XM Metal Halide 10K

[dan]

i'm running 3-XM-400's 10k and 2-6foot vho attinic and like the color. is there anybody out there running the 15k XM's? sure would like to see the color rendition. i heard you can run these with no attinic.???????

[CD]

is there anybody out there running the 15k XM's? sure would like to see the color rendition. i heard you can run these with no attinic.???????

We are, and I've never been happier with the coloration of a bulb than I have on these. NO actinic supplimentation whatsoever, and the color is absolutely perfect. Corals and softies that used to have a yellowish-brown color in the 75G (XM 10ks) now POP with coloration. As far as growth - we are getting better growth with these 400W 15ks than we were with the XM 10ks! I love them!!

I think Chris posted a few pics when we first installed the 15ks - pics don't do them justice, as they take on a much bluer hue through the pics...to the eye they look to be a nice crisp white with a hint of blue. There have been a few people that have seen the tank in person, and they liked they way they looked.

W.

[hobogato]

I acually have a PC 10k supplimenting my XM 15K 250 watt to make those areas of the tank look more continuous with the center which is coralvue 10k 250 watt supplimented with PC actinic.

[hammondegge]

I'll throw in a vote for the XM 15k. I just switched from XM 10k last week so i dont know exactly what the bulb is going to burn into. Right now i am running it with one vho actinic (back) and one vho 10k (front) to give a little punch and i am loving it. the corals seem to agree as do the fish. Bonus, it is easier on my eyes. I can look at the tank longer. sometimes my eyes would get sore with the 10k.

[JimD]

Im suprized youre getting better growth with the 15k's opposed to the 10k's. All the reports Ive read, (Sanjay/JBNY and others) show the XM 15K to be averaging one third the output par of the 10k's of equal wattage. There have been reports of folks loving the color but switched back to 10k's plus actinics because growth was dramaticly reduced. Is it possible the old 10k's were so worn out the new 15k's were actually brighter and bumped up the growth? I just dont see how you can get better growth from a bulb with one third the output par, but thats just me....

[gjuarez]

I agree, although I ahve no experience with them. What about the spectrum though, do you think maybe it caused the corals to grow a little. I do understand that they are supposed to grow faster in the 6.5k - 10k, but what if? Doubt it, but you never know.

[hammondegge]

yeh, dont know about growth yet.

[CD]

Is it possible the old 10k's were so worn out the new 15k's were actually brighter and bumped up the growth?

Nope - the XM 10ks were probably about 3 months old. We may end up supplimenting the two 15ks down the road, as there is a darker spot in the middle of the tank (mainly due to that THICK centerbrace) but I've been keeping lower light corals there anyway, so it's no big deal. Just to give you a "for instance", a green cap in the RH side of the tank has put on about an inch of growth in about a month's time...acros are developing branches, and looked VERY happy (right up until the point the acro mites started ticking them off). We're doing the Interceptor treatment (da "stuff" is in the tank) so I suspect after the bugs are gone, the acros that are left will take off again. I'll keep ya'll posted on growth rate if you're interested. I don't get impressed "that" easily, and I'm VERY happy with these lights so far.

W.

[gjuarez]

That is very good to hear Wendy. Next time I get a mh bulb it will be a 15k xm. I really like my corals to reflect nice colors so I may sacrifice some growth, if any, to bring out the best colors in corals. WHo knows, maybe they will like it even more and grow faster.