Which bulb combo to use?

Pdandy · Mar 16, 2016

I have a 60" 8 bulb tek light from sunlight supply. It has two switches so that I can have 4 bulbs on or all 8. I just ordered the following bulbs from bulk reef supply:

1 - true actinic
1- purple plus
2- coral plus
4- blue plus

How would you put the bulbs in to get a morning-day-evening effect?

Should I put the 1 actinic, 1 purple, and 2 blues on the first switch and have it turn on first? And then have the other 2 blue and the two coral come on later? Then for sunset just do the reverse and have the second switch shut off first followed by the first some time later?

Reefing Madness · Mar 17, 2016

Salty1962 · Mar 17, 2016

I would start am with Blue+ and Actinic. Then the Coral+ and Purple+ for the pm. I have 3x Blue+ and 1x Purple+, I start am with 2x Blue+ then pm Blue+ and Purple+. Hope this helps. When you get the bulbs in there, test the configurations and see what you like the best.

Smite · Mar 17, 2016

So half the fixture on each plug. How are they grouped, every other t5 on 1 plug I'd assume?

You want your sunrise/sunset to look nice but more importantly you'll want you light to be mixed/blended well when all on.

I like to separate purple+ and c+ with atleast 2 blues or an actinic/blue. I find that blends them in well from the from and side view.