Best t5 color combination help

  • Thread starter Thread starter RaeRae
  • Start date Start date
  • Tagged users Tagged users None

RaeRae

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 12, 2011
Messages
546
Reaction score
46
Location
Mt Airy,nc
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'm setting up a tank in the office. It has a 8 bulb T5 unit on it. The tank will have low end coral in it. Only LPS and Zoanthid. Can anybody help?
 
All the ATI bulbs are able to grow corals. The looks is up to you. I run 3 coral +, 3blue + a purple and an actinic. Has a nice crisp look without being too bright or 2 blue.
 
If you're only growing zoas and LPS, I'd recommend going heavy on the blue/actinic end of things. Simply because those are corals who display more of a fluorescent color than a reflective color. I would personally try something like 3 Blue+, 3 True Actinic, 1 Coral+, 1 Purple+. If that's too violet or purple for your taste, swap out an actinic for a blue+, or the purple+ for another coral+
 
Here is a link to popular ATI bulb combos. Of course giesemann makes good bulbs as well so you could do their bulbs as well. But doing LPS and zoas I would do 20k in my opinion.
http://www.atinorthamerica.com/faq.php
I used to run 6 blue plus 2 purple plus with good results, when I had a lot of zoas.
 
You will get growth with just about any imaginable ati, KZ, or giesemann bulb combo. Just won't always look pretty.
 
The heavy focus on actinic and blue+ doesn't make for weaker light. Just visually dimmer and bluer with more fluorescence. It's actually going to be pumping out a TON of PUR since nearly all of the photons will be in the 400-500 nm range
 
The ATI blue+ bulb puts out a good bit of par, if you like the blue look I would go with 6 blue+ 1 coral+ 1 purple+
 
I switched my zoanthid tank over to a ATI 6 x 24 watt fixture and use all Blue Plus bulbs.
 

WHAT PART OF LIVING WITH A REEF TOOK YOU BY SURPRISE?

  • How much space the supplies and equipment take up

    Votes: 10 40.0%
  • Salt creep, spills, and cleanup outside the tank

    Votes: 3 12.0%
  • Planning trips or finding someone to care for the reef

    Votes: 7 28.0%
  • How attached I’d get to individual animals

    Votes: 2 8.0%
  • Making decisions when there’s no clear right answer

    Votes: 6 24.0%
  • How much the reef affects everyday household life

    Votes: 6 24.0%
  • Nothing in particular, I felt well prepared

    Votes: 1 4.0%
  • Other (Post in the comments)

    Votes: 1 4.0%
Back
Top
Home
Post thread…
Market
What's new