10 or 14k?
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Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Equipment
Forum Description: This is the place to ask question about reef equipment.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5697
Printed Date: July 07 2025 at 9:44pm
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Topic: 10 or 14k?
Posted By: SWells
Subject: 10 or 14k?
Date Posted: March 09 2005 at 10:01pm
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We are planning on upgrading our lighting within the next few weeks, but don't want to pay $100 for bulbs we don't really like. So, we've narrowed it down to either 10k or 14k, but the problem is, we haven't really seen these bulbs in action except in pictures. Is anyone using either of these that would like to show them off? And what brands are the best? We are particularly interested in the Hamilton 14k's. Is anyone using these without actinics? Any help on this would be wonderful! ------------- Steve & Stephanie Wells Riverton, UT |
Replies:
Posted By: coreyk
Date Posted: March 09 2005 at 10:46pm
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I run a combination of bulbs and you are more than welcome to come
check them out. I have two tanks: 60g cube has T5s and 1x250w 14K
Hamilton .. The other is a 120 w/ 2x250w DE 20K BLV and 1X250w 14K Pheonix. Are you running DE bulbs? |
Posted By: Chris
Date Posted: March 09 2005 at 11:03pm
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I have 150 watt HQI Hamilton 14k bulbs that are fairly new if you want to come see them. I live in holladay by cottonwood mall. I could turn off my VHO's to show you what they look like by themselfs. My Hamiltons turn off by 9:00 PM so you will have to come before that and after 6:00 PM. If you come on the weekend anytime after noon will be fine. PM me if you are interested. |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: March 09 2005 at 11:36pm
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Lighting is such a personal thing. I think your corals will like either the 10K or 14K bulbs, so it's going to come down to what your eye's like. Visiting other people's tanks is a very good way to get an idea of what your tank might look like. Personally, I didn't like the Hamilton 14K bulbs when on my tank (but do go look at Corey's tank, it's the reason I tried the 14Ks in the first place... his tank looks awesome!). I'm still a fan of 10K bulbs. ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: Crazy Tarzan
Date Posted: March 10 2005 at 12:01am
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I have a175w AB 10k (actually about 13k), with 64 watts of actinics. I like the look of it much more than I liked the ushio 10 k I had. In my opinion the setting, or ambient light, stand color, height off the water, etc, etc, etc, can all change the way a particular bulb looks over your tank. Just my $.02 ------------- Was that in there yesterday? Casper--WY windier than ? Down to a 20, soon to double or nothing |
Posted By: Firefish
Date Posted: March 10 2005 at 12:43am
| I have 3 250watt 10k aquamed HQIs, and I think that they are a bit too yellow, and next time I buy bulbs I am going with 14k bulbs. They seem to be a little more white to blue in color. But this of course depends on what you prefer in color, and what brands you are dealing with. You should check with Marine Aquatics. They have a really good price on HQIs right now. I am unsure of the brand and ability of the bulbs, but they are well under 100 dollars a piece. |
Posted By: jpiotrowski
Date Posted: March 21 2005 at 10:42am
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I have some comparison pics of my hamilton 14k's vs. 10k's with and without actinic suppliment...I'll post some pics but I'll have to resize John |
Posted By: Carl
Date Posted: March 21 2005 at 11:47am
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14K ------------- In Syracuse "I believe that forgiving them is God's function. Our job is simply to arrange the meeting." - Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf |
Posted By: jpiotrowski
Date Posted: March 23 2005 at 11:35am
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Sorry about the delay, here are my pics. Both sets of bulbs are old. The 14K hamiltons are a 1 1/2 and the 10K's are from ShaneH and are 14 mos. The two things I want to note here...the 14K's have alot more blue now that they are old but have always had the blue tint. The hamilton 10K's have a yellowish tint when older but not so much when new.
14K
10K |
Posted By: jpiotrowski
Date Posted: March 23 2005 at 11:43am
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Here is my sacrophyton
14K
10K without Supplemental lighting
10K with actinic supplement |
Posted By: coreyk
Date Posted: March 23 2005 at 11:51am
| are the 14K pictures as blue to your eye as they are in the pictures? which do you like better? |
Posted By: jpiotrowski
Date Posted: March 23 2005 at 11:53am
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A side note to all of this is that the camera greatly overexagerated the blue. To the naked eye the favia is only tinted blue. I couldn't get the blue out without manipulating the file through imaging software. The sacrophyton pictures better resemble the look of the tank. The 14K's are still not as tinted blue as in the pic but there is a bluish 'feel' to everything in the tank. And to me everything seemed to fluoresce to much...everything glowed. I wanted a more realistic feel and think the 10K's do it. In the pictures labeled 10K's in both posts...that is the true look of the tank. I should be getting my 10K's from Steve next week and if that happens I can give you (at the meeting) both my hamilton 14K's and Shane's 10K's to try out for yourself. Or you could stop by and pick them up. John |
Posted By: pmpt
Date Posted: March 23 2005 at 12:58pm
| I'm running 20k HQI's and love them. Anyone know the difference in running 20K, 14K, or 10K? If it effects different corals anyway? What do acros like more? |
Posted By: coreyk
Date Posted: March 23 2005 at 1:12pm
10K (better growth) --- 20K (better color) .... I think it takes a bit
of of looking to find a bulb you like. Not all 20Ks or 14Ks are the
same. 
|
Posted By: bugzme
Date Posted: March 23 2005 at 6:40pm
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I run 14 k on all my tanks! you are more then welcome to come see them, just send me a pm ------------- Jeff 125 tank 50 gallon sump T-5 lighting Rum drinker, Carbon User I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!! |