Not blue enough..

patedship · Jul 31, 2007

Hey guys I am just not happy with my lighting. I want more of a 20k look without actually being 20k. Right now I have a 14k 250w de phoenix, with 2 24w actinic plus, and 2 true actinics. It just isnt very blue in comparision to a regular 14k system? I dont know what is going on.

fishes2889 · Jul 31, 2007

What brand are the T5's?

chadfarmer · Jul 31, 2007

what ballast runs the mh

Hopkins · Jul 31, 2007

Is the bulb not burnt in yet? The ballast can also affect the color on some bulbs.

patedship · Jul 31, 2007

the t-5's are geismanns. the ballast is a geismann but is rather old (i think I need to get a new one). The bulb has been in there for 3 months.

surfn · Jul 31, 2007

all great questions so far.

is the pheonix 14k alone, white? or blue?

b/c i've noticed this bulb either has poor quality control, or the color varies alot depending on the brand of ballast.

other than that, i dont have much advice for you since you are running DE.

oh yeah, i dont like geisman T5's either...lol go with ATI blue +, its much better.

patedship · Jul 31, 2007

I know, what your saying about the DE on the size tank I should of gone with a single end. blah... to late now. I will check out the color tomorrow without the actinics on and report back to you guys.
God I love like site more than my local one... I do think I need to get a new ballast though.

BigBadZoaDaddy · Aug 1, 2007

surfn said:
all great questions so far.

is the pheonix 14k alone, white? or blue?

b/c i've noticed this bulb either has poor quality control, or the color varies alot depending on the brand of ballast.

other than that, i dont have much advice for you since you are running DE.

oh yeah, i dont like geisman T5's either...lol go with ATI blue +, its much better.

I thought that the Geis and the ATI were the same, both are manufactured at the same plant and just stick a differant lable on them?

I have run the ATI blues and the geisman right next to each other and visually you can not tell any differance, maybe it's somethin I can't see like PAr but they LOOK identical! IMO

and Pat I agree with ya a bit about the local site, definatly when you have a ? here you get good ? and good answers. thanks for all the help everyone!

PAT don't forget about MASM.org, some great reefers there also!

patedship · Aug 1, 2007

Oddly enough the tank seems very blue today? I unhooked the ballast then reconnected it. I also added blue background with I think helped a lot.

THE BEAUT · Aug 2, 2007

Change out the 2 true actinics(purple) for 2 ATI Blue +

mbunaman · Aug 2, 2007

BigBadZoaDaddy said:
I thought that the Geis and the ATI were the same, both are manufactured at the same plant and just stick a differant lable on them?

I have run the ATI blues and the geisman right next to each other and visually you can not tell any differance, maybe it's somethin I can't see like PAr but they LOOK identical! IMO

and Pat I agree with ya a bit about the local site, definatly when you have a ? here you get good ? and good answers. thanks for all the help everyone!

PAT don't forget about MASM.org, some great reefers there also!

ATI seperated from Giesemann. ATI took about a year and a half off and came out with their own line. Supposedly ATI are a bit stronger. IMO Giesemann are still better interms of quality.