Has anyone tried the SPS 14K bulb that Northside is selling? I have a pair of the 20K's and really like them. They are a lot whiter than I expected a bulb labeled 20K to be. I was wondering if the 14K's are more yellow like a 10K. Thanks, Dan
Lighting-Lighting-Lighting !!! That is probably the most discussed and least understood element in reef keeping. Depending on bulb wattage, ballast, manufacturer, design, surrounding temperature, age, etc. each bulb will perform to any given set of circumstances. The best advice I can give you is to do the reasearch. Talk to 10 different "experts" and you will get 10 different opinions. There are a lot of general parameters that apply to all, but in the end it's up to you to determine what type of lighting you need for your given set of circumstances and purchase the best you can afford. Not to avoid your question, it's generally believed at least by me that the lower the kelvin the whiter , or yellowish, the apearance. 10000k whiter, 20000k bluer.
Yes I am well aware of the points you make. I have been using metal halide lighting for many years. My question is regarding the SPS (South Pacific Sunlight, also labeled as Blue Life) 14K bulbs in particular. In my experience, the Kelvin rating given by the manufacturer is next to worthless in determining how the color of any particular bulb will appear. So, I was wondering if anyone has seen both the SPS 20K and the SPS 14K in person and can tell me how they compare. My impression of their 20K is that it looks more like what you would expect a 12K to look like. Thanks, Dan
Sorry to come off too basic, but it's hard to determine everyone's experience level and the information may be good for our new members. I have no experience whith this particular brand.
i run the sps 250w 20k bulbs and love them. but i haev never run anything but them til recently when i started using the 14k hamilton bulbs and side by side the hamiltons are alot yellower. thats a kelvin rating by experiance but not the brands you want compared.
I haven't used either, but usally the 20k should be whiter then the 14k and a 14k is usally much bluer then a 10k and as yousaid it depends on the brands also.
I currently have one 250 watt 14k sps bulb and two 250 watt 10k ushiorunning. The 14k is definitely more blue than the 10k but no wherenear any 20ks ive seen. I thinks I prefer the 14k over the 10ks now.
!4 to 15k I think are the prettyist, anything over that and they get pretty white and below they get more yellow, which by the way if you want to replicate the sun and GROW corrals fast, 6500's are the best, but man are they yellow. People who grow corals to sell use 6500's.
