If you have mh's what K bulbs do you use?

hifi

hifi

Member
Im kinda new to reef set ups & I am running 10000K 250watt x 2 halides & 2 x 65 watt pc actinics & I need sugestions as to what K builbs I should use to light up corals? What K builbs does evreyone else use & why? The reason Im asking is because I want to try a diffrent bulb to show off my corals but builbs are $100 a pop here so I dont want to just guess, so I would like to know what you run.
 
roushracer

roushracer

Member
I've seen from 5k to 20k and I have to say 10-12k look best. Any less is too yellow, any more looks too blue.
 
mrdc

mrdc

Active Member
I use 10k but I plan to go up some when I replace them (maybe 14k). You can get the bulbs cheaper than that off the net. I think I paid $59 each for my 250w.
 
db

db

Member
I could help you with some recommendations, but I need to know a few things. What type of bulbs are you running DE or SE? What type of ballast? What type of look do you prefer - something white or something more on the bluer side? You will find that Kelvin isn't always a good way to pick a bulb because so many manufacturers bulbs very in color even if they all say 10K. You should be able to find bulbs much less than $100 online.
 
laddy

laddy

Active Member
Originally Posted by DB
I could help you with some recommendations, but I need to know a few things. What type of bulbs are you running DE or SE? What type of ballast? What type of look do you prefer - something white or something more on the bluer side? You will find that Kelvin isn't always a good way to pick a bulb because so many manufacturers bulbs very in color even if they all say 10K. You should be able to find bulbs much less than $100 online.
That sounds about right.
So many options with lighting and it really comes down to what you are keeping, how you want it to look, and the work you want to put into the project.
Oh and how much you want to spend.
 
hifi

hifi

Member
My ballast is a m58 with singel ended mogule bulbs Im using coral view bulbs 10000k. I have a hammer & mushrooms with more to come, I was hoping to find a nice balance bettween fish & coral I dont want to much blue & I would like my corals & fish to be accented nicely or glow a bit. My actinics are really cheap builbs & was woundering if maybe I should switch them out for better ones? When my mh's are on & I switch off my actinics theres hardly any change barely noticable I think there should be more of a change when there switched off maybe due to cheap builbs? I have found some bulbs aroung the $60-70 range but its still high just to try! Ive been loolking at tanks under diffrent lighting online but pictures just dont do much for chosing bulb color.
 
crzyfshygy

crzyfshygy

Member
I use 20k 150 mh. What I found was that they are not strong enough to hold color on Acro's unless the wattage is higher. Another words it also depends on range from the corals. my tank is a 65gl. So its not really sufficent. I like 20k though better than all others but next lamps I get will be like 250 watt or 400 watt 20k which will still show awesome color but will add growth also.
 
laddy

laddy

Active Member
Lights are tricky, and if you don't have friends in the hobby or are a member of a club, you really just need to run from LFS to LFS and ask a lot of lighting questions. Nothing like seeing it up close to get a feel for what you want.
 
db

db

Member
Have you looked at the Reeflux 12K bulbs? They are reasonably priced and have a nice blue color to them. The Reeflux 10K bulbs are nice as well, but are more ice white.
 
kzoo

kzoo

Member
check this out this is my tank when it was new the center is 10k and out side is 20ks ,I have changed over to all 20k now.
 
teen

teen

Active Member
ive got 250w 14k MH over my 30 gal. i think 14k is best because its a mix of blue and white. use 10 k if you want more growth from your corals, and 20k if you want more color.
 
brandond20

brandond20

Member
I was wondering if people could post up more pictures of their tanks and say what type of lighting they have for it. I too am trying to figure what type of lighting to use. Pictures of various bulbs and types used on aquariums would be awesome.
 
hifi

hifi

Member
Heres my tank, befor the corals & we added more rock, lighting is 2x250watt 10000k & 2x65watt antinics. Does someone have a tank pic with 14000k mh's?
 
isistius

isistius

Active Member
i have dual 150w 10000k mh with dual 130w dual actinics. i love the actinics, but not crazy about the mhs. when looking at the tank straight on they're fine, but when looking lengthwise, there is a yellow tint to the water. i am planning on upgrading to 14000k fir a nice blue white. imo 20000k is just too blue with the actinics. while the 10000k is just too yellow.

 
saltyguy

saltyguy

Member
Here's a pic of my 75g. I run a m58 magnetic with 2x250w 20kbulbs. This pic is from a couple months back and the bulbs were only month old they seem to have lost some of the blue since then. I think I am going to go with 14k next time because I am not getting as much growth as i'd like to right now.
 
murph145

murph145

Active Member
my tank has 250W helios 20K HQI bulbs in PFO mini pendants and PFO hqi ballast
anyways i like the look but the growth hasnt been as fast as i liked
i just ordered some phoenix 14k 250 hqi bulbs online for $65 each bulb and should have them in by tomorrow so heres a now pic of my tank with the 20k's and ill show u a tomorrow pic with the 14k's
 
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