Power Compact Lighting

[molybdenumman]

In my 50 g tank right now I have 2X55W PC lights. I'm looking to upgrade. I'm thinking of boosting up to a 4X65W PC system. Can someone explain to me the difference between the 6700K and the 10000K bulbs?

I have a reef tank with both soft and hard corals in it.

MoMan

[Diomedes]

10000 K bulbs emit a longer wavelength of light than 6700K bulbs. To your eye, this means that the colour produced by these bulbs will be closer to the blue side of the spectrum and farther from the red. The impact that you will notice is the quality of light produced will be 'whiter' and less yellow will be visible. I like these bulbs for their aesthetic appeal as well as their accuracy when compared to the natural environment.

As far as other factors are concerned, the Kelvin (K) measurement of lighting (colour temperature) is relevant when you consider the light-filtering properties of seawater, and how they affect the wavelengths of light that actually reach corals in the wild. Sunlight is 5500-6000K light, but saltwater filters out the shorter wavelengths (red-orange-yellow etc.) as the depth grows greater. The actual colour temperature of light that reaches most corals in the wild is greater than those 6700 K bulbs. If you want more in-depth info, read about it in some good aquarium books.

[molybdenumman]

Thanks for the info.

Am I correct in assuming that 4 bulbs will be brighter and therefore more beneficial to the tank inhabitants?

[Diomedes]

That depends on what you have in your tank. This is a big question where you basically want to research your aquarium inhabitants and build an environment where the light, current, tank size etc are what they need to thrive.

Higher light will benefit many corals, but some may react poorly in the short-term to an immediate doubling of the light output. If you have corals that you are not sure about, keep the new, brighter hood a little higher off the top of the tank for the first week. But really the amount of light you are pumping into the tank is more, but the intensity of light is about the same - In your typical hard-soft coral mix of well known species there shouldn't be a problem with switching the lights directly.

Good Luck
Stephen

[StirCrazy]

Thanks for the info.

Am I correct in assuming that 4 bulbs will be brighter and therefore more beneficial to the tank inhabitants?

no, it won't be brighter, but it will be more evenly dispersed.

Steve

[molybdenumman]

but it is beneficial to have more wattage for my tank right?