what k bulbs to buy

[roguetang]

I am getting ready to order my lights for my 135 and was wondering witch k bulbs would be the best for my app. The tank is 72x18x24. The canpy is a DYI that i just finished and it is 18inches high. I am ordering 2 250watt retrofit kit but i need to know the kelvin for the bulbs. Any sugestions?
Thanks in advance
Tommy

 

[viper_930]

I'd go with 14kk bulbs, but it's really a personal preference. 14kk is usually a nice white/blue color, but if you'd like the tank more blue go with 20kk.

 

[dogstar]

I use 14K also and like them so much that I dont use the PCs any more. If you dont like the color of the 14K then you can add blue or white pc to make more like you want but IMO the 14k will help the reef be more healthy, grow faster than a higher K spectrum.

 

[nm reef]

I like XM 10K's myself...with actinic supplimentation. The actinics allow for a real nice dawn/dusk effect and combined they produce a crisp white light.

 

[roguetang]

So the 14k will be enough light to reach the bottom of the tank?

 

[reefiness]

i have 14k pheonix with no actinic, and i think it looks great! :cheer: :jumping:

 

[mudplayerx]

Go with 10k if you plan on propagating corals. If you want a more pleasing color and don't feel like supplementing with actinic, go with 14k.
My 1st year of my tank I had 10k and the softies were growing so quickly that there were times that the lfs didn't even want my frags. Now that I have 14k the growth rate has slowed about 50%, but the tank looks great and the corals open up larger since they have less PAR to work with.

 

[roguetang]

This will be a brand new setup so how long u thing i should run the light cycle? This will also have 2 65 watt actinics also.

 

[jamie814]

I would agree on the 14k, 10k looks good to as long as you have actinics with them 10k also tends to shift twards the yellow color when they get older, 14k has a more crisp white light. Unfortanaly most fixture do not give you the option of 14k bulbs, the retro fixture that I am getting comes with 10k bulbs but when they need replacement will go to 14k bulbs.