Expanding my T5, need some bulb recommendations please!

[Jay1982]

So I am currently running 4 T5s with 2 250 watt MH. I'm adding 3 more T5s.

My tank is 22 inches deep and 58 inches long.

My 2 metal halides are: 20000K XM
My current 4 T5s are: 2 Giesemann Actinic+ and 2 Giesemann Actinic Pure.

Here are some of the bulbs I was thinking of adding:

Giesemann Midday
Korallen-Zucht Fiji Purple
Korallen-Zucht Coral Light
URI Super Actinic Bulb 420NM
URI 75-25 Bulb 14000K
ATI Aquablue Special 12000k
ATI Blue Plus
Giesemann pure Actinic

Thanks for your help!

 

[redfishsc]

I would have been MUCH more inclined to upgrade the halides to 400W, especially if the reflectors you currently have will take a 400W bulb. Aren't both the mogul and HQI sockets the same between 250 and 400W?

Probably would be cheaper, all you'd need to do is change out the ballasts and bulbs... I think. Also will not really change your re-lamping costs every year.


With the 400W configuration, I would use the 20,000K bulbs along with two ATI Blue Plus and two KZ Fiji Purple.



If you decide to upgrade the T5's instead, here's what I'd do, with the 250W 20,000K bulbs

ATI Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
KZ Fiji Purple
GE 6500K daylight
UVL Super Actinic
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus



Of course you could use any 420nm actinic, like the Giesemann, but the UVL actinic has been shown to really put out more PAR than the Giesemann.


As a side note... whichever way you go, put on some sunglasses!

 

[Jay1982]

Thanks for the feedback. As for the 400s. I didn't consider it, but I have everything purchased in terms of the ballasts, endcaps, and everything. Just missing bulbs, I had previously asked and no one had mentioned the 400s so thats probably why it didn't cross my mind.

Thanks for the input though. The combo you mentioned looks pretty good so I'll try and see what I can do.

With this much light how long should I be running my lights for?

 

[redfishsc]

I'd run the halides for 6 hours, personally, and the T5's for maybe 8-10. You don't need the halides all that long, there is an article on Melev's site about it, www.melevsreef.com --- look for the halide articles.

 

[Jay1982]

Thanks, I'll have a look over it now. Anyone else have any combo ideas?

 

[sjm817]

What do you think of the coloration you have now? Are you looking to change it? If so, in what way?

 

[Jay1982]

Well right now my light color is pretty blue. But my corals aren't very colorful. As mentioned I have SPS and LPS, some corals are borderline brown and I would love to get these babies to color up.

 

[sjm817]

Looking at what you have, I would think it would be very blue. I would add a couple of ATI Aquablues and maybe a midday to shift it away from that.