Help choosing best T5 supplement with XM 10k's

chappy121 · 09/14/2007, 11:42 PM

Currently on my 180g I have 3x 250w XM SE 10k's supplemented with 4x 54w T5s (2x Giesemann actinics and 2x Giesemann blue plus). However the colors on the corals just dont seem to pop and everything is a bit washed out. So I am thinking of replacing the T5s to get a bluer color. What do people think about using the UV Lighting super actinic plus for all 4 T5's? Are they the best supplemental T5 lights? This should help the overall color, but will it also help the corals color? I would prefer to get the best color I can with the XM 10k's and not switch to a lower PAR 12k or 14k.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

oct2274 · 09/15/2007, 12:54 AM

get rid of the giesmann bulbs, i'm no expert, but with as much 10k you have there it is going to be hard to blue it out, but you could try 2 ATI blue plus and 2 UV superactinics or maybe even 3 ATI blue plus and just 1 UV superactinic. I'm sure grim will pop in here with some good suggestions, he is the T5 masta

hahnmeister · 09/15/2007, 02:27 AM

Just use all blue+ style bulbs... no actinics. ATI blue+ = G-man actinic +. See, 10,000Ks have loads of actinic/purple in them already... more than any 20,000K. What they lack is the blue spike... the spike that makes a pheonix so blue, or a 20,000K look so 'deep blue'. So, if you add nothing but this 450-460nm blue spike, it will actually be 'supplimenting'. FWIW, blue bulbs are alot brighter than actinics as well.

chappy121 · 09/15/2007, 10:36 AM

I dont think i have ever heard of the ATI blue +. What color are they? The Giesemann blue plus are more white than they are blue? Will these lights help the corals color or just the overall tank look?

prugs · 09/15/2007, 11:36 AM

ATI blue + lamps are a bright blue. You won't be sorry. The photos taken below are with the ATI blue+ lamps only.

nyvp · 09/15/2007, 11:43 AM

I love that look , they look like nuclear reactor colors

chappy121 · 09/15/2007, 12:02 PM

so the ATI blue + lamps are a completely different color than the giesemann blue +? ok, cool. i will try those

one more question. if i wanted to get the most out of my sps colors should i change to de 12k or 14k bulbs? i would prefer to stay with 250w because of the energy costs.

prugs · 09/15/2007, 12:10 PM

A lot of people are raving over the reeflux 12ks. I have the ushio 14ks. But I have never seen them side by side.

I used to have the phoenix 14ks, but they were too blue for me. As a stand alone lamp they are very good.

hahnmeister · 09/15/2007, 12:30 PM

obrecht uses the 12,000Ks on his 500g now Tom. To me, they look alot like the pheonix... nearly identical.

prugs · 09/15/2007, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hahnmeister
obrecht uses the 12,000Ks on his 500g now Tom. To me, they look alot like the pheonix... nearly identical.

johns uses the 12k reeflux on his frag tank. I thought it was yellow, but I'll have to check it out again.

I think obrecht has 400watt lamps, johns has the 250HQI's.

chappy121 · 09/16/2007, 09:59 AM

i heard the 12k reeflux are good. will they make that much different in color to my corals? Do i need to change my ballasts if i switch? I have icecap electric ballasts.

prugs · 09/16/2007, 10:08 AM

I wouldn't think so. I would ask icecap to get a for sure answer.

09/14/2007, 11:42 PM	#1
chappy121 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Burlingame Posts: 279	Help choosing best T5 supplement with XM 10k's Currently on my 180g I have 3x 250w XM SE 10k's supplemented with 4x 54w T5s (2x Giesemann actinics and 2x Giesemann blue plus). However the colors on the corals just dont seem to pop and everything is a bit washed out. So I am thinking of replacing the T5s to get a bluer color. What do people think about using the UV Lighting super actinic plus for all 4 T5's? Are they the best supplemental T5 lights? This should help the overall color, but will it also help the corals color? I would prefer to get the best color I can with the XM 10k's and not switch to a lower PAR 12k or 14k. Any thoughts? Thanks!

09/15/2007, 11:36 AM	#5
prugs Moving Out Join Date: May 2003 Location: San Tan Valley, AZ 85140 Posts: 4,898	ATI blue + lamps are a bright blue. You won't be sorry. The photos taken below are with the ATI blue+ lamps only. __________________ A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words. Current Tank Info: Getting rid of the last equipment :{

09/15/2007, 12:10 PM	#8
prugs Moving Out Join Date: May 2003 Location: San Tan Valley, AZ 85140 Posts: 4,898	A lot of people are raving over the reeflux 12ks. I have the ushio 14ks. But I have never seen them side by side. I used to have the phoenix 14ks, but they were too blue for me. As a stand alone lamp they are very good. __________________ A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words. Current Tank Info: Getting rid of the last equipment :{ Last edited by prugs; 09/15/2007 at 12:45 PM.

09/16/2007, 10:08 AM	#12
prugs Moving Out Join Date: May 2003 Location: San Tan Valley, AZ 85140 Posts: 4,898	I wouldn't think so. I would ask icecap to get a for sure answer. __________________ A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words. Current Tank Info: Getting rid of the last equipment :{

09/15/2007, 12:54 AM	#2
oct2274 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 2,347	get rid of the giesmann bulbs, i'm no expert, but with as much 10k you have there it is going to be hard to blue it out, but you could try 2 ATI blue plus and 2 UV superactinics or maybe even 3 ATI blue plus and just 1 UV superactinic. I'm sure grim will pop in here with some good suggestions, he is the T5 masta

09/15/2007, 02:27 AM	#3
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	Just use all blue+ style bulbs... no actinics. ATI blue+ = G-man actinic +. See, 10,000Ks have loads of actinic/purple in them already... more than any 20,000K. What they lack is the blue spike... the spike that makes a pheonix so blue, or a 20,000K look so 'deep blue'. So, if you add nothing but this 450-460nm blue spike, it will actually be 'supplimenting'. FWIW, blue bulbs are alot brighter than actinics as well.

09/15/2007, 10:36 AM	#4
chappy121 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Burlingame Posts: 279	I dont think i have ever heard of the ATI blue +. What color are they? The Giesemann blue plus are more white than they are blue? Will these lights help the corals color or just the overall tank look?

09/15/2007, 11:43 AM	#6
nyvp Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Hollywood Florida Posts: 3,633	I love that look , they look like nuclear reactor colors

09/15/2007, 12:02 PM	#7
chappy121 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Burlingame Posts: 279	so the ATI blue + lamps are a completely different color than the giesemann blue +? ok, cool. i will try those one more question. if i wanted to get the most out of my sps colors should i change to de 12k or 14k bulbs? i would prefer to stay with 250w because of the energy costs.

09/15/2007, 12:30 PM	#9
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	obrecht uses the 12,000Ks on his 500g now Tom. To me, they look alot like the pheonix... nearly identical.

09/16/2007, 09:59 AM	#11
chappy121 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Burlingame Posts: 279	i heard the 12k reeflux are good. will they make that much different in color to my corals? Do i need to change my ballasts if i switch? I have icecap electric ballasts.