10k to 14K (SPS Changes)!!!

[ribber]

Was wanting to hear of anybody's experiences with changing from a 10K bulb down to a 14k bulb (the bulbs in question are from Giesmann 13kDE to a Hamilton 14kDE) I am mostly SPS and do have good growth right now but because I am running only one set of T5 pure actinic along with the halides there is not enough blue for my liking during the day, so I am looking for a little better color during the daytime. I have read alot about this but want peoples experiences.

I am running them on a Giesmann HQI ballast.

Thanks for any input.

[littlesilvermax]

I got a bit different coloration, but in all honesty I think you may want the 20Ks for awesome colors.

[ribber]

I guess what I am mostly concerned about is loss of color! I have conflicting suggestions that the corals need to grow better to produce better coloration and that going to a lower par bulb would result in some loss of color. I guess I want the best of both worlds and have the colors to look their best all day long rather than just under the actinics.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

My friend TomR is running 14k Hamiltons & he's very pleased with them.

I'm running 13k Geisemann's & generally happy with them, but one bulb seems too yellow to be really 13k. Probably a dud.

Anthony

[mark]

I have the 14k Hamilton, seem okay to me but they are my first set of halides.

Crisp white light, growth on clam and SPSs and xenia going nuts. As for colour my acros are a little pale but thats a result as the red acro bug attack. Have a orange monti plate that retained it's rich colour from where it was fragged but some of the green monti plate has browned out compared to the tank it originated from (was warned as would likely happen).

Feeling little bad about forwarding RC links but here's (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1009409&perpage=25&pagenumber=1) one on the Hamiltons

[muck]

We just changed a set of DE bulbs out from 13K Geisemann to 14K Hammys on one of our systems and WOW what a difference. The corals look so much better (color wise). If you like the semi-blue look you should look into the Phoenix bulbs as well. The color output is very similar to the Hammys.

[andsoitgoes]

We just changed a set of DE bulbs out from 13K Geisemann to 14K Hammys on one of our systems and WOW what a difference. The corals look so much better (color wise). If you like the semi-blue look you should look into the Phoenix bulbs as well. The color output is very similar to the Hammys.

I concur here - The phoenix 14k bulbs are very nicely blue, and don't have any yellow as of yet, and you can get them for about 30% less than almost any other bulb out there! I've seen 'em in action and they're pretty :)

[ribber]

Muck: What type of ballast are you using and what type of corals do you keep??

[muck]

Muck: What type of ballast are you using and what type of corals do you keep??

Ballast: Icecap 250W Electronic
Corals: SPS, LPS, Softies, Ricordea, Zoanthid, etc. (Pretty much some of everything)

[Quagmire]

I changed from 10K with actinics,to 14K without actinics.Much nicer with 14K I think.

[ribber]

Ok, I switched out 2 bulbs and changed them to the 14k Hamilton's will see how the corals do. I do like the look of the Hamilton's though.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/rybcat/Pictures2007018.jpg

[Atomikk]

Give you a heads up on coral color with higher K values.

If you have 10K lights, the corals will naturally color up. They will sustain that colour as long as you keep the 10K lights on. As soon as you move away from 10 to 20K, the corals will regain their brown zoanthallae.. but because of the blue hues, the corals may seem colourful. I call it the fake colour..

I recently did a test in my tank regarding this.. and proved that corals brown out with 20K lighting. They look colourful, but they really aren't.

What I have done to my tank is run 2 10K MHs during the day (while I am out, at work, etc), and then at night 1 14K MH. This way my corals retain their colour and growth, and at night the tank looks nice and blue.

[One_Divided]

I've used almost every kelvin of bulb and whatage/type now. I honestly think for the most part, what chemistry and light intensity is going to be the biggest influence as far as pigment colouration. I would just find a reputable bulb that you like the colour of.

[Farrmanchu]

Give you a heads up on coral color with higher K values.

If you have 10K lights, the corals will naturally color up. They will sustain that colour as long as you keep the 10K lights on. As soon as you move away from 10 to 20K, the corals will regain their brown zoanthallae.. but because of the blue hues, the corals may seem colourful. I call it the fake colour..

I recently did a test in my tank regarding this.. and proved that corals brown out with 20K lighting. They look colourful, but they really aren't.

What I have done to my tank is run 2 10K MHs during the day (while I am out, at work, etc), and then at night 1 14K MH. This way my corals retain their colour and growth, and at night the tank looks nice and blue.

This sounds like getting the best of both worlds. Great tip!

[Psyire]

I've tried almost every type of 14k SE bulb there is and I always go back to EVC's. They are awesome in color and put out a fair amount of light. (a hair better than 14k hammy's, with quite a bit more blue)

[ribber]

Not to familar with EVC's are they 14k as well?? Another quick question in regards to Sanjay's site on RC what is CCT as opposed to par. The reason I ask is that the Giesmann 13k bulbs have very high cct numbers as opposed to other bulbs.

[Psyire]

You can get EVC's in 10k, 14k, & 20k. I run the 14's. (available through Ocean Encounter)

[Quagmire]

Ribber, CCT is the correlated color temperature of the bulb.If you have a bulb that is rated say 10K, that rating isn't always (seldom maybe) what the manufacturers state,plus over time the color of a bulb will shift.Sanjays CCT is the color temp of the bulb at the time of the test.