Lighting is making tank look very green

[Secam]

Hi all, I'm looking for some knowledge / guidance with regard to the correct color of a tank under 10,000K lighting. I've just finished installing a pair of Coralife 10,000K, 55W Compact Fluorescents. I find that they make my 30 gallon reef look very green. I'm a bit confused in that it states on the box "Casts sparkling blue-white daylight rays" and yet below that there is a chart showing relative energy to wavelength and the highest energy by far for this bulb is at 540 nm which is green.

My tank was set up last January and this is the first time that I am replacing the bulbs. I'm sure that we were getting used to the reddish tinge of the old bulbs as they faded. Perhaps that's what's making these bulbs look so different. That said, I thought that the ideal color was supposed to be bluish.

So, is this a 10K issue or a Coralife issue or no issue at all cause that's the way it's supposed to be?

Thanks for your help. I'm learning a ton from this group.

 

[Anonymous]

i haven't ever tried those bulbs but could it be your water that is colored? maybe time for carbon?
then again maybe that's the way they look.

 

[Secam]

My water filtration used to include an Eheim 2215 canister filter. I've had nitrate levels higher than I liked and have read that canister filters tend to be a nitrate factory. I stopped using the canister filter a few weeks ago and have replaced it with larger water changes and increased skimming.

Their are active carbon cartridges available for this canister filter. I've never used carbon as a filter before. Would I only need to run the filter a few hours to week to keep the water clear or is this a continuous thing?

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

yeah, if your water has become colored the carbon will clear it within a couple days.

i owuldn't leave the carbon pad in there all the time though. it is debatable how long it takes to exhaust some carbon, possibly it would be better to throw some in a nylon sock and add it as necessary?

 

[slater666]

As to your statement i have a 35 gal use only a whisper filter no skimmer and have terrific water quality, no nitrates low po3 grav at 1.024 temp 82 so many people will tell u you need this you need that i experimented a bit and have had my tank 1 year with many corals and several fish without any problems, lots of coraline algea to . ya carbon is great but i only use it 1 a month. i dont know about 10000k but i have 1 20 watt actinic and 2 f40/865D 6500k and doing great will be upgrading though as for your water colour green blue sounds right to me but just my preference,good luck. 8)