250W 10000K METAL HALIDE SINGLE ENDED BULB - USHIO

Has anyone used these bulbs?

Looking for a single ended 250w bulb.

don't like the yellow type look the 6500k bulbs put out, want it to be white/blue - blue.

Any other thoughts.

I know someone who uses and likes the Ushino 400 watt single ends.

2 things I do know about the Ushinos, they are a little more expensive than the others, and they require special ballasts (Mercury Vapour or Sodium? someone here will know) which cuts down your options (you will need different ballasts to use different bulbs). I know that Ushinos will not work in my ballasts.

They are very poular bulbs.

Pie

don't like the yellow type look the 6500k bulbs put out, want it to be white/blue - blue

in that case don't go 10k either, go 14k or even 20k (radium's) i got 2 x 250W 14k narva's and they are mint. the photo's on this site make my tank look bluer than it actually is (still playing with settings on my digital camera!) I really like the colour now that it's finished.

I think I'd lean towards using a lower kelvin, brighter bulb and putting an actinic flouro tube or two over the tank. Seems to be a HUGE difference in brightness as your kelvin rating goes up.

in that case don't go 10k either, go 14k or even 20k (radium's) i got 2 x 250W 14k narva's and they are mint. the photo's on this site make my tank look bluer than it actually is (still playing with settings on my digital camera!) I really like the colour now that it's finished.

Where did you get the bulbs from, how much did they cost.

I know someone who uses and likes the Ushino 400 watt single ends.

2 things I do know about the Ushinos, they are a little more expensive than the others, and they require special ballasts (Mercury Vapour or Sodium? someone here will know) which cuts down your options (you will need different ballasts to use different bulbs). I know that Ushinos will not work in my ballasts.

They are very poular bulbs.

Pie

Thanks.

layton, do you know about the ballasts

TM - If your just shopping for lighting gear a few tips to think on. First off you say your going to use 250SE. Why not use 400SE? Yes they will use more power, but the bulbs are cheaper! So it may work out about the same (when you consider bulb replacement costs).

Also check Radium lighting in Auckland for Ballasts, I am using 5 of these, the ballats with the leads about $100, + the lamp holder $16 + the bulb. 20k Radium Blue for less than $130 and 14k Narva Blue for less than $150. Both work on the Radium ballasts no problem (I am using 20k and 14k).

good luck

Pie

Pulse start ballasts will run just about any bulb you can screw in. You can get the parts for a 400Watt setup from Lamp Specialists here in ChCh for under $100 (not including bulb). If you're interested in a 400W setup I can give you the part numbers for everything. The downside is that the parts don't come prewired, I believe the ones Pies have are all wired and enclosed in a metal housing? So they may be a better option.

Layton

Yeah the ones I got came complete is a metal box with a 3 prong lead that goes back to the wall. Then it has a 3 pin female socket (3 pin with round ground) to run the lead to the bulb.

I looked at Laytons setup and was going to do it, but still had concerns about bulb compatibility so decided it was better to use ballasts I knew would work with the bulbs I was going to use, and the fact they were pre-wired was the icing on the cake. Not expensive either.

Piemania