Anyone seen 175w iwasaki 15k's in person?

[Silent but Violent]

I've ran XM 10k's for a few years and looking to try something different. Right now I'm running (3) 175 watt XM 10k's and (2) 46.5" vho super actinic's on our 4' 120 gallon. I've read on the par these things put out and was looking to only run 2 of these along with our vho's. The XM's look yellow after a year of use. Went though 2 sets. Does anyone know how these bulbs compare to XM 10k's new. Any bluer? From what I've read not alot of people use these but becoming more popular. Those that are using them seem to think they hold up longer. Not alot of pics on the net of them. Anybody?

Rock on,

[benny z]

a buddy of mine was running these over his 125 for power savings (switched from 250w) for about a year and a half. he ended up switching back just recently.

imo the par comes at the cost of color. the water was more yellow than 250w xm 10k imo.

[flamehawk]

The XM is definately whiter than the Iwasaki 14k but Iwasaki is also a lot brighter (to my eyes) as well. I think if you went with (2) Iwasaki's on foursided reflectors and kept the same (2) VHO's the tank will look just as bright with 175watt less being consumed.

Another idea would be running T5 actinics with wrap arounf (parabolic) reflectors to give it a more overall blue look.

Over half of one of our prop tanks, we use a 175 Iwasaki 14k with Lumenbright and everything grows extremely well. I think if i added actinic vho's or T5's, the look would be very pleasing.

HTH Johnny