T5 Bulb Combo?

[USAaOKAY]

I am semi-new to the hobby, but extremely new to growing corals. Right now I am trying to just keep some corals in my 40 gallon with t5 lights. Right now my combination is ATI lights-- Aquablue special (2x), 1 coral plus, and 1 purple plus. The light seems rather white than what I normally see on reef tanks. I want to make sure that my tank has the right combination for corals, but I also want to be able to have the corals pop some.

[serbusfish]

Originally Posted by USAaOKAY

I am semi-new to the hobby, but extremely new to growing corals. Right now I am trying to just keep some corals in my 40 gallon with t5 lights. Right now my combination is ATI lights-- Aquablue special (2x), 1 coral plus, and 1 purple plus. The light seems rather white than what I normally see on reef tanks. I want to make sure that my tank has the right combination for corals, but I also want to be able to have the corals pop some.

The Aquablue Special will wash out a lot of your colour. I know some people dont even run those bulbs and stick with Coral/Purple plus instead. If I were you I would swap out at least one of those bulbs for a Blue Plus. Then if it is still too white swap the other one too.

[GilliganReef]

I have mixed reef in a 40b with ATI bulbs t5 with 2 Aquablue and 2 Coral Plus. They give out great color and my corals are growing nicely. Just in the last week I noticed my frogspawn splitting!

[Bill Nye]

On my last tank I had as 4 bulb t5 fixture and used four different combos:
- 2 blue +, 1 coral +, 1 purple +
- 3 blue +, 1 coral +
- 2 blue +, 1 aquablue special, 1 actinic
- 3 blue +, 1 aquablue special

Imo aquablue is not a good fit for a 4 bulb fixture...way too overpowering.

Depending on how blue you like it I would recommend one of the two first combos. If you want a whiter color with a little less pink than the second combo you could go 2 blue +, 2 coral + and I bet that would look really nice. Personally I preferred 3 blue +, 1 coral +

[Dkuhlmann]

Originally Posted by Bill Nye

On my last tank I had as 4 bulb t5 fixture and used four different combos:
- 2 blue +, 1 coral +, 1 purple +
- 3 blue +, 1 coral +
- 2 blue +, 1 aquablue special, 1 actinic
- 3 blue +, 1 aquablue special

Imo aquablue is not a good fit for a 4 bulb fixture...way too overpowering.

Depending on how blue you like it I would recommend one of the two first combos. If you want a whiter color with a little less pink than the second combo you could go 2 blue +, 2 coral + and I bet that would look really nice. Personally I preferred 3 blue +, 1 coral +

Can you share some pictures for examples of the 4 you listed? I've also got a 4 bulb T5 HO setup and will be buying bulbs soon. I've got a box with many older replacements and can play with them some. But I'd really like to see the difference in your tank.

[Bill Nye]

No pics but you will be surprised how much white a coral+ bulb can add in a 4 bulb set up. I upgraded my lighting when I got a new tank and I now have a 6 bulb sunpower that I use 4 blue +, 1 coral + and 1 purple + and when all 6 bulbs are on it is no where near 20k in my opinion (very nice combo though).

If you like a bluer look 3 blue+ and 1 coral + would be excellent...if you like whiter I'd probably go with 2 blue + and 2 coral +. I think the purple + is a little too pink for a 4 bulb fixture.

edit

There is a t5 thread on N-R that is excellent and helped me a lot with my 4 bulb combos. Tons and tons of pics from different peoples tanks with all sorts of bulb combos. I believe its a sticky in the lighting section.

[BigCountry74]

ati Aquablue and Coral Plus is what your after

[Dkuhlmann]

Originally Posted by Bill Nye

No pics but you will be surprised how much white a coral+ bulb can add in a 4 bulb set up. I upgraded my lighting when I got a new tank and I now have a 6 bulb sunpower that I use 4 blue +, 1 coral + and 1 purple + and when all 6 bulbs are on it is no where near 20k in my opinion (very nice combo though).

If you like a bluer look 3 blue+ and 1 coral + would be excellent...if you like whiter I'd probably go with 2 blue + and 2 coral +. I think the purple + is a little too pink for a 4 bulb fixture.

edit

There is a t5 thread on N-R that is excellent and helped me a lot with my 4 bulb combos. Tons and tons of pics from different peoples tanks with all sorts of bulb combos. I believe its a sticky in the lighting section.

Thanks, I'll take a look

Originally Posted by BigCountry74

ati Aquablue and Coral Plus is what your after

SO I would use two of each in my 4 light setup, or replace the two blues of the following? Here is the order of bulbs. A local reefer suggested I up the 10k's to 15 or 20k. I'm still trying to wrap myself around the T5's

T-5 Light bulb replacements

Install Lamps in the following sequence:
1st 10,000°K Lamp, in sockets closest to front of fixture
2nd 420/460 Lamp, in second sockets from front of fixture
3rd 10,000°K Lamp, in third sockets from front of fixture
4th 420/460 Lamp, in sockets closest to back of fixture

[Mcgeezer]

I have a 4 bulb fixture and use 2 blue+ and 2 coral+

Great color and growth.

I actually find that the combo brings out purple colors very vividly. If you have a lot of coralline on your back glass like I do, it really makes it pop.

[Dkuhlmann]

Mcgeezer do you have any pictures of your tank w/lighting on so I can get an idea?

[Bpb]

It was very blue, and I mean very blue, but when I ran a 4 bulb T5HO fixture, I had the best results with 3 blue+ 1 coral+. I didn't think it would be the case, maybe tank maturity had something to do with it, but my growth went from eh, to spectacular. Mostly with acropora. Tank was a 55 gallon. Could have been other factors, but I did make the decision to go with that bulb combo and it did me wonders.

[Mcgeezer]

Originally Posted by Dkuhlmann

Mcgeezer do you have any pictures of your tank w/lighting on so I can get an idea?

Here's a link to my youtube video....be mindful that on camera, the blue+ makes it look much more blue then it really is. I've found that it's the best overall combo to have.


http://youtu.be/XKKUF9iQU0E

[Dkuhlmann]

Yes the video is very blue. Very hard to see any greens with the light you have or is that just because of the video?

I want lights to be able to bring out green, red, orange and yellow as well as the blues and purples.

Also is that a Duncan on the lower left side? If so I want a frag of it. I've got the normal Duncan and love it but I want that one as well.

[Dkuhlmann]

I made my comment about the blue and seeming lack of color after just watching a minute of the video. After getting into it I love how those bulbs bring out the color in everything. I will be ordering two Coral + and two Blue + Thanks for sharing

[brianr24]

http://successfulreefkeeping.com/lea.../lighting-101/

[Freezzer]

For 4 bulb I run 3 blue + and a coral plus. For 6 bulb, I run 4 blue + and 2 coral plus. Coral plus still cranks out a lot of white but adds the red purple spectrum to make reds and yellows pop. Hate aqua blues, they are very overpowering and washout a lot of blue. If I were to use one it would be in an 8 bulb and there would be only one aqua blue in it.

[Dkuhlmann]

Originally Posted by Freezzer

For 4 bulb I run 3 blue + and a coral plus. For 6 bulb, I run 4 blue + and 2 coral plus. Coral plus still cranks out a lot of white but adds the red purple spectrum to make reds and yellows pop. Hate aqua blues, they are very overpowering and washout a lot of blue. If I were to use one it would be in an 8 bulb and there would be only one aqua blue in it.

Do you have any pictures of your tank running the 3 BLue + with the one Coral +?

You're the 3 person to say this.

[DavidinGA]

2 C+
2 B+

Is my favorite.

[Mcgeezer]

Originally Posted by Dkuhlmann

Yes the video is very blue. Very hard to see any greens with the light you have or is that just because of the video?

I want lights to be able to bring out green, red, orange and yellow as well as the blues and purples.

Also is that a Duncan on the lower left side? If so I want a frag of it. I've got the normal Duncan and love it but I want that one as well.

Yes it's a Duncan colony. I'm trying to let it grow massive before I decide to frag it.

The combo really makes bright yellow colors pop. My yellow ricordia and yellow tang shines it also makes oranges a very vivid bright color (see the orange zoas and the lobophyllia in bottom right corner of the tank). My ORA green birdsnest in the middle of the tank literally glows using those bulbs.