Lighting Question on my 180g

[TokiHacker]

So I currently have a standard 180 and I have 3 165w led Chinese boxes. I want to add some t5's into the canopy... issue I run into is I don't have enough room to run them laterally down the tank... so I was wondering... would it still be beneficial to run it in between the led boxes? kinda perpendicular to the front of the tank???

 

[mcgyvr]

What benefit are you hoping for?

 

[TokiHacker]

better coloration for the coral and I have three dark spots that are bothering the carp out of me (see what I did there? Fish joke lol)

 

[mcgyvr]

So then yes anywhere you put them will work.. (well.. no guarantees on it actually coloring them up.. but the placement like that is fine)..

Hope the canopy doesn't get too heavy so you have to use all your mussel to lift it

 

[TokiHacker]

So then yes anywhere you put them will work.. (well.. no guarantees on it actually coloring them up.. but the placement like that is fine)..

Hope the canopy doesn't get too heavy so you have to use all your mussel to lift it

Haha! I built it myself. Its not too bad. I tried to build it fairly light.

any suggestion on which bulbs I should use? Never was part of the T5 deal. I used originally back in the day metal halides and VHO's

 

[TokiHacker]

So then yes anywhere you put them will work.. (well.. no guarantees on it actually coloring them up.. but the placement like that is fine)..

Hope the canopy doesn't get too heavy so you have to use all your mussel to lift it

I am going to add 4 T5's, since I am not versed in them anyone have any suggestions on type and which ones to get?

I was thinking of getting ATI T5 Coral Plus for all 4

 

[mcgyvr]

How much do you like "Windex"?
oh.. sorry.. I mean how "blue" do you like your tanks..

maybe this will help you..
http://www.atinorthamerica.com/bulbs.php?tabbedtabs=0

But yes I think the "coral plus" is the best "standalone" bulb.. The aquablue is a bit "warmer" I believe (so more red/green but just a bit)

 

[Potatohead]

Coral plus is a bright cool white. The blue plus is an "average" blue tint. I would err on which side you prefer the look of and you can likely adjust your LED's to shift the look a bit if you need to.

 

[TokiHacker]

I usually run my LED's blue-r.. So I think I will go with the Coral Plus and just adjust my LED's Accordingly.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Just my opinion, but I think mcgyvr alluded to it in his first post. If you are hoping the t5's will help with coral colors, I think you may be very disappointed. I've recently been trying different t5 bulbs with my leds and I'm not very happy so far. I've used a 6500K, a Coralife 10,000K, Giessemann 15,000K and a Bio Tek 20,000K & UV combo led retro fit.

I think all the t5's made the colors in my tank look more pastel or even flat as opposed to having pop with the leds. I'm using the Bio Tek retro fit led bulb as it looks the best. But I'm using it at the back edge of the tank when what I wanted was something at the front to reduce shadows. I'd rather have shadows than corals that all look washed out. But that's just my opinion.

BTW, they also wash out the shimmer if you have any.

 

[mcgyvr]

I think I'm going to try one of the Euroquatics retrofits in my dimmable ATI...
I agree with the "pastel" comment and the part about potentially being disappointed..
But I think I just need more "blue" based bulbs..or something..

I'm running
2 x Actinic
2 x Blue +
2 x Aquablue special

Don't get me wrong I really like T5's but I haven't found the "perfect" combo yet I don't think

 

[Ron Reefman]

I have a friend with a dimmable ATI fixture and when I look at his corals they look really good. But when i look at my own tank and can turn the t5 on and off, the coral colors become quite pastel.

However, is it possible that over time the t5 may allow for the coral to actually make better pigments and become more colorful? That is a question that I don't think anybody has a real answer to at this point.