opinions on mh color

I've a 175 w electronic mh coming in shortly.  I already have 64 w antinic blue pc's on my tank.  It's a 30 gal.  I'm wondering what your opinions/suggestions are for the color temp of the mh bulb.  I want to have some good growth with my sps and the softies.  However I don't want the tank as blue as it looks with just my pc's.  So pipe up all, and tell me what you think on the subject.  Do I go with a 5.5 k, 6.5 k, 10 k, 12 k, 14 k, or 20 k?         

Kevin,  What do you know about that bulb?  Is it really an Ushio bulb?  And if so, I wonder why they suggest a pulse start ballast?

Tarzan,  IMO, I don't think you'll find many people here who have actually tried more then a few different types/colors of bulbs.  But you will most likely find someone here with at least one of the different types.  So I would suggest finding someone with a bulb that you're interested in and go look at it in person.

jfinch wrote:   So I would suggest finding someone with a bulb that you're interested in and go look at it in person.

Thats what I've been thinking since seeing the posts here.  SO...  who lives down orem way that has MH on their tank and is willing to help me in my quest to find the ever elusive proper color of bulb by letting me come look some friday afternoon or saturday?  Give me a call 3623483 or message me here.  Thanks,

Nate

I have a 250 watt metal halides with supposed 10k bulbs    (They are a no name brand that many people have criticized since I bought them). I think they have a nice crisp white color. I live in pleasant Grove, pm me if you are interested in stopping by.

I'm still in power-compact land, I've mostly done 50/50 10K/Act and been pleased with the color, but on a whim I tried a 12k blue with a 50/50 in my nano, and I love it! At first glance it looks way too blue, but I find the colors are still there just more intensely fluorescent. Also seems to have a "bottom of the reef" look to it. Dunno - all lighting is opinion, maybe I'm just going though my "blue period"

- Tim

Also the electronic ballest uses 30% les elec and also fires the bulb more true magnetic ballest pulse elec to the bulb which we cant see electronic ballest flow to the bulb are more steady which means alittle longer life... im using the helios electronic ballest and love them....

If you like blue, the July & October TOTM on Reef Central are both quite blue. I think they look amazing!

Here's this month's:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-10/totm/index.htm
90 gallon tank, 2x400W 20K Radiums + 2x96W PC actinics.

July's:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/totm/index.htm
120 gallon tank, same lighting.

Based on the successes of tanks with bluer, yellower, whiter, whatever light, I would have to say the color of the light doesn't matter to the corals. What really matters is the PAR. Higher spectrum bulbs produce less PAR than the lower ones. Perhaps that is the "real" reason so many people say the lower spectrum bulbs are better.

That said, it is interesting to point out that not only do those tanks have bluer lighting, they also have 400W bulbs where 250W bulbs would otherwise do.

Anyway, food for thought.... I'm not correcting or advising, only trying to add! As scroll said, if it's working don't try to fix it. After all, who can argue with success?

-Tom

These three pics used no flash and are untouched. This is how the digital camera saw them which I believe is a little bluer than they actually are.





For this image I used the flash and I messed with it afterward to reduce the blue and brighten all colors. I was thinking it was closer to reality, but only Ryan can tell us if I got it right.