What meter reads Kelvin (color)

[Jody]

Ok i have a Lux meter now i want to check the kelvin of my lights what meter to get , were to get it and have you used one and what is it called if i were to look one up

thanks all

 

[Ace25]

spectrometer

 

[Jody]

Thanks M8 you think Google would have found that for me LOL

or maybe a sad search

 

[Ace25]

This is the one I bought...

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/7/aafeature

 

[redfishblewfish]

Excuse me for asking, but why would I be interested in the temperature of a bulb? I would be more interested in the PAR rating of a bulb than the temperature. I would assume if I buy a 10K bulb, it is 10K. Again, for the sake of good coral growth, the only thing I would want to measure off my 10K bulb would be the PAR value. I’m confused….and that is very easy to do. Could someone explain why I need to “test” the temperature of a bulb?

 

[Ace25]

I would assume if I buy a 10K bulb, it is 10K. Again, for the sake of good coral growth, the only thing I would want to measure off my 10K bulb would be the PAR value. I’m confused….and that is very easy to do. Could someone explain why I need to “test” the temperature of a bulb?

Well, for 1, anything above 10k is just a guess. Bulb Mfg don't really... or better stated, can't really test kelvin above 10k with any real accuracy. This is why the Phoenix 14k bulb is A LOT more blue than a Radium 20k bulb.

Second... as the link pointed out, the use of a spectrometer will help determine spectral shift of bulbs, in turn, giving you a better idea on when to replace the bulb. PAR will not tell you that because as the spectrum shifts from blue to yellow to green to red, it still all falls under the PAR spectrum, so the PAR readings still seem good according to the PAR meter, but the reality is, at a certain point you are promoting more algae growth than coral growth as bulb spectrum shifts away from blues and more into yellows and greens.

Hope that helps clear things up a little.