Anyone switched 12kk to 10kk MH ??

[EmilyB]

I tried out my new 10kk bulbs tonite, and absolutely hate them. They are totally yellow. My server (home going shaw or something) is down, I wanted to post pics. This is NOT what I expected. There simply cannot be that much difference, can there ??

 

[ReefQuest]

What bulb are you using? WHat brand did you switch from?

 

[Carpentersreef]

Deb, have you allowed for a break-in period and have you tried running them with your cooling fans turned off?

Mitch

 

[golfish]

I run 2x250 watt HQI's on my 150 and I have a 400 watt bulb between them. I ran a 12K for a few months and it looks like the tank is dark in the middle of the tank. I have a two month old 400 watt 12K I'll let you have cheap

 

[EmilyB]

ReefQuest: Switched from Sunburst 12kk to Ushio 10kk.


Mitch, yes, tried no fans...tried sleeping on it..

Golfish, if I had a 400w ballast I'd go for it..

This is exactly what the tank looks like:

Fortunately, the supplier is taking them back.

[ November 05, 2001: Message edited by: EmilyB ]</p>

 

[AnotherGoldenTeapot]

That does look yellow!

All I can say is that my 10K HQI (250watt BLV) are a crisp bright white. I love them.

 

[golfish]

I would wait for a few more weeks and see if it gets better....are you sure you have the nipple up on the bulb? You might like the color of the 12K but the corals probably wont. The light is next to nothing.

Mark

 

[ReefQuest]

Emily,

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the sunburst, although rated by the company at 12KK more resembles a 20KK bulb. So, you may be used to a VERY blue bulb. Anyway, your picture does look yellow, so I'm certain you have reasonable expectations. I just switched from 175 watt bulbs that were rated at 11KK, but were probably really in the 15KK range. I now have 400 watt 10KK Ushios and was very dissappointed, like you are. I couldn't believe how yellow the light was. Then I saw Nathan's post saying the nipple needed to be facing up. I hadn't received any instruction when I bought the bulbs and didn't know any better. Anyway, I did an experiment like Nathan and you can see the difference here.

Both bulbs are the Ushio 400 watt 10KK's. The one on the left has the nipple up. It is an amazing difference. Hopefully this is the problem you are seeing...

Let me know if that solves your problem, I am interested to hear.

Cheers,
Chris

 

[newreefman1]

the 12k is really blue. I went down to the 10k and thought that it was really really yellow too and hated it. I dealt with it and it looks fine to me right now. white. No more blue but the colors of my corals have actually improved.

Jason.

 

[EmilyB]

Thanks Chris, the bulbs are actually now packed to be returned...

I cannot for one second believe the nipple thing can change yellow to blue. However, I have been told by a few people the 400W are a total different story to the 250W.

I had actually read about the orientation, and we tried to get the (is that the nipple that "bulb in the little bulb:??) as close to the top as possible.

Somehow the last couple years we seem to have so blindly struggled thru without that knowledge...LOL... and the corals have done pretty well under 12kk for about 15 months. Mostly LPS and softies, I should add. These types of corals also hold more appeal for me than SPS, so I am willing to give up some intensity.

 

[Jameyh]

Emily, for what it's worth. I recently bought a used 250w coralife bulb from someone on this site. I had the bulb lit on the floor facing up to make sure it was going to fire up and work correcntly. The second I would go to handle the bulb it would flicker white then blue depending on what direction I would face it. Maybe it's something with the way the gases hit the little bulb part inside the bulb? I dunno, but on the coralife the direction made a huge difference.

Jamey

 

[EmilyB]

Thanks all... I just checked with hubby, because we had been talking about the nipple orientation thing because of a recent thread on RAMR. He said when he put them in they were definitely up. ( Then I'd hate to see them down ..)

FWIW, this is the reply from my supplier regarding the color:

"Sorry to hear you do not like the color of the 10K's. A true 10K is a
more white/yellow color, but has a heavy blue spectrum, but is not
very visible. Running on a standard halide ballast, they often look
just a little yellow, so most people supplement with VHO actinic blue
light and then it looks very nice. Running them on an HQI ballast
will improve there color also, gets more white out of them, but is an
expensive ballast and not a huge change.

If you can't add VHO's, you could exchange those for 10K plus
blueline or 12K Sunburst. These bulbs have a much heavier blue tint,
so you'll get away from that yellowish color. The drawback to these
bulbs though is you loose intensity to get that blue tint, probably
around 15-20% less overall brightness."

So I guess I will go back to the 12kk for now...

 

[Carpentersreef]

Why don't you make room for some VHO's in your new canopy?

BTW, it's glued up and assembled, now I just need some warm weather to paint it!


Mitch