What Aquarium Lighting Color Temperature Do You Prefer?

[Christopher Marks]

Aquarium lighting can replicate an array of different color temperatures, with reef aquariums typically requiring a color temperature somewhere between 10,000K (Cool White) and 20,000K (Cool Blue). Some hobbyists prefer the shallow water brightness of 10,000K, others prefer the deeper water hue of 20,000K, while most prefer it somewhere in the middle.

 

Where do you stand?

[MeepNand]

I like either 10-12k or pure actinic. 14k and 16k I hate.

[Coolhandreefer]

I like it 14k. Its in between really white and really blue.

[GHill762]

Depends whatday of the week it is. Sometimes I prefer a 14k look, sometimes I prefer the 18k look..

[frostyjay1]

I like a little bluer look to my tank. I think it helps the colors stand out a little more.

[kriskristofferzen]

I like the 14K look too...although tweaking it up to the 18-20 mark and watching it glow like a haunted house with blue lights is pretty cool

[Micro-Reefs Aquariums]

Always been a fan of the 20K ever since metal halides... Nothing yet has given me back that look...

[SantaMonica]

Did 14k + actinic for years, but always liked the 20k in the LFS for corals. Fish however seem better in 10k or 14k.

[MontiP]

I like a mix of 12k, 10k, and acitinics. 12k + acitinics is a bit too purple, and 10k is much too white. A blend of the three looks great to me.

[Dan's14Nano]

It's simply opiniated for all enthusiasts...

[Egginis]

I like to use 20k in my reef. However I do supplement with other ratings as well. My Nuvo 16 has 2 14k lights, 1 24" 20k actinic blue and 1 24" 7000k red spectrum light on it. The main halides on my 220 gallon reef are 20k with supplemental power compact and blue actinic LED lighting.

[WmTasker]

I think as we progress more and more to LEDs for aquariums, the use of Kelvin (k) rating of light will give way to the use of wavelength (nm) of light.

[Ebn]

I like either 10-12k or pure actinic. 14k and 16k I hate.

 

+1. I know that everyone loves the 14k Phoenix but after having used it, it's definitely not for me. It grew and colored up corals well, but I didn't like the look of it.

[Mojado]

I think as we progress more and more to LEDs for aquariums, the use of Kelvin (k) rating of light will give way to the use of wavelength (nm) of light.

I don't think so, as most LED setups don't go with a single type of LED, but rather several LEDs of different wavelength. LEDs are described by wavelength because of the nature of solid state physics and specific energy band gaps. Kelvin is a characterization of the total light, which is a combination of various spectrums (wavelength). Again, unless you use exclusively one type of LED, then talking wavelength would be a convoluted description of your light. You can say, "I had two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun for lunch." . . .or just say, "I had a big mac for lunch."

[Toprharley]

After having the Marineland Reef Capable LED (10K) and now running the 160W 16K Maxspect Razor, I couldn't be happier with the 16K. I do run my blues heavy, so technically I am not sure what wavelength it's considered. haha.

[CINDY-DSY]

For nano reef I like 8500k,

[Roshan8768]

I personally like the 12000k look for the daylights, and then 18-20 k for dawn/dusk. T5s ftw

[ninjamyst]

if I have an AI Nano, how do you know what color temperature my setting is? Is there a way to calculate based on the intensity? Like 50% white, 10% blue, 15% royal is equivalent to 10k or something?

[Roshan8768]

if I have an AI Nano, how do you know what color temperature my setting is? Is there a way to calculate based on the intensity? Like 50% white, 10% blue, 15% royal is equivalent to 10k or something?

No idea man, but that sounds pretty interesting... is there even a way to measure it since it's subjective? You should start a thread on it

[lindubz]

Still a newb so didn't realize I could safely go up to 20,000K so I just have a 10,000K light. Maybe someday I'll upgrade to a 14,000K light, but for now my 10,000K works fine.