175w HQI bulbs WT....?????

well im sure this have been bought up before but i can't find the related topic.
ok lets atrat whith the type i have, as for most of u might guess i have the odessy fixture with 1x175W HQI, and 2x24w pc in atinics.
Supposely it came with a 20k but i dont think so cause its not blue no where near blue, more like 10k to me. Had the light for a while 7-8months and i wanted to swich out the bulb for a 14k, but cant find them anywhere flipped though the whole internet. The only one i've found is the replacement bulbs from the same company, they are in 15k uneasy: odd). i dont really want to buy that so seeking for some help on finding some ideas.

 

one thing to remember that even though a bulb states it may be 20k, it might not be. i believe all 175 watt MH's are SE (correct me i'm wrong), with that being said i know of a few bulbs you could look into. ushio puts out a 14K, iwasaki puts out a 14K, reeflux puts out a 12K, coralvue puts out a 12K and 15K, and hamilton puts out a 14K...all SE mogul style.

if you want my opinion, i would go with the hamilton or the ushio. i've never seen the color on a 175 watt SE hamilton but i have a 150 watt DE 14k hamilton and the color is awesome, the only upgrade i'd make is change out the hamilton for a phoenix (this doesn't matter in your case since they are DE). i've also seen the ushio SE at an LFS and the color is nice...not too blue, not too yellow. HTH.

by the way - check out Premium Aquatics INC - live rock and aquarium supply (sponsor of this site), it will be a good starting point and they offer a couple of SE bulbs with the Kelvin rating you are looking for.

 

Yes, I do not know of any double ended 175w metal halides either. That does not mean they don't make them, just that I have never seen or read anything about them....
They do however make 175 SE bulbs for pulse and probe start ballasts. You need to know what type of ballast you have before ordering a new bulb.


Jim

 

thanks for the infos. so what u saying is that i can use se bulbs but that depends on my ballast. how would i find out what type of ballast is it, i mean being that this company's products is relatively cheap i assuming the ballast is nothing too extremely. please give me some ideas on finding out what type it is thanks guys u r the best.

 

If there's any way to get a number off of the ballast, or if you could contact the manufacturer.
If it is indeed a "cheapie" then it is probably a magnetic probe ballast. But, I wouldn't buy a bulb based on "no information"

Jim

 

hmm that sucks, ill try call aquatrader and see they can help me... but i dont really want to settle with they bulbs. i was think if i can run 150W hqi de in the 175W ballast? how about some input on that idea.

 

There are some things you can get away with, but in the end it may bite you.
I have heard of some manufacturers that actually make a 150 w bulb and sell it as a 175w bulb. 175 is kind of an oddball size. Again, I wouldn't buy anything based on that....
Call around and see what the premiere suppliers have to say. They may offer you a substitute bulb, knowing what kind of ballast is in that Odyssey fixture.

Jim

 

Just overdive the 150DE bulb with those 175w magnitic ballast. I would also change out the capicator if I were you. That is what I use do do. I prefer the Phoenix14k 150w in that unit and I have tried a # of bulbs in odyssea fixture. It will also shorten the life of the bulb but you have no other choice. You cant use SE in that fixture.
Good luck

 

Thanks guys, i 've also spoke to someone @ championlighting.com he said using a 150w bulb will be ok. Geoxman i have the newer version of the ballast which runs the MH independently, i 've read alot of stories about the old one catching on fire because the ballast run the MH and the pc's together. i dont mind changing the capicator but which capicator to replace the old one with.