T-5 bulbs, PAR rating, what bulbs to use, etc....

[itche_scratche]

Hi I need some help on lighting for my 48x24x24 Sps tank. I have 2x250 DE MH 14k Phoenix. What is the best 4x54w combination to supplement my Sps tank.
Thanks for all your help

 

[itche_scratche]

Sorry don't know why it posted 4 times.

 

[prsnlty]

Hi I need some help on lighting for my 48x24x24 Sps tank. I have 2x250 DE MH 14k Phoenix. What is the best 4x54w combination to supplement my Sps tank.
Thanks for all your help

If it were me I would go with 3 ati blue plus and 1 purple plus

Jackie
125g mixed reef peninsula

 

[garias]

what would be best setup for ati 8 bulb fixture for lps

 

[prsnlty]

what would be best setup for ati 8 bulb fixture for lps

http://blog.reefgeek.com/2013/07/popular-t5-bulb-combos.html

I would go with the 14-16k+ combo

Jackie
125g mixed reef peninsula

 

[itche_scratche]

Thanks for your help.

 

[prsnlty]

You're welcome

 

[garias]

ReefGeek Blog: Popular T5 Bulb Combos

I would go with the 14-16k+ combo

Jackie
125g mixed reef peninsula

thanks will look into trying it

 

[that Reef Guy]

I always see the PAR listed for Blue Plus and Aquablue Special.

But I have never seen a PAR rating for the Purple Plus or Coral Plus Bulbs.

Has anyone ever tested these two ATI Bulbs?

If so what is the PAR?

 

[prsnlty]

I always see the PAR listed for Blue Plus and Aquablue Special.

But I have never seen a PAR rating for the Purple Plus or Coral Plus Bulbs.

Has anyone ever tested these two ATI Bulbs?

If so what is the PAR?

Bump

I'm curious too

Jackie

 

[superchargedreefer]

I know that bulb temp has a huge impact on PAR as well as the life of the bulbs.

what's the best way to take the reading? I need to make sure my canopy isn't cooking my ATI 8x54w

 

[soheilassadi]

Hi everyone

I have a 20g tank which is 1 year old, its cuboid 2feet tank and the lighting is 2*T5 HO 24W (There are only 2 slots for T5 bulbs). currently there are 9months aquaticlife white + blue bulbs so its time to change the bulbs, here in Malaysia i can only find ATi and Redsea bulbs so my choices are limited.

I have SPSs(green,blue,yellow), Frogspawns and Anemones in my tank and they have been great so far. so what i want is "A crisp color with noticeable blue undertone"

If i go for Redsea bulbs so it would be like : BlueWhite 15000K + Actinic 22000K

and

If i go for ATi, i prefer to have the True Actinic cause i heard and read that ATi's True Actinic will improve the health and growth of corals (specially SPSs), so my choices preferably be like:

True Actinic + Coral Plus
or
True Actinic + Blue Plus
or
True Actinic + Aquablue Special


So please guys let me know what do you think and please give me some suggestions

 

[that Reef Guy]

Hi everyone

I have a 20g tank which is 1 year old, its cuboid 2feet tank and the lighting is 2*T5 HO 24W (There are only 2 slots for T5 bulbs). currently there are 9months aquaticlife white + blue bulbs so its time to change the bulbs, here in Malaysia i can only find ATi and Redsea bulbs so my choices are limited.

I have SPSs(green,blue,yellow), Frogspawns and Anemones in my tank and they have been great so far. so what i want is "A crisp color with noticeable blue undertone"

If i go for Redsea bulbs so it would be like : BlueWhite 15000K + Actinic 22000K

and

If i go for ATi, i prefer to have the True Actinic cause i heard and read that ATi's True Actinic will improve the health and growth of corals (specially SPSs), so my choices preferably be like:

True Actinic + Coral Plus
or
True Actinic + Blue Plus
or
True Actinic + Aquablue Special


So please guys let me know what do you think and please give me some suggestions

Definetly go ATI as it is a good German Company (Most people use ATI exclusively and I have never heard of anybody using Red Sea - I didn't even know they made bulbs actually).

Use ATI Blue Plus Bulbs.

Stay away from Actinic (Unless you have a Minimum 6 Bulb Fixture) as the PAR is terrible.

I have tried it and it does look nice but you simply cannot afford to use it in a 2 or a 4 Bulb Fixture as the Corals will not get enough Light.

The Blue Plus has almost Triple the Light of the Actinic.

If I remember correctly the Blue Plus was rated at 331 PAR while the Actinic was 127 PAR (Which is Horrible).

Aqua Blue Special was also Rated in the 300's but looks too Yellow.

I assume that Coral Plus is in the 300's too but I have never seen it tested.

If anybody knows please please tell us as I have asked in many many threads for a long long time and nobody has ever answered the PAR on the ATI Coral Plus (Also PAR on Purple Plus too please).

You will need as much Light as you can get with only Two Bulbs (Especially with SPS).

I would do either

Two ATI Blue Plus

or

One Blue Plus and One Coral Plus

 

[Pete polyp]

I believe the par on the coral+ is more than the blue +. I completely agree that with a 2 bulb fixture you can't afford to lose any par. The combo with the blue + and coral + would be my recommendations. I think growth and looks will be better than just with blue + only.

 

[prsnlty]

I believe the par on the coral+ is more than the blue +. I completely agree that with a 2 bulb fixture you can't afford to lose any par. The combo with the blue + and coral + would be my recommendations. I think growth and looks will be better than just with blue + only.

+1 That's what I would definitely recommend as well

Jackie

 

[Mike J.]

Here are two nice new videos that show the colors of the ATI bulbs and the color of some of the combinations. I think this thread is a good place to post them. Myself, I don't like a real blue tank. I'm trying to decide on new bulbs for an 8 bulb light. Any good help would be greatly appreciated.

Making the T5 Changeup in Reef Aquarium Lighting

 

[soheilassadi]

Thank you so much guys for your fast replies and recommendations.

I'm going to get Blue Plus + Coral Plus
ill update you on how the combo works on my tank...

 

[soheilassadi]

I'm going to get Blue Plus + Coral Plus
ill update you on how the combo works on my tank...

Hi guys

so i bought a Coral+ and a Blue+ and i have to say this combo is great and what i really wanted, first i added the coral+ and after 3days i added the Blue+

the tank is not too blue and not too whitey, its a great combination of blue, white and purple.

Everything looks better now

again Thank You guys :thumb:

 

[Pete polyp]

Hi guys

so i bought a Coral+ and a Blue+ and i have to say this combo is great and what i really wanted, first i added the coral+ and after 3days i added the Blue+

the tank is not too blue and not too whitey, its a great combination of blue, white and purple.

Everything looks better now

again Thank You guys :thumb:

I'm glad you're happy with it

 

[audi772]

Hey guys got a question for you. I have been looking at options for my 6 bulb T5 fixture, I'm trying to get a more blue look out of it in then what it has now.

My first question is this though. I see people online that say their bulb combo is this or something like it. ATI bulbs as well.

Blue +
Purple +
Blue +
Blue +
AB Special
Blue +

Do people run this as their stand alone setup? Is that setup or one similar able to grow corals and be healthy for them? I'm curious because right now my 6 bulb just has 3 actinic bulbs and 3 12000k daylights and it is a very washed out yellow look. At least for my liking it is. Could I switch to a combo like the one above and still have everything in my tank thrive?