lighting question? please reply

[20reef]

i'm thinking about buying a 150watt 14k MH 24 inch fixture and was wondering about the color it will put out. i see on some tanks the lighting is a bit bluer than others. that is the effect i am looking for. would this fixture be a good choice for that? or is it the lunar lights that make the "blue effect" in the corals come out?

[r20crazy]

20k bulbs are bluest. 14k's are bright white with a little blue, 10k's are white, 6.5k are yellow. the color output also depends on the bulb and ballast brands, as the same bulb on 2 different ballasts will look different. at the end of the day its all about personal preference.

[20reef]

what is the best brand to get this effect? i was thinking about a sunpod? but i've hear that you really shouldn't get Current products anymore because you have trouble finding parts and things like that for them?

[r20crazy]

sunpods have been discontinued, but per their website the will continue to make replacement parts for the forseeable future. sunpods are by far the most popular MH setup. I have a 70w sunpod on one of my tanks and love it, as they have the lunar lights built in. sunpods will also fire almost any bulb you want as they are HQI setups.

 

stock sunpod bulbs are 14k, but if you want bluer, get a replacement 20k bulb.

[20reef]

do you think 150 watts is too much for 20 gallon high? i just want something that can grow decent acros and such and get the "blue effect" that i like. could you by any chance send me a pic of your tank i a PM?

[r20crazy]

150w is fine for a 20h. just keep in mind halides do put off alot of heat, so depending on your location and if you have central ac or not you may need fans or a chiller to keep temps down, especially durring hot months.