New light set up question...

you need 20k's for blue

 

I run 14k pheonix 250's with 2 true actinic, 1 blue + and 1 Fiji purple t5 and I think it's the best color my tank will EVER have! Seen great growth and my corals pop thru the whole light cycle. 20k is almost too blue for my taste. I've seen 400w 20k look good but 250w the 14k is perfect. You vho or accent lights will make all the difference if I think. Halides can't compete with t5 for color but vise versa for growth I think.

 

IMHO, you shoulda went all T5's and then you could have had whatever shade of blue you wanted. That was my biggest mistake when I bought my lights, I listened to everyone else who were halide worshippers. Thats my mistake, I should have went with what i wanted in the first place.

 

i would try to keep all lights about 6" off the water. If you want more blue color, then you will need to add more atinic vho's or you will need to get 20k MH. Not what you wanted to hear. also i know there is a window behind the tank, is that covered? wondering if there is outside light getting to the tank and making less blue show? Just a few of my thoughts.

 

Are they mogul based or double-ended? If they are mogul you could try rotating them in the socket to see if that helps. Some people say you should do it as soon as they start up and are just warming up....if you try it be very careful and use a old hot pad, or you will burn yourself.

 

The Phoenix 14K bulb is about the only bulb that lives up to that color temperature. I have also tried Reeflux 12K, Aqua Connect 14K and Giesemann 13K as well. My takeaway from trying different bulbs is to find a bulb that gets you close to the color temp you want. Then find the right combination of actinic supplementation to make it look the way you want it to look.

 

BTW, I don't think my Phoenix bulbs are that blue at all... I'd describe them as a crisp white with a hint of blue.

 

it takes a while for some bulbs to get their color. a week or two usually.