flourescence. The Hamilton 14k was better but also didn't flouresce great, and turned very white within 2 months. I have a 14k on an electronic and one on a magnetic. Very very happy with them. The colors are outstanding, they don't dim quickly, and it has a very faint blue tinge to it.

They are about $60 from california vendors. CustomAquatic carries them after I begged for months.

[MFR]

and as much as I did not like them initially, I really like them now. Growth is good. I do prefer a 20k bulb though.My corals just looked better to me when I was running AB 20ks. Maybe I like blue? Anyway, trying the Helios 20ks next.

MFR

[Dakota]

I just bought a phoenix 14K.... Will see how I like it.. I'm lettin' the old AB 10K cool before I switch (was very happy with the AB btw).... I can get the Pheonix 250w for like 60 bucks, so lemme know if anyone wants one.. :-D

[treylane]

Those 10k AB bulbs are very BRIGHT, and some corals will really GROW under those things. Color is too yellow IMO, and most corals don't seem to have quite the same color intensity that they tend to get under bluer bulbs.

I'm running 14k phoenix bulbs now, and I'm fairly happy with them, but the 10k's were much brighter.

[iwantone]

I'll go with the 14k phoenix.
Thanks everyone.

Treylane. I like the coloration in your tanks.
By the way, the green sinularia I got from you is now almost bigger than what you cut it from.

I'm growing a frag of super pink monti digi and another orange polyp on white background digi for you.

I'm collecting monti caps as well (the purple cap and green with lavender rim) are doing really well. What other types do you have for trade or selling? Small frags prefered.

[treylane]

I've got the standard orange cap, pink polyped cap ($$), and a very cool monti hispida, cept it's all nice and bleached out at the moment. ;)

My green sinularia colony isn't growing as well as before the move ... too much flow for it, I think. Glad to hear it's growing well for you!
Did I make you a pulsing sinularia frag?

[Dakota]

Too yellow?? My AB 10K was awesome.. it looked a bit bluer than MOST 10Ks I've seen (even those crsip ushio 10K). However, after firing the 14K for the frist time... WOW.. nice and blue. Hopefully in the next month it'll burn in nicely.. So far, great flourecent...

But also, my green stag DID pale out a bit under my 10K... we'll see if he intensifies under the new blue!!