Bluest MH bulb

[trido]

Ive recently switched from 250 ice caps to 400 ice caps. When I ran 250s I used 14K phoenix DE bulbs and loved the ice blue look from the MH. A few of my friends ran SE reeflux 12K 250s and they were a bit bluer than the phoenix so i went with the 12k SE when I upgraded to 400s expecting the nice dark blue
IMO the 12K reeflux 400s are very white.
Yesterday, three helios 20K I ordered showed up but one doesnt like to fire and when it does it burns pink. A second one requires two or three tries from the ballst before firing. I love the color but IM going to send all three back due to the start up issues.

What, in your opinion is a darker blue than the reeflux 12K on a new icecap 400 watt ballast?

Radium 20
Hamilton 20
coralvue 20
Sanjays spectoral plots show the reeflux 12 as the darkest.

Anyone?

 

[Scooterman]

XM 20K's are very blue, don't remember If they have a 400W though!

 

[Scooterman]

Yes they do!

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewI...twater_Aquarium_Supplies&vendor=&child=MB8813

 

[Shane and John]

I will agree with scooterman..I am running two 250 watt de XM 20k lights and they are a deep blue....We Love them and would reccomend them!!!

 

[CarlaW]

I like the Radiums, but I run them on a PFO pulse start. I have run them on a PFO HQI ballast before also. The bulb life is about 6-8 months on the HQI.

 

[trido]

I will agree with scooterman..I am running two 250 watt de XM 20k lights and they are a deep blue....We Love them and would reccomend them!!!

Well, IME the 250 watters and the 400s are completely different bulbs. The reeflux 12Ks prove it. IMO I need to hear from people with 400 watt set ups. XMs would be nice but at this point arent an option to chose from. Im going to get a store credit and the place doesn't carry XMs.

 

[sgwill122]

What does Dang run over his tank. His is pretty blue.

 

[trido]

What does Dang run over his tank. His is pretty blue.

XM's

 

[CarlaW]

XM's

Did you just answer your own question????:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[soyadrink]

I shouldn't be talking cause I have 250w but I just pun in the radium 20k and it is very blue. Nice color.
There is a thread on reef central :s Thats only people showing their tanks with 20k radiums and all of them(including 400 watters) look pretttty blue.

 

[jezzeaepi]

I second soya. I switched over to radium 20ks a few months back, and they are by far my favorite bulb. I only have the 250w version, but when I look at sanjay's spectral plots they look exactly the same. If you want to see them in person even though they are only 250w, let me know. The only caveat is that I dont see the icecap ballast listed on Sanjay's site. Can the ice cap start euro bulbs? I use a pfo HQI ballast.