Need info: I just changed my MH bulbs
 

My Ushio 10K bulbs were getting old, so thought I should change them out now. I had brand new hamilton 10K bulbs, that came with the fixture so I put them in.

WOW ARE THEY YELLOW!!! Compared to the Ushio's of the same K, they are so much more yellow. Just wondering how long of a burn in does an average bulb take, I don't want to take them out if they will whiten up. But if they stay this way, well then I just can't do it.

Any input is appreciated.

Ham's should be around 2 weeks if that, Ya they do get yellow after using USHIO's

Yeah, but they are really yellow. REALLY UGLY LOOKING RIGHT NOW!!!

You think they will lighten up with 2-3 weeks burn in? Ushio 10K's were really white, basically no yellow... I don't mind a bit, but my pink squareback anthias looks orange!

But I can say the polyp extension on some corals looks even better, maybe they like this light.

I have never seen a 10k that was not too yellow for my taste. I don,t think it will get better with time.

I would switch it for a 14K Pheonix.

i remember having a venture 5500K and man that was white

Hi Daniella3D,

Have you tried Ushio 10K... I can say I love them, virtually true white, no yellow. At least not compared to the Hamiltons.

I just want to know if the Hamiltons will lighten up some... I do know bulbs need a burn in time, and with this time the color value changes. But if they don't improve, then I won't like the color.

I had Pheonix 14K, very nice... But I found the tank too dark overall.

5500K and it was white? wow, hard to believe at the K level. Would be cool to see, and you must of had tremendous growth!!!

It is drastically different than the Ushio. Just not sure if I want to wait a month and see, or just go out tomorrow and buy new bulbs.

If someone can give me an estimate of how much these Hamiltons may change, then it may be worth keeping and seeing.

Ushio are my favourite 10K bulb. Crisp white without much yellow. Hamiltons, I don't like, too much yellow. I ran Hamiltons once for a month and couldn't stand the colour anymore so i switched back to Ushio. Sorry I couldn't give you better feedback but I don't think you'll ever like them.

Ah man, not what I wanted to hear! I will run for a month and see if the burn in changes the color, but as you said, I probably won't like them, after having Ushio's. So do I really then wait a month? Is it worth it?

thanks for your experience.

I thought that mostly all bulbs LOSE their blue spectrum and get yellower as they age.

Also, I think people see colour spectrums differently. I used to run ushio 14ks and loved them because I thought they were a very chrisp white. :)