# What's wrong with this lighting/tank setup? (Saltwater)



## jnick (Aug 17, 2011)

Hey all,

I'm posting on behalf of my uncle... he is just getting back into reef tanks and purchased a 140 gallon setup a month ago. The problem he is having is the intense yellow cast his lights are throwing. We are unsure if it's his bulbs color spectrum or a matter of the intensity of the light reflecting off of the rock.

He has a Hamilton technologies Belieze 400w fixture (Metal Halide - http://www.hamiltontechnology.com/item/ ... stems-1712). The whole setup was bought used so unfortunately, we do not know what spectrum his lights are (10K vs 14K).

Here is a picture of HIS lights illuminating the tank:










As a test, I brought over my Marineland double bright LED fixture (What I use in my Cichlid tank). As you can see, a much much different look; one that seems much more natural:










With all of this said, what do you think the problem is? Is it the fact that the Marineland LEDs aren't nearly as intense to reflect the color of the rock's algae/sand? Or is it his halide bulbs being too yellow or old/bad?

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks!


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Hard to say without knowing the "K" rating of the bulbs but just guessing it could be a combo of 6700k and 10000k or just 6700k or even something lower more towards the red end of the spectrum. Just not sure but it sure looks yellow/green from the pics.

Can he not take the bulbs out and see what the "K' rating is?

With all that being said....that is a SWEET light. Very nice. It is a DE HQI 150w metal halide with t5HO supplements. It is very nice.

I have had setups very similar to this on my SPS reef tanks. I always preferred 10000k metal halide with all actinic supplements.


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## jnick (Aug 17, 2011)

Thanks for the reply (and for all your replies to my threads for that matter!).

He bought new lights and we began the 2 hour project of replacing the 3 LED moon lights which were dead and the two MH bulbs. It turns out, the MH bulbs were in fact 10K bulbs. However, my guess is due to age, the color cast was completely off. Upon powering the unit back up with the new bulbs, there is a much bigger difference! While there still is a yellow hue from the reflection of the base rock, it is much, much better. The sand actually looks gray instead of brown!

Thanks again!


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

You are welcome. If he wants to make the aquarium to look more white blue then he could add actinics with the t5 to go along with the 10000k.


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## jnick (Aug 17, 2011)

Yup! He has the fixture full. 2 MH 10K, 2 Actinics T5's, and 3 LED moon lights


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

In that case I bet it looks good.


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## jnick (Aug 17, 2011)

I took some pics with the DSLR while I was there. As soon as I transfer them to the PC I'll post up a pic for a color cast comaparison :thumb:

Thanks again!


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

jnick said:


> I took some pics with the DSLR while I was there. As soon as I transfer them to the PC I'll post up a pic for a color cast comaparison :thumb:
> 
> Thanks again!


Ok...can't wait to see the difference.


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