Light Configuration

[Owen386]

Hey all,

So in the process of playing with my T-5 fixture to get the right look I like, just have a few questions.

It is a 4bulb 216 watt fixture with 2 true actnics and two daylight.

My question is do I need to have a daylight bulb?

I was thinking 2 True actnics a purple plus and if necessary a Daylight. or can I do 50/50 on the actnics. Whats is all your opinions of the matter?? or even better if you have a 4 bulb t-5 fixture what are you guys running in it? TIA


-Owen

 

[beckbrass]

Ditch the Actinics and use Blue plus they put out good par and look great. With only 4 bulbs you could do 2 blue plus and 2 aqua blue specials or one aqua blue and 1 purple plus. It's going to be a bit of a windex tank but will make things grow. Actinics don't do much for the corals.

 

[tran]

here is my configuration. looks great.
2 day light (aquablue special)
1 blue plus
1 purple lpus

the last few photos in my setup thread (below) have the configuration mentioned above
http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?113945-57g-Rimless-Build

 

[Owen386]

^^^^ Exactly the look I am going for think I will try your configuration and see how I like it Thanks a lot guys for all your input!!

-Owen

 

[jdeb101]

here is my configuration. looks great.
2 day light (aquablue special)
1 blue plus
1 purple lpus

the last few photos in my setup thread (below) have the configuration mentioned above
http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?113945-57g-Rimless-Build

I got the same config setup on my 40 breeder. I just recently switched to a 6 bulb fixture but only run the 4 bulb setup, hoping to eventually work in all 6. Been hesitant to do so yet though as they are all new bulbs and I got a little bit of hair algae going on atm.

 

[JohnK]

Same here, the old actinic / daylight combo approach died with PC lights. There are T5 lamps that simply blow away any of those old school combos.

I run either 4 aquablue and 2 blue +, or 3 aquablue, 1 figi purple, and 2 Blue +.

 

[mf88]

so no daylight bulbs ?

 

[pallobi]

U absolutely need daylight bulbs if u want decent growth and good coral health... if i needed to pick 4 bulbs, i would use all ATI, and have 2 blue plus' on the outer slots, and a purple plus and aquablue special on the inside... the blue plus' will give u really nice color and pop, and bit with the other two, it wont be too blue.. and on the flip side, not having 2 aquablue specials will ensure u dont have too much white... the good thing about ATI blue plus' is that for a blue bulb, they have some really good par...

I have experimented with many different combitions over the last 17 months... and i find this, to be a great combo... however i currently run 8 bulbs...

 

[tran]

I think I am going to try that configuration out in a few days (2 blue plus, purple plus and one aqua special). My current configuration (1 blue plus, 1 purple plus and 2 aqua special) gives really good, my corals really pops.
The ATI are the best. My previous bulbs (aquatic life) did not give me a lot of par as these ATI.
Thanks

 

[firstimer]

neal whats your recommendation on 6 bulbs?

 

[pallobi]

6 bulbs, for myself i would get 3 blue plus', with 2 of the on the outside, 2 aquablue specials, and one purple plus, with the aquablue specials in slot 2 and 5... jus imo...

 

[MikeG]

What Neil mentioed is very close to what I ran on my 5 bulb fixture before switching back to MH. I did like that set up.

Mike was

ATI Blue+
ATI AquaBlue Special
ATI Purple+
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blue+

 

[firstimer]

do you think a 6 bulb is too strong for a 57 gal? i have mainly zoos and softies.

 

[JohnK]

I run 6x39w on my 57 which is dominated by leathers, RBTAs and zoas with a few SPS. Everything seems to have adapted well. Probably could get away with 4x39W if I didn't have the anemones and SPS, but overall I would say 6x39 is just right for that size tank IMO.

 

[firstimer]

6 ati bulbs. i have mainly soft now too.. but might get some caps and hard down the road.

 

[tran]

you probably will need 6 if you have clams and stony type corals (SPS)

 

[larsonjer49]

What do people think about T5s vs. LEDs? I trying to setup a lighting system, and my Boston electrician buddy was telling me that T5s are currently more efficient, have less heat dissipation, and cost less than LEDs. I have heard other people swear by LEDs, and say they have switched from T5s to LEDs and they saved more power and money than they did with the T5s, though.

 

[pallobi]

do you think a 6 bulb is too strong for a 57 gal? i have mainly zoos and softies.

absolutely not... and it gives you the lighting power to up your corals to sps if you should choose to do so down the road...

sorry i was able to return you pm fast enough bud...