Which Light Bulb Setup

darknessheir · Mar 17, 2010

It is time to change the light bulbs in my fixtures and I just currently have stock lighting.

I have a 48in PC fixture with 2 Actinic Bulbs and 2 10k bulbs
I have a 150w MH with a 15k bulb
I have a 250w MH with a 10k bulb - just bought it used and it looks like crap with 10k - need new!

I am looking for a bluer look and dont know if I should put 20ks in the hallides and leave the PC how they were, or if I should stay at 15k with the MH and get all actinics in my PC fixture.
Or do 50/50 for all four slots of PC or two Actinic and two 50/50
Just dont know what to do, so many combs!

The PC's are on the front half of my tank while the MH hang on the back half of my tank.

Just looking for an all round bluer look but dont want it to be too blue for my clam or for my sps lps
Thanks Brice

jaytizzle · Mar 17, 2010

What size tank? I wouldn't use the PC bulbs at all but that is just my taste. Ideally they should be replaced with T5 retrofits or something if you want actinic supplementation.

In you case, depending on the tank size you should use either the 150w or 250w MH with a Phoenix 14k bulb (gorgeous blue color) and possibly use PCs for actinic supplementation only (if it isn't blue enough). And there really is no such thing as "too blue". I run a fairly blue T5 set up (as do a LOT of members on my local forum, it's a bulb combo that one of our members spent forever working on and we just copied it) and have a little bit of everything in the tank (SPS, LPS, clams, softies)

pugbreath · Mar 17, 2010

I would replace the 250w with a Phoenix 14K. It should get you the blue you want. It is my favorite 250w bulb....and they are cheap too.

darknessheir · Mar 17, 2010

So with the 14k Phoenix I will get blue, but wouldnt 20k be more blue? Why 14k

jaytizzle · Mar 17, 2010

Bc the 14k bulb is awesome. It is pretty much the perfect bulb for the blue seekers who don't want to use a 20k bulb (as research suggests that higher k bulbs translate to less growth).

darknessheir · Mar 17, 2010

Any one have pictures that are true to life with a 250 pheoenix

TJ15 · Mar 17, 2010

God, again, calm down on the "Dont use PC bulbs". That simply is not true, especially since you are running metal halides now.

If you are looking for as you say "an all round bluer look", make things easy on yourself and less expensive - simply change your halides to a higher Kelvin - a 14K would be a good choice.

Steve Ruddy · Mar 17, 2010

If it were my tank I would just change the 10K to a 20K Radium

darknessheir · Mar 17, 2010

Just worried about my clam which is living under a 150 MH 15k and then putting ym new 250 MH over it at 20k - they say the higher the k rating then the less light absorbed by the clam

Steve Ruddy · Mar 18, 2010

I have had clams under my 250W Radium 20K at 24" for many years. I also have clams under 150W Ushio 20K with actinic vho. If you would like to try 20K I wouldn't worry.

jaytizzle · Mar 18, 2010

TJ15 said:
God, again, calm down on the "Dont use PC bulbs".

Srsly? I don't care for them and that's what I said... read it again. "I wouldn't use the PC bulbs at all but that is just my taste."

I didn't condemn him for using them nor did I get "uncalm", just stated my opinion and it is based on experience.