14k Hamiltons

mraafat · 04/24/2006, 07:01 PM

How are the 14k Hamiltons (250w single ended)? What are your experiances with this bulb? I currently have the 10k AB and am looking for something with a little more blue.

wetWolger · 04/24/2006, 07:23 PM

I love my 14k hamiltons....wont use anything but them from now on....here is a photo with as accurate white balance as I could do. But in reality they are even more blue than looks in the photo:

I may take another stab at a photo next weekend or something

scrmbld33 · 04/24/2006, 07:29 PM

i have them too just enough blue

nolofinwe · 04/24/2006, 07:33 PM

I like mine, but I can tell you with 100% certainty that someone will come on this thread and tell you some other bulb is better... and they will probably be right.

For what it's worth, I like the look of mine, and I never lost a softie under them. Also not had any algae outbreaks (aside from some rampant macro that was just one of those things).

good price, decent color.

pugbreath13 · 04/24/2006, 07:56 PM

I loved the color but very slow sps growth. Since changing to a different brand 2 months ago corals are growing very fast now and colored up alot.

2crazyreefers · 04/24/2006, 07:59 PM

Those were the first bulbs I had on my 125 sps tank. Depends on what you have in your tank, IME my acros were brown till I swapped to 10 K but thats acros. If your not going sps it should be fine.

nolofinwe · 04/24/2006, 08:04 PM

I kept a porites nice and green under my hamiltons, but that was the only sps I had in the tank. I've read some tests that indicate the hamiltons have a pretty low PAR (relatively speaking)

bhdmc · 04/25/2006, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pugbreath13
I loved the color but very slow sps growth. Since changing to a different brand 2 months ago corals are growing very fast now and colored up alot.

What brand did you switch to?

dippin61 · 04/25/2006, 04:31 PM

eh.. my hammy 14k is ok i guess.. real dim to my eyes for being a 250w bulb. to me .. i HAVE to run actinics AND a 50/50 vho bulbs, or there just isnt enough light in there for me. and the growth is incredibly slow.

the par on them is definately alot lower then other bulbs.

i wont be buying another hammy 14k bulb. ever.

ReefHotSpot · 04/25/2006, 05:24 PM

I like 14k hamiltons myself. They are what I have on my home tanks. I don't much care for their 10ks which seem very yellow to me and the 20k are too blue that you lose alot of the perceived strength of the light. 14k is just right. When you buy a bulb it is important to not only go by the kelvin rating (which is an average) but take a look at the spectrum chart. The whole average thing is why the 10ks are 10k even though they look very yellow. If you stick your left foot in ice water and your right in boiling water, well, on average, you should be feeling OK. Yep.

Maxwell

04/24/2006, 07:01 PM	#1
mraafat Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: California Posts: 228	14k Hamiltons How are the 14k Hamiltons (250w single ended)? What are your experiances with this bulb? I currently have the 10k AB and am looking for something with a little more blue.

04/24/2006, 07:23 PM	#2
wetWolger Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,955	I love my 14k hamiltons....wont use anything but them from now on....here is a photo with as accurate white balance as I could do. But in reality they are even more blue than looks in the photo: I may take another stab at a photo next weekend or something __________________ cheers, jent d-_-b Current Tank Info: 66gal = 32x24x20

04/24/2006, 07:29 PM	#3
scrmbld33 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: south jersey 08050 Posts: 2,394	i have them too just enough blue __________________ a left over shrimp shedding is not "a sicilian message meaning luca brasi sleeps with the fishes" fish are friends, not food Current Tank Info: 90gal salt, 2 250mh 14k hamiltons 2 110 actinic, 127lbs LR,50lbs tonga 70lbs indonesia 7lbs tonga branch asm g3

04/24/2006, 07:59 PM	#6
2crazyreefers Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Vt. Posts: 733	Those were the first bulbs I had on my 125 sps tank. Depends on what you have in your tank, IME my acros were brown till I swapped to 10 K but thats acros. If your not going sps it should be fine. __________________ My 4 part recipie for my acros = calcium - alk - flow & luck.

04/25/2006, 04:31 PM	#9
dippin61 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,897	eh.. my hammy 14k is ok i guess.. real dim to my eyes for being a 250w bulb. to me .. i HAVE to run actinics AND a 50/50 vho bulbs, or there just isnt enough light in there for me. and the growth is incredibly slow. the par on them is definately alot lower then other bulbs. i wont be buying another hammy 14k bulb. ever. __________________ Reefers Law: It can take about 48 hours to brown, and 48 weeks to color back up! Current Tank Info: 55 Gallon BB Low Iron Glass, Dual 110w VHO Actinics, 250w PFO MH 20k XM

04/24/2006, 07:33 PM	#4
nolofinwe Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: nbpt, ma Posts: 616	I like mine, but I can tell you with 100% certainty that someone will come on this thread and tell you some other bulb is better... and they will probably be right. For what it's worth, I like the look of mine, and I never lost a softie under them. Also not had any algae outbreaks (aside from some rampant macro that was just one of those things). good price, decent color.

04/24/2006, 07:56 PM	#5
pugbreath13 Moved On Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The former United States Posts: 466	I loved the color but very slow sps growth. Since changing to a different brand 2 months ago corals are growing very fast now and colored up alot.

04/24/2006, 08:04 PM	#7
nolofinwe Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: nbpt, ma Posts: 616	I kept a porites nice and green under my hamiltons, but that was the only sps I had in the tank. I've read some tests that indicate the hamiltons have a pretty low PAR (relatively speaking)

04/25/2006, 05:24 PM	#10
ReefHotSpot Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 260	I like 14k hamiltons myself. They are what I have on my home tanks. I don't much care for their 10ks which seem very yellow to me and the 20k are too blue that you lose alot of the perceived strength of the light. 14k is just right. When you buy a bulb it is important to not only go by the kelvin rating (which is an average) but take a look at the spectrum chart. The whole average thing is why the 10ks are 10k even though they look very yellow. If you stick your left foot in ice water and your right in boiling water, well, on average, you should be feeling OK. Yep. Maxwell