Lighting upgrade

[ThisCityIsDead]

Hey guys, I currently have 2 10k and 2 actinic tubes on my coralife 48" 54watt fixture.

I wanted to purchase some ATI tubes and these are the ones I'm thinking on buying.

2 blue plus
1 KZ Fiji purple
1 GE 6500K

The lights I have now are so bright and give off a white light (the 10k). I like a more blue tone because the corals' colors pop! I am just not sure if the lights I'm getting will hurt the corals needs.

Live stock:

Corals:

Goni
Green star polyp
Candy cane (green)
Mint pavona
Waving hand polyp
Hammer polyp
Green toadstool
Kenya tree (pink)

INVERTS
Coral banded shrimp
4x peppermint shrimps
Fire shrimp
4x hermit crabs
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[jess1111]

t5 lights !!

[ThisCityIsDead]

I have a t5 light fixture. Lol. Sorry. Should've made that clearer.

[ThisCityIsDead]

The lights I have are the standard lights that came with the fixture.

[jayball]

From ATI:
16K - 20K - Bluish white with a noticable blue and red under-tone

4-Bulb combination
3 ATI Blue Plus
1 ATI Purple Plus

12K - 16K - Cool white with a noticable blue and red under-tone

4-Bulb combination
2 ATI Blue Plus
2 ATI Coral Plus

10K - 14K - Crisp white with just a hint of blue

4-Bulb combination
2 ATI Blue Plus
1 ATI Aquablue Special
1 ATI Purple Plus

Safe bet may be the coral+ blue+ combo and swap the rear coral+ for a whiter bulb if it is too blue for you. It may be coming from the 10 K bulbs

[ThisCityIsDead]

Would the drop of the 20k be too low for the corals? Since I'll be going from 2 10k (white) to only 12k-16K. I'm thinking of the first combination you mentioned because I want a more blue tint, but I still would like some white just so I can be able to see the livestock. Oh man, why is this so difficult.

[jdraider75]

I like the 3 blue 1 purple combo. I also like 3 blue 1 coral combo. I run the 3 blue 1 purple on a zoa tank and they love it. You .a have to get a couple extra bulbs to mess around with you combo to find the one you like.

[ThisCityIsDead]

I'm deffinantley going to try that one out! Do you have a pic you can share of your lighting.

[alton]

The ATI lamps will smoke the coralife lamps in PAR readings

[ThisCityIsDead]

The ATI lamps will smoke the coralife lamps in PAR readings


So I shouldn't worry about the 10k dropping to only 6K? Is ATI one of the higher quality light rods out there or is there another that tops ATI?

[maddmaxx]

ATI is one of the best T5 bulbs manufacturers out today..they are top quality bulbs. especially if you have good reflectors over top of them...

[ThisCityIsDead]

The reflectors I have are the standard ones that came with the coralife fixture