14K bulb is red?

[matttaylor]

So i'm running a 20K bulb (beautiful color) and a 14K bulb that seems to be burning a reddish color. Is this normal? I've been switching between the 14k and a 10k because the 14k just annoys me. I was told that the bulb is only 4 months old, same as the 20k and the 20 seems fine. Anyone else seen this?

 

[mpoletti]

What kind of bulb is it?

 

[matttaylor]

I wish i knew. The only marking on it is "250Watt". I know it's not a Hamilton, or an XM.

 

[edsimmons]

Reeflux?

 

[matttaylor]

Maybe, i'm actually starting to see it shift a little bit now that it is warming up, turning a little purple. I think i'll let it burn in a few days and see what happens.

 

[Unarce]

SE or DE

 

[matttaylor]

SE

 

[Unarce]

Have you tried different orientations of the exhaust nipple? The color can shift depending on where it's pointed. Typically, they should be pointed anywhere between 9:00-3:00 position.

 

[matttaylor]

I usually try to keep the nipple in that area, and it's posible that the first time i used the bulb it wasn't aligned correctly. It is now pointed in the correct direction, and since it's been on for almost 5 hours now the color is definately bluer. I think the previous ballast it was running on was different than mine (possibly electronic, mine is magnetic), and it just needed time to burn in. The tank actually looks a lot better with a 14k and a 20k than with a 20k and 10k. Now to find another 20k and i'll be all set.