The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[adamhicks1988]

should i go with 2 blue pluses and 4 coral pluses how would that look over a 41/2 ft tank custom acrylic tank with a 4ft opening for light fixture to hang over 115g tank any help with bulbs would be nice tyvm

[GSMguy]

Originally Posted by adamhicks1988

should i go with 2 blue pluses and 4 coral pluses how would that look over a 41/2 ft tank custom acrylic tank with a 4ft opening for light fixture to hang over 115g tank any help with bulbs would be nice tyvm

That will be very white most people would go with 4 Blue+ and 2 Coral+ or 4 blue+ 1 Purple+ and 1 coral+

[tegee]

I recently installed a Tek Elite 8-bulb (48") fixture over my newly installed sps frag tank.

To that end, what bulb configuration would everyone recommend to get maximum growth to grow-out my sps's, while maintaining their color when they go to my tank (or other friends tanks) that run Radium and/or MH's.

So I guess what I am asking, is how do I get the best of both worlds on my new frag tank with an 8-bulb Tek Elite fixture and trying to maintain a 20k Radium look?

Any help and direction would be greatly appreciated........

[adamhicks1988]

Ok I want to get best spa groth n color so Wat would b the best combination

[ibanezgfx]

I just got my new bulbs. From front to back I have

ATI Blue Plus
ATI Purple Plus
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

Before pic with old bulbs
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1355530523.972067.jpg

New bulbs
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1355530548.374633.jpg

New tank shot
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1355530563.422053.jpg

This was all done with my phone so the pic quality may not be the greatest but for a reference, here you go!

Also, don't min the messy tank. Will clean it up later.

[disney95]

I just got a new jbj 30 gal. tank what is the best T5 setup . i want to be able to grow sps and lps the tank is 24 long 15 wide and 16 inches deep
thanks glenn

[Photobug]

Originally Posted by GSMguy

That will be very white most people would go with 4 Blue+ and 2 Coral+ or 4 blue+ 1 Purple+ and 1 coral+

I agree that will be too white. Most of the recommendations here are for the opposite, 3 to one blue+ to a white bulb. I liked it at first but it is too blue for me. The bluer tint makes some things really pop but at the expense of mute-ing other colors. I recently swapped it 2-Blue+ to 2-Coral+. A one to one ratio is nicer IMO. I will be adding two more bulbs with an upgrade and look forward to mixing in some other colors into a 6 bulb layout.

[GSMguy]

Originally Posted by adamhicks1988

So like 3 blue plus n 3 coral plus

No, like 4 blue + and 2 coral+if those are the only bulbs you want to use.


I would use this combo for growth.
4 blue+ 1 GE 6500k and one Purple plus.

The Blue+ bulb has very high PAR plus it has great color.

[GSMguy]

Originally Posted by disney95

I just got a new jbj 30 gal. tank what is the best T5 setup . i want to be able to grow sps and lps the tank is 24 long 15 wide and 16 inches deep
thanks glenn

I would go with either a 4 bulb or 6 bulb sunpower.

[TNTFISHY]

Originally Posted by The Grim Reefer

Yep

Hi Grim,

I have a two year old Sunpower. What should my front to rear bulb set up be for the recommended bulbs?
4 blue plus, 6500, and a Purple plus.
Thanks for your time!

[disney95]

I was thinking of going with sunpower dimmable 24x 6 bulbs. But someone posted that it would be to strong for my tank and would burn lp

[rtparty]

Originally Posted by TNTFISHY

Hi Grim,

I have a two year old Sunpower. What should my front to rear bulb set up be for the recommended bulbs?
4 blue plus, 6500, and a Purple plus.
Thanks for your time!

Blue
Blue
Purple
Blue
6500
Blue

Or

Blue
Purple
Blue
6500
Blue
Blue

Originally Posted by disney95

I was thinking of going with sunpower dimmable 24x 6 bulbs. But someone posted that it would be to strong for my tank and would burn lp

On a 15" tank, 6 bulbs is a ton of wasted light. The front and back bulbs will just light up your floor. Dimmable is nice for the shallowness of the tank.

[Quercus]

Hey everyone, I need some advice if you have a minute:

I purchased a 4 bulb 36" ATI PM 2 years ago and the bulb combo I have been using was:

front
UVL 39W 12000K Actinic White (50/50)
ATI 39W Blue Plus
ATI 39W 12000k Aquablue Special
ATI 39W Blue Plus
Back

About a month ago the ballast that powered the 2 Blue+ bulbs stopped working. I have noticed that the growth rate of some of my SPS corals has increased and there has been some colour improvement. My soft corals have also demonstrated marked improvements in vigour. So, all else being equal, I assume this has to do with the lighting being too strong. I am going to order a replacement ballast this week but was wondering if there is a bulb combo that someone can suggest that would be less strong.

The tank is 18" deep and the light is about 5 inches off the surface of the water (I can't raise it any higher than this).

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Dan

[GSMguy]

Originally Posted by Quercus

Hey everyone, I need some advice if you have a minute:

I purchased a 4 bulb 36" ATI PM 2 years ago and the bulb combo I have been using was:

front
UVL 39W 12000K Actinic White (50/50)
ATI 39W Blue Plus
ATI 39W 12000k Aquablue Special
ATI 39W Blue Plus
Back

About a month ago the ballast that powered the 2 Blue+ bulbs stopped working. I have noticed that the growth rate of some of my SPS corals has increased and there has been some colour improvement. My soft corals have also demonstrated marked improvements in vigour. So, all else being equal, I assume this has to do with the lighting being too strong. I am going to order a replacement ballast this week but was wondering if there is a bulb combo that someone can suggest that would be less strong.

The tank is 18" deep and the light is about 5 inches off the surface of the water (I can't raise it any higher than this).

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Dan

KZ superblue
ATI Actinic
KZ superblue
kZ new gen

[DiscusHeckel]

Originally Posted by TropTrea

If you are worried about your reds and do not want a purple hue I would go with your first suggestion. I go back to original with the exception of replacing the purple plus with another blue plus. Your second group will have a very Blue tone to it..

Thanks for the advice. In the end, I came to terms with the fact that I may regret not having some pink hue. Hence, I ordered the following tube combination earlier today:

3 X ATI Blue +
1 X 6500K
1 X KZ Fiji Purple (I am hoping that it will be better than ATI Purple +)
1 X ATI Coral +

I am hoping to achieve slightly sunnier look. I really wanted to get a KZ New Generation instead of ATI Coral +, but my online shop did not have it in stock.

How would you place the new tubes in your ATI Sunpower (front to back)?

[GSMguy]

Originally Posted by TNTFISHY

Hi Grim,

I have a two year old Sunpower. What should my front to rear bulb set up be for the recommended bulbs?
4 blue plus, 6500, and a Purple plus.
Thanks for your time!

I would do it this way, Rparty wasn't thinking about dawn/dusk

Blue+
Plue +
Purple +
Blue +
GE 65k


My current combo is like this.
Blue+
Actinic
Purple+
Blue+
Coral+

It's not as bright as your combo but I like the way the tank looks.
You can always move the bulbs around I'd you like.

There is no right or wrong way to set it up. Just do whatever looks best to you.

[GSMguy]

Originally Posted by DiscusHeckel

Thanks for the advice. In the end, I came to terms with the fact that I may regret not having some pink hue. Hence, I ordered the following tube combination earlier today:

3 X ATI Blue +
1 X 6500K
1 X KZ Fiji Purple (I am hoping that it will be better than ATI Purple +)
1 X ATI Coral +

I am hoping to achieve slightly sunnier look. I really wanted to get a KZ New Generation instead of ATI Coral +, but my online shop did not have it in stock.

How would you place the new tubes in your ATI Sunpower (front to back)?

Try
Blue+
Fiji Purple
Blue+
Coral+
Blue+
GE 65k

[TNTFISHY]

Originally Posted by rtparty

Blue
Blue
Purple
Blue
6500
Blue

Or

Blue
Purple
Blue
6500
Blue
Blue

I have 6 bulbs and am wasting light? :-(
I am filling light in my center overflow also. (didn't plan tank right) double :-(
But, this is good for dusk to dawn right?

Thanks for your help.



On a 15" tank, 6 bulbs is a ton of wasted light. The front and back bulbs will just light up your floor. Dimmable is nice for the shallowness of the tank.

[TNTFISHY]

Originally Posted by GSMguy

I would do it this way, Rparty wasn't thinking about dawn/dusk

Blue+
Plue +
Purple +
Blue +
GE 65k


My current combo is like this.
Blue+
Actinic
Purple+
Blue+
Coral+

It's not as bright as your combo but I like the way the tank looks.
You can always move the bulbs around I'd you like.

There is no right or wrong way to set it up. Just do whatever looks best to you.

Thanks GS. I have 6 bulbs though. Appreciate the help.

[TropTrea]

some noted thaughts here with people trying to decide which White bults to use.

4 ATI Coral Plus bulbs = 3 ATI Blue Plus and 1 GE 6,500K
4 ATI Aqua Blue Plus = 2 ATI Blue Plus and 2 GE 6,500K
While this is not an exact comparison it does give a good comparison of the balance between Bue and white light.

People also need to keep in mind that the ideal in one persons mind compared to another can be completly different. As an example one person might thing 2 Coral Plus bulbs and 2 Blue Plus bulbs is too white, While another individual might think that 2 GE 6,500 and 2 Blue Plus bulbs is way to blue.

Goal #1 should be getting enough blue light to your corals to make them happy. Then the second step should be brightening up the tank with full spectrum or white light to make you happy.

[125mph]

Hi guys,

Thinking of picking up an ATI powermodule for my 4'x2'x2' 120g mixed reef. Thinking of 8x54w.. Will this be enough par for sps or should I go with 10x54w?

Also, im looking at bulb combinations and seems like something like this might work for the 8 combo:

ATI Blue Plus
ATI Purple Plus
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500
ATI Blue Plus
KZ New Generation
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

Of the 8 bulbs above, what do people use for the "dusk/dawn" lights? Something like ATI Blue+ and a ATI Purple+?

Last question, how high above the waterline do you hang the fixture? 12"? If I get the 10x54w fixture, I could always hang it higher if it was too much par right?

[rtparty]

Originally Posted by GSMguy

I would do it this way, Rparty wasn't thinking about dusk/dawn

Actually I was in both setups. 3 blue plus and 1 purple plus on the first or one blue and one purple for the second. Gotta think out of the box once in a while or this thread gets way too repetitive.

[rtparty]

Originally Posted by DiscusHeckel

Thanks for the advice. In the end, I came to terms with the fact that I may regret not having some pink hue. Hence, I ordered the following tube combination earlier today:

3 X ATI Blue +
1 X 6500K
1 X KZ Fiji Purple (I am hoping that it will be better than ATI Purple +)
1 X ATI Coral +

I am hoping to achieve slightly sunnier look. I really wanted to get a KZ New Generation instead of ATI Coral +, but my online shop did not have it in stock.

How would you place the new tubes in your ATI Sunpower (front to back)?

Blue
Purple
Blue
6500
Blue
Coral

Dusk/ dawn is going to be tough here. You don't want a bright overpowering bulb in the front or back. Things don't blend all that well like that.

[rtparty]

Originally Posted by 125mph

Hi guys,

Thinking of picking up an ATI powermodule for my 4'x2'x2' 120g mixed reef. Thinking of 8x54w.. Will this be enough par for sps or should I go with 10x54w?

Also, im looking at bulb combinations and seems like something like this might work for the 8 combo:

ATI Blue Plus
ATI Purple Plus
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500
ATI Blue Plus
KZ New Generation
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

Of the 8 bulbs above, what do people use for the "dusk/dawn" lights? Something like ATI Blue+ and a ATI Purple+?

Last question, how high above the waterline do you hang the fixture? 12"? If I get the 10x54w fixture, I could always hang it higher if it was too much par right?

Looks good. Might try switching the GE and new generation around.

[cpllongjk]

Hey all...

I currently own 2 AI SOL Blues and switched over from a 6 bulb sunpower almost 2 years ago. I was never completely happy with the leds compared to my t5s. The only reason I switched was due to electricity savings, dimming, and shimmer. But I never got the color I wanted from my AIs. I was wanting your opinions on whether you think I should switch back to T5s or not.

Current display is 36x18x18, and a future frag tank will be a 40 Breeder. I am looking to light both tanks with the same type of lighting so I do not shock corals and figure t5s would be the most economic choice. I thought my old bulbs could be used on the frag tank. So every 4-5 months I could switch out bulbs on display and move to frag, so I get 8+ months out of every bulb.

What are your thoughts?