T5 bulb configuration for 8 bulb ATI

[ken6217]

I have an 8 bulb ATI fixture with 4 Blue Plus and 4 Aquablue Special bulbs.

I have had 4 and 6 bulb ATI fixtures previously and always ran 50% each bulb as well.

I find the appearance in the tank is bland. Any suggestions on a 8 bulb config that will look good AND give me excellent coral growth? Tank is 99% SPS.

I am not looking for a 20K look though.

Thanks,
Ken

[Sugar Magnolia]

Have a look here - http://www.atinorthamerica.com/faq.php

[ken6217]

Thanks. I looked at it.

So where is the best spectrum for coral growth? 10k - 14k?

I know this isn't MH, but back when I had a reef with MH / T5 combo, I ran two Ushio 10,000k 250 watt HQI and two T5 bulbs and my SPS literally grew like weeds.

Below is a pic.

Thanks,
Ken

[afishionado]

Not a bad little reef, Ken.

Though I question the choice in fish given the size of the tank, as well as the quantity of rock you chose to incorporate ...

However, all that aside, the bland/washed out appearance is coming from the Aquablue Special bulbs. They are notorious, among the advanced, for doing this if ran in a percentage over 20-25%. Thus, a couple for 12k daylight spectrum are fine, but limit them to two total in an 8 bulb configuration.

Here's what I would suggest, for your specifics including that of coral placement, in this order B to F:

ATI Blue +
ATI Coral +
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Pure Actinic 03
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Coral +
ATI Purple +
ATI Blue +

[ken6217]

Originally Posted by afishionado

Not a bad little reef, Ken.

Though I question the choice in fish given the size of the tank, as well as the quantity of rock you chose to incorporate ...

However, all that aside, the bland/washed out appearance is coming from the Aquablue Special bulbs. They are notorious, among the advanced, for doing this if ran in a percentage over 20-25%. Thus, a couple for 12k daylight spectrum are fine, but limit them to two total in an 8 bulb configuration.

Here's what I would suggest, for your specifics including that of coral placement, in this order B to F:

ATI Blue +
ATI Coral +
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Pure Actinic 03
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Coral +
ATI Purple +
ATI Blue +

That tank is gone and so are the fish. I donated it all to the Camden Aquarium. Went into a larger tank. They used it to teach school kids.

The amount of rock was due to this tank being my first real reef tank ands I was trying to follow 1.5 lbs per gallon back then. It wasn't easy shoving all of that into a 90 gallon tank.

The fish I had since they were small, except the French. He was a lot smaller though than what you see. The French and Goldflake never touched anything.

So which of the bulbs give the best growth of your choices above and which are more for color? Do people still use Actinic 03 bulbs these day?

What would you say the color appearance would be in the tank with this config?

Btw, great screen name.
Ken

[rtparty]

5 blue plus, 2 coral plus and 1 purple plus is a great starting point.

Aquablue bulbs are pointless. There is no reason to run them whatsoever. The coral plus is a much, much better bulb.

The above combo would be way too white for me and has a ton of red light in it with 2 coral plus, 1 Purple and 2 Aquablue.

With 8 bulbs you need a minimum of 4 blue bulbs and build from there. I prefer 5 blue bulbs for a better spread however.

[jdraider75]

Plus 1 to what rtparty said. Good combo!

[solitude127]

My all time favorite combo is
Front
B+
P+
B+
GE6500
B+
B+
C+
B+

The GE 6500 is probably too yellow for most but it's one of my favorite bulbs. This gives me, in my eyes, a 14k look

[ken6217]

I ordered the balance of bulbs to make this 8 bulb configuration:

Blue+
Purple
Blue+
Coral+
Blue+
Coral+
Blue+
Blue+

6 bulbs are one one bank. How would you configure those 6?

Thanks,
Ken