Tweaking t5 spectrum for color

[reef’r]

I’m running t5/led hybrid with my radion pro using ab+, two blue plus Orphek bars and four ATI blue plus bulbs. T5 are only on for 4.5hours during peak, should I swap one or two of my blue plus bulbs to try and bring out some other colors in my acros? My two efflos BC Efflo 2.0 and GC ultimate Efflo I feel are losing some of the purple in the tips turning more green. Would a little more white light help?

 

[Science/G]

Here are two potential options. The purple plus will add a violet color and similar par as the blue plus, the actinic may help with color and flouresence, but provide lower par. The coral plus will be visually brightest, and white in appearance. It's just a game of mix and match. Research proven T5 combinations. BRS has some great videos

 

[Danjoethepirate]

You should tweak the radions for more full spectrum. Those blue plus are a pretty good all around t5 bulb.

 

[bobnicaragua]

ATI aqua blue special are very white. Coral plus and purple plus are strongly tinted white.

I’m running 2 blue plus, 1 aqua blue special and 1 purple plus with 4 orphek OR4 blue plus bars right now.

I have halides and lots of different LEDs that I rotate through, but I always keep the T5. In my experience, acros are pretty much the same with whatever color bulbs I use, but I always have some type of white peak.

Your T5 period is a little short. I would try increasing it and seeing what your alkalinity does.

 

[reef’r]

ATI aqua blue special are very white. Coral plus and purple plus are strongly tinted white.

I’m running 2 blue plus, 1 aqua blue special and 1 purple plus with 4 orphek OR4 blue plus bars right now.

I have halides and lots of different LEDs that I rotate through, but I always keep the T5. In my experience, acros are pretty much the same with whatever color bulbs I use, but I always have some type of white peak.

Your T5 period is a little short. I would try increasing it and seeing what your alkalinity does.

I have been toying with the idea of running it out to 6 hours

 

[reef’r]

You should tweak the radions for more full spectrum. Those blue plus are a pretty good all around t5 bulb.

All channels to 100%?

 

[reef’r]

Here are two potential options. The purple plus will add a violet color and similar par as the blue plus, the actinic may help with color and flouresence, but provide lower par. The coral plus will be visually brightest, and white in appearance. It's just a game of mix and match. Research proven T5 combinations. BRS has some great videos

I have all these bulbs I’ll throw in one of each and see if I get the colors I’m looking for, thanks for the input

 

[bobnicaragua]

I have been toying with the idea of running it out to 6 hours

If you bump it up and your alkalinity consumption increases, then you know it was a good move.

 

[Danjoethepirate]

You should tweak the radions for more full spectrum. Those blue plus are a pretty good all around t5 bulb.

All channels to 100%?

No, not necessarily. They have a phoenix 14k setting that is pretty good for sps colors.

 

[nessig]

That is a lot of light coverage

 

[bubbgee]

No, not necessarily. They have a phoenix 14k setting that is pretty good for sps colors.

Better than AB+?

 

[eggie]

The Blue special is more a yellowish color if you want more white, consider the KZ Coral which is a 10k bulb

I replace my bulbs and went with 2 of them and it has pump the growth in some corals

 

[reef’r]

The Blue special is more a yellowish color if you want more white and consider the KZ Coral which is a 10k bulb

I replace my bulbs and went with 2 of them and it has pump the growth in some corals

I actually ended up just leaving the 4 blue plus in until the other day, figured they’d be in use for right around a year so I swapped them out for two aqua blue special and two actinic. Not a huge change, but just enough so that with ab+ at peak and the t5 bulbs on I’ve got a fairly white look. But I also have two blue plus Orphek bars. I like the look and acros seem to like the fresh light, also lowered the fixture an inch…. But my new tank is a halide setup…. About to have all the white light I need lol

 

[bubbgee]

The Blue special is more a yellowish color if you want more white and consider the KZ Coral which is a 10k bulb

I replace my bulbs and went with 2 of them and it has pump the growth in some corals

I actually ended up just leaving the 4 blue plus in until the other day, figured they’d be in use for right around a year so I swapped them out for two aqua blue special and two actinic. Not a huge change, but just enough so that with ab+ at peak and the t5 bulbs on I’ve got a fairly white look. But I also have two blue plus Orphek bars. I like the look and acros seem to like the fresh light, also lowered the fixture an inch…. But my new tank is a halide setup…. About to have all the white light I need lol

How is growth for a WD or HW under your setup if you have it? We are almost similar except I’m using 2 actinic and 2 B+ bulbs.

 

[reef’r]

How is growth for a WD or HW under your setup if you have it? We are almost similar except I’m using 2 actinic and 2 B+ bulbs.

I do not have either. I was sold a frag awhile ago if something they called WD but it was literally a dark, hunter green, blob. It sat in my tank for quite awhile and did nothing but turn brown. Ended up getting rid of it

 

[386reeftrader]

Hard to go wrong with ATI blue+ and coral+ combo. If other factors are in check this bulb combo will give the best coloration for sps IME

 

[oreo54]

I’m running t5/led hybrid with my radion pro using ab+, two blue plus Orphek bars and four ATI blue plus bulbs. T5 are only on for 4.5hours during peak, should I swap one or two of my blue plus bulbs to try and bring out some other colors in my acros? My two efflos BC Efflo 2.0 and GC ultimate Efflo I feel are losing some of the purple in the tips turning more green. Would a little more white light help?

A reminder about the "original"AB+ spectrum:

Prior to using Radion® G3 Pros RW (Reef
Wholesale) determined that the best coloration
and growth in their SPS corals were achieved
using T5 bulbs. Specifically *ATI Blue Plus and *ATI
AquaBlue Special in a combination of 80%/20%
and specifically in *ATI Powermodules. In the
same time period given the same parameters and
frags from the same mother colony, this T5 bulb
mix generally outperformed (for most, but not all
corals) their original lighting staple, metal halide.

For whatever that's worth.

https://ecotechmarine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/ReefWholesale_CoralLab.pdf

 

[spsick]

I’d recommend swapping in 2 coral plus. Equal numbers of Blue Plus and Coral Plus have always given me good results.

Agree with others you’d likely benefit from running them longer, unless perhaps your Radion is going full blast for at least 6 hours.

Example from my hybrid setup with this bulb combo:

 

[bubbgee]

I’d recommend swapping in 2 coral plus. Equal numbers of Blue Plus and Coral Plus have always given me good results.

Agree with others you’d likely benefit from running them longer, unless perhaps your Radion is going full blast for at least 6 hours.

Example from my hybrid setup with this bulb combo:

I was using this 4 bulb setup and felt helpless seeing my HW frags lose color. Right now they're just green. Kinda frustrating lol

I read a post here on r2r that ATI true actinics don't provide anything that the other blue bulbs cant provide so I decided to switch it out to coral plus as a precaution. Now the pinks and purples of homewrecker is gone and barely any lavender with the WD.

I switched back to actinics and blue plus. I hope some color is recovered in a few months but of course, have to find alternatives to actinic bulbs if this actually works.

 

[reef’r]

I’d recommend swapping in 2 coral plus. Equal numbers of Blue Plus and Coral Plus have always given me good results.

Agree with others you’d likely benefit from running them longer, unless perhaps your Radion is going full blast for at least 6 hours.

Example from my hybrid setup with this bulb combo:

That looks great! I did increase the run time to 6 hours. Believe my radion peaks around 75-80% plus I have the two Orphek or4. I lowered my fixture an inch yesterday from 10” to 9” so I’ll leave it be for awhile. New bulbs plus an inch closer is two decent changes in just a few days I would think, maybe not l though?