It has been still a challenge to obtain a new single-component white-light phosphor with the vanadates as host lattices and with two types of ions as activators. A systematic Ln(1)(3+)/Ln(2)(3+) (Ln(1)(3+)/Ln(2)(3+) = Dy3+/Tm3+ or Dy3+/Sm3+ or Dy3+/Eu3+ or Tm3+/Eu3+ or Tm3+/Sm3+) coactivated Ca9Y(VO4)(7) (CYV)samples as well as their singly doped CYV phosphors have been synthesized by the traditional solid state reaction and their photoluminescence properties have been investigated. The photoluminescence properties as a function of the concentration of rare earth ions have been discussed and the tunable luminescent color was found. The warm (CYV: 1%Dy3+, 1%Sm3+), natural (CYV: 7% Tm3+,0.5% Eu3+; CYV: 1.0% Tm3+, 0.5% Sm3+), and cold (CYV: 3% Tm3+,0.5% Eu3+; CYV: 0.5% Dy3+,0.5% Tm3+; CYV: 0.5% Dy3+,0.7% Tm3+; CYV: 0.3%Dy3+, 0.5% Tm3+) white lights can be obtained. Generally, the emission intensity or lifetime of one rare earth ions decreases with increasing of the concentration of another rare earth ions. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.