Colour Spectrum

[livebearer_breeder]

I am tossing up between the 150watt 10000k and 14000k MH bulbs, ive been told about the different colours and such. I was just wondering if anyone actually had a colour spectrum chart so i know exactly what sort of colour light id be looking at for in my display tank.

Cheers Shae

[wasp]

Each manufacturers bulbs are slightly different, and in addition, a bulb rated 14,000 would not just put out 14,000, it will put out a whole range, but 14,000 would be the average of them.

Some bulbs come with a colour chart of the colours emitted by that bulb, and that would be the most accurate way, for that particular bulb.

But in the end it comes down to what looks best on your tank, and also bear in mind that the average 14,000k bulb only puts out 1/2 as much light that can be used by the coral, as the average 10,000k bulb

[livebearer_breeder]

Right so what if i mixed? cause i like the hint of blue look, and went with a 10000k in one and a 14000k in another? or would it be smarter with just two 10000k. I just really dont want a yellow tank, and ive been told 10000k look abit yellow.

Shae

[wasp]

Can do, providing it's "balanced".

The most economical way to get the most light on your corals, but still have a good look, is to use 10,000k MH bulbs, and also have some blue actinic floro tubes that run the length of the tank.

My MH's are 150 watt also, and I found that I liked the look of 14,000k, but it just was not enough light for some of the corals. Now I'm running 10,000k bulbs, plus some blue actinic floros, seems to work.

[livebearer_breeder]

I won't be able to fit any actinic tubes in the hood. Its only a small setup. Once the two MH's are in the hood, i was intending to wire up a bunch of blue LED's, cause there so small. Would this work?

Shae

[Ira]

For a night light it will. For actinic supplementation, no. Not unless you have several hundred of them. Otherwise it just won't have the power to make a difference.

[wasp]

Small, how small? If the tank is quite small the 14,000k bulbs may be OK because it is not such a big tank to light up.

Also it depends what livestock you will keep, 10,000k bulbs over a small tank may be too much if you wish to keep mushrooms or similar.

[chimera]

14k is definately my preference. 10k too yellow and feeds nuisance algae more than 14k do.

[Pies]

I am running 14k, and would go back to 10k if I could find bulbs at the right price. 14k is a little too blue, I like the crisp white from the BLV 10k.

Pie

[livebearer_breeder]

Its a 50x50x50 Cube. seems 14k is the way to go then.

Cheers Shae

[suphew]

You can always change the kevin when you replace your bulb when it wears out, like a lot of things its a really difficult question to answer because it depends on so many factors, tank size, corals your keeping, what you like the look of. etc. I had a 14000k for a while but replaced it was far to blue and that side of the tank looked dim with the 10000k on the other side. But in saying that if I turn off my blue fluros the tank looks too yellow with just the 10000k

[jetskisteve]

It depends on which company's bulbs u use i have 3 choices of 14k bulbs and they all differ, I like the cheapest ones actually nice crisp light!

[reef]

here is a link of ligh comparison

http://www.coralreefecosystems.com/ltg_bulb_color.htm

Beware of the cheap bulbs around as they are rubbish.

[wasp]

Good find Reef, very interesting, and quite surprising too.

Interesting the 10,000k hamilton gives exactly the same washed out type look it does in my tank also.

Coralife looks good to me.

Just it doesn't give the PAR anywhere.

[reef]

try this

http://www.cnidarianreef.com/lamps.cfm

[wasp]

Hmmm... Looks like the Hamiltons score OK on PAR, if not on looks.

There's definately a few bulbs to be avoided though, and the trap is that the average reefer does not even know how much PAR his bulbs are giving off.