Best 6 bulb ATI T5 combo for growth/color

[ReefAddict16]

Anyone have any recommendations for a 6 bulb ATI fixture for a SPS dominant tank.
I’ve seen ATI’s recommendations and Ed’s tank with 50/50 blue + and coral +, but
I’d like to have more input on combos with photos.
Also, what do you guys think of the true actinic bulb?
I’ve been reading mixed reviews about them.

 

[wiselyy73]

B+
P+
B+
B+
AquaB
B+

 

[ReefAddict16]

B+
P+
B+
B+
AquaB
B+

Photo?

 

[ReefAddict16]

I was going for
Front to back:
Coral+
Actinic
Blue +
Coral+
Actinic
Blue+

Ended up with
Blue+
Actinic
Purple+
Coral+
Actinic
Blue+

What do you guys think?

 

[jackson6745]

My favorite was 4B+, 1 65k, 1 Purple

 

[Bpb]

My favorite was 4B+, 1 65k, 1 Purple

I’ll second this recommendation. 4 blue+ for most the growing horsepower, and the 6500K rounds out the spectrum for optimal pigment development of all colors. The purple+ helps to tame the wash out look the 6500k bulb tends to get.

My dawn dusk period is 6 bulbs and I use
4 blue+
1 True Actinic
1 purple+

The color is phenomenal. Simply outstanding. All acro colors are on display beautifully. Both reflective, fluorescent, and combined. But it’s very blue. Might be too blue for an all day look. Plus. I feel like some of the colors that are displayed are directly tied to the fact that I have a 6500k bulb in the daylight mix to help actually develop them.

 

[jda]

Half 6500k and Half True Actinic for me.

Are you going to overdrive them like Ed? The color shifts as the output goes up... not a ton, or anything, but you can see it with your eyes. He has a different look with VHO than you will have with half B+/C+ combo on HO.

 

[29bonsaireef]

IME, the best combo for growth & color has been either
3B+
1 Actinic
1C+
1 6500k

or

3B+
1P+
16500k
1C+
Both combos provide a good spectrum imo. Not overly blue, but still enough to have that pop on SPS. True actinics are great to have if you have room. They are much more powerful than most think, and help bring out fluorescents in the corals.

 

[dragon99]

I'm currently running (4) B+, (2) C+

At some point I'll get curious and try a 6500k bulb in place of a C+ and I'm tempted to swap a B+ for an actinic. Not a huge fan of P+, too pink.

 

[Tautog]

I run a 8 bulb with 1 Actinic and 1 Purple + the others are Coral + and Blue +. The Blue + are used for sunrise / sunset. Even during just Blue +, it’s not over-powering blue. With full lights all corals have good color. Unit is 12” above tank

 

[jda]

Not a huge fan of P+, too pink.

This bulb reminds me a lot of URI/UVL Actinic White... it is pink. It can really drive some reds, pinks, blues and yellows though. However, I can totally see why people do not like it.

Also, what do you guys think of the true actinic bulb?
I’ve been reading mixed reviews about them.

What are your reservations? Most people do not use them because they have low PAR readings. This is an error with the meter and not an indication of how powerful the bulb is. PAR meters do not value blue below 440 as much as other spectrum and value nearly nothing below 400nm. If it is a power thing, then do not sweat this... if a tool was available to capture the whole spectrum, then a True Actinic would be right there with B+, C+ and the like in output.

My only real complaint is that they can sometimes look dim to my eyes. I get over this since I love how they can color coral.

 

[FarmerTy]

Half 6500k and Half True Actinic for me.

Are you going to overdrive them like Ed? The color shifts as the output goes up... not a ton, or anything, but you can see it with your eyes. He has a different look with VHO than you will have with half B+/C+ combo on HO.

Interesting. I never knew you ran that jda. I just ordered 2 6500k the other day to try out but they both came broken. Hopefully the second delivery attempt yields better results.

I'm honestly a little scared of what 4 6500k bulbs will look like but I'm guessing the actinics really balance them out. Do you run any actinic bars?

 

[jda]

Hi Ty - I only run them over a frag tank with some live rock and a few nems. I am MH-only over all of the displays. This combo look good to me, crisp white with great color and pop and no windex. This might be whiter than most people run, but it matches up pretty well with my 14k Phoneix and 20K Radium displays (also with no supplements).

I use 4x 6500k only over a small attached frag-tank/fuge on one of my tanks... definitely yellow, but the corals shine when I move them under bluer lights. The macros love it. The coralline grows in this tank like crazy.

I think that you will like the daylight. Give it 6-8 weeks to fully show its colors (wow...bad pun).

The only LED that I have on any my systems is a red hydroponics one for some Chaeto.

 

[HomeSlizzice]

Anyone have any recommendations for a 6 bulb ATI fixture for a SPS dominant tank.
I’ve seen ATI’s recommendations and Ed’s tank with 50/50 blue + and coral +, but
I’d like to have more input on combos with photos.
Also, what do you guys think of the true actinic bulb?
I’ve been reading mixed reviews about them.

It kind of depends on what look you prefer.

For a six bulb fixture go with at least 3x B+.

so here is an example
3x B+
1x Actinic
1x P+
1x AB+ or C+

 

[FarmerTy]

Hi Ty - I only run them over a frag tank with some live rock and a few nems. I am MH-only over all of the displays. This combo look good to me, crisp white with great color and pop and no windex. This might be whiter than most people run, but it matches up pretty well with my 14k Phoneix and 20K Radium displays (also with no supplements).

I use 4x 6500k only over a small attached frag-tank/fuge on one of my tanks... definitely yellow, but the corals shine when I move them under bluer lights. The macros love it. The coralline grows in this tank like crazy.

I think that you will like the daylight. Give it 6-8 weeks to fully show its colors (wow...bad pun).

The only LED that I have on any my systems is a red hydroponics one for some Chaeto.

Ah, how did I forget! Yes, I totally forgot you run MHs over the DT.

I'm excited to get a little more white back in my life with the 6500ks. I'll try them out and try to find the perfect balance of crisp white with a pop of fluorescence. Maybe it'll do a good job of replacing the Aqua blue special bulb.

 

[ReefAddict16]

I was mainly going to use the actinics for dusk/dawn and coloring the corals.
I’m leaning towards.
Front-Back
Coral+
True Actinic
Blue+
Coral+
True actinic
Blue+

 

[FarmerTy]

Sorry for the sidetrack:
Two actinic bars
B+
C+
Purple+
Actinic
Aqua blue special
B+
C+
B+

 

[Bpb]

Ah, how did I forget! Yes, I totally forgot you run MHs over the DT.

I'm excited to get a little more white back in my life with the 6500ks. I'll try them out and try to find the perfect balance of crisp white with a pop of fluorescence. Maybe it'll do a good job of replacing the Aqua blue special bulb.

What bulb combo are you currently running ty?

 

[FarmerTy]

What bulb combo are you currently running ty?

Just posted bud.

 

[Bpb]

Just posted bud.

Lol you posted that the instant I asked