6500 or 10K?

[Kenny B]

After recently upgrading to my new 90g, it'd been about 7 years or so since I've had to brainstorm about my lighting specs.

I've been using a 4X 96w PLL which is on loan ,just to get me through the cycling and to get by the initial new tank syndrome algaes.

My last large system,which was a 135g tank which was a mix of LPS, SPS, and softies. After being bitten by the SPS bug I started running 3 400w Iwasaki 6500K's with 4 VHO actinic 03's.

Now in my new 90g I'm in the debating whether or not to go with the 400w
10k,s or the Iwasaki 6500k's with just 2 VHO actinic 03's.

In the past the Iwasakis performed exceptionally well. Is there any advantage/disadvantage to using the 400w 10k bulbs with the actinic 03's with regards to growth rates and color rendition?

Opinions welcome.

Thanks in advance, Ken

 

[Leroy]

400w is a lot of lighting if you are only going to keep SPS. Depends on what you'll be stocking your tank with. 6500K is very yellow and 10K are white and you'd supplement with actinic. 14K is blue and any higher gets you more blue....basically. Yet depending on the bulb and ballast it's all a matter of money where there are some top shelf bulb and ballasts as well as middle of the road prices to cheap stuff.

 

[Kenny B]

I'm planning on an SPS and LPS mix. I already have the ballasts. Just need to order bulbs.

 

[Leroy]

OK then you have the 400W ballast. Go with has worked in the past, you're the one that will enjoy the tank. Lots of times trial and error and viewing other tanks to what they have can work.

 

[sciknen]

I love 10k with no actinic.. but thats me.. your going to have to use trial and error like leroy said to figure out what you like best

 

[Leroy]

I built my lighting with Ice Cap ballasts and just bought Blue Line 14K cause I like the color blue to pop with 4 actinic. Just my preference and always leaned towards bluer than whiter.

 

[Kenny B]

14 k with actinic 03. may be abit too blue for me. Got any pics. Just curious about the shadowing effect. I've seen strongly lit tanks that have too much shadowing and bulbs aint cheap.

 

[Hailey]

I think my favorite combo has been 10,000K to actinic in an approximately 2:1 ratio. It seems to render reds, oranges, and yellows better than a heavier blue light does. This video on youtube is of a tank set up with that light ratio (not mine...just one I have come across and liked), and despite the fact that this is just three NO fluorescents on a 75g tank, the bulb temp does a lot for the coral color. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAJ4YUgWnYU&feature=related

 

[afboundguy]

It's all in the eyes of the beholder... I like bluer tanks where some people might not... I'd suggest going into LFS's and looking at their tanks and if you like the look ask what they're using for bulb combos...

And if I had to choose between the 6500 and 10K I'd say 10K with actinics.

 

[JayM]

the 6500 bulb is going to be way too yellow, IMO, even with actinics

 

[Kenny B]

Well Looks like I'm going to go with the 10k's. Any suggestions on a reliable brand that won't be overpriced?

 

[jtmac]

IMO there all over priced!

 

[MikeG]

Well Looks like I'm going to go with the 10k's. Any suggestions on a reliable brand that won't be overpriced?

Where are you located? I have a variety of 400W bulbs you could try as long as I get them back without much use on a few of them. Would let you see a few different colors and brands.

 

[MisFit]

Id use Ushio 14k with no actinic supplement.

 

[MikeG]

Id use Ushio 14k with no actinic supplement.

+1 I recently got a Ushio 10K and 14K. The 14K without actinics looks pretty much exactly like the 10k with actinics.

 

[Mini4x]

Nobody mentioned 12k


Shameless plug for the middleman!!

 

[Alex]

Iwasaki would be very yellow but some people don't mind. Big advantage with those bulbs is they last FOREVER compared with other MH. Plus growth is great. If you don't mind 6500k with actinics it definately has its advantages. That being said I run 10k bulbs with VHO.

 

[swreef103]

depending on the size of your tank id use either a 10-14000k