T5 lighting question

[coralreefer]

i have a nova extreme pro 6 bulb t5 lighting fixture. The bulbs I have in it right now are the ones that came with the product and they are about 2 years old; time for a replacement. I like my tank to look more on the blue side, so I was thinking 4 actinic and 2 regular bulbs. I want the bulbs to be the best ones for the growth of my corals, as i want to get into sps. which bulb combinations are the best for maximum growth and color?

 

[evanjah]

not sure of what bulbs to get but why dont you put 3 blue bulbs up front to make the tank look more blue?

 

[bountyhunter23]

Ok well there are several combinations you can do. Also tons of brands to choose from. I had the Nova Extreme 4x24. If you let me look i can tell you a great combo and brands to get. I will pm you with all the details.

 

[coralreefer]

thanks guys

 

[coralreefer]

ok, so i think i made a good combo for my tank:
all ATI:
blue plus
blue plus
aquablue special
fiji purple
aquablue special
blue plus
will this combo give me more of a blue look? i know the fiji purple will bring out the reds, but will it cancel out the blue feel? would that give me the best growth for my corals?

 

[nycbob]

take a look at ati aquablue, uvi aquasun and uvi 14k aquablue. u will get blue along with growth. reefgeek.com has good selection.

 

[coralreefer]

could someone post a pic of their setup with a similar combination?
thanks

 

[wangotango]

Originally Posted by coralreefer
http:///forum/post/3195372
ok, so i think i made a good combo for my tank:
all ATI:
blue plus
blue plus
aquablue special
fiji purple
aquablue special
blue plus
will this combo give me more of a blue look? i know the fiji purple will bring out the reds, but will it cancel out the blue feel? would that give me the best growth for my corals?
That'll be blue (probably 14k-ish) with plenty of PAR. The figi is pretty harsh, but you should have enough to make it blend in nicely.
-Justin

 

[bountyhunter23]

Well if it were me i would space the blue out evenly. Either you like the fiji or you dont. Deffinantly stay away from any 10k bulbs, way to yellow for you. If you want a slight purple than go with the uvi 14k. But you dont need it. When i had my t5 i looked for some pics on other fourms. I found one let me see if i can find it again. I agree with the fiji being harsh!

 

[bountyhunter23]

The first one is 4 blue plus 1 UVL 75/25 and 1 Actinic White, Very accurate picture
The second one is Giesemann Actinic+, ATI Blue+, ATI Procolor, KZ Fiji Purple, ATI Blue+, Giesemann Actinic+

 

[coralreefer]

if the second picture is what the fiji looks like with five others im probably just going to take that out and add another aquablue special (whiter bulb?)

 

[coralreefer]

Originally Posted by WangoTango
http:///forum/post/3195881
That'll be blue (probably 14k-ish) with plenty of PAR. The figi is pretty harsh, but you should have enough to make it blend in nicely.
-Justin
wango, do you have T5's? if so, what bulb combination is that?

 

[bountyhunter23]

The second one has the fiji and the procolor which will put out a lot of pink/red. Which most ppl are not a fan of.

 

[coralreefer]

so the it has the fiji and the procolor? will the fiji alone be that harsh along with my other bulbs?

 

[wangotango]

Originally Posted by coralreefer
http:///forum/post/3195923
wango, do you have T5's? if so, what bulb combination is that?
I do. I'm running the 48" Aquactinics TX5 with;
Right now:
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue Special
My usual combo is:
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Procolor, or UVL Aquasun, or UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue Special
-Justin

 

[coralreefer]

im just going to add in the fiji purple to the first one and that's my new combo

I plan to order them from reefgeek tomorrow

 

[cbj25]

wavepoint makes some very good quality t5 bulbs too. I am running three 2X39w nova fixtures (i work at an lfs so three fixtures was more economical than one 6X39w). here is a pic of my tank with
Blue Wave (460 nm)
Coral Wave (doesnt say a spectrum but it is a purpleish pink bulb)
Blue Wave (460 nm)
Reef Wave (420 nm)
Sun Wave (12 K)
Blue Wave (460 nm)

This tank has been up for about six months now. These bulbs have been on for about a month.