Halide Recommendations

[kj5432]

I have a mainly SPS tank. In addition to 3 blue vho actinics I am running a 250 watt Coralvue 10K halide. I feel like I should be getting more vibrant colors from my acroporas so I am considering switching to a different bulb. What type of bulb recommendations do you have? I have been told that if I go with a 6500k Iwasaki it would be a light brighter (higher PAR) and I should get much better colors. Please help???

Also is there a place on the web where I can find PAR ratings on bulb?

 

[comatose]

a change in bulbs isn't always the solution, the stability of the tank can be more of an effect than light most times. especially if your lights are strong enough, which yours are.

after all i run three 175w 10k on a 180 gallon tank and didn't see great color till i stabilized the tank.

 

[oddballs]

i agree with comatose but a 14 k bulb or 20 k will help your color a lot unless you dont have optimal water conditions.

 

[Jeremy Blaze]

I agree with above.

I ran XM 20K and had awsome color, but growth was slow. I switched to XM10k, still great color, better than any other 10k I have run, and the growth should be much better as well( to soon to tell)

 

[Amphiprionocellaris]

Re: Halide Recommendations

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7614721#post7614721 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kjeanes

Also is there a place on the web where I can find PAR ratings on bulb?

Yes:
http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/
An excellent resource that has helped me many, many times.

As far as the color question, the 20K will give the best greens and flrourescence if it is enough light (20K are very inefficient bulbs per watt- see the lighting website linked above). Other colors, such as reds, oranges/yellows, and even some blues and purples, will look brighter under 12K and 10K bulbs. I find the most balanced combination is what you have now, with the actinics for greens and the 10K for lower-wavelength colors. However, as others have said playing with bulbs is not always going to get good color.

 

[The DOC]

I've run several bulbs....really like the Radiums!

Get good color...but as said need good water conditions...as well as some nutrients via fish waste to get good colors.....more and more reefers are breaking away from the old school thought of very few fish in lots of water, but its auctlly benificial to have a higher fish load...but good skimmer etc.

But man I like them radiums!

Doc

 

[Ti]

yeh radiums are really nice bulbs

 

[parothead22]

I like the color of the Hamilton 14000k with a nice combination of white and blue. It is actually whiter than some 10000k bulbs!
Then supplement with the actinic pc strip light to mimic the dawn and dusk cycles.

 

[The DOC]

I have hamiltons as well 14K 250's....can't stand em...each bulb looks different color....no consistancy...I'm not the only one that has noticed this....then the hammys burned/bleached alot of my acros...switched to radiums problem fixed....

Got a 20K XM on the way to experiment with....the cheap ol coralvue 14K's were even better for me than the hammys....these are all SE's maybe the DE hammys are better.....

just my opinion of course....

Doc

 

[Ti]

I've had 2 hamilton 14k's,both came out a nice crispy white