Does anyone use all coral plus bulbs?

Wiskey · 12/31/2017, 11:54 PM

Hello all!

I think I like the look of all Coral Plus T5 bulbs, but I'm concerned I'm not giving a wide enough spectrum of light to my corals. Does anyone else use all Coral+ and forgo the atinics, atinic pluses, and purple pluses?

Whiskey

Bronx19 · 01/01/2018, 05:22 AM

Coral+ is a stand alone bulb, has every spectrum in it.

Big E · 01/01/2018, 05:27 AM

I've never used all Coral+, but for coral growth the spectral distribution of that bulb covers all the bases.

You should be fine..........if that's the ambient look you prefer, go for it.

JohnnyHildo · 01/01/2018, 09:05 AM

i actually use no coral+ in my 8 bulb ati. they are very white and prefer a bluer look over my fish and corals.

Wiskey · 01/02/2018, 10:28 AM

Awesome! Thank you for the replies. I'll try this for a little while and see how I like it. The coral plus and blue plus setup was just too blue for me, and even with a purple plus thrown in I wasn't thrilled with the color.

So far I'm liking the 15K look of the Coral+ alone.

Whiskey

jayball · 01/02/2018, 11:06 AM

Just to add another voice according to ATI the Coral+ is Blue Plus (~50%), Aquablue Special (~40%) and Purple Plus (~10%) so it is basically a 50/50 blue and white bulb. It has everything you need. I like the Coral+ as a standalone but if you get a chance try mixing some true actinic (the 420NM violet bulb) not a blue actinic. It adds a little more fluorescence without the ugly blue green from a blue+.

Wiskey · 01/02/2018, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayball

Just to add another voice according to ATI the Coral+ is Blue Plus (~50%), Aquablue Special (~40%) and Purple Plus (~10%) so it is basically a 50/50 blue and white bulb. It has everything you need. I like the Coral+ as a standalone but if you get a chance try mixing some true actinic (the 420NM violet bulb) not a blue actinic. It adds a little more fluorescence without the ugly blue green from a blue+.

I have some of those! I was thinking about trying true atinic and coral plus, but figured it would be even bluer than the blue plus. I'll give it a try and see what I think.

Whiskey

HBtank · 01/02/2018, 11:39 AM

That is a great all around T5 bulb, probably be more PAR overall as well; color temp really is preference beyond hitting the basics on spectrum (which is really the only reason for blue+, I personally love em). Adding the actinic is good since fluorescence is sort of a separate factor and will help corals pop. I have a 16-17K lagoon blue and pure actinic together (similar combo) as my supp bulbs and when I run standalone T5s the color is pretty ideal for mid-day.

jayball · 01/02/2018, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiskey

I have some of those! I was thinking about trying true atinic and coral plus, but figured it would be even bluer than the blue plus. I'll give it a try and see what I think.

Whiskey

Your eye has trouble picking up the violet spectrum compared to blue so it doesn't wash everything out like blue+. If you have two of them try them on your dusk/dawn channel.

Wiskey · 01/02/2018, 09:28 PM

So I put the ATI true atinic in with the ATI Coral Plus and the look is Blue/Violet to me. Are there any bulbs out there that will be closer to 10K in spectrum?

Whiskey

Wiskey · 01/02/2018, 10:19 PM

I ordered an Aquablue special to try it out, that is supposed to be "Full Spectrum with a blue peak". They say it's 15K like the coral plus, but the coral plus is supposed to be this bulb with half Atinic Blue, so it sounds like it will be whiter.

Whiskey

12/31/2017, 11:54 PM	#1
Wiskey Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Fallbrook, CA Posts: 3,049	Does anyone use all coral plus bulbs? Hello all! I think I like the look of all Coral Plus T5 bulbs, but I'm concerned I'm not giving a wide enough spectrum of light to my corals. Does anyone else use all Coral+ and forgo the atinics, atinic pluses, and purple pluses? Whiskey __________________ This video shows 15 months of coral growth in my tank in a 30 second timelapse: https://youtu.be/bF6C57aTDEo

01/01/2018, 05:27 AM	#3
Big E Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: South Euclid, OH Posts: 4,281	I've never used all Coral+, but for coral growth the spectral distribution of that bulb covers all the bases. You should be fine..........if that's the ambient look you prefer, go for it. __________________ 80g Rimless Acropora System reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2197142&page=31 Ed

01/01/2018, 09:05 AM	#4
JohnnyHildo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 669	i actually use no coral+ in my 8 bulb ati. they are very white and prefer a bluer look over my fish and corals. __________________ 120G Standard - 40G Sump. Apex - DOS - ATI Current Tank Info: Acros - Zoas - Palys

01/02/2018, 10:28 AM	#5
Wiskey Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Fallbrook, CA Posts: 3,049	Awesome! Thank you for the replies. I'll try this for a little while and see how I like it. The coral plus and blue plus setup was just too blue for me, and even with a purple plus thrown in I wasn't thrilled with the color. So far I'm liking the 15K look of the Coral+ alone. Whiskey __________________ This video shows 15 months of coral growth in my tank in a 30 second timelapse: https://youtu.be/bF6C57aTDEo

01/02/2018, 11:39 AM	#8
HBtank Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 2,957	That is a great all around T5 bulb, probably be more PAR overall as well; color temp really is preference beyond hitting the basics on spectrum (which is really the only reason for blue+, I personally love em). Adding the actinic is good since fluorescence is sort of a separate factor and will help corals pop. I have a 16-17K lagoon blue and pure actinic together (similar combo) as my supp bulbs and when I run standalone T5s the color is pretty ideal for mid-day. __________________ 80g Aiptasia dominated reef tank.. with fish and now a bunch of berghia! Current Tank Info: 80g tank, re-starting a reef after a zoanthid nudibranch plauge, followed by months of steady and unstoppable STN/RTN, crashed; stayed FOWLR for a couple years, currently an aiptasia dominated reef tank with fishies and BERGHIA Last edited by HBtank; 01/02/2018 at 11:44 AM.

01/01/2018, 05:22 AM	#2
Bronx19 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 223	Coral+ is a stand alone bulb, has every spectrum in it.

01/02/2018, 11:06 AM	#6
jayball Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,671	Just to add another voice according to ATI the Coral+ is Blue Plus (~50%), Aquablue Special (~40%) and Purple Plus (~10%) so it is basically a 50/50 blue and white bulb. It has everything you need. I like the Coral+ as a standalone but if you get a chance try mixing some true actinic (the 420NM violet bulb) not a blue actinic. It adds a little more fluorescence without the ugly blue green from a blue+.

01/02/2018, 09:28 PM	#10
Wiskey Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Fallbrook, CA Posts: 3,049	So I put the ATI true atinic in with the ATI Coral Plus and the look is Blue/Violet to me. Are there any bulbs out there that will be closer to 10K in spectrum? Whiskey __________________ This video shows 15 months of coral growth in my tank in a 30 second timelapse: https://youtu.be/bF6C57aTDEo

01/02/2018, 10:19 PM	#11
Wiskey Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Fallbrook, CA Posts: 3,049	I ordered an Aquablue special to try it out, that is supposed to be "Full Spectrum with a blue peak". They say it's 15K like the coral plus, but the coral plus is supposed to be this bulb with half Atinic Blue, so it sounds like it will be whiter. Whiskey __________________ This video shows 15 months of coral growth in my tank in a 30 second timelapse: https://youtu.be/bF6C57aTDEo