Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board  

Go Back   Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board > General > Reef

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-13-2006, 02:04 AM
howdy20012002's Avatar
howdy20012002 howdy20012002 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 1,437
howdy20012002 is on a distinguished road
Default MH lights - what rating?

just wondering what Kelvin rating people would suggest that I purchase for my tank
i have 2 400 W MH and 2 110 VHO Act
it is over a 90 G tank with mixture of coral and fish
should i go with a 10 k, 12 K or 20K
what is the difference really? what would each do for the tank?
Any info would be appreciated
As well, how can i tell what kind i have now..as in a probe start? or a pulse start
basically what kind of ballast that i am running
thanks
Neal
__________________
Way too much time and money has gone into this hobby....and yet, I CAN'T STOP

Last edited by howdy20012002; 03-13-2006 at 02:06 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-13-2006, 02:16 AM
McNasty McNasty is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 24
McNasty is on a distinguished road
Default

I do not know if this is true becuase i run 14k MH, but I have heard that corals will grow faster under 10k lights but not have the color of 20k lights.

Under 20 K lights color is the best but growth is slow.

I personaly went for looks in my tank when i set it up, coral growth is not to bad.

Maybe other people who have run different bulbs can give there input on color and growth.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-13-2006, 02:58 AM
BMW Rider's Avatar
BMW Rider BMW Rider is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Calgary
Posts: 784
BMW Rider is on a distinguished road
Default

I'm debating on choices for new bulbs right now too. I've been running 10Ks, but I'm not happy with the white colour. I Plan to go to 14, 15 or 20K bulbs. I Just need to figure out which. If the corals grow slower but look better, thats fine by me.
__________________
I retired and got a fixed income but it's broke.

Ed
_______________________________________
50 gallon FOWLR, 10 gallon sump.
130 gallon reef, 20 gallon sump, 10 gallon refugium.
10 gallon quarantine.
60 gallon winter tank for pond fish.
300 gallon pond with waterfall.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-13-2006, 03:02 AM
EmilyB's Avatar
EmilyB EmilyB is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Scenic Acres NW Calgary
Posts: 4,253
EmilyB is on a distinguished road
Default

Ed, feel welcome to come by and see the Phoenix bulbs I'm running, if you are considering them at all. Really happy with the color, and the corals seem to be doing pretty well.

Neal the K is sometimes just what is appealing to you, and/or what is best for your corals.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-13-2006, 03:21 AM
Bob I's Avatar
Bob I Bob I is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 3,591
Bob I is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by BMW Rider
I'm debating on choices for new bulbs right now too. I've been running 10Ks, but I'm not happy with the white colour. I Plan to go to 14, 15 or 20K bulbs. I Just need to figure out which. If the corals grow slower but look better, thats fine by me.
I use the 14500K Gieseman Megachrome bulb. It is only slightly blue tinged, but yet the corals fluoresce.
__________________
Bob
-----------------------------------------------------
To be loved you have to be nice to people every day - To be hated you don't have to do squat.

---------Homer Simpson--------
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-13-2006, 03:23 AM
Bob I's Avatar
Bob I Bob I is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 3,591
Bob I is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by McNasty
I do not know if this is true becuase i run 14k MH, but I have heard that corals will grow faster under 10k lights but not have the color of 20k lights.

Under 20 K lights color is the best but growth is slow.

I personaly went for looks in my tank when i set it up, coral growth is not to bad.

Maybe other people who have run different bulbs can give there input on color and growth.
It is true, there is greater PAR under whiter light. The more blue, the less PAR, and less coral growth.
__________________
Bob
-----------------------------------------------------
To be loved you have to be nice to people every day - To be hated you don't have to do squat.

---------Homer Simpson--------
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-13-2006, 04:44 AM
Willow's Avatar
Willow Willow is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Richmond, BC
Posts: 1,485
Willow is on a distinguished road
Send a message via MSN to Willow Send a message via Yahoo to Willow
Default

actually your corals will probably grow better under 6700k lights but they look like crap.
__________________
Given sufficient thrust pigs will fly just fine.

90 Gallon LPS tank - Challice, Acans, Favia, Diplo and Zoos
125 Gallon SPS Coming Soon!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-13-2006, 07:08 AM
fortheloveofcrabs fortheloveofcrabs is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 252
fortheloveofcrabs is on a distinguished road
Default

Higher K, more watts. Simple. I have a 16 gal nano with a 175 watt 20k and it looks great, and growth is good (1 polyp candy has grown to 19 polyps in 8 months, 1 polyp torch to 4 polyp in 6 weeks). I am upgrading a 400 watt 20k so I can keep SPS corals (I say Josh's cat's paw and fell in love!) But that's my 2 cents... 20k all the way!

-Pauli
__________________
_______________________________________

Have a good one!
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 03-13-2006, 07:50 AM
jws444 jws444 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 94
jws444 is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by fortheloveofcrabs
Higher K, more watts. Simple. I have a 16 gal nano with a 175 watt 20k and it looks great, and growth is good (1 polyp candy has grown to 19 polyps in 8 months, 1 polyp torch to 4 polyp in 6 weeks). I am upgrading a 400 watt 20k so I can keep SPS corals (I say Josh's cat's paw and fell in love!) But that's my 2 cents... 20k all the way!

-Pauli

The temperature rating of a bulb has no correlation to wattage. A bulb consuming 175 watts will remain the same regardless of the bulb's kelvin rating.

Personally, I find 20k kelvin bulbs are decent looking on well stocked tanks. If you're running a 'bare bone' tank with not much live rock and corals, then you'll get nothing but glowing blue sand. It is really preference. Take up some of the member's offers and go take a look. It's the only real reference you'll be able to get.
__________________
George

Last edited by jws444; 03-13-2006 at 07:52 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 03-13-2006, 07:53 AM
Pan's Avatar
Pan Pan is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Didsbury
Posts: 1,137
Pan is on a distinguished road
Default

you can get 13k bulbs as well...
Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 04:35 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.