14k or 20k 400MH bulbs

[softbal4]

i am deciding between 14k and 20k what is the census? which are the right about of blue. i currently am running 3 x 400watt 10k xm and they are way too white for me.

also, where do most get their bulbs from? who has the best deals? does anyone have extras or ones they don't need laying around. thanks jen

 

[kerusso316]

I have a 150 SPS tank.I have 3,400's.I like 10/14/10 combo in my tank.The corals in the tranzition zone grow to best.Some like it under the 14,some like the {zone},some like being right under the 10's.The 14 in the center adds nice color to the 10's on the ends.I am hearing alot about the Coralvue 12's.You might want to check thouse out.Seems like a happy mid point for SPS.

 

[kerusso316]

Also if you have a deep tank,the 20's are way to dim.IMO

 

[mhurley]

I'm running 400 watt 14K hamiltons and 20K XM's on my tank right now. I had been running 14K's all across the tank and I like them, but I just decided to try something different...so I'm doing 14K, 20K, 14K, 20K across it.

I can shoot some pictures but probably not today. You can definitely see the brightness difference between the 14K and 20K.

I like the 14's...just enough blue for me. But in the past, I had good luck with SPS coloration with 20K's...the growth was just too slow for my taste. So I decided to try this and see what happens.

 

[mm949]

if you run 20k MH you will need a HQI ballast or you will only get 6 months on a bulb....

 

[Rod Buehler]

One thing to keep in mind is that different "K"s will lok different on different ballasts (HQI, standard, and electronic) In standard M59s, I like the reeflux 10KK. It burns with a little more blue than the XM but it still holds the PAR levels pretty good. The 12KK reeflux on an M59 is a little too blue for me, but most would probably prefer the 12s over the 10s. If using an HQI ballast, I like the 12s. As far as coloration of corals. IMO it all over the board.. Some will color best under a 10K XM and others will color better under a 20KK lamp.

mm949: Whats the deal with 20KK lamps and HQI ballasts? The HQI drives them harder, so if anything, I would guess that they woukld last a shorter amount of time on an HQI.

 

[mhurley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6887059#post6887059 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mm949
if you run 20k MH you will need a HQI ballast or you will only get 6 months on a bulb....

Huh? That's the first I've ever heard that.

 

[kerusso316]

I stated in my first post Coralvue......I ment Reeflux 10K or 12K bulbs.

 

[bink0404]

I run 14k EVC Tech bulbs. You can get them at a great price, and I love the color that they produce. They also have no problem lighting the bottom of a 30 inch deep tank.

 

[jgleach]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6887402#post6887402 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kerusso316
I stated in my first post Coralvue......I ment Reeflux 10K or 12K bulbs.

It really is important what ballast type you have....and the age as well. I bought a 400w 12K reeflux and it didn't even fire on my m59 mag. ballast. I had it replaced and the same thing happened with the second bulb. I contacted coralvue and they said they have had some issues with older mag. ballasts and that I should replace the capacitor on mine. I opted to go with a new electronic ballast but it hasn't arrived yet. I'm doing all this because I really have high hopes for the 400w reeflux 12K bulb based on the looks of the 250w one that I also bought. On my other tank I've got a 14K Hamilton, 10K Aqualine, and now the 12K reeflux (all 250w and all on pulse start mag. ballasts) The 12K is by far the best looking of the three IMO....it seems to make the blues stand out more....so I'm hoping for the same out of the 400w. I hope I haven't rambled too much and I hope I have helped some....I'll try to get a pic in a little bit.

Jeff

 

[jgleach]

OK....I just ran downstairs and snapped a few pics. I know it's hard to compare colors and brightness when the corals, rocks, and everything else are different from one pic to the next but here goes...

Left side 14K Hamilton

center 10K Aqualine

Right side 12K reeflux

Full tank shot

and the last one...just to make the point about the blues....

I used photoshop to crop and resize only. No other alterations were made. It is hard to notice the color and brightness differences from the pics....my camera does not have white balance. The aqualine is by far the brightest and least attractive color, and although it may appear that the hamilton is brighter than the reeflux in the pics, that is not the case. The bulbs look very similar, but the reeflux makes the colors pop out more....

Jeff

 

[mm949]

you need more amps to heat the bulb for 20k....thats what ive been told by PFO....if not the bulb does not light to its full potential cutting the bulb life....

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

I run 20K coralvue 400W DE's on Coralvue electronic ballast and also a 14K hamilton 400W DE on a coralvue electronic ballast.

I like the look of the 14K hamilton and will be swaping out all of my bulbs for them. They are brighter than the 20K's but still have the nice blue/white balance. Corals seem to like either and you don't need to run atinics with them.

I do have a 175W SE MH XM 10K on my other tank along with 220 W PC atinic. With the 10K, you have to run the atinic or it's just too white, no hint of blue.