whats the best 250w 20k de bulb

[prodman]

Like the title says whats the best 250w 20k de bulb. This is for use between my 10k bulbs. Thanks

[GTR]

What's the ballast?

SteveU

[prodman]

Sorry I have a pfo hqi m80 ballast

[gqjeff]

Try maybe the EVC 20k.. I will just tell you that 20k 250 DE has TERRIBLE par.....

[o2manyfish]

What's the best pizza...


This is totatlly subjective - You have to either see the bulbs, or try the bulbs to make the decision for yourself.

I might recommend brand X

Steve might recommend brand Y

And Moonpod might recommend brand Z

We might all have positive comments and responses to our experiences with each brand.

However, I also like brunettes with slim hips and no vocal chords, Steve likes blonds without silicon, and Chuck/Moonpod likes redheads who are left handed.

Which is the best looking woman.... Did I mention they were triplets ?

Its subjective as to what appeals to you. And the only way you will know is to see them for yourself.

Dave B

[prodman]

I know what you mean about there being several answers. I just have no personal experience with 20k bulbs. I might add that my tank is 4ft. So I have 3 de pendents making the one in the center sort of additional /supplemental. Which is where I would put the 20k.I am only thinking of using one to give my corals some mixture of light. So I am not as concerned with my appeal as the reaction of my corals. So if the 20k has terrible par as Jeff mentions ,am I not going to get any benefit from the 20k anyway? I am ordering a box of blvs and am getting a mix of 14k and 10k. So I could also get one of there 20ks.

[gqjeff]

I hear the evc 20k runs VERY simliar to the radiums as far as color.. I do not think they are very expensive either so it might be worth a shot.. I do think you will see benefits from 20k as far as supplimentation.

[prodman]

Thanks Jeff I will look into those.

[o2manyfish]

The higher the K the less par you get regardless of bulb. Some 20K bulbs have different PAR then others.

Dave B

[Miguelito]

Have you thought about sticking with 2 10K MH, and balancing the entire tank with some T5? I am VERY happy thats what I ended up doing with my 5' tank. Plus the combination of the 4 T5's gives me great color when the MH isn't on and I'm cutting way back on electricity.

You didn't like the Phoenix bulbs? I thought I saw you sold them.

The EVC numbers were pretty bad when Sanjay (and I think JBNY confirmed this but not sure) tested them.

One thing for sure though is that brunettes with slim hips is where its at.

[gqjeff]

I like the blondes with slim hips hehehe... Thats why I married one...

By the way par with any 250 20k is bad... For supplimentation though I think it will be fine...

Peace, Jeff

[prodman]

I already have 2 atinic vhos that I run for a few hours before and after the mh. I did like the phoenix but I want to try something new. originally when I went with the phoenix I did not have the atinic supplementation but now that I do I prefer a white light over the blue look.

[GTR]

I use 250W Radium SE on one tank and I think the corals are happy. I'm running Ice Cap Ballasts and it looks like they all run low par on this ballast. The tank is only 12" wide and 12" deep so I don't think I need the mega par anyway. I already run the bulb about 13" off the top of the water and when I used 10K Ushio I ran it about 18" to keep from bleaching new pieces. I might be wrong but I seem to get a lot of life out of the Radiums as well (over a year).

I prefer running bulbs that measure true 10k with as many VHO 03 as I can fit. I've found nothing that brings out color like URI actinics without the purple cast.

SteveU

[danny1899]

Miguelito said

"Have you thought about sticking with 2 10K MH, and balancing the entire tank with some T5? I am VERY happy thats what I ended up doing with my 5' tank. Plus the combination of the 4 T5's gives me great color when the MH isn't on and I'm cutting way back on electricity."

I agree My new set up tank (5'* 26" *24" of depth) is lighted up by 2 * BLV 250w/SE/10000k and 6 * T5 of Arcadia actinic 59w. The shimmering and color balancing effects is fantastic.

I was thinking of adding one more 20K BLV at the center. But that's barely for the visual aesthetic reason. PAR & PPFD for most of 20K bulbs regardless of SE or DE are low compared with that from 10k. I guess for my current setup all 6* T5 can supply enough actinic lighting for future inhabitants.

Well above combination happens to be what "general guides of Zeovit" has recommended, namely BLV 10 k & T5. What a Coincidence!

[invincible569]

I would go with AB's if I had to choose 20K's.