Catra2030
Active Member
I currently have an ati 48 inch 6 bulb fixture over my 120 gallon tank, 4ft x 2ft x 2ft tank, LPS dominant, favia and chalices mainly. Right now I'm running the following bulbs from front to back.
ATI Blue +
ATI Actinic
ATI Blue +
ATI Blue +
ATI Blue +
ATI Blue +
The fixture is about 21 inches above the water and 42 inches off the sand bed. Par wise, my readings are around the 150 on the sand bed and around 110 around the back, side and front edges. Currently photo period: Actinic and blue + on from 1:30-9:30 and all bulbs on from 3 to 6.
I'm not completely happy with the look of the tank as when all bulbs are on, the tank just looks washed out and the colors look washed, once 4 bulbs go out, the colors just look amazing. In addition, when you look at certain corals that a little more shaded on the one side, the colors look amazing, and the other side looks washed also, leading me to believe they're maybe getting too much light. So, I'm wondering what you think about adding another actinic to the fixture and taking out a blue +, this actinic would come on along with the high lights. I'd like to keep the blue look, but maybe just soften it a bit. I'm only thinking about this because of recent talk with Jason Fox and finding out that he lights some of his chalice tanks with 4 actinic bulbs sitting about 6 inches off the surface. Thanks for your time.
ATI Blue +
ATI Actinic
ATI Blue +
ATI Blue +
ATI Blue +
ATI Blue +
The fixture is about 21 inches above the water and 42 inches off the sand bed. Par wise, my readings are around the 150 on the sand bed and around 110 around the back, side and front edges. Currently photo period: Actinic and blue + on from 1:30-9:30 and all bulbs on from 3 to 6.
I'm not completely happy with the look of the tank as when all bulbs are on, the tank just looks washed out and the colors look washed, once 4 bulbs go out, the colors just look amazing. In addition, when you look at certain corals that a little more shaded on the one side, the colors look amazing, and the other side looks washed also, leading me to believe they're maybe getting too much light. So, I'm wondering what you think about adding another actinic to the fixture and taking out a blue +, this actinic would come on along with the high lights. I'd like to keep the blue look, but maybe just soften it a bit. I'm only thinking about this because of recent talk with Jason Fox and finding out that he lights some of his chalice tanks with 4 actinic bulbs sitting about 6 inches off the surface. Thanks for your time.
