I want better MH bulbs any ideas

[Madreefer420]

Have just regular stock odysea 250w j belive double ended on electronic hid ballast I'm pretty sure they are like 14000K cause they aren't crazy white or blue at all iv heard a lot of ppl like to use 20000k. I have my antic t5 bulbs(4) on while the MH bulbs are on I'll post pictures of how it looks once the MH are done warming up

First one is with just MH second is with both kinda hard to see in picture but it has a much more blue white light rather then when it's off and it's more yellow

 

[Schism]

Have just regular stock odysea 250w j belive double ended on electronic hid ballast I'm pretty sure they are like 14000K cause they aren't crazy white or blue at all iv heard a lot of ppl like to use 20000k. I have my antic t5 bulbs(4) on while the MH bulbs are on I'll post pictures of how it looks once the MH are done warming up

I highly doubt with 4 actinic bulbs that your gonna want a 20k halide. Id recommend 14k and i highly highly recommend a Phoenix 14k bulb. Ive run this bulb for awhile and absolutely love it compared to a few other brands.

 

[Madreefer420]

Well I don't want to have the antic on while te MH are on

 

[Schism]

Well I don't want to have the antic on while te MH are on

? Well with 20k you will get a completely different spectrum. Not necessarily the best spectrum for growth. Any particular reason you do not wanna run the actinics with the halide? Running with will also give you more intense and full spectrum lighting then the halide alone.

 

[Madreefer420]

Well I have just seen other tank and heard of other ppl using 20000k I just don't like the hue of the mh and if I could turn of the antics when the mh are on then I would save energy and heat

 

[Madreefer420]

Up top I added the photos look at them you'll see what I mean

 

[Schism]

Well I have just seen other tank and heard of other ppl using 20000k I just don't like the hue of the mh and if I could turn of the antics when the mh are on then I would save energy and heat

Well not sure what your trying to achieve then as far as coral growth. 20k will not give the same results, and you will be losing light from not having actinics on. If looks is more important to you then go ahead and get 20k then i guess.

 

[reefrunner69]

I have a 20k 250w mh with two pc actinics and it's too blue, colors wash out. If I stay with mh I will probably go with 10k or 14k. But for the money...I may just go with LEDs. You don't save enough power for that to be a consideration, so if your happy with the color with the mh and the actinics...run it together.

 

[Madreefer420]

Yea eh ok well I was just thinking if it was possible but ok thanks what about better antics?

 

[reefrunner69]

That's certainly an option, IME all actinics are not created equal. The thing is to be able to see what they will look like with your mh before you buy it? Maybe additional actinics?

 

[Madreefer420]

I find I get bleaching a lot and that red **** on my sand I thought its cause it had to much red spectrum

 

[danbstrong]

I find I get bleaching a lot and that red **** on my sand I thought its cause it had to much red spectrum

I also use the oddesea fixture i switched the bulbs out for phoenix 14k 250w and run reefbright actinics with them colors are amazing with this combo and i still get good growth i tried the 20k and they are very blue you will not need actinics with 20k but keep in mind you will get lil to no growth out of your coral but id reccommend trying phoenix 14k love em and used them for last 3 bulb changes

 

[Schism]

I find I get bleaching a lot and that red **** on my sand I thought its cause it had to much red spectrum

Red spectrum is a result of old bulbs. The res stuff your referring to sounds like cyanobacteria, and it has nothing to do with lighting as it is a bacteria. Cyano is caused from excess nutrients.

The bleaching could be a number of things most notably water quality and amount of light. Color temp of 10k-20k does not cause this. Can be proven by the fact most people run 10-14k bulbs, not 20k.

20k is a specialty lighting often used in frag setups as 20k will bring out colors and really cause the corals to become fluorescent. Many times you will see frags that you buy for sale under 20k lighting. 10k will give best growth but it also a very white light so many people use 14k to through more blue and color into our tanks.

 

[danbstrong]

Red spectrum is a result of old bulbs. The res stuff your referring to sounds like cyanobacteria, and it has nothing to do with lighting as it is a bacteria. Cyano is caused from excess nutrients.

The bleaching could be a number of things most notably water quality and amount of light. Color temp of 10k-20k does not cause this. Can be proven by the fact most people run 10-14k bulbs, not 20k.

20k is a specialty lighting often used in frag setups as 20k will bring out colors and really cause the corals to become fluorescent. Many times you will see frags that you buy for sale under 20k lighting. 10k will give best growth but it also a very white light so many people use 14k to through more blue and color into our tanks.

I agree i think the red slime you are seeing is cyano its a reddish maroon bacteria can also be a darker color but is a sign of bad water quality

 

[Madreefer420]

Well my water
Tests good I always thoughts it was my metal halides that were to bright should I lift them up maybe

 

[Madreefer420]

Well I just up sized my tank an added some sand could it be a light cycle

 

[danbstrong]

Well my water
Tests good I always thoughts it was my metal halides that were to bright should I lift them up maybe

Ihave 2 250w mh over a 55 4" above tank cyano has nothing to do with lighting what are your trates and phosphates at?

 

[danbstrong]

Ihave 2 250w mh over a 55 4" above tank cyano has nothing to do with lighting what are your trates and phosphates at?

Adding sand could be a cause did you stir your old sand?

 

[Madreefer420]

Nitrates I detectable and I have little to no phosphates according to my tester and I had to pull all the old Sand out of my tank when I up graded

 

[danbstrong]

Nitrates I detectable and I have little to no phosphates according to my tester

If you have cyano you will get negative readings because the cyano will bind the nutrients how old are your bulbs ? i change my mh about every 8-9 months or so