help with a quick question

[johnbaker]

What is the difference between 10000k and 14000k mh lamps beside color and which one is better for a reef tank?:help:

 

[humuhumu]

Which one is better is a matter of preferance. The 10K being whiter than the 14K. I like the color of my corals with a bluer light.

 

[legion]

I believe 10k has a high par value, meaning, that there is more usable light that penetrates through the water without being filtered out. And I have read, not tried, that you get a better shimmer effect with 10 and 14k bulbs over 20k
I also prefer the higher k, I use a 20k hqi bulb on my reef

 

[johnbaker]

how blue does the 20000k make the tank? 10 to 14000k was a huge difference.,

 

[squidd]

I think a good bit of visual "color" perception comes from different MFGs and Ballasts as well as "K" values on the bulbs themselves..
And then there is the addition of PC or VHO acinic supplementation...
I run a 20K 250 HQI on a Magnetic ballast...
Here with MH only... Doesn't look too blue to me..
Comments??

 

[squidd]

Let's try another with actinics..
Same settings on camera..(sometimes they can change the "look" of the pic...)

 

[golfish]

Best bet it to look around and try to see as many bulbs and ballast combo's as you can. I've seen 20K's look blue and I've seen em look white with a hint of yellow. It depends on the bulb and the ballast. I've seen 10K's that were butt ugly yellow and I've seen em white with a hint of blue.
If it were me and I were starting fresh I'd probably run the 14K Aquaconnect in either the 250 watt DE or 400 watt SE flavor. This bulb cost a LOT more then any other bulb out there but the color is awsome not to mention what it does for the corals. I'd run em now but the way things are going in my tank its just not worth it for me to spend that much on bulbs.