Changed bulbs...now is there enough light??

[9supratt4]

I finally changed my bulbs from a bit over 1 year old Coralife MH's to 14K Phoenix bulbs.
I've had the new bulbs in for a week now...When they first turned on they where a lot more blue than my previous bulbs...but that is expected. But after a week there hasn't been much change. The tank doesn't look as bright as it used to....is that just because of the blue of the bulbs and is this something to worry about in regards to the light not penetrating the water deep enough?

 

[spanko]

MH bulbs typically take about 100 hours to "burn in". They Phoenix 14k are a bluer blub. What was the kelvin rateing of the coralife bulbs?

 

[9supratt4]

They were Coralife 14K

 

[spanko]

Yup there is a definite diffeence in the blueness between those two brands.
Here is a thread I did on comparison of the Phoenix 14k and the Radium 20k. You can see how blue the phoenix are.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/323790/radium-hqi-bulbs

 

[9supratt4]

Originally Posted by spanko http:///forum/post/3185244
Yup there is a definite diffeence in the blueness between those two brands.
Here is a thread I did on comparison of the Phoenix 14k and the Radium 20k. You can see how blue the phoenix are.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/323790/radium-hqi-bulbs
I actually read that thread of yours a while back...thats why I went with the 14K Phoenix

I'm just concerned on the light not penetrating the water enough to reach the bottom on the tank. Is this not a concern as the PAR will still be there and it's just a visual thing because of the "blue" of the bulbs??

 

[spanko]

According to Sanjay Joshi;
"Overall ‘general’ trends:
1.Higher Wattage = higher output and deeper penetration
2.Higher Kelvin / same wattage = Lower overall PAR and visual intensity
3.Higher Kelvin = A more blue appearance.
4.Lower Kelvin = a more yellow appearance."
Some interesting reading here.
http://www.reef-eden.net/lighting.htm

 

[9supratt4]

So according to that list....I have a lower par value than before? I'm confused.

 

[spanko]

Some interesting reading here.
http://www.reef-eden.net/lighting.htm

 

[9supratt4]

Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3185267
Some interesting reading here.
http://www.reef-eden.net/lighting.htm
Very interesting read in deed!!
Now it makes me wonder if I should be running my actinics more than I do.