The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[the reefer]

I have a 6 bulb dimmable sunpower fixture , I'm using this combo right now on a 24x24x12 sps dominant tank.
Front
Blue+
Coral+
Blue+
Blue+
Purple+
Blue+
Back.
I really like the color combo but was thinking about adding another coral+. If I take out a blue+ How do u recommend the placement of each bulb now? I've read a lot of reefers like the color of
3 blue+
2 coral+
1 purple+

Thanks

[the reefer]

Also interested in bulb placement if instead of adding a coral+ I add a ATI actinic bulb.
Which would be better for a shallow tank?
Thanks again.

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by the reefer

I have a 6 bulb dimmable sunpower fixture , I'm using this combo right now on a 24x24x12 sps dominant tank.
Front
Blue+
Coral+
Blue+
Blue+
Purple+
Blue+
Back.
I really like the color combo but was thinking about adding another coral+. If I take out a blue+ How do u recommend the placement of each bulb now? I've read a lot of reefers like the color of
3 blue+
2 coral+
1 purple+

Thanks

Generally people put the purple in the middle and then spread out the coral plusses on each side. Its really up to you though, try a few positions and see if you like one over the other. The front bulb has the most impact on the overall color in my experience.

[bucfan]

I have an 8 bulb unit (ATI LED Powermodule) and can set it to run 2 timers for 4 bulbs each - inner 4 or outer 4. Should I set the outer 4 bulbs to run the longer cycle or should I run the inner 4 bulbs for the long cycle? Presently I have my unit set so the inner 4 bulbs run 8 hours and the outer 4 bulbs (growth bulbs) run 2.5 hours.

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by bucfan

I have an 8 bulb unit (ATI LED Powermodule) and can set it to run 2 timers for 4 bulbs each - inner 4 or outer 4. Should I set the outer 4 bulbs to run the longer cycle or should I run the inner 4 bulbs for the long cycle? Presently I have my unit set so the inner 4 bulbs run 8 hours and the outer 4 bulbs (growth bulbs) run 2.5 hours.

I would say outer 4 should be longer, then the intensity in the center can go up a notch more when you add the second four bulbs to LEDs. Id want as much time as possible with the widest spread to make sure those shadowed areas don't develop.

[bucfan]

Originally Posted by mhucasey

I would say outer 4 should be longer, then the intensity in the center can go up a notch more when you add the second four bulbs to LEDs. Id want as much time as possible with the widest spread to make sure those shadowed areas don't develop.

If I use actinic and pink bulbs should they be part of the short or long cycle? My other bulbs are 2 Aquablue Azure, Tropic, 2 Blue+, Actinic Blue.

[the reefer]

Originally Posted by mhucasey

Generally people put the purple in the middle and then spread out the coral plusses on each side. Its really up to you though, try a few positions and see if you like one over the other. The front bulb has the most impact on the overall color in my experience.

So how would I put the bulbs?
Coral+
Blue+
Purple+
Blue+
Blue+
Coral+

I want to get a nice crisp white color to my tank. I like my current bulb combo but I also like the crisp white.

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by the reefer

So how would I put the bulbs?
Coral+
Blue+
Purple+
Blue+
Blue+
Coral+

I want to get a nice crisp white color to my tank. I like my current bulb combo but I also like the crisp white.

That arrangement should be fine, but again, you are allowed to move them around and see if you like them in other positions more

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by bucfan

If I use actinic and pink bulbs should they be part of the short or long cycle? My other bulbs are 2 Aquablue Azure, Tropic, 2 Blue+, Actinic Blue.

Pink or purple bulbs probably should be on the shorter cycle in my opinion.

[bucfan]

Originally Posted by mhucasey

Pink or purple bulbs probably should be on the shorter cycle in my opinion.

How about actinic?

[Idal305]

Mhucasey I just wanted to thank you for the wealth of information you have added to this thread. I greatly appreciate it, being new to this hobby it's great seeing guys with so much knowledge willing to help.

[the reefer]

Originally Posted by mhucasey

That arrangement should be fine, but again, you are allowed to move them around and see if you like them in other positions more

If instead of adding another coral+, I would add a ati actinic how would you set it up? So 3 blue+, coral+,purple, actinic.

I was thinking mayb adding another coral+ to my shallow tank would be to much since it's only 12" deep.

Also thank you for your advise.

[wcharon]

Originally Posted by the reefer

If instead of adding another coral+, I would add a ati actinic how would you set it up? So 3 blue+, coral+,purple, actinic.

I was thinking mayb adding another coral+ to my shallow tank would be to much since it's only 12" deep.

Also thank you for your advise.

I have this combination and i love it.

It's arranged the folowing:

Front to Back: B+, Actinic, B+, C+, P+, B+. I used to have the Dawn / Dusk feature but now i use Reef Brites for that purpose.

[davocean]

Hey I'm setting up my new 120g and I'd love some input on bulb choices.
I scored a great deal on a Geismann reflexx 4 bulb T5 fixture
I really like something along the lines of a 12k look, crisp blue/white, not overly blue.
Typically in the past I would run something like;
2x blue +
1x coral plus
1x fiji purple

Now I'm looking at the Geismann bulbs and seeing a couple I have not used, the azure, aquablue coral, aquablue azure plus, and geismann super purple
How do the super purple compare to fiji purple?
Is the azure a nice daylight like the coral plus?
Which would be closest to a ati blue plus?

My lights will be supplemented by some panorama pro LED strips as well

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by bucfan

How about actinic?

I'd keep Actinic with the blue=-heavy, longer cycle. The heavier reds are on the shorter cycle because red light promotes more algal growth and may brown corals if there is too much of it. Actinic light is good for growth and great for fluorescent color

[Idal305]

So with a 6 bulb combo

Blue +
Super actinic
Aquablue azure
Fiji purple
Actinic blue
Aquablue azure

Blue+ and super actinic would be on my long cycle correct?

I'll be ordering later today so hopefully will have some before and after pics of my tank. I currently have a Steves led on my biocube 29. Going with a ati 6x24 unit due to the fact I plan on upgrading the tank soon.

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by Idal305

Mhucasey I just wanted to thank you for the wealth of information you have added to this thread. I greatly appreciate it, being new to this hobby it's great seeing guys with so much knowledge willing to help.

Thanks very much! This is a tricky subject since its, well, subjective. One nice thing about T5s is that there is no real "wrong" combo. The bulbs we use provide the important wavelengths so really its more of a viewing preference than anything else.

Heck, at one time the massive KZ show tank had an even mix of Coral Light(Just like ABS) and KZ New Gen white bulbs with a few Fiji purples. No Blue bulbs at all. It was stunning.

I've seen lots of stunning tanks with almost all Blue bulbs too. T5s are a very forgiving...

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by Idal305

So with a 6 bulb combo

Blue +
Super actinic
Aquablue azure
Fiji purple
Actinic blue
Aquablue azure

Blue+ and super actinic would be on my long cycle correct?

Yep, that combo looks pretty cool too. Not the total "funhouse" of just actinic but lots of fluorescence

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by wcharon

I have this combination and i love it.

It's arranged the folowing:

Front to Back: B+, Actinic, B+, C+, P+, B+. I used to have the Dawn / Dusk feature but now i use Reef Brites for that purpose.

Thanks for the suggested combo. Ill bet that looks very nice!

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by davocean

Hey I'm setting up my new 120g and I'd love some input on bulb choices.
I scored a great deal on a Geismann reflexx 4 bulb T5 fixture
I really like something along the lines of a 12k look, crisp blue/white, not overly blue.
Typically in the past I would run something like;
2x blue +
1x coral plus
1x fiji purple

Now I'm looking at the Geismann bulbs and seeing a couple I have not used, the azure, aquablue coral, aquablue azure plus, and geismann super purple
How do the super purple compare to fiji purple?
Is the azure a nice daylight like the coral plus?
Which would be closest to a ati blue plus?

My lights will be supplemented by some panorama pro LED strips as well

I have experience with the AquaBlue Azure, its a very whitish blue bulb. It has much less red so it won't give you the color depth without a purple bulb.

The Super Purple is essentially the same as the old Aquapink, which is very similar to the Fiji Purple.

With a four bulb fixture You would probably be happy with two actinic blue, one Aquablue Coral and one Super Purple.

Jedimasterben has done an awesome job with these though, take a look and you should be able to match what you had before with the comparisons:


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...pAiNsMwME4/pub

[davocean]

Awesome, thank you!

[bucfan]

Originally Posted by mhucasey

I'd keep Actinic with the blue=-heavy, longer cycle. The heavier reds are on the shorter cycle because red light promotes more algal growth and may brown corals if there is too much of it. Actinic light is good for growth and great for fluorescent color

Thanks!

[DavidinGA]

Led+T5's here

300ish led diodes and four 80w t5 tubes over my 210gal.

ATI retro kits with 2 C+ and 2 B+ bulbs

Here's the thing - I really don't like the look of the T5's (turned the leds off to see what they look like) as they are too blue for my taste. I'm a fan of what I have seen out snorkeling and see the crisp white light on shallow reefs without all this crazy blue everyone seems to love in their tanks these days. Even with my leds I always run my whites way higher than the blues (contrary to most people's setups) because I don't like the blue look.

With that said, what T5's would you recommend for a much whiter look? Will my growth slow without B+ tubes if I went with say 4 C+ tubes? What other suggestions do you have?

Thanks

[bucfan]

If I have a Giesemann Actinic Blue bulb in my set up do I still need a true Actinic bulb? Or will I be better off using 2 Actinic Blue bulbs in lieu of 1 Actinic Plus/Super Actinic and 1 Actinic Blue?

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by DavidinGA

Led+T5's here

300ish led diodes and four 80w t5 tubes over my 210gal.

ATI retro kits with 2 C+ and 2 B+ bulbs

Here's the thing - I really don't like the look of the T5's (turned the leds off to see what they look like) as they are too blue for my taste. I'm a fan of what I have seen out snorkeling and see the crisp white light on shallow reefs without all this crazy blue everyone seems to love in their tanks these days. Even with my leds I always run my whites way higher than the blues (contrary to most people's setups) because I don't like the blue look.

With that said, what T5's would you recommend for a much whiter look? Will my growth slow without B+ tubes if I went with say 4 C+ tubes? What other suggestions do you have?

Thanks

You won't have any problems with growth if you switch to all coral plus If you want whiter bulbs, in my opinion Coral Plus are not exactly it though. They to me they cast a pinkish-lavender color. I guess you could put up two coral plus together and see if you like the look of those alone. If you want whiter, crisp white, you may want to go with either:
coral plus and ABS
All KZ new Generation
All Gieseman aquablue Azure.

What you have is good and any of the above bulbs, in any combination will be just fine for growth.