1000k's for faster growth?

[Toadally]

I agree that there is a saturation point, but how much is too much? If you look at all the TOTM's past and present you'll notice that most are running their lights at least 11 hours a day. You cannot ignor the results.

 

[Dave71]

I agree that there is a saturation point, but how much is too much? If you look at all the TOTM's past and present you'll notice that most are running their lights at least 11 hours a day. You cannot ignor the results.

When I refer to saturation point, I am referring to the amount of light received by a coral at a moment in time, and not the length of time a coral receives light over the course of a day.

 

[syedjilani]

All this corals have grown under 400W 10K XM in my 120G tank. i just changed 400W 14K Radium.

see the difference in pics. what you guys says. no actanic, ll add soon.

400W XM 10K on the left side.

<a href="http://s1042.photobucket.com/albums/b425/syedjilani/?action=view&current=245.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b425/syedjilani/245.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

400W Radium 14K onthe left side.

<a href="http://s1042.photobucket.com/albums/b425/syedjilani/?action=view&current=246.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b425/syedjilani/246.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[manix man]

I am a little surprised people are associating kelvin with growth.

It is my understanding that growth is associated with PAR. While it is true that lower kelvin bulbs tend to produce higher PAR, this is not always the case.

Case in point, I was using a 10 K bulb, and moved to a 14 K bulb, and saw much better growth and I also had better coloration in my corals.

I would also mention that the kelvin rating is made up by the manufacturer of the bulb. A 14 K bulb from different manufacturers can look totally different to the eye and under spectral analysis.

Last, there is a saturation point, where the corals cannot use the additional light/PAR. So any additional is, for lack of a better term, going to waste.

In summary, like almost everything in this hobby, this isn't a "one size fits all" type of question/answer.

I agree with a lot of what you are saying. I read a few lab tests where ok they have pointed out like you say not all bulbs are equal for a kick off. But within controlled tests sps corals with good bulbs would produce best growth and colouration at between 8000k-10000k. Like you say this could be in part due to the increased par. A given bulb if manufactured properly will give higher lumens output at 10000k than 14000k and so on.

Oh saturation can see your point on this there is a point again where there is enough light and anymore is not doing a great deal. Fair point. If your on a budget and can't afford mega output lights I see dropping down to 10000K with a good quality bulb could be beneficial - that's if what the tests have shown is correct for 10000k bulbs.

 

[iap]

Radium makes 14k bulbs? Thought they only had a 20k bulb. Guess I'll have to look into tryig a Radium 14k bulb

 

[Dave71]

If your on a budget and can't afford mega output lights I see dropping down to 10000K with a good quality bulb could be beneficial - that's if what the tests have shown is correct for 10000k bulbs.

To add to your comments on budget, a bluer bulb will lose PAR faster than a whiter bulb.

So if you were to start with the same PAR level for a 10 K and a 20 K setup for example. Six months later you would typically experience higher PAR retention from the 10 K setup.

Which may also translate to more sustained growth from the 10 K bulb due to sustained PAR levels.

Thus higher Kelvin setups need to consider this in regards to bulb replacement.

 

[manix man]

To add to your comments on budget, a bluer bulb will lose PAR faster than a whiter bulb.

So if you were to start with the same PAR level for a 10 K and a 20 K setup for example. Six months later you would typically experience higher PAR retention from the 10 K setup.

Which may also translate to more sustained growth from the 10 K bulb due to sustained PAR levels.

Thus higher Kelvin setups need to consider this in regards to bulb replacement.

My problem in the UK the market isn't as big as the US. There doesn't seem to be that many suppliers available for bulbs. Seems like the 14000k / 20000k are the most common. Shops run a lot of 20000k ones to make the corals 'look' cooler if you like. I can get some 10000K ones but they seem expensive. I will research some prices and post them see if you think they are crazy for 10000k ones. Obviously I can get cheap ones from hong kong but I assume that is just a waste of time.

How do you know if you have a electronic ballast or not? I don't think I have as the unit is like 6 years old.

 

[Darkstar22]

Nice setup syedjilani, and thanks for the comparison pics! The 10k side looks like bright sunlight, and the radium side looks like deeper water. Why did you change to Radiums? Just for a different look?

 

[Toadally]

Radium makes 14k bulbs? Thought they only had a 20k bulb. Guess I'll have to look into tryig a Radium 14k bulb

Nope....the Radiums are 20k bulbs.

 

[manix man]

Nice setup syedjilani, and thanks for the comparison pics! The 10k side looks like bright sunlight, and the radium side looks like deeper water. Why did you change to Radiums? Just for a different look?

IMO the the original 10000K looked better and a lot brighter. I know you can't go by looks for for actual brightness but it really gives that impression.

 

[Darkstar22]

I agree manix man. 10k much brighter, and if the pics are true to what it looks like in person, I would say the corals look more colorful.
I'd love to see some other comparisons

 

[zangmann]

I prefer the warmer color of a 10K bulb as well.

I run 2x250 10K reeflux DE and 24 RB Leds. The MHs overpower the Leds a bit too much but i enjoy the coral's color and growth with this combo. I would step up to a 14K if I could get the same results.

 

[Dave71]

Just before I moved to 14 K

Now

 

[ksc]

Radium sells a 14k bulb, just not available in the US yet.

 

[manix man]

I agree manix man. 10k much brighter, and if the pics are true to what it looks like in person, I would say the corals look more colorful.
I'd love to see some other comparisons

I'm beginning to get sold on this 10000K idea. Surely it represents closer to the shallow water SPS corals mainly come from and you also get an output boast (be it lumens/pars).

 

[Darkstar22]

Me too manix man! I just want to ask what bulb now? I have read that the 250W DE Ushio bulb gives off a bright white color...more so than the XM. But it is random some say it's yellow, some white with a tint of blue...I'm getting this from Marine Depot customer reviews. There also is a Blue Life SPS brand bulb that apparently is bright white, but I don't know much about them. Ushio, and XM have been around. Confusion! lol.

 

[manix man]

Me too manix man! I just want to ask what bulb now? I have read that the 250W DE Ushio bulb gives off a bright white color...more so than the XM. But it is random some say it's yellow, some white with a tint of blue...I'm getting this from Marine Depot customer reviews. There also is a Blue Life SPS brand bulb that apparently is bright white, but I don't know much about them. Ushio, and XM have been around. Confusion! lol.

Well ok I have found 2 places in the UK which sell a lot of these makes you guys talk about (XM, Radium, Ushio etc) but the price for say each 150watt de 10000k is min £50+ ($70) but I have found IWASAKI for £43 each.

Are Iwaski any good? Are the bulbs a lot cheaper in the US?

 

[iap]

Bulbs are around the same price in the US. I just ordered a 10k for 66$

 

[manix man]

Bulbs are around the same price in the US. I just ordered a 10k for 66$

Oh right, so it's in the ball park.

You mind me asking which type you went for and why

 

[thejuggernaut]

not to be too big of a pain but it is 10k not 1000k or 10000k that we are talking about here. a 1000 or 10000k bulb would have its spectrum in the ultraviolet range if not up into the frewquency of xrays.

The k is not short hand for thousand. It stands for kelvin or the color of the light. So it is actually 10,000k.

syedjilani-
What type of ballast are you using with your MH bulbs. Also what type of actinics were you thinking of using. Everyone seems to be running higher kelvin MH bulbs but I tend to like the look of whiter MH with actinic VHO or T5.