problem with metal halide

[boojncarla]

i am currently running a 75 gal reef tank and just purchased a metal halide system today. its a 100 watt double ended light and my problem is that when i turned it on my aquarium color turned bright yellow. i dont understand why. can you give me some tips hoe to solve this? i already have two actinic lights installed but not vhos since im from the philippines and is really not available anywhere here. can someone help me asap. thanks. hoping for your quick response.

[kevinpo]

Halide bulbs come in different color temperature ratings called Kelvin. If you bought a standard bulb from a hardware/home improvement center the usual Kelvin or color temperature rating would be 5,500K. As the rating moves higher and higher it looks more and more blue to our eyes. IMO a 10,000K bulb is the lowest K rating that looks OK to my eyes. A 15,000K bulb would be more blue and a 20,000K even more blue.

HTH,
Kevin

[boojncarla]

thanks for the reply kevin... but where and how do i find these halide bulbs. i hope you understand that we have a limted availability for stuff such as these. does it mean that i should get a higher wattage bulb? i really want to get this right since it wasnt exactly cheap to buy these lights. hoping for a quick reply. thanks again.

Halide bulbs come in different color temperature ratings called Kelvin. If you bought a standard bulb from a hardware/home improvement center the usual Kelvin or color temperature rating would be 5,500K. As the rating moves higher and higher it looks more and more blue to our eyes. IMO a 10,000K bulb is the lowest K rating that looks OK to my eyes. A 15,000K bulb would be more blue and a 20,000K even more blue.

HTH,
Kevin

[scottw]

call the person/company you bought it from. Look in the box that had the bulbs in them. There has to be some type of documantion with this info on it bro. Most likely sounds like 6500k or lower. 10k is very white, 14k is bluish, and 20 is blue.

good luck, and contact whoever you got it from.

Sc4r3d

[Ninong]

boojncarla,

Ask Horge for tips on where to find good metal halide lamps in the Philippines: http://www.reefland.com/forum/members/horge.html

[boojncarla]

thanks for your replies guys. i really appreciate it. anyway ninong i sent an email already to horge. i reallly hiope he can help me out. anyway thanks agsin. if you have any more comments or suggestions on what to do please reply in this thread.

[boojncarla]

i just came from the store where i got the lights. im aparently using 4k mh lights only... was able to find a 10k light. is that a better option? they also have a 20k light but too expensve for my budget. please help.

[Reefland]

10k is a much better option, offering more of a "daylight" spectrum.

Scott Z.

[boojncarla]

hey scott z. thanks alot... will try to get one tom. i hope i get it ryt this time. cuz honestly speaking im running out of money already. thanks again. il let you know what happens tom.

QUOTE=Reefland]10k is a much better option, offering more of a "daylight" spectrum.

Scott Z.[/QUOTE]

[Poseidon]

Yup the 10K will be MUCH MUCH better!!! 4K prob looks like a parking lot lamp...

[boojncarla]

Yup the 10K will be MUCH MUCH better!!! 4K prob looks like a parking lot lamp...

i really do hope it works out. and i cant agree with you more that my mh do look like parking lights right now. haha. well ill let you know about it tom when i get the new lights. cant wait.

[boojncarla]

i do have a question of concern... will i be able to put in any corals with the 10k halides? just wondering. please let me know also. thanks.

[Reefland]

i do have a question of concern... will i be able to put in any corals with the 10k halides? just wondering. please let me know also. thanks.

Sure.

[kevinpo]

will i be able to put in any corals with the 10k halides?

The coral will prefer 10,000K lighting. The 4,000K bulb is much better for growing algae not corals also makes for a good parking lot light

Saludos,
Kevin

[Krusk]

its a 100 watt double ended light and my problem is that when i turned it on my aquarium color turned bright yellow.

Is this halogen lamp?

I don't think they have 100W DE Metal halide lamps. Unless I have been slacking off lately.

boojncarla
Do you have a picture of the lamp and the picture of the its housing?

[boojncarla]

apparently krusk they do because thats what they gave me at the hardware store. i was trying to make some savings and now i just ended up spending more. but worth it i guess. and also thanks for all your replies. il try to get a picture later when iinstall the new halides im purchasing today.

Is this halogen lamp?

I don't think they have 100W DE Metal halide lamps. Unless I have been slacking off lately.

boojncarla
Do you have a picture of the lamp and the picture of the its housing?

[boojncarla]

hey guys... i just got my new 150w 10000k halides and guess what... the water is still yellow. althoght its not as yellow as the 4k ones but nevertheless it still is. im really lost right now and really disappointed with the results. ive blown off so much money in the past 2 days trying to get this lighting set up right. and still i get bad results. what do i do now?

[boojncarla]

hey guys another thing... how do you keep the water crystal clear? please help.

[kevinpo]

I think you are going to have to live with the color unless you upgrade to some VHO Super actinics.

As for water clarity that happens over time. If you can borrow/buy a UV sterilizer it will clear your water in about 72 hours.

HTH,
Kevin

[boojncarla]

hey thanks for the reply... anyway i placed activated cArbon since i dont relly know anyone who has the uv sterilizer. well they said that the carbon will also clear the water as well. will it? if yes how long will it take for it to take effect?

I think you are going to have to live with the color unless you upgrade to some VHO Super actinics.

As for water clarity that happens over time. If you can borrow/buy a UV sterilizer it will clear your water in about 72 hours.

HTH,
Kevin