if i want to get more color "POP" out of my zoas, what color combo on lights could i go with? And do you need the daylight bulb? My current setup is a 4 bulb aquaticlife 2 440/480 actinic blues and 1 20k daylight bulb and a 10 k daylight bulb. This is t-5 and staying that way. No halides lol Leds would be sweet if anyone knows a cheap setup, also this is a 29 gallon 30 x 12 x12
my lights
- Thread starter evb9
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Anyone?
jrb_dakine
Member
Have u tried this set up:
2 ATI Blue+, 1 UVL Super Actinic and 1 KZ Fiji Purple.
This is more of a "blue" look with good par. (so i've been told)
2 ATI Blue+, 1 UVL Super Actinic and 1 KZ Fiji Purple.
This is more of a "blue" look with good par. (so i've been told)
Jason S
New member
I would say something close to what JRB states, but I do nto like a tank that is too blue, so I would go with:
ATI Blue + 460
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI True Actinic 420
ATI Aquablue 12k
The blue+ and True actinic will enhance the blues and greens, and the Fiji will enhance the reds, oranges and yellows. The Aquablue will just give it a bit more white balance and you should get about a 14k total color with some good "POP". I try to stay away from 10k bulbs as they tend to wash the color out some.
But, if you like a bluer look, go with what jrb says, and you will still get some good color pop. Both options will work, and it just depends on if you like a blue look or a more light blue look.
My tank has 8 80w T5's as follows, and I get some very good color:
ATI True actinic
12k Aquablue
ATI blue+
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue+
12k Aquablue
ATI True Actinic
12k Aquablue
Hope this helps.
ATI Blue + 460
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI True Actinic 420
ATI Aquablue 12k
The blue+ and True actinic will enhance the blues and greens, and the Fiji will enhance the reds, oranges and yellows. The Aquablue will just give it a bit more white balance and you should get about a 14k total color with some good "POP". I try to stay away from 10k bulbs as they tend to wash the color out some.
But, if you like a bluer look, go with what jrb says, and you will still get some good color pop. Both options will work, and it just depends on if you like a blue look or a more light blue look.
My tank has 8 80w T5's as follows, and I get some very good color:
ATI True actinic
12k Aquablue
ATI blue+
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue+
12k Aquablue
ATI True Actinic
12k Aquablue
Hope this helps.
90greefman
New member
I just run a suntek t5(6 bulbs), 3 whites and 3 blues.
Here is the "pop" I get from them with my zoas.
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Here is the "pop" I get from them with my zoas.
90greefman
New member
Also good luck getting a cheap led. The last one I saw went for $450 and it only covered a 2x2 area of my tank, that means I would need two of them. I'm considering buying a whole bunch of led christmas lights and wrapping them around my tank to see if that works. Will let you know.
newreef15
New member
This is wht i have over my tank and i get alot of pop
he only has a 4 bulb unit and wants to achieve the best color that makes zoas pop. What's your top 5 favorite polyps in your tank?
1. Candy Apple Reds they pop!
2. Horizons
3. RPE's
4. Purple Fission
5. Ultra Blue Ice
I just ordered a UVL ActinicWhite Lamp today, I want to try that out as well heard it's comparable to the Fiji. It can get quite expensive trying out new lamps for example,.. I got my AquaticLife unit less than 1 month ago already I have:
2- Giesemann Aquablue+'s
2- UVL SuperActinic's
1-UVL Red Sun
2-Ati Blue+
1-KZ Fiji Purple
1-Ati Aquablue
will have a UVL ActinicWhite
Try the bulb combo i mentioned earlier put the Ati Blue+ on the 420/460 timer and the Fiji/UVL AW and AB+ lamp on the 700+ timer and you'll be sweet.
1. Candy Apple Reds they pop!
2. Horizons
3. RPE's
4. Purple Fission
5. Ultra Blue Ice
I just ordered a UVL ActinicWhite Lamp today, I want to try that out as well heard it's comparable to the Fiji. It can get quite expensive trying out new lamps for example,.. I got my AquaticLife unit less than 1 month ago already I have:
2- Giesemann Aquablue+'s
2- UVL SuperActinic's
1-UVL Red Sun
2-Ati Blue+
1-KZ Fiji Purple
1-Ati Aquablue
will have a UVL ActinicWhite
Try the bulb combo i mentioned earlier put the Ati Blue+ on the 420/460 timer and the Fiji/UVL AW and AB+ lamp on the 700+ timer and you'll be sweet.
my moonlight leds are my best friends! My top 5 are candy apple reds, my purple hornets, rpe, ppe, and my nightmares but they're tiny. i'm probably going tro get the fiji purple and true actinic, along with the blue and i want to keep one daylight, (i think) but as stated before i will probably get some extras to play with color schemes. thanks guys i'll keep you updated
SIR PATRICK
New member
I run 2 actinics, a 10k and a purple (much like the Fiji Purple) and my zoas pop nicely, and have a "realistic" look to them at the same time. Colors are poppin and my tank isnt blue!
Guygettnby
New member
i dont know if this will be of help to you since i do run halides + T5's... but i have noticed i get the best color and growth with 2 Blue +, 1 75.25 and 1 10k aquasun along with my pheonix 14k halide.
a day light bulb is not needed over your tank but without one you will notice some washing out of certain colors. not all zoas will look better just under atinic bulbs. a fiji purple will defilently help bring some of the colors back from a highly atinic tank but i personally dont like the look myself. with a 4 bulb light i would have to recomend going with this setup
Front of fixture
.....................
10k aquasun
ATI Blue +
75.25
ATI Blue +
.....................
back of fixture
that will give you a nice range of colors and good growth. the PAR will also be great, but if it is still not blue enough for your liking. you can switch the bulbs around to make it more to your liking abit. to the following:
Front of fisture
........................
75.25
ATI Blue +
10K aquasun
ATI Blue +
.....................
Back of fixture
By moving the bulbs around it will affect the way the bulbs look to you. the bluer bulbs up front will make the tank look abit bluer to you when looking at the tank head on. while having the 10K bulb upfront will make it look abit brighter and not so blue. when messing with T5 lighting it is all about what you like and finding a color combo that works for "YOU"... all we can do is try to get you close enough to what we think you will like. so you may end up buying a few more bulbs to switch in and out until you get the look "YOU" like.
now as far as POP goes.... atinic will give you the best pop. but that is not always the case. just remember that not all zoas/palys will pop. they each will have there own "POP" under different spectrums of light. Take this into account, in my tank i have a purple death colony and a nuc green colony. the purple deaths look alot better under a less blue tank with less atinic. they are a nice deep purple and look alot healthier, but my nuc greens love a more atinic tank that is abit bluer. they really glow "POP" and love that kind of lighting.
another thing i have noticed and alot of others have noticed is having a atinic/Blue tank also does not have as good of a groth potential that the same tank does when some daylight bulbs are used. so again it is now all boiled down to what "YOU" like and what "YOU" think is best for your tank. only you will be able to make that decission as we are not there and dont see your tank every day. i hope this helps you out abit in any way that it can.
a day light bulb is not needed over your tank but without one you will notice some washing out of certain colors. not all zoas will look better just under atinic bulbs. a fiji purple will defilently help bring some of the colors back from a highly atinic tank but i personally dont like the look myself. with a 4 bulb light i would have to recomend going with this setup
Front of fixture
.....................
10k aquasun
ATI Blue +
75.25
ATI Blue +
.....................
back of fixture
that will give you a nice range of colors and good growth. the PAR will also be great, but if it is still not blue enough for your liking. you can switch the bulbs around to make it more to your liking abit. to the following:
Front of fisture
........................
75.25
ATI Blue +
10K aquasun
ATI Blue +
.....................
Back of fixture
By moving the bulbs around it will affect the way the bulbs look to you. the bluer bulbs up front will make the tank look abit bluer to you when looking at the tank head on. while having the 10K bulb upfront will make it look abit brighter and not so blue. when messing with T5 lighting it is all about what you like and finding a color combo that works for "YOU"... all we can do is try to get you close enough to what we think you will like. so you may end up buying a few more bulbs to switch in and out until you get the look "YOU" like.
now as far as POP goes.... atinic will give you the best pop. but that is not always the case. just remember that not all zoas/palys will pop. they each will have there own "POP" under different spectrums of light. Take this into account, in my tank i have a purple death colony and a nuc green colony. the purple deaths look alot better under a less blue tank with less atinic. they are a nice deep purple and look alot healthier, but my nuc greens love a more atinic tank that is abit bluer. they really glow "POP" and love that kind of lighting.
another thing i have noticed and alot of others have noticed is having a atinic/Blue tank also does not have as good of a groth potential that the same tank does when some daylight bulbs are used. so again it is now all boiled down to what "YOU" like and what "YOU" think is best for your tank. only you will be able to make that decission as we are not there and dont see your tank every day. i hope this helps you out abit in any way that it can.
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