Dual 400w MH's?

[KBurn]

kirstenk, if you were me what coralvue would you chose? 10000K, 14000K, and 20000K. If I understand it correctly, to 10k is really white and the 20k is really blue, and the 14k is in the middle?

 

[kirstenk]

If I understand it correctly, to 10k is really white and the 20k is really blue, and the 14k is in the middle?


Yes......that is correct except I think 10K looks yellow.

I am not familiar with the color that the DE bulbs produce. I went to Sanjay's site to see what he has tested but he does not do much at all with DE bulbs.

There was a bulb by Happy Reefing that looked promising to me. It was their 20K. I plotted that against my 12K Reeflux and the plot said it would be more white but still a huge spike in the blue range.

Here is his site.

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/lighting

If I were you I would go ask the 400W HQI users in the Lighting Forum.

 

[KBurn]

Thanks, I will go check them out. I couldn't imagine a 20k looking more white than your 12k, I have a feeling I will just try the 14k's but it's still a little scary, $180.

 

[Philwd]

The bulbs will also burn differently with electronic and magnetic ballasts. Electronic tends to (but not always) burn bulbs bluer. Especially with DE bulbs. Magnetics drive them harder to spec and tend to burn whiter. You will see 14K bulbs look like 20K and you'll see some with crisp white.

 

[KBurn]

I am going to be using Ice Cap electronic ballast, it's gonna be a gamble, hopefully it all works out.