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Unread 04/04/2013, 10:19 AM   #3201
TropTrea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nichthyes View Post
4 bulb fixture - would this combo and order be good?

GE 6500K
blue+
Coral +
Blue +

or should I use a Purple+ in place of the coral plus? Thoughts?
In a four bulb fixture I woulkd not recommend the GE as it will be too White and you cannot get it blanced. The above will work but move the GE closer to the center.

Look at the color in you own eye. Everyones eye and presonal preference is slightly different. If it looks to yellow or green to you then a purple plus in place of either the coral plus or blue plus will cut that yellowness, It it is to orange in your eye then another blue plus in place of the Coral Plus will work by reducing the red.

My thoughts of ideal with the 4 bulb fixture would be using all coral plus and blue plus bulbs with the ratio between them being personal preference the more coral plus the whiter and brighter it will look and the more blue plus you use the bluer it will look. One GE will brighten it up more than 3 coral plus bulbs would.


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Current Tank Info: Main tank 120 Gallon, 432 Watts T-5's plus 30 Watts of LED's, Frag 40 Gallon tank 234 Watts T-5's, 3 Frag tanks all 40 Gallon with LED lighting between 60 and 84 Watts. All LEDs are DIY Oh and then there is fresh water tanks 270 gallons
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Unread 04/04/2013, 11:38 AM   #3202
Michigan Mike
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TropTrea View Post
For a 6 bulb fixture I would put the two purple lus bulbs with the GE. Actualy any time the GE is used I would put in two of the purle plus bulbs to cut the yellow or ivory tint that most see in this bulb compared to what we thingk is ideal reef lighting. Then I would use Blue Plus bulbs for the remaining bulbs.
IMO this is too much red for a 6 bulb combo, I'll make this combo later tonight and take a pic. I've done 4 blue, 1 GE, 1 purple but never thought about using 2 purples, ill try when I get home.



Last edited by Michigan Mike; 04/04/2013 at 11:44 AM.
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Unread 04/04/2013, 04:16 PM   #3203
Sandman6983
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I'm using marineland glass covers on my tank...are there any downsides to doing so with T5s? Any benefits to running egg crate or open water instead? I have a couple jumpy species (Firefish, Long Nosed Hawkfish) so a cover is probably a must, I'd rather keep them from leaping to their death...

Also, the Coralife 4 bulb fixture I have has a thin clear plastic cover under the bulbs, so not too worried about water splashing on the bulbs...


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Unread 04/04/2013, 05:21 PM   #3204
Pfisherman
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hi, i bet you guys get a lot of first time posters on this particular thread. anyway, i have a 4 bulb T5 fixture over a 75. i know that it is not optimal, but it is what i have for now.

what do you think would be the best combination for a balance of par and coloration.

right now i have only a few different polyps, some gsp, and a toadstool.


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Unread 04/04/2013, 08:02 PM   #3205
Tripwyr
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I am currently planning a rather complex DIY LED + T5 build. My plan is to use LED for the white/blue spectrums and 2xT5 to supplement the purple range surrounding the 430nm marker. Knowing that the entire blue-red spectrum is covered down to 450nm, what bulb/bulbs would you recommend for maximum output in the 410-450nm range?


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Unread 04/04/2013, 10:55 PM   #3206
Flood504
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Just ordered 4 blue+, 1 purple +, and a KZ New Gen for my 6 bulb tek fixture. What order should I place my bulbs in? And should I switch out one of the blue plus for something else?


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Unread 04/05/2013, 06:54 AM   #3207
TropTrea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tripwyr View Post
I am currently planning a rather complex DIY LED + T5 build. My plan is to use LED for the white/blue spectrums and 2xT5 to supplement the purple range surrounding the 430nm marker. Knowing that the entire blue-red spectrum is covered down to 450nm, what bulb/bulbs would you recommend for maximum output in the 410-450nm range?
When working with LED's I have found that the blue plus bulbs are the best suplement T-5's. I just built one for a friend using this same principle. If you go to thread I will list below I will walk you through your build there. This thread is more on strict T-5 builds and that one I started for combination builds with LED's and T-5's.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2275561


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Current Tank Info: Main tank 120 Gallon, 432 Watts T-5's plus 30 Watts of LED's, Frag 40 Gallon tank 234 Watts T-5's, 3 Frag tanks all 40 Gallon with LED lighting between 60 and 84 Watts. All LEDs are DIY Oh and then there is fresh water tanks 270 gallons
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Unread 04/05/2013, 06:57 AM   #3208
TropTrea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flood504 View Post
Just ordered 4 blue+, 1 purple +, and a KZ New Gen for my 6 bulb tek fixture. What order should I place my bulbs in? And should I switch out one of the blue plus for something else?
Front
Blue Plus
Blue Plus
ZK
Blue Plus
Purple Plus
Blue Plus
Rear


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Dennis B.

Current Tank Info: Main tank 120 Gallon, 432 Watts T-5's plus 30 Watts of LED's, Frag 40 Gallon tank 234 Watts T-5's, 3 Frag tanks all 40 Gallon with LED lighting between 60 and 84 Watts. All LEDs are DIY Oh and then there is fresh water tanks 270 gallons
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Unread 04/05/2013, 07:05 AM   #3209
TropTrea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandman6983 View Post
I'm using marineland glass covers on my tank...are there any downsides to doing so with T5s? Any benefits to running egg crate or open water instead? I have a couple jumpy species (Firefish, Long Nosed Hawkfish) so a cover is probably a must, I'd rather keep them from leaping to their death...

Also, the Coralife 4 bulb fixture I have has a thin clear plastic cover under the bulbs, so not too worried about water splashing on the bulbs...
Keep in mind that glass does reduce the short wave lenght light considerably more so than plexiglass does. So I would use plexiglass rather than glass for the cover. From past experience on tank covers plexiglass likes to warp when it is used as a tank cover so you will need to make a frame around it.


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Dennis B.

Current Tank Info: Main tank 120 Gallon, 432 Watts T-5's plus 30 Watts of LED's, Frag 40 Gallon tank 234 Watts T-5's, 3 Frag tanks all 40 Gallon with LED lighting between 60 and 84 Watts. All LEDs are DIY Oh and then there is fresh water tanks 270 gallons
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Unread 04/05/2013, 07:08 AM   #3210
TropTrea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pfisherman View Post
hi, i bet you guys get a lot of first time posters on this particular thread. anyway, i have a 4 bulb T5 fixture over a 75. i know that it is not optimal, but it is what i have for now.

what do you think would be the best combination for a balance of par and coloration.

right now i have only a few different polyps, some gsp, and a toadstool.
If it were mine I go with

Blue Plus
AquaBlue Special
Purple Plus
Blue Plus

I'm running this combo on a 40 breeder tank myself.


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Dennis B.

Current Tank Info: Main tank 120 Gallon, 432 Watts T-5's plus 30 Watts of LED's, Frag 40 Gallon tank 234 Watts T-5's, 3 Frag tanks all 40 Gallon with LED lighting between 60 and 84 Watts. All LEDs are DIY Oh and then there is fresh water tanks 270 gallons
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Unread 04/05/2013, 09:17 AM   #3211
Barrier Grief
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What color (K) do these combos (front to back) look like:

B+
P+
B+
C+
B+
B+

B+
C+
B+
B+
C+
B+

90 gal, 24" deep

Thanks,
Grief


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Unread 04/05/2013, 11:30 AM   #3212
Flood504
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TropTrea View Post
Front
Blue Plus
Blue Plus
ZK
Blue Plus
Purple Plus
Blue Plus
Rear
Thanks!


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Unread 04/05/2013, 01:42 PM   #3213
Monkeyfish
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I'm currently running a 6 bulb tek light on a 75 sps reef. Right now I'm usingthe following bulbs

Front
Blue +
Purple+
Blue +
GE 6500
Aquablue Special
Blue +

What do you think of the Lagoon Blue and Coral + bulbs?

I'd like to add a little more "pop" to the color without turning the tank into a Windex display. Any suggestions as to which bulbs to change would be appreciated.

Would replacing the 2nd (from the front) Blue + with an actinic bring out the colors more? Maybe replace the Special with a Coral + ?


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Unread 04/05/2013, 05:03 PM   #3214
Michigan Mike
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Barrier Grief View Post
What color (K) do these combos (front to back) look like:

B+
P+
B+
C+
B+
B+

B+
C+
B+
B+
C+
B+

90 gal, 24" deep

Thanks,
Grief
Both are pretty blue, the combo with the purple is a little less blue.
They are close to 18k or so.


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Unread 04/05/2013, 05:07 PM   #3215
Michigan Mike
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Monkeyfish View Post
I'm currently running a 6 bulb tek light on a 75 sps reef. Right now I'm usingthe following bulbs

Front
Blue +
Purple+
Blue +
GE 6500
Aquablue Special
Blue +

What do you think of the Lagoon Blue and Coral + bulbs?

I'd like to add a little more "pop" to the color without turning the tank into a Windex display. Any suggestions as to which bulbs to change would be appreciated.

Would replacing the 2nd (from the front) Blue + with an actinic bring out the colors more? Maybe replace the Special with a Coral + ?
Try removing the ge6500 and trying a new bulb like the coral plus or lagoon blue. I've never seen the lagoon bulb so I'm kinda interested in what others say about it.


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Unread 04/05/2013, 05:13 PM   #3216
smaione618
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im sorry i cant stop trying to figure out what i want to do. right now i have something wrong i know it just dont know what this is what i have

blue+
aquablue
actinic
blue+

what i want to do is get great growth. i have a friend who has 14000k metal halides and his stuff out grows mine about 3 fold. no joke.

this is what i was thinking

1#

blue+
blue+
coral+
blue+

2#
blue+ all

3#
blue+
purple+
coral+
blue+

thanks in advance


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Unread 04/05/2013, 05:22 PM   #3217
Michigan Mike
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smaione618 View Post
im sorry i cant stop trying to figure out what i want to do. right now i have something wrong i know it just dont know what this is what i have

blue+
aquablue
actinic
blue+

what i want to do is get great growth. i have a friend who has 14000k metal halides and his stuff out grows mine about 3 fold. no joke.

this is what i was thinking

1#

blue+
blue+
coral+
blue+

2#
blue+ all

3#
blue+
purple+
coral+
blue+

thanks in advance
Are you cooling the bulbs label ends properly? What fixture do you have?
Growth would be faster if you got rid of the actinic for another blue plus or coral plus, but that doesn't mean lighting is your limiting factor.

Flow, dosing, kalk, more salt changes, feeding etc. all matters.


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Unread 04/05/2013, 05:25 PM   #3218
smaione618
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Michigan Mike View Post
Are you cooling the bulbs label ends properly? What fixture do you have?
Growth would be faster if you got rid of the actinic for another blue plus or coral plus, but that doesn't mean lighting is your limiting factor.

Flow, dosing, kalk, more salt changes, feeding etc. all matters.
i have an ati sunpower and neither of use dose anything which setup would be best for growth or after i get rid of the actinic would it just be about the look


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Unread 04/05/2013, 05:44 PM   #3219
Michigan Mike
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smaione618 View Post
i have an ati sunpower and neither of use dose anything which setup would be best for growth or after i get rid of the actinic would it just be about the look
I would just go for color personally but the blue plus, aquablue, coral plus are the higher PAR growth bulbs.

Adding a blue plus instead of actinic will give you good growth.
For color I would use coral plus instead of aquablue but it may start getting more blue than you are wanting.


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Unread 04/05/2013, 05:57 PM   #3220
smaione618
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Thank u that is what i have been thinking I herd that using an actinic bulbs with blue plus will basically be like just running the blue plus because it will actually wash out the actinic is this right or just urban legend


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Unread 04/05/2013, 07:36 PM   #3221
Michigan Mike
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smaione618 View Post
Thank u that is what i have been thinking I herd that using an actinic bulbs with blue plus will basically be like just running the blue plus because it will actually wash out the actinic is this right or just urban legend
Kinda, the blue is twice as intense as an actinic but you can see a little difference if running one of each.


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Unread 04/05/2013, 10:20 PM   #3222
smaione618
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Thank u mike and I am putting the label end in the correct place..... Would upgrading the fan be a good investment or modifying a hood with a fan be a better idea


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Unread 04/05/2013, 10:40 PM   #3223
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Originally Posted by smaione618 View Post
Thank u mike and I am putting the label end in the correct place..... Would upgrading the fan be a good investment or modifying a hood with a fan be a better idea
Label ends under the cooling holes & 9v fan setting works well for most situations. I'd just use the ATI fans, no mods.


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Unread 04/06/2013, 02:05 AM   #3224
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Michigan Mike View Post
What don't you like about this? What do you want different, more blue?
I have the same fixture and mixed reef setup. I was thinking of 3 blue +, 2 coral +, and 1 purple +. How would I place those bulbs? I do like a more blueish type of look. Thanks for the help!


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Unread 04/06/2013, 03:37 AM   #3225
Michigan Mike
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Originally Posted by Mrlttran View Post
I have the same fixture and mixed reef setup. I was thinking of 3 blue +, 2 coral +, and 1 purple +. How would I place those bulbs? I do like a more blueish type of look. Thanks for the help!
B
Blue
Coral-2 bulb channel
Blue
Purple
Coral-2 bulb channel
Blue
F

Kinda opposite from what most people think of dawn/dusk. 3blues & purple is your dawn dusk, then add the 2 coral plus bulbs for midday boost.


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