Giesemann T5 bulb suggestions?

[W1ngz]

The info has to be out there somewhere, I just can't find it. My preferred LFS sells Geisemann bulbs. I've been able to find info on ATI bulbs to work out a middle of the road not too white, not too blue with just a little actinic type combo, but haven't been able to find similar info for the Geisemanns.

The guy at my LFS suggested 1 blue 1 purple in each fixture.

It's an aquatic life hybrid setup, I want a middle of the road T5 spectrum doing the heavy lifting, and a Kessil in the center to supplement and to adjust the colour visually without having to buy every single T5 bulb just to decide what combo of 4 I like.

Does anyone have some photos or suggestions?

I could just order ATI bulbs, but you know, support your LFS and all that stuff. Their prices are competitive with online, so that's not a factor.

 

[GoVols]

I could just order ATI bulbs, but you know, support your LFS and all that stuff. Their prices are competitive with online, so that's not a factor.

Yeah... :rolleyes: Hear ya on that one.

If your LFS carries the Giesemann "Super Actinic"... Always liked that T5.
It makes your corals pop and pushes a lot of pur.

I don't know a bulb in the Giesemann line that goes toe to toe with the ATI blue plus, but hopefully someone else will help you in that area.

 

[A. grandis]

The info has to be out there somewhere, I just can't find it. My preferred LFS sells Geisemann bulbs. I've been able to find info on ATI bulbs to work out a middle of the road not too white, not too blue with just a little actinic type combo, but haven't been able to find similar info for the Geisemanns.

The guy at my LFS suggested 1 blue 1 purple in each fixture.

It's an aquatic life hybrid setup, I want a middle of the road T5 spectrum doing the heavy lifting, and a Kessil in the center to supplement and to adjust the colour visually without having to buy every single T5 bulb just to decide what combo of 4 I like.

Does anyone have some photos or suggestions?

I could just order ATI bulbs, but you know, support your LFS and all that stuff. Their prices are competitive with online, so that's not a factor.

What is the ATI combo that you like?
Giesemann has bulbs that will be very similar to the ATI bulbs. You just need to substitute for Giesemann if you know what ATI bulbs you like.

 

[paal]

I bet you will not be able to tell much difference between an "ATI Blue+" and a "Giesemann Actinic Blue".
I have run both myself. If anything the Giesemann is slightly more dominant in the blue/actinic spectrum VS the ATI which has a tiny bit more turquoise, but they are so close I may not remember it correctly. I do not think you would notice any difference at all though unless if you had both over the tank and kept swapping.

As far as a combo with the blue bulb, I would go with a more traditional blue-white rather than a purple. This is just personal preference though. I'd go "Giesemann Actinic Blue"+ "Giesemann Aquablue Coral"

This may help out:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/g...son-pics-par-and-a-whole-mess-of-data.200357/

 

[W1ngz]

Thanks, yeah I read through that thread it was really the only source of information I was able to find.
My plan using ATIs would be a pair of coral+ and blue+ in each side of the fixture.
Looking at bulb names, I sort of discounted the Geinsemann actinic blue, assuming it was an actinic bulb, but it looks like their actinic bulb is the super actinic, and the actinic blue is a blue bulb, with some actinic.

 

[paal]

Correct.
Giesemann Actinic Blue is your standard generic blue t5 bulb. Its 'identical' to ATI B+

IMO very poor naming/marketing by Giesemann. I am sure they have lost a lot of sales just because of that.

Attached is a pic of my fixture with 4 G.Actinic Blue, 2 G.Midday (discontinued, now replaced by G.Tropic) and 2 standard actinic bulbs from another brand.
You can easily see how the 'baby-blue' the bulbs look vs true actinic bulbs

 

[Steve Erekson]

I personally run 2x Actinic+, 1 Lagoon blue, and 1 Aquablue+ (they might sell these as Aquablue Coral now, my LFS sells the older bulbs he's had in stock for a decade). It has a nice blueish whitish look and pairs well with my two Reefbrite 50/50 LED supplements for a tank that's not too blue and not too white.

 

[W1ngz]

I think that name was what had me flailing about looking for the right colours.

I think a good baseline starting point will be a pairing of Actinic blue and aquablue azure. Mostly white, some blue and then I can adjust the visuals with the LEDs.