bulb question

[michaelf1478]

i am trying to get my reef tank started and i was wondering what k bulbs i should get. Im running 14000k on my 2 175watts and i have to order 2 bulbs for my 400watt are the 14000k ok for them to or should i do something different?

 

[michaelf1478]

dawgdude;449391 wrote: There isnt really a right answer to this. Some people like 10k because it looks natural and provides fast growth, some like 14k bc it gives a hint of blue with decent growth, I personally love the deep water vibrant blue of a 20k because I get great colors from my corals.

im a fan of blue myself. how do you think it'd look with 2 10000k in the 175s and 14000k in the 400s?

 

[michaelf1478]

i like the blue i just want to get good growth to.

 

[michaelf1478]

how do the 20k look i always thought it might look dark

 

[weaglereefer]

Unfortunately, anything in the 175w range that is blue won't put out PAR (needed for growth) worth anything. The only bulbs I'll ever be using for 175w are the Iwasaki 15k's, and even they're pretty white, which is why I'm piecing together a VHO setup.

I've seen the Radiums and I want them. Unfortunately, with my current setup, I don't want to step up to 250w or 400w bulbs yet, and not stepping down to 150s. Maybe with my next setup/upgrade.

 

[michaelf1478]

au01st;449452 wrote: Unfortunately, anything in the 175w range that is blue won't put out PAR (needed for growth) worth anything. The only bulbs I'll ever be using for 175w are the Iwasaki 15k's, and even they're pretty white, which is why I'm piecing together a VHO setup.

I've seen the Radiums and I want them. Unfortunately, with my current setup, I don't want to step up to 250w or 400w bulbs yet, and not stepping down to 150s. Maybe with my next setup/upgrade.

i have 14000k in my 175s now i might just go with the same to start off with with the 400s

 

[weaglereefer]

Best to do some reasearch here and on other forums. Bulb/ballast combos can vary the color and intensity. Your 14ks might look fine, but I bet they put off hardly any PAR, and since you said growth was a factor you want to consider, best bet might be to go with bulbs that are proven on your ballast setup.

 

[michaelf1478]

what the best name brand to get or dose name brand been matter? I have noticed that au01st swears by Iwasaki.

 

[weaglereefer]

Name brand does matter. I only swear by them for the 175w bulbs. There is reputable data that shows that that particular bulb in that wattage, with that spectrum, can put out as much light as a 250w bulb under certain circumstances. If it were a 150w setup, I'd go with Phoenix, 250 or 400, Radium. Bulbs are expensive and I don't have $150 to throw around just to change the color or to experiment, especially when the data is already out there and I have plenty of time to research it (what else am I supposed to do in school, learn?).

 

[michaelf1478]

au01st;449473 wrote: Name brand does matter. I only swear by them for the 175w bulbs. There is reputable data that shows that that particular bulb in that wattage, with that spectrum, can put out as much light as a 250w bulb under certain circumstances. If it were a 150w setup, I'd go with Phoenix, 250 or 400, Radium. Bulbs are expensive and I don't have $150 to throw around just to change the color or to experiment, especially when the data is already out there and I have plenty of time to research it (what else am I supposed to do in school, learn?).

i'm thankful for what you do in school it'll help save me some money im gonna try the Iwasaki 15k for my 175s and put some more research in on my 400s.

 

[weaglereefer]

If you want to try some 175w 14k's, I have some Plusrites from fleaBay (all the rage on RC), send me your address and $5 through PayPal and I'll mail them to you.

 

[michaelf1478]

au01st;449478 wrote: If you want to try some 175w 14k's, I have some Plusrites from fleaBay (all the rage on RC), send me your address and $5 through PayPal and I'll mail them to you.

are they like these?

 

[weaglereefer]

Yup, that is them exactly, from that seller, they are the Plusrite brand.

 

[michaelf1478]

I'm guessing there no good

 

[weaglereefer]

Looks like someone peed in the tank. Not enough light for zoas and shrooms...

 

[michaelf1478]

I have used these before being I had just a fowlr and the color looked good to me