Upgraded lights. Better?

[pws]

Ok I got Hamilton 14k 250w x2 and x2 96w pc actinic on my 40g breeder.

I like the color of the corals but it is not bright at all compair to my bulbs I bought it with. Almost seems like the PC bulbs are brighter than my dual 250w MH. Is this normal? Which one do you like better? Both bad pics. Old bulbs are first on and the new bulbs it is harder to get a clear pic and its way past my corals bed time...

Also will I still get the crazy growth I was? Got a green birdsnest and it grew at least 1/4" in less than two weeks. Seems like stuff won't grow with so less light?
Old.

New

 

[johndawg]

Personally, I like the look in the first picture.
John

 

[rwp1202]

What bulbs were you running in the before picture? 14K and actinics will not appear as bright as 10K's.

 

[chuggy]

man those 14s are really blue

 

[imcosmokramer]

yeah, the 14k's won't be as bright. I doubt that they look that blue in real life though. Unless you color correct the image, or set a custom white balance for this lighting, the photo will much bluer than in real life because the sensor on the camera is fooled by the added blue. It can not adjust like our eyes do. I personally would go with the light that makes the corals look the way I want them to. 2x250w on a 40 breeder is PLENTY and they will grow. That's just me though.

 

[pws]

Also these bulbs don't seem to want to make a good connection in my sockets. I put them in and nothing happen. So I turned the ballast off and made sure they were all the way in.

Next I turned if on again and still nothing. So I then went and kept it on and moved the bulb and it fired. It also made a noise and sparks in the socket. So I moved the socket closer and it fired each time like that. I did it to the other side also. They seemed to fire fine last night.

This morning when I tried to turn it on nothing.. I hit the top of the light and one fired but the other one wouldn't. So I had to take the other side apart and turn the bulb while in the socket and it fired.

Think they are so blue cause they are not connecting enough inside? How would I fix this? I didn't have this problem with the stock bulbs or a usho.

 

[Burgman]

Hi,

The blueish color has nothing to do with the bulb making a good contact in the socket. If the bulb does not turn on all the time that could be the bulb contact with the socket.

Dave

 

[aquatictec]

bulbs making contact

bulbs making contact

That is a common problem when replacing bulbs. Unplug your ballast, remove the bulbs from their sockets, reach in the socket and pull the tabs out as far as they will easily go (don't worry if you pull too far the spring will shoot out just put it back if that happens) put you bulbs back in and it should be fixed.

 

[pws]

Thanks Greg. I will try that when I get home. I got these bulbs used and think they are too blue for my liking. Not sure yet. I wanted to try them out before I bought anything new. The ushio one I didn't like at all cause of how dim it was. I think that was a 20k. Might end up getting 10k bulbs.

 

[pws]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14531738#post14531738 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rwp1202
What bulbs were you running in the before picture? 14K and actinics will not appear as bright as 10K's.

I am not sure what bulb it was as it was a stock bulb and the lighting system was bought used. The stock light was pretty yellow like a 6500 bulb almost. I like a bright white look with no yellow. The coral really pop like when I have only my actinics on with this 14k bulb.

 

[pws]

Ok here is what the old bulbs look like 100% to the eye.

Closest I could get to what it looks like in real life with the new bubs.

This is how I want my tank to look.

Seeing what these 14k hamiltion do and how blue/purple they are what bulb do you think I should go with to get the last pic? Thanks

 

[PirateFish52]

I just installed my Hamilton Ballast, 2 x175 in the past few weeks.

I have the 20k bulb. Along with this, I have 2x48 inch daylight, and 2x48 inch acitinic.

The look I have is pretty much like what you have in your first picture.

What you might want to try out is the 20k, and use daylight pc's instead of acitinics, as you would be getting the blue (it's not as much blue as you would think) and the Daylights will even it out to more of a look you are looking to achieve.

I think the 14k is more of a yellowish look when burning alone, and less of a bright white with a hint of blue that you get with the 20k.

If I want more of a blue look, I just turn off the 2 Daylight T5's and the look I get is just about what you have in your second picture.