6500K or 8000k

[waterflash]

Hi all
I Have a 6x2x2 with 3 MH 150w 6500k lights at the moment and the light has a yellow tinge to it. I have read some articles recommending 7500k - 8000k. Can anyone with experince give me some feed back on best options.

Cheers
Robin

[ILLUSN]

are you growing plants or just keeping fish?

7500k will take the yellow edge off your lights and still be ok ish for plants 10000k or above will be too blue for plants.

[waterflash]

Sorry
I have a full tank of plants, which is a community tank for fish.

Cheers
Robin

[ILLUSN]

ok plants need good peaks in the red spectrum for lush green growth, so long as any bulb you choose has a strong red peak you'll be fine, going by kelvin color is always a little hit and miss, the idea is that 6500k is about the same as miday sun which is at the height ot photsynthesis, in reality alot of 6500k tubes have no red peak.

that being said they usually will give better growth than a 10000k + lamp. if you want a little less yellow go a 7500-8000k but no higher.

[aquafrogstuff]

Robin,

I spent some time looking into this to prevent shelling out near $100 on globes (3) that wouldn't give me the best results.

I agree with Illusn. I used 6,500k purchased from a local wholesaler in Brisbane. You should be able to pick them up from EIW in Wangara, but call ahead as they may not carry MH globes with the kelvin rating you need. I purchased Sylvania globes, but had to get the wholesaler to source them from Sylvania.

HTH. Dwayne

P.S. Have you seen my PM? Wondering how the BG algae battle is going (having one of my own).