14K or 20K MH Bulbs

[bolo7735]

I currently running 400w 20k radium single end on my 150 tank. The color is very nice but the coral grow is slow. What do you guys think about using 14K bulbs? Will the 14K give me better coral growth? Will it still be display bluish tint to it? Tank is 90% SPS. Thanks in advanced.

 

[?reeftopia?]

i think a 14k would give you much better growth. right now im running 250 single ended bulbs but they are reef lux 12k and i think my corals grow a little faster than my room mates 14k double ended phoenix. and the color is almost identical. they both have a very nice color to them.

 

[ReefBum]

What kind of ballast are you running the 400s on? That bulb run best when over-driven on a HQI ballast. You will get both great colors and super growth.

 

[offroadodge]

i run 20k reeflux and have GREAT growth, lifespan on bulb seems short to me but The growth is AWESOME!!!

 

[bolo7735]

What kind of ballast are you running the 400s on? That bulb run best when over-driven on a HQI ballast. You will get both great colors and super growth.

I am using Vertex ballast.

 

[t4zalews]

The 250w radium is the bulb that is best when overdriven..I ran a 400w radium on a galaxy ballast and my growth exploded. I'd look at the chemistry of your water over the bulbs. Do you have high phosphate? what are your alk and ca levels at? do they stay constant.

 

[ReefBum]

The 250w radium is the bulb that is best when overdriven..I ran a 400w radium on a galaxy ballast and my growth exploded. I'd look at the chemistry of your water over the bulbs. Do you have high phosphate? what are your alk and ca levels at? do they stay constant.

Actually the 250W is best to run at spec while the 400w is the one folks tend to over-drive.

 

[t4zalews]

agree to disagree

 

[bolo7735]

Mag - 1350-1400
CA - 450
ALK - 9.6-10 Dkh

Phosphate just went up due to my DI unit was exhausted. I am getting replacement. I have been running the 20k bulb for about 4-5 months and growth has been very slow. I supplement the MH with blue LEDs. Run MH 6 hours a day and temp is always kept around 78-79 degrees. I do feed oyster festival every 3 days and Rogger reef foods for my fishes. Nitrates are very low to none. All testers are Salifert. Dosing 2 part at the moment. I just want to mKe sure it is worth going to a 14k if it provides better growth. I don't want to waste my money if the 20k is going to do the same.

 

[t4zalews]

Yea...I wouldnt change the bulbs. You really won't find another bulb that will put out the par a 400w radium does unless you go to a 10K. Like I said before, I don't believe its your lighting. What type of flow is in the tank? this can also have an effect on growth.

 

[bolo7735]

I'm running 1 - 6200 and 1 - 6205 tunze. One of them is on a Sea Swirl. They are on a tunze control on pulse alternating.

 

[bolo7735]

Anyone?

 

[cubman20]

I am running 250 rad with a lumatek e ballast on the hqi setting good growth and color. the hqi setting is 275. I am going to set it back to see what it looks like on the 250 setting.

 

[xtm]

For best growth while still maintaining the bluish tinge, I would suggest some strong 10K's, like the Ushios or XM's and heavy supplementation of 420nm actinics (or maybe add some Blue ones also) However, in my experience, bulb color has less of an impact to growth compared to chemistry. Solid alkalinity + Ca coupled with low nutrients and proper coral feeding is still best for growth.

 

[iap]

So those that say, say a reeflux 12k will give you faster/better growth over a radium bulb are full of it?