6500K MH makes corals look BLAH

[miktrav2]

I have a 75 gallon tank with 2 x 175 w 6500K MH 2x40w actinic NO. When I look at the tanks of other hobbyist with VHO or PC lighting their corals all flouresce and are very colorful. In my tank those same types of corals and even some frags look plain and colorless. I'm thinking of tossing the MH retro and going to VHO. Is this a bad idea? I currently have mostly LPS and softies with a 3 SPS frags and shrooms.

I initially started my tank with PC and I don't like the bulbs because they are so fragile, one of my bulbs came loose from it's base and the color shift over the first few weeks was noticable. Other than that the corals looked great but I don't want to go that route again.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[ChrisRD]

Have you tried some higher Kelvin (bluer) halide lamps in place of the 6500Ks?

 

[miktrav2]

I was thinking of buying the XM 20K bulbs from Hello Lights but I thought that for the $65 each they'd cost me I could buy the Hello Lights VHO retro Kit and spend a little extra for the bulbs. How long do MH bulbs last? It's been almost a year now and when one of my bulbs starts it's a red color. I'm thinking this is not good. I figure I could get the VHO ballast and replace 4 bulbs for the cost of 1 MH. If the MH bulbs only last a year and VHO also lasts a year and I can keep the same animals I think VHO is the way to go.

Mike

 

[Micky]

I have 3 6500's on my reef and feel the same way you do about the color. I also seen the XM's at hellolights for 65.00, so I bought one to see what it would look like. I like it so much I am ordering 2 more for the other two 6500's. IMO when you go diving the water has a blueish green tint not white and thats what I am looking for... Best of luck...

 

[BigE]

I have 2 250 watt MH's with 10,000K bulbs over my 80g tank and do not use any other suplemental lighting and I really like the color my bulbs put out.
Here's a pic of my tnak with the current lighting setup. This was taken about 2 weeks after the tank was setup so its got a nice hair algae problem going.
http://bigetank.250free.com/Reef/Pics/R ... -26-03.JPG

 

[LA-Lawman]

I have two of the hamilton 175w 14k's and love them.. if you do a search on the photo forum i post some actinic pics.... i have real good zoo algae growth on all of the corals.....

check it out...

 

[miktrav2]

I'm going to try the 20K bulbs and see how that works out. If I still don't like them then I'll switch over to VHO next year. My wife would have a fit anyway If I bought a new lighting system after only one year with this one that I just had to have.

Nice pics Guys. I hope I can get my tank half as nice as those pics I've seen. As soon as I choose a digital cam I'll have some to post.

Thanks for your input everyone.

Mike

 

[Cabreradavid]

You might have already decided what to do, but....Why not try to supplement the metal halide lighting you have with 10,000K PC bulbs and or 10,000K/actinic PC's (or similar VHO). You should be able to get a pleasing mix that way.

 

[miktrav2]

PCs are out of the question because I think the bulbs are too expensive and not sturdy enough. As for the VHO, I thought about that but the MH unit I have is made by Coralife and has a special connector. If I were to buy the VHO ballast unit from them it would only power 2 VHO bulbs and cost more than $200. If I bought a 4 x 48 unit or just bought 20K bulbs it would work out a lot cheaper for me. Cost is a factor here since I just bought my unit not even a year ago and just got through upgrading my tank. If I knew then what I know now I would have spent the extra money and gotten the VHO supplemental.

Mike

 

[mountainbiker619]

look into the 12k sunburst bulbs..I run two of them and that is all the lighting that I need.

 

[fungia]

i am shopping now for new lights for my new tank and i dont like the 65k either but it is all personal opinion. i decided the 10k german look best and i hear they are good light for corals too.

 

[Len]

Experiences will differ, but I had the worst luck with Sunbursts. I think Sanjay had the same problem too. Mine bleached the heck outta some Montiporas and none of my SPS were happy under them. I had to switch back to 10KKs shortly after. The problem with Sunbursts is they are nearly monochromatic in spectral distribution .... perhaps ok for turbid water or deeper water corals (softies/LPS), but not the greatest IME for acros and other shallow water species.