10,000K vs 12,000K? T5HO

Just wondering what the difference is in growing coral between these 2 bulbs? I know that the 12,000K are a little more "bluish" to the eye... but what about coral growth? Is there really that much of a difference in growing coral? Just wondering because I'm going to be changing my 10,000K look for a 12,000K look.

 

Any difference would be virtually unnoticeable. You probably will have better color from the bluer look. The lower the Kelvin temp the faster the growth but the less color corals will have. The higher the Kelvin the more color but slower growth.

 

Yea, I knew that much... I was just wondering if there would be any noticable difference in the growth from a 10,000K to a 12,000K because it's such a little jump. But my growth will probably go up a bit since I just have a single 10,000K bulb and upping it to two 12,000K bulbs.... so I would actually see an increase in growth because two 12,000K bulbs puts out more PAR than a single 10,000K bulb, am I correct?

I'm trying to learn as much as I can about lighting lol I've been researching and reading for weeks now all about kelvin ratings and spectrums and PAR, PUR and all that lol.

 

Correct going from one bulb to two will increase growth. Your color will sufer if you are replacing an actinic or blue bulb. You will not see a noticeable difference in growth if the 12000K is replacing a blue bulb.

 

I run 2 of the ATI Aquablue Specials in a dual t5 fixture and i like it more then running a 10k and actinic. It gives off a very crisp white color with just a hint of blue to it. I didnt like the yellowish tint i would see in the 10k. I also run 4 of the moon light led's from Rapid led to add a little more blue to it. Back to the OP I dont think you will see that much better growth other then what your getting just using the better bulbs so its more what you like in the colors.

 

Yea, I don't think the 12,000K bulbs will give me exactly what I am looking for, but I have a guy here in town willing to strike me a deal with another LED strip but this one has a remote to change the color from blue, purple etc... so I can get the look I want I think I may put it to purple though... but we'll see when I pick up the strip.

 

They don't make those bulbs in the size I need. I am limited to 6,000k, 10,000K, 12,000K, purple or blue actinic... that's all they make in my size bulbs. So, I need to impravise a little lol.

 

So, I got the 12,000K bulbs and they bring out the colors way more! Like the pinks/purples... the green not as much though. I tried the two 12,000K with the blue LED strip but it didn't look that nice... slightly better than with the 10,000K but still quite washed out looking. So, I instead just replaced the single 10,000K with the 12,000K (with actinic and blue led strip) and everything looks soooo much more colorful! I'm thinking that I will just leave it with a single 12,000K (I think teh SPS should be fine) with the actinic and LEd strip because I know that even an actinic and blue LED strip gives a decent ammount of PAR along with the 12k. I will probably still add another LED strip too. The one that the guy is willing to give me a deal on that changes colors. I think that with the amount of LEDs that will be on the fixture (with both strips it will be 30 leds) plus the 12K and actinic T5s will give off lots of light. Am I assuming this correctly?

 

So, I have had the 12K in the fixture for a while and I am getting MORE growth from my SPS! The 10K bulb that use to be in the fixture was an AquaticLife bulb and the 12K bulb is a TrueLumen. I am actually seeing a noticable increase in growth with the 12K than there was with the 10K! Is the 12K TrueLumen bulb possibly putting out way more PAR than the 10K AquaticLife bulb because they are different brands and the TrueLumen is just a higher quality bulb? That is how I am understanding it anyway. The SPS are loving the 12K!