Another Metal Halide Bulb Question. Advice Please!

Felixc395 · 06/29/2010, 11:56 PM

Ok, so I'm getting a new fixture for my new tank. Keep in mind my tanks a 60 gallon cube 24'' every dimension. I'm getting a fixture that has 1 250 watt MH bulb and 4 24'' T5 bulbs (the fixture is a Hamilton Cebu Sun). All 4 T5's are going to be actinics and I understand that part of he equation. Now what I was wondering is wha MH bulb should I get?

The bulb is single ended. I was debating between 10k or 14k. Obviously 10k will give me more PAR. How blue would 10k or 14k look with the other 4 T5 acting as supplements?

Also. What would be good 10k and 14k bulbs? I don't want a yellow 10k or a low intensity 14k.

All advice is much appreciated! Thanks everyone in advance!

kaimarkhirst · 06/30/2010, 01:54 AM

single ended bulbs are very expensive indeed for mh bulbs so you may want to consider this...

Personally, a 250w halide bulb is good enough for the growth of most corals and inverts so id personally go with a standard 14k bulb as a 10k, growth will be quick, and your evaporation will be quicker as it runs hotter.

For colour, the 14k bulb will give you a wide spectrum of color and par..

Kai

Felixc395 · 06/30/2010, 07:10 AM

Interesting. Thanks for the advice!

drwilliams.52 · 06/30/2010, 08:58 AM

I have ran 10k bulbs before and never will again. The corals grew fast, but the color of them was terrible for me, even with actinic supplements. Between your choices I'd go with the 14k.

Felixc395 · 06/30/2010, 05:32 PM

Even with my 4 actinic T5's would the 10k not look any better or would it look more like a 20k like I'm hoping for.

usefulidiot213 · 06/30/2010, 05:46 PM

The 10K will still look Yellow. The 10k 250w MH will be so much more intense then your 4T5s that you will hardly be able to notice them. I would go with a 14k myself. Give you a nice cool color. The bulbs are different as well. The Hamilton 14k is more White/Grey then the Phoenix 14k.

reef_doug · 06/30/2010, 06:40 PM

I wouldn't rule out a Radium 20K until you've personally tried it. It seems to burn more like a 14k.

Felixc395 · 06/30/2010, 07:34 PM

This is all good advice. What will the growth difference be between 10k and 14k? Will it be a radical difference or not very much at all.

drwilliams.52 · 07/01/2010, 05:34 AM

Here is what I've noticed with my tank. I've used 10K bulbs before, and had nice growth but my sps lacked color. I went to XM 20K bulbs, which gave me better color but I feel like I lost the growth. Finally, I got smart and switched to Radiums on and m80 ballast. Now I have great color, and everything seems to be growing great too.

Ralph ATL · 07/01/2010, 05:40 AM

Radium.

Felixc395 · 07/01/2010, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mysterybox

Radium.

Interesting. I've heard they have high PAR for a 20k bulb. I read somewhere that radium 250 watt gets somehwere around 480 PAR. Sound right? I mean that's half of the XM 10k but I guess it's still good for a 20k.

wayne in norway · 07/02/2010, 02:19 AM

Ushop/BLV 14K or Aquamedic 10K (really 13K for me).

But I think there are other good 10K 14K bulbs, but if you put in 2 BLue and 2 Actinic or even 2 Blue and 2 Blue/actinic mix T5's you can use any of them - the T5's will appreciably alter the colour.

Felixc395 · 07/02/2010, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayne in norway

Ushop/BLV 14K or Aquamedic 10K (really 13K for me).

But I think there are other good 10K 14K bulbs, but if you put in 2 BLue and 2 Actinic or even 2 Blue and 2 Blue/actinic mix T5's you can use any of them - the T5's will appreciably alter the colour.

That's good to hear then. I am planning on probably putting in 4 ATI blue plus so maybe that would help a 10k bulb look better.

06/29/2010, 11:56 PM	#1
Felixc395 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 1,612	Another Metal Halide Bulb Question. Advice Please! Ok, so I'm getting a new fixture for my new tank. Keep in mind my tanks a 60 gallon cube 24'' every dimension. I'm getting a fixture that has 1 250 watt MH bulb and 4 24'' T5 bulbs (the fixture is a Hamilton Cebu Sun). All 4 T5's are going to be actinics and I understand that part of he equation. Now what I was wondering is wha MH bulb should I get? The bulb is single ended. I was debating between 10k or 14k. Obviously 10k will give me more PAR. How blue would 10k or 14k look with the other 4 T5 acting as supplements? Also. What would be good 10k and 14k bulbs? I don't want a yellow 10k or a low intensity 14k. All advice is much appreciated! Thanks everyone in advance!

06/30/2010, 01:54 AM	#2
kaimarkhirst Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 49	single ended bulbs are very expensive indeed for mh bulbs so you may want to consider this... Personally, a 250w halide bulb is good enough for the growth of most corals and inverts so id personally go with a standard 14k bulb as a 10k, growth will be quick, and your evaporation will be quicker as it runs hotter. For colour, the 14k bulb will give you a wide spectrum of color and par.. Kai __________________ Nature never intended for us to keep reefs in captivity, modern technology allows us to. So make your next reef purchase a researched, informed, and responsible one, not an impulse one....

06/30/2010, 05:46 PM	#6
usefulidiot213 Bryan H. Join Date: May 2007 Location: 40th St. & Thunderbird Posts: 1,348	The 10K will still look Yellow. The 10k 250w MH will be so much more intense then your 4T5s that you will hardly be able to notice them. I would go with a 14k myself. Give you a nice cool color. The bulbs are different as well. The Hamilton 14k is more White/Grey then the Phoenix 14k. __________________ "I would rather be lucky then good." Bryan H. Current Tank Info: 120 AGA- 4x2x2 Mixed Reef. 2 MP40s, Vertex IN-180 Skimmer, RKL Controller for temp control and light timing. 8x 54 Watt T5 lighting.

06/30/2010, 06:40 PM	#7
reef_doug Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Hesperia/Apple Valley Posts: 3,814	I wouldn't rule out a Radium 20K until you've personally tried it. It seems to burn more like a 14k. __________________ "If you have more than one tank in your livingroom, you might be a reefneck" Current Tank Info: 180r SoCal Creations, 75g SCC1M Sump, WM EcoBAK, NextReef SMR1, TropicMarin Salt, ACIII, 3x250w HQI Phoenix 14k, 2x140w Super Actinics, ATi BM250, Eheim 1262, Tunze 2x6100+7095, Tunze Osmolator, 6 stage RODI w/ Spectrapure MaxCap

07/01/2010, 05:40 AM	#10
Ralph ATL Formerly mysterybox Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Flowery Branch, GA (North ATL) Posts: 1,842	Radium. __________________ Ralph Scheriff

06/30/2010, 07:10 AM	#3
Felixc395 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 1,612	Interesting. Thanks for the advice!

06/30/2010, 08:58 AM	#4
drwilliams.52 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 49	I have ran 10k bulbs before and never will again. The corals grew fast, but the color of them was terrible for me, even with actinic supplements. Between your choices I'd go with the 14k.

06/30/2010, 05:32 PM	#5
Felixc395 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 1,612	Even with my 4 actinic T5's would the 10k not look any better or would it look more like a 20k like I'm hoping for.

06/30/2010, 07:34 PM	#8
Felixc395 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 1,612	This is all good advice. What will the growth difference be between 10k and 14k? Will it be a radical difference or not very much at all.

07/01/2010, 05:34 AM	#9
drwilliams.52 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 49	Here is what I've noticed with my tank. I've used 10K bulbs before, and had nice growth but my sps lacked color. I went to XM 20K bulbs, which gave me better color but I feel like I lost the growth. Finally, I got smart and switched to Radiums on and m80 ballast. Now I have great color, and everything seems to be growing great too.

07/02/2010, 02:19 AM	#12
wayne in norway Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Stavanger, Norway Posts: 1,271	Ushop/BLV 14K or Aquamedic 10K (really 13K for me). But I think there are other good 10K 14K bulbs, but if you put in 2 BLue and 2 Actinic or even 2 Blue and 2 Blue/actinic mix T5's you can use any of them - the T5's will appreciably alter the colour.

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