HQI Bulb Question

[thamobster]

hey just yesterday i bought an hqi pendand and if u look at the thread below youll see im already having problems..but my question is my hqi came with the aqualine 10,000 k bulb..after turning it on its bright but id like more of a blue then the dull white color..i hear the 20,000 k is a bit more blue..is there a specificly brighter blue i can try..and also its a 250w hqi..i cant buy a 400w bulb for my 250 can i..im guessing the ballast couldnt handle it and the bulb may be bigger..thanks

 

[bang guy]

20,000K is very blue.
Is there any way to add an Actinic VHO or PC lamb to help out the 10,000K?
Also, let the lamp run a couple weeks to break in before you make a decision on its color.

 

[thamobster]

yeah i actually have an aqualight lunar running with the hqi..its 96watt atintic and 10000k with lunar lights..so i guess the 10000k from the lunar light is also contributing to the whiteness..yeah i think id really need the blue affect though..il let it run its course first though..does the color of the light significantly change over a couple weeks?thanks

 

[thamobster]

i also just tried turning off the 10000k on the aqualight to see if itd make a difference..it made a slight difference..but it didnt seem like there was enough light when i did..i think im gonna need all the light i can get cuz i have a few anemones and now a clam..and id like more..is the 20000k a brighter bulb since its blueish?or is it just more of a color effect?will i notice a difference over the 10000k..sorry for all the questions..thanks nick

 

[golfish]

Originally posted by thamobster
iis the 20000k a brighter bulb since its blueish?or is it just more of a color effect?
Just the opposite, the 20K has less par and will appear not as bright.
Originally posted by thamobster
will i notice a difference over the 10000k..
The reason I stopped using 250 watt DE's is because back then the highest K rated bulb you could get was a 10K. I couldn't stand the ugly color so I switched back to SE 400 watters. Now, there are all kinds of new bulbs out. The 14K's look real nice but the par isn't what a 10K can do.