Bulb-Combination - too much blue?

[Roberto Mio]

Hi Everybody!
My new T5-Bulb-Combination gives a great Light-Color, but is this Combination good for SPS-Growth and Coloring? Should i add more white?
Here is my 8-Bulb-Setting (front to back) for my small 33 Gallon-Tank:

ATI Blue+
ATI Coral+
ATI Actinic
Korallenzucht Fiji Purple
ATI Blue+
ATI Coral+
ATI Blue+
ATI Coral+

Is there anyone using this Combo?

Thanks and best regards
Robert






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[JohnnyHildo]

with 3 coral+ bulbs you are going to have a very bright display. after initially keeping a 10K appearance i know i prefer more blue and more actinic.
i'll be going with 2 actinic, 1 purple+ and 5 blue+.

 

[jayball]

You will be fine, you can add more blue if you wanted. I wouldn't, I like it whiter personally. It is very close to the 12-16K profile here http://www.atinorthamerica.com/faq.php

 

[Bpb]

Honestly, SPS growth will be negligible across the board if you use predominantly standalone bulbs like the Blue+ and Coral+. Throwing in a Fiji Purple and an actinic arent going to negatively impact your par, as it is probably excessive as it is anyway. All those bulbs except the actinic have nearly an identical blue phosphor base which is the majority of your growing power anyway. You can run all blue+, all coral+, your current combo, or any change you can imagine and honestly, on a long enough timeline, growth will be about the same. it's just how t5 bulbs are designed. You're going to have the important parts covered and plenty of par no matter what combo you choose.

There is no single best t5 combination for growth and color. If there was, then everyone would use the same combo. Even the professionals dont agree. Talk to one aquaculture facility vs another and their bulb combos will be wildly different. WWC used to use 8 Blue+ to 2 ABS back when they ran T5 before switching to radions. BC uses anywhere from all 6500k, to a combination similar to the one you have proposed with blue+, coral+, actinic, and purple all in the same mix. Jason Fox uses exclusively a mix of Blue+, pure actinic, and reefbrite blue leds. Some big mariculture importers use ONLY blue+.

And visit the t5ho mega thread and sps forum and you'll find hundreds of combos people swear by. And everyone generally is happy with what theyve settled on. Growth will happen, and the longer you keep the same combo and less swapping out of different color bulbs, the happier the tank will be.

Color is another story entirely. There's no such thing as "best" color because its entirely subjective. Color you deem as great, could be unappealing to me, or anyone else. Part of the beauty of T5HO is that you can pretty much drop in the bulb combo that you like most color-wise, and be comfortable that your growth rates will be comparable to most other bulb combos.

I think if you like your bulb combo, keep it. If its too blue, substitute a Giesemann tropic 6500k in place of one of those Coral+ bulbs. Still too blue, replace another.

If it's too white for you right now, Pull a coral+ and put in another Blue+ or true actinic.

My personal bulb combo is
4 Blue+
2 Actinic
2 Coral+

I like to give bulb color changes a solid year before trying something new, just to see what happens. When bulb change time is up this november I'll be changing to
4 blue+
2 Giesemann 6500K
2 actinic

I ran 6500K bulbs previously and LOVED how bright white they made the tank look. Some of the new LED lovers would probably find it hideous, but having been out on the reef before, it really looked just like the water looks at 10-15 feet deep at high noon. Just beautiful. Bright white, but because there are so many blue+ and actinic bulbs I still had plenty of color. Since putting in Coral+ bulbs instead the tank is much dimmer and darker. Color is great and vibrant. No complaints there. I just miss the overall bright white hue.

 

[ReefCowboy]

Should be fine. Is that an ATI fixture? I would hang that bad boy high and observe the corals, lowering if they adapt to par/intensity. I ran a 6 bulb unit for a few months and couldnt believe the par that unit pushes. Its actually exagerated. Blue+'s and coral+'s can bleach very easily. Sorry didnt mean to get off topic. Good luck

 

[Roberto Mio]

So first, thanks A LOT for the great Informations! The display is really very light, because there are 8 Bulbs for a 33 gal Tank. Very small, very much light. There is really a great difference between the Reefer-Guys here in Germany/Austria and the US-Reefers. The People here light their Tanks with much white, not so many Blue+.

I will try one more Actinic or better first a Blue+ instead a Coral+

Here is a Pic of my Tank. Have to work for more Coral-Colors.

The true Light-Color cant see on the Picture. There is more blue and a little more pink. Like Disco-Barbie

Thanks & best Regards
Robert

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[ReefCowboy]

Beautiful tank!

 

[Roberto Mio]

Thank you Reef Cowboy - and yes, it's an ATI-Fixture. Hang about 20cm (8 inch) over Waterline.
First i was afraid, that 200 Watt are too much for the Tank. But no, should be ok. I hope so!



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[ReefCowboy]

Thank you Reef Cowboy - and yes, it's an ATI-Fixture. Hang about 20cm (8 inch) over Waterline.
First i was afraid, that 200 Watt are too much for the Tank. But no, should be ok. I hope so!



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Clearly it is ok! The tank is flourishing! Great job.
Do you care to share your filtration, tank regime there in Europe?

 

[Roberto Mio]

Oh yes, but cant do a Picture. Here in Austria it's already Midnight and Lights off.
My Sump is a little Chaos full of Cable, Tubes and Pipes

But between there is a Mini Bubble King 160, a Zeo-Reactor and Dosing-Machine for Alk and Calcium. It's a pure Fauna Marin-System and works really good.

Return Pump Red Devil and
Waterflow with 4 Vortech MP10w, they do a great Job.

Br Robert


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[dublo8]

So first, thanks A LOT for the great Informations! The display is really very light, because there are 8 Bulbs for a 33 gal Tank. Very small, very much light. There is really a great difference between the Reefer-Guys here in Germany/Austria and the US-Reefers. The People here light their Tanks with much white, not so many Blue+.

I will try one more Actinic or better first a Blue+ instead a Coral+

Here is a Pic of my Tank. Have to work for more Coral-Colors.

The true Light-Color cant see on the Picture. There is more blue and a little more pink. Like Disco-Barbie

Thanks & best Regards
Robert

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Disco barbie for reference. Please site your sources. thank you.