Having trouble choosing K rating for replacement MH

[Palting]

I think the original bulbs in my Marineland 24 hr lighting system have been mis-branded. I just bought 3 Hamilton 150W 14K bulbs to replace the old supposed 14K bulb. The new bulbs are way too blue and dim. The oginal bulbs are a much whiter light, and also seem brighter. Reading up on the other available bulbs, I get the impression that 14K bulbs ARE indeed blue. I am beginning to think the original bulbs are 10K, even though they say 14K! I am a little wary to change the spectrum, because all the coral are doing very well, even thought the current MH bulbs are over a year old.

I e-mailed Marineland asking them where/how to get their original bulbs. I just ordered a single 10K 150 watt bulb to see what it would look. Is there like a color comparison chart or pictures anywhere comparing not just the K's, but the brands?

Thanks!!

[thhynes]

I found this information....
Scroll down a bit and you can see some color comparisons between different bulbs and K ratings....

http://www.marinedepot.com/lighting_metal_halide_bulbs_information-ap.html

[Palting]

Thanks for the link! The 14K Hamiltons definitely look too blue in those pics, as I suspected. I already have T'5s in the 420nm range, quite blue/purple, and that combined with the 14K Hamiltons will be too much blue, I think. I'll see what the one 10K Hamilton I ordered looks like before I get the other 2.

[Runfrumu]

The whitest 14k 150watt I've seen is the Ushio's, if you are using the double ended. I couldn't see a difference between it and the 10k Ushio which I ran before the 14k. They are both super bright.

I've since switched to the Phoenix 14k and really love the color it produces. It seems dimmer than the Ushio, but my corals have colored up a lot more since switching to the Phoenix.

I have mine running on electronic ballast's so if you use a magnetic ballast it may look a little different.

[Palting]

Thanks for the info. I like the current combo, so do my coral. The fixture doess have electronic ballasts. I may try the 14K Ushio to see if it will keep the status quo.

[thhynes]

I perosnally like 14K lighting, took some time to get use ...a friend used the 20K's and that was just a little to blue for me

[Palting]

What brand and wattage are you using, thhynes? DE or mogul?