Most Preferred Companion PC Lamp to 9325K? (Now with photos!)

[imeridian]

I figure this can be a poll without a poll sort of a deal. I've read a good bit in past threads about this, but not many seemed to specifically deal with the 55/65 watt PC segment.

I've always used Current USA dual daylight "smartpaq" bulbs, half 6700K, half 10,000K. I recently read of the adapters one could buy to convert straight pin bulbs over to the square pin required by my fixture, since it was basically bulb replacement time anyway I figured I give those coveted GE 9325K bulbs a shot.

Wow are they ever purple! I figure that is something I'll get used to, as when I turn them off and have only the dual daylights running I now think "wow, that light is really green!" It looks weird either way for me now.

So those that have used these 9325K bulbs in PC format, have you preferred running them with dual daylight, 10,000K, 6700K, Current, Coralife, etc?

I gathered there was a consensus that 6700K and the GE 9325K worked best together. I'm curious if that is still the case, or if it was actually a consensus. How does that really look?

I'm trying to figure out how to make the lighting look less weird. I don't particularly feel like buying a whole bunch of $30 bulbs to experiment, I'm sure you can understand.

I have one left to replace, I can still use my new dual daylight in another fixture if I'd decide to swap it out for something else. Maybe I should just stick with the dual daylights, at least I know what that looks like.

[loachlady5]

I have only used EIKO as companion lamps. I used to run 2 EIKO 5000K with 2 Corallife 10,000K daylight. Then I switched to 2 GE 9325K and 2 EIKO 6500K. Unfortunately, b/c of the way I did it, I have no idea if the EIKO bulbs are any good and have always wondered. I didn't want all 9325K b/c of the pink tint, but now I think the pink tint is not so bad.

[BiscuitSlayer]

Originally Posted by indiboi

I've always used Current USA dual daylight "smartpaq" bulbs, half 6700K, half 10,000K.

I am surprised you moved away from the dual daylight bulbs. I don't use them specifically, but I have 1 10,000K and 1 6700K bulb in my fixture, and I love the look of that combo of colors.

[loachlady5]

Originally Posted by BiscuitSlayer

I am surprised you moved away from the dual daylight bulbs. I don't use them specifically, but I have 1 10,000K and 1 6700K bulb in my fixture, and I love the look of that combo of colors.

It was mostly a money issue. Soooo much cheaper for me - like less than $10 a bulb I think. Even if the EIKOs aren't that great (which I don't know), I have plenty of quality light from the GE bulbs.

[imeridian]

The dual daylights just did nothing for the reds in my aquarium, even my Cardinals looked dull. The blue stripe was great, but the red was sort of ruddy brown. Otherwise I do think the dual daylight is probably one of the best choices.

I think next year I'm going to upgrade to a T5 HO fixture, at least with that I could have a single AM "Plant" bulb, so as to not go toward the purple end so heavily; since it's more like having two of those right now with PC lamps, half the light is purple.

I just had to try those 9325K lights out, since they are so hyped in some places. I think a long time ago I was trying out one of those in 18" NO along with a LifeGlo 18" NO on my 10 gallon. Alone neither of them looked quite right, but together it was great. Perhaps I need to find the PC equivalent of that LifeGlo bulb.

The 9325K really does seem to accentuate the red/orange of my plants and fish better than before, it's just the white of my one Angelfish also now looks oddly lavender.

[imeridian]

Perhaps this isn't a very interesting topic here. *shrug*

In any case, apparently that Lifeglo lamp was 6700K. I think I'll just leave well enough alone and keep one row of dual daylight Current USA lamps.

[BiscuitSlayer]

Originally Posted by indiboi

Perhaps this isn't a very interesting topic here. *shrug*

In any case, apparently that Lifeglo lamp was 6700K. I think I'll just leave well enough alone and keep one row of dual daylight Current USA lamps.

I find it interesting. One thing that I am dieing to try is to use some actinic lighting on my next tank just to make fish colors pop. I also want to simulate a dawn/dusk effect.

I have seen where they use actinics at a lfs planted tank, and I really liked the look of it.

The only difference between what I want to do and what they are doing is that mine would be on the extreme high tech side.

I am thinking 6 X 55W AHSupply kits with one row being 10,000K, middle row being actinics, and the back row being 6,700K. I think it would be pretty sweet. Needless to say, I don't know if I would be running the actinics during the entire photoperiod. I might just be limited to a few hours a day. Love to try it though.

[imeridian]

Well, if you need 65 watt square pin actinics let me know... I have a couple that I've never used (well, not much anyway). I'd read a lot about how actinics made the colors pop on fish, meh. Even with a half 10,000k, half actinic bulb it was still sort of bleh, combined with a pair of dual daylights. Running a pair of dual actinics was horrible, kind of cool on the "night time after sunset" effect though.

I had similar thoughts on lighting when I was planning my 75 gallon, sort of glad I opted for the Orbit instead.

If I upgrade to the Nova Extreme Pro next year it'll have 3 T5 actinics, I'd probably keep one of them in the fixture, along with an AM plant bulb for the pink, and then a mix of 6700K and 10,000K. Flipping through the bulbs for sunrise, day, noon, sunset.

I think I would like these 9325K bulbs if they were only half that purple color, I guess like a Coralife Colormax bulb. Though my impression of those was that the pink was just that, pink, not particularly effective in actual spectrum.

[imeridian]

I have some photos of the differences between 4x65 watt current dual daylight bulbs and 2x dual daylight plus 2 x 9325k. I've never seen this particular comparison, perhaps it will be helpful for others.

The images are linked to fullsize (~1MB) images. If you are not able to see the images your browser may not be supplying the necessary plantedtank.net referrer information as these images are hotlink protected and that referrer information is required.

This is 2x 6700/10,000K with 2x 9325K lamps:


Direct link to 640x image shown above.

This is 4x 6700/10,000K lamps:


Direct link to 640x image shown above.

[loachlady5]

That's a big difference. I like the colors in the first photo.

[imeridian]

Originally Posted by loachlady5

That's a big difference. I like the colors in the first photo.

Yes, definitely, a stunning difference. I, too, like the colors of the first photo much more than the second. I'm very glad that I found those adapters to make the 9325K bulbs work with my square pin fixture.

I should add that the "weirdness" of the purple light has mostly worn off, I suppose it just took a few days to get used to it.

[Left C]

Many people like the 6700K bulbs mixed with the 9325K bulbs.

This is from APC: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/f...ifference.html

[imeridian]

Thanks for the link, I've read that a few times. I know it's almost shocking, but some folks actually do a lot of searching before they post, lol.

I've always wondered if people just use 6500/6700K bulbs with them simply because of that old myth that you needed that Kelvin rating for growth. It seemed to me that 10,000K would cut the purple/pink a bit better, but I suppose I'll just go "middle ground" and keep my dual daylights.

[Jareardy]

the lighting looks awesome in your pics, how do you have your lights set up exactly? Keep in mind I'm completely new to this stuff. Also, what type are they in layman's terms? i.e what does the 10000/6700k mean?

[imeridian]

I have a Current USA Orbit fixture used with the supplied legs, open top. I do have a tank profile setup, I think it covers pretty much everything else if you haven't seen that.

Oh, the 6700/10,000K is the rated color temperature of the light in degrees Kelvin, the particular lamps I'm using have half of each.