HQI Bulbs

[yote]

I'm running an Outer Orbit 3X 250watt + 4X 420nm 39watt T-5 and 4X 460nm 39watt T-5s
I'm wanting to replace the 10,000K HQI bulbs because I'm just not that thrilled about the color.So if I replaced them with thses http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/Me...0K+_Metal_Halide_Bulb_(Double-ended)_by_Ushio do y'all think it would be TOO blue?

 

[daugherty]

i think that would be to blue for me but everyone is different.

 

[ccCapt]

Probably too blue for my taste, but some like the blue look.

I did a quick check on Sanjays site for those bulbs. He didn't test Ushio 250w 20k's, but for the most part, any of the 20k DE bulbs he tested weren't very impressiveas far as PPFD.
These #'s are all 20k DE, sheilded bulbs with an electronic ballast.
Happy Reefing - 65 to 75 PPFD (depending on ballast)
Helois - 48 to 62 PPFD
Giesmann - 34 to 58 PPFD
EVC - 51 to 55 PPFD
Icecap - 45 to 53 PPFD
Sun Aquatics - 50 PPFD
Coralvue - 41 to 48 PPFD
AB- 38 to 45 PPFD
Hamilton - 33 to 43 PPFD
XM - 36 to 42 PPFD

As a comparison, 250w Ushio 10k DE - 65 to 84 PPFD
I use 175w Iwasaki 15k SE - 71 to 87 PPFD

 

[yote]

Thanks for the info Capt.
I may try 15Ks.I like the look you get from straight 20K bulbs,but still want to to get decent growth.

 

[ccCapt]

Here ya go Yote.
Performance Data for all 250w bulbs Sanjay tested. You need to look at the shielded DE bulbs.
Look at PPFD (Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density) which is really usable light and CCT (Correlated Color Temp) which is the true K color temp of the bulbs as tested.
Have fun. :)

 

[Rcpilot]

Yote 20K is about the same as 460nm

Too blue IMO. Get a 14K. Thats a helluva lot more blue than the 10k you have now. You already got a lot of blue in the 420 and 460 T5 bulbs.

 

[Bifferwine]

Even 12K makes a noticeable difference compared to 10K. I used to run 10Ks, but thought it was too washed out. Then I tried 14K and it was way too blue. Now I'm down to 12K, and I think I've found a happy medium.

 

[daugherty]

you could do 20k mh and change the t5's to day bulbs so that you can change the color. when i had my mh running i used a 14k and then i used 1 96w pc that was the 420 and 1 pc that was both 460 ans 420 then 2 10k pc's and it had a crisp blue prob about a 12 or 13k look. it was just a little whiter than the 14k bulb by itself

 

[yote]

I got a Hamilton 20K to try today.Didnt cost me no money,so its worth a shot.
I'm going to plug it in,in the morning before the lights come on and see it looks.