6500 k vs. 10,000 k bulbs -- which ones look better on most tanks?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
hulk181

hulk181

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jul 23, 2012
183
2
18
Cerritos CA
I have a 240 g tank and I want to get new lights for it. I saw on aquatraders.com some dual bulb fixtures that have 1 10,000 k bulb and x1 actinic bulb. There's also a fixture that has x2 6500 k bulbs.

I mostly have clown loaches, dats and other golden colored fish and I don't have much plants in there.

Which type of bulb would make my fish look the best?
 
10k

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The easy button: 6500K is a bright white, 10000K is a bluer white. I like the look of a 10000K if I have to use only one bulb because it also has a spike in the red spectrum and even though it is somewhat subdued it will do a good job at both ends. 6500K is more of and even distribution across the color spectrum and what I call nutral not red not blue but right in the middle. This is really one of those questions where it comes down to personal preferance and which light makes your fish look beter to you. A lot of times a combination of a cool and warm blub does a great job at pulling all the colors. I used 10000K with a 5000K with good results. Experament a little and see what you like.
 
i prefer 6500k but i also prefer low light blackwater setups. all comes down to preferance, id look into what tanks u think look nice and figure out what they are using
 
Thanks for the replies so far. If I go with the 10,000 k with the actinic bulb, do I really need the actinic? Or should I replace the actinic with a different bulb? I read that actinic is mostly for saltwater setups and I have a FW like everyone else here.
 
Aquanero said:
The easy button: 6500K is a bright white, 10000K is a bluer white. I like the look of a 10000K if I have to use only one bulb because it also has a spike in the red spectrum and even though it is somewhat subdued it will do a good job at both ends. 6500K is more of and even distribution across the color spectrum and what I call nutral not red not blue but right in the middle. This is really one of those questions where it comes down to personal preferance and which light makes your fish look beter to you. A lot of times a combination of a cool and warm blub does a great job at pulling all the colors. I used 10000K with a 5000K with good results. Experament a little and see what you like.
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THIS IS PRETTY MUCH MY OPINION ALSO ...6500 works well some people like 10000 k ..its all opinion ...either is "good"
 
hulk181 said:
Thanks for the replies so far. If I go with the 10,000 k with the actinic bulb, do I really need the actinic? Or should I replace the actinic with a different bulb? I read that actinic is mostly for saltwater setups and I have a FW like everyone else here.
Click to expand...

A 10000K and an actenic either 620 or 640nm is going to be a dark tank. I would swap the actenic for either a 6500K or another 10000K if you like that look.
 
I HAVE USED 10000k W/ 50-50 ,IN A T-8 SETUP,, AND IT LOOKED OK.. also currently using (on a 75)10000k and aqueon colormax(kinda pink)..this really looks good (to me)for my black belt cichlid...:popcorn: I ASSUME YOUR USING(OR THINKING ABOUT T-5?)
 
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