10,000k to 15000k bad idea?

[PIZZA BILL]

I like the look of 15k alot over 10k but was wondering if its a bad idea,
I have a yellow leather and a small acropora frag will this hurt the inverts in the tank, mainly the acropora



PIZZA BILL

 

[Anonymous]

It should not hurt them, but generally speaking the higher the k the lower the usable output (aka PAR).

 

[PIZZA BILL]

Thanks wazzel that helps me thunk things out just like the the look of that shade of blue


Mark

 

[Anonymous]

I tried 15K XM's and the par output was so low that the bulbs were worthless.

Pretty color though.

Louey

 

[fali]

Sorry to get into this so late but rather than start a new thread......

I have currently 2 150watt 10k bulbs. If i wanted to switch to a 14 or 15k bulb, i would need to get a higher watt bulb, like 175watt or more? I'm new to this, any help would be much appreciated.

 

[ChrisRD]

No, you don't necessarily have to increase wattage. There are some bluer lamps out there that have good output. Don't rely on manufacturers' color temp indications (ie. 10K, 14K, etc.) either as they are often way off and can be misleading. Also, keep in mind that the ballast the lamp is running on can be a significant factor. Check out Sanjay's site for actual test data - http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/

If you're currently using 150 watt 10Ks (I'm assuming DEs) and want a bluer appearance without giving up too much intensity, you might look into the 14K Phoenix lamps, 14K Hamiltons, and 50K Iwasakis (ignore the CCT rating, they're not all that blue) to name a few...

HTH