10k to white for me, should i go with 12k or 14k?

[coryjac0b]

I recently got a metal halide system 2x175w mogul system. i am using 10k hamilton bulbs, supplemented by 4 4' actinic vho's. I know that the best PAR comes from 10k bulbs, but the color isn't asteticly pleasing, i would like the light to be a little more blue, and before i spend the 120$ on 2 more bulbs, i would like to know more about 12k and 14k bulbs, or do they make a 13k bulb? i am looking to achieve more of the crystal blue look but not too blue. help me please :)

[GSMguy]

13k is the aqualine and i think it would look yellow for you i would go with the iwasaki 14k that is a very awsome bulb with tons of par like a 250watt also will give you the spectrum you desire

[coryjac0b]

this is my tank with the 10k bulbs:


http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/6402/dsc03411resizeup4.jpg


this is what i'm trying to achieve:


http://www.marinedepot.com/IMD/lighting_metal_halide_hamilton_14000K.jpg

[GSMguy]

iwasaki 14 also there are no corals in your tank are those bulbs old they dont look bright enough to be 10k

[Yinger]

agreed on the iwasakis... seen some pics and the color is awesome and the output is really intense

[coryjac0b]

no, 3 days old, the actinics are on also, maybe i should have turned them off, oh well the halides are off for the day, i'll post pics of just the halides tommorrow.

[Ti]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8796815#post8796815 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coryjac0b
this is my tank with the 10k bulbs:


http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/6402/dsc03411resizeup4.jpg


this is what i'm trying to achieve:


http://www.marinedepot.com/IMD/lighting_metal_halide_hamilton_14000K.jpg

try the hamilton 14k;)

[coryjac0b]

i want that exact color without having to have the actinics on the whole time. to conserve a littel energy. i want the light cycle to be something like this if yo ucan understand it:


actinics on at 10am
halides on at 11am
actinics off at 12pm
actinics on at 8pm
halides off at 9pm
actinics off at 10pm
moonlights on from 10pm-2am

[Ti]

I believe that pic was taken halide alone, since that thread was about comparing halide colors and par.

[coryjac0b]

Halides only:

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/4714/dsc03418resizeui8.jpg


Halides with actinics:

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/6402/dsc03411resizeup4.jpg

[zoomfish1]

Check outhe the tread on Cheap e-bay bulbs. If I hadn't just bought new reflux bulbs, I would buy those. No doubt that for $30 per bulb they would definately work for me.

[coryjac0b]

do you have a link for that thread?

[737mech]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8804036#post8804036 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coryjac0b
do you have a link for that thread?

Here ya go:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=924715&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

[phishlet]

Try the Reeflux 12k lamps. They start out pretty blue but let them burn in to their true color.