Question about 400W vs 250W pendants I recently got

[Jynxgirl]

I had a 250W hamilton over my 60 cube. I loved it.

I decided to go with Hqis with my new tank and wanted to do pendants. I couldnt find any good deals on PFO's and I already had a hamilton. So, I went ahead and got another 250 and I bought a 400W one for the center of my tank. I plugged the 400W one in and WOW, its blue. Like its 20K blue with alot of actinics coloring. Someone told me it would not be so blue after it was burned in. How much can I reasonably expect for the 400W to not be so blue? A few people have said no way, that it will still be extremely blue. I got to thinking it was really really blue and so hooked up the other pendant and set it beside it and left them on for an hour and the difference is extreme. :( Is this normal? Anyone else with a 400W hamilton pendant?

I am not at my computer so can not upload pictures.

[erikharrison]

are you running 20k on all of your lights? I can share that I have a 10 15 and 20k lights and there are definite differences between all three!

[Jynxgirl]

They are all 14ks...

[Jynxgirl]

And all hamilton bulbs....

[alton]

When a manufacturing company first starts up a run of lamps the first ones off the line will be a higher kelvin and when they quit there run the last ones will be a lesser kelvin. Your 400 might of come off of the beginning of a run and your 250's the end of a run. Or they might of sent you a 20K, it's not the first time someone has put the wrong bulb in the wrong package or marked it wrong, take it back.

[caferacermike]

What if it is because the 250w bulb does not appear as concentrated? The 250 would saturate much faster then a 400w and could look more "washed" out or "spent" faster thena 400w in the same space. IE: it could be an intensity issue. Put a 14K 250w in a room and turn it on. It's only going to be so bright and the color will "fade" more quickly. Put that 400w in the same room and turn it on. IMO, it will be much brighter and the color should be more dense.

[matt]

Are you saying that you have 3 identical bulbs, hamilton 14k, 2 of them 250W and 1 400W, and the 400W bulb is a totally different color? If that's the case, something is wrong, but my guess is that you don't have identical bulbs. Are they all double ended? Look for some bulb numbers on the boxes, then go to Sanjay's site: http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/

Look up the bulb/ballast combination you have and see if the CCT is the same on both 250W and 400W. If they are and you're seeing really different colors, you'll have to contact the place you got them and try to send them back.