Metal halide people I have a question?

Backreefing

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I’m a metal halide guy been here for about 4-5 years. I’m running two cayman sun fixtures over a 90 gallon with a couple of T5 bulbs as secondary lights ( blue plus ) I’m currently useing Phoenix DE bulbs 250 watts .
So far I’ve had ushio 14 K ( turned yellow), then I tryed eBay 20 K brand x . They were crazy blue, more of a metal halide actinic. Then I found Phoenix de 14 k and loved it . Just the right amount of white and blue. Now as we know Phoenix is no more. I’m left to choose between reefbrite 20 k de and aqua bright solutions 20 K de .
Has anyone ever tryed all three ? And out of the two left which is closest to the Phoenix color? I got 1 year of life left in my Phoenix bulbs, so sooner or later I have to get off the pot . Thx

Oh led guys no I’m not going to buy some LEDs that cost as much as a used car . So …
 
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Backreefing

Backreefing

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Just a couple pictures of two of my favorite acropora
 

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Reefing102

Metal Halides Til The End
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I can’t exactly provide the answer the you’re looking for but according to @A. grandis, Aqua Bright Solutions, is owned by Dave and Alejandra, 2 former Hamilton employees. They have been known, specially Dave, for the excellent customer service and now continuing to provide the same quality bulbs and service. We, metal halide uses, are proud of their effort to continue making halide lamps available. There is a possibility for the company to extend and make new fixtures and ballasts. That will most likely depend on the demand.

With that said, if they are in fact the same bulbs, I’d need to research it, but if you look up color differences/spectrums of Hamilton bulbs to Phoenix, it may give you a good idea.

Hope this helps some!
 

A. grandis

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I didn't buy any of the new Aqua Bight Solutions' lamps yet because I assume they should be the same as the Hamilton. When I get some extra money I'll get some. I've never tried any of the Reef Brite equipment, so I don't have any experiences with them myself.
And yes, I really wish someone could find Phoenix's contacts, so some of us could try to pursue them and ask for their amazing halides to be available again! I truly believe that Radiums were back in stock because of the emails I and some other users sent to them asking for their lamps to be back in the market.
 
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A. grandis

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Just a couple pictures of two of my favorite acropora
Make sure you have those Palythoa sp. isolated from the rocks you are keeping you corals. They are a pain to remove and get rid of. Some of the species can also produce high amounts of palytoxin, so be careful!
Lovely Acros!!!!!
 

oreo54

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I didn't buy any of the new Aqua Bight Solutions' lamps yet because I assume they should be the same as the Hamilton. When I get some extra money I'll get some. I've never tried any of the Reef Brite equipment, so I don't have any experiences with them myself.
And yes, I really wish someone could find Phoenix's contacts, so some of us could try to pursue them and ask for their amazing halides to be available again! I truly believe that Radiums were back in stock because of the emails I and some other users sent to them asking for their lamps to be back in the market.
Phoenix parent company
What kind of company is Helios Techno Group?
The company (pure holding company) that leads the Helios Techno Group was the former Phoenix Electric Co., Ltd., which changed its name in 2009 through management integration and business acquisition, and transitioned to a holdings structure through a company split. Under these circumstances, our group is developing two businesses, the manufacturing equipment business and the lamp business , with the aim of growing the group as a whole and increasing its corporate value

 

Mr. Mojo Rising

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I've also used phoenix DE 14k bulbs for the last 15 years. Now I can't find them anywhere and had no choice to buy 20k bulb from Aqua Bright Solutions, it is hamilton tech brand, which I was surprised about. The 20k is honestly not as bad as I thought it would be (but I'll keep looking for 14 k).
 

maroun.c

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I run phoenix 14k and believe they're a tad but mire blue than Hamilton 14k . I have stocked on few phoenix and Hamilton 14k and also picked up 6 aquabright 14k few weeks back and looking forward to try them. I run a combination of halides and leds so a bit more white MH is OK as I can supplement blue from LEDs
 

oreo54

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I run phoenix 14k and believe they're a tad but mire blue than Hamilton 14k . I have stocked on few phoenix and Hamilton 14k and also picked up 6 aquabright 14k few weeks back and looking forward to try them. I run a combination of halides and leds so a bit more white MH is OK as I can supplement blue from LEDs
Phoenix "14k" is really more of a "20k" spectrum

Screenshot_20240416-133551.png
Screenshot_20240416-133446.png
 

maroun.c

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It's a crisp whitish blue somehow which is the best combination I saw not 14k white as ushio or Hamilton and not 20k blue as Radium somehow. Without d
Supplementation phoenix 14 k was the bulb to get for me.
 

djf91

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It's a crisp whitish blue somehow which is the best combination I saw not 14k white as ushio or Hamilton and not 20k blue as Radium somehow. Without d
Supplementation phoenix 14 k was the bulb to get for me.
Tried the Aquabright solution bulbs yet? I’m thinking about picking up a couple of the 250 watt. Not sure if I should go 14k or 20k.
 

A. grandis

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Tried the Aquabright solution bulbs yet? I’m thinking about picking up a couple of the 250 watt. Not sure if I should go 14k or 20k.
If they are exactly like the Hamiltons, the 250W 20K with electronic ballast (I used with Luxcore) should be very similar in appearance to 250W Radium with M80. Of course the intensity of the Radium with the M80 was stronger, but the color almost the same to my eyes. The 14K Hamilton was also a nice lamp similar to Ushio 14K. I used both with M58 and with the Luxcore. I like the Ushio 14K with the M58 a lot!!! But the Hamilton lamps could be used with electronic ballasts without noticeable flickering. The German lamps did much better with magnetic ballasts in the long run, while the Hamilton lamps were good with electronic. We should be very happy to have the Aqua Bright Solution brand around to make those bulbs available today! I'm still waiting to make some extra money and buy some of their new lamps to try.
 

maroun.c

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Tried the Aquabright solution bulbs yet? I’m thinking about picking up a couple of the 250 watt. Not sure if I should go 14k or 20k.
Not yet as my bulbs still got few months in them. I would go with the 14 k as its a bit more white, but then I'm used to whiter lights on my tank and I got LEDs to supplement.
The inability to switch colors at different times of the day is an annoying part of MH so going 14 K and supplementing with blue LEDs is a good thing to get the best of both worlds.
 

Hurricane Aquatics

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I just posted a lot of bulbs and MH DE equipment on the dry good selling forum. If you need alternatives.
 

Reefering1

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I just posted a lot of bulbs and MH DE equipment on the dry good selling forum. If you need alternatives.
I think people would be better off supporting the new and upcoming aquabrightsolutions, than pay your inflated price of $85 per bulb. They have all variants of de bulbs for $65. Stop trying to take advantage of people, there's enough of that running rampant already. SMH

 

Hurricane Aquatics

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I think people would be better off supporting the new and upcoming aquabrightsolutions, than pay your inflated price of $85 per bulb. They have all variants of de bulbs for $65. Stop trying to take advantage of people, there's enough of that running rampant already. SMH


Take advantage of people? By offering them something that you can't get anymore? Some people want the best, not off brand junk.

Oh and when I need your opinion, I'll let you know.
 

A. grandis

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Aqua Bright Solutions' bulbs are made by the very same manufacturer Hamilton was made. I've used Hamilton's for so many years and never had any problems. Hamilton bulbs should be cheaper than Aqua Bright solutions' because there is no warranty for those Hamilton gear anymore.
 
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Reefering1

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Take advantage of people? By offering them something that you can't get anymore? Some people want the best, not off brand junk.

Oh and when I need your opinion, I'll let you know.
Then feel free to ignore me. My words are for anyone considering your offer. I guess price gouging is a better word. But yes, this is a hobby to many of us. If you're running a business, that's the m.o, but buying all the bulbs just to mark them up 30% is slimy in my book.
 

Troylee

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I think people would be better off supporting the new and upcoming aquabrightsolutions, than pay your inflated price of $85 per bulb. They have all variants of de bulbs for $65. Stop trying to take advantage of people, there's enough of that running rampant already. SMH

Have you used any of these? I currently run Phoenix 14k but as we all know when they’re done they’re done.. I have 2 bulbs left when the 3 I’m currently running burn out.. I gotta figure out my options or make new single ended reflectors for radium’s which I’m not opposed too! I have a template for lumenarcs.
 

A. grandis

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On top of that... not to put more wood in this fire, the brand new Aqua Bright Solutions is selling Radium bulbs for $99.00, showing how much they care about their users/customers. They have the best customer service in this industry. If anything happens to their bulbs they will take care of the customer.
Most people in this hobby are so nice... many used fixtures I bought as "open box" came with free brand new bulbs. They didn't know who I was o anything... just nice people... Money isn't everything in life. The more you give, the more you will receive.
 
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