Really stuck deciding on bulbs

[sandalscout]

Okay, I'm ordering new bulbs this week for my frag tank, and if I really like the choice, I'll replicate it onto my 90gallon display. Both systems have 6 t5 bulbs setups, with individual reflectors. The only difference is that the frag tank is a 36" Tek light, and the 90 is a 48" retrofit with icecap reflectors.

I was originally planning on going with this (per Grim, from Michael's link to http://sites.google.com/site/tfivetesting/combinatio ):

ATI Blue+
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue+
UVL 75/25 Aquablue
ATI Blue+

I do know that I want to go with at least three Blue+ bulbs. I don't want it too blue, but not yellowy. I also would like to get more response out of my red corals. I know Bill said that Fiji Purples will help on the red color spectrum. I currently have an Aquasun on my 90, and I think that it's the biggest white color adder on it, which I'm not terribly happy with. Should I replaced the Aquasun with a Fiji Purple? Should I replace a different bulb than that? Should I pick something else than a Fiji Purple?

Any other ideas? Thanks!

 

[MVlk]

Pretty tough to say IMO. If you can afford to, order as above and buy an extra Fiji as well then play. Lighting color is so subjective and can even look diff on diff setups. Worst case you have an extra bulb as a spare or for easy sale. Should not affect shipping costs either.

 

[poolkeeper1]

The Pure Actinic I would leave out of the mix and go with a Fiji or Actinic + Instead JMO
Bill

 

[mikemartinez]

I have a 95 tank with a 6 bulb T5 fixture as well and I am using Geiselman bulbs, I have 2 actinic plus, 2 pure actinic (purple) and aqua blue plus. This is the way I have them set up:

aqua blue (First bulb right up front)
pure actinic
actinic plus
pure actinic
aqua blue
actinic plus (Last bulb in the back)

It does look Light blue. Unfortunately I cant get a good pic to show how blue it is... The blue is not too strong though.

Here are some pics of some corals so you can get an idea of the colors... keep in mind that my camera sucks and taking close up shots...

Some of the pics look odd cause I took them before I cleaned up the tank to get rid of some grass algae so they are overhead pics with the powerheads turned off.

The only thing I would have done differently is to have 3 actinic plus and only 1 aqua blue plus to get more blue in there. But I dont know if it might have been TOO blue. I think with this set up I can get the colors I want and the growth as well.

Hopefully this will help you out.

 

[ocd_mariner]

Looks good mike. What is the blue coral in the second pic?

 

[mikemartinez]

Thanks

I got that at the swap... I think the guy said ORA Blue Tort.. I had to get it cause of the color on it..

 

[sandalscout]

Michael, good point, I definitely can order an extra bulb or two, I'll do that.

The Pure Actinic I would leave out of the mix and go with a Fiji or Actinic + Instead JMO
Bill

Bill, you mean leave out the Super Actinic and get the Fiji? Why would you ditch that bulb?

Mike, those do help a bit. You've got much getter color balance than I do (my current setups is too white one the frag tank, and too pink on the 90), but I can see wanting a bit more blue also.


I think I'll order 3 ATI Blue+, a Fiji Purple, a 75/25, an Aquasun, and either a super actinic or Actinic + (or both) pending Bill's answer above. That'll let me play. I really have sort of just gone with what I can get all at one place, is on sale, etc in the past, and I've not been quite 100% happy.

I think I've been sort of confused/intimidated by bulbs in the past, everyone calls them by slight different names (blue +, blue plus) and never reference the company name, so I'm not 100% sure if I'm even looking at the right bulbs.

 

[eyebedam]

I just ordered bulbs from Aquarium Specialty. They were the cheapest out of 5or 6 places I checked & I had them in 2 days. I ordered 6 ATI Blue+ & 2 Fiji Purple, Man what a diff the new bulbs make.

 

[sandalscout]

Cool, I'll check them out. I'm ordering a Vortech MP40w at the same time, so I get free shipping from TB, but I'll check them. I'm about 99% sure I'm going to order the follow, extra's to play around:

4 Blue+
1 Fiji Purple
1 GE 6500k
1 Actinic White
1 AquaBlue

 

[sandalscout]

Updated my lights, flow, and got a new camera. Posted some pictures in the original post.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16732604&postcount=10

Thanks