hermitkrab
Member
I have seen 10000K, 20000K, and 65000K which is the best for a 40g tank that is going to have some corals that need MH lighting?
What Kelvin of MH is best?
- Thread starter hermitkrab
- Start date
us~^>shark
Member
I've never seen 65000, do you mean 6500? I have seen 14000 though. I've heard that is very good. I have the 10000 MH's
oceana
Active Member
20000k is very blue to your eyes and make your corals look VERY bright.
10000k is a bit on the yellow side and needs actinic supplement.
IMO 14000k is best it's almost like having a 50/50 MH bulb. not to blue not to yellow.
enought blue to make your colors REALLY pop out at you but not so much that its unpleasing to your eye.. enough yellow to wash out the blue to a very nice ice color.
thats my take on it
10000k is a bit on the yellow side and needs actinic supplement.
IMO 14000k is best it's almost like having a 50/50 MH bulb. not to blue not to yellow.
enought blue to make your colors REALLY pop out at you but not so much that its unpleasing to your eye.. enough yellow to wash out the blue to a very nice ice color.
thats my take on it
reefnut
Active Member
Here's a quick run down that may help you. There is no real "best" bulb.
6500k yellow look, GREAT growth
10000k whiter look with some yellow, very good growth.
14000k+- whiter/blue look, good growth
20000k bluer look, ok growth
The 6500k bulb has a very high PAR output rating and are great when a lot of growth is wanted. They do have a very yellow look and really should be ran with actinic lighting.
IMO the 10,000k bulb with actinic lighting is a great combination of both looks and growth. Although actinic lighting is not necessary with the 10000k, most use them to even out the yellow look.
The 14000k and other mid range bulbs have became really popular because they give a good look without the use of actinic lighting.
The 20000k most find to be "to blue" and in most cases they also have the lowest PAR output rating. Actinic lighting is typically not ran with the 20000k because it's already very blue. I'm currently running 20000k's and the only positive thing I have to say about them is they do make the corals look very nice!! My next bulb will be in the 14000k range.
6500k yellow look, GREAT growth
10000k whiter look with some yellow, very good growth.
14000k+- whiter/blue look, good growth
20000k bluer look, ok growth
The 6500k bulb has a very high PAR output rating and are great when a lot of growth is wanted. They do have a very yellow look and really should be ran with actinic lighting.
IMO the 10,000k bulb with actinic lighting is a great combination of both looks and growth. Although actinic lighting is not necessary with the 10000k, most use them to even out the yellow look.
The 14000k and other mid range bulbs have became really popular because they give a good look without the use of actinic lighting.
The 20000k most find to be "to blue" and in most cases they also have the lowest PAR output rating. Actinic lighting is typically not ran with the 20000k because it's already very blue. I'm currently running 20000k's and the only positive thing I have to say about them is they do make the corals look very nice!! My next bulb will be in the 14000k range.
hermitkrab
Member
This one site no lie had 65000 K bulbs and I haven't heard of anything higher than 20000 K. But I probably gunna get the 20000 K just because all the corals I wanna get grow plenty fast so they might as well look as good as possible.