T5 Spectrum

[ryan_ferguson25]

I have a DIY T5 set up in my 80 gal rimless.

I currently have three (2 blue and 1 white) but will be adding four more as I get serious about adding coral. I pretty much just turn on the blues currently because the white over powers the blues and I prefer the look of the blue spectrum.

My question is... is one white enough to grow coral with 6 other colours? Or should I have 2 white and 5 other colours.

Of those other colours what do u find is the best spectrum?

Does adding 1 red or purple to the spectrum make a difference to the colour of your corals?

Thank you

 

[nereefpat]

What specific bulbs are you using? Brand, model, wattage?

 

[Str8linespeed]

Im running a 6 bulb 39w T5 set up on my Red Sea Tank. Im not running a "white" bulb to say. Here are the bulbs I have in mine.

4) ATI Blue Plus
1) ATI Purple Plus
1) ATI Coral Plus

This gives my tank more of a blue look to it, especially when I try to take a picture of the tank with my point and shoot at normal settings. Although when looking at it, it doesnt looked washed out. I have great coral growth, and I really enjoy the blue look to the tank.

As an FYI its not the actual color of the bulb, but the spectrum the bulb emits and the color temperature ex. 10,000k, 12,000k, 15,000k, that helps with the coral growth and coloring. Here is a link to the bulbs I have in my tank with an explanation and chart of what each bulb does.

http://www.atinorthamerica.com/bulbs.php?tabbedtabs=0

 

[ryan_ferguson25]

What specific bulbs are you using? Brand, model, wattage?

Coral life 54 watt high output

 

[ryan_ferguson25]

The white is a 10,000k no name

 

[ryan_ferguson25]

Im running a 6 bulb 39w T5 set up on my Red Sea Tank. Im not running a "white" bulb at all. Here are the bulbs I have in mine.

4) ATI Blue Plus
1) ATI Purple Plus
1) ATI Coral Plus

This gives my tank more of a blue look to it, especially when I try to take a picture of the tank with my point and shoot at normal settings. Although when looking at it, it doesnt looked washed out. I have great coral growth, and I really enjoy the blue look to the tank.

As an FYI its not the actual color of the bulb, but the spectrum the bulb emits and the color temperature ex. 10,000k, 12,000k, 15,000k, that helps with the coral growth and coloring. Here is a link to the bulbs I have in my tank with an explanation and chart of what each bulb does.

http://www.atinorthamerica.com/bulbs.php?tabbedtabs=0

Thx...

Great to know..
I really don't like the white....

My schedule is

4pm blues on
5pm white on
11pm white off
12am blue off

Perhaps I'll dump white all together and go your route...

 

[jayball]

I like the ATI coral plus bulb as the white bulb personally. It is a nice balanced color (the phosphor ration is 50% blue plus/ 40% Aqua blue special/ 10% purple plus) so it has all the color for a nice white that has all the colors rendered well while still expressing florescence and delivers a lot of PAR. this can be augmented with actinic and blue bulbs.

If I was doing a 7 bulb combo I would use 3 Coral plus, 2 420 actinic and 2 blue plus like this:
Front
Coral+
Actinic
Blue+
Coral+
Actinic
Blue+
Coral+
Back

Replacing one of the coral+ with a blue+ or a purple+ will make the tank a little bluer or a little heavier in the red end of the spectrum.

 

[ryan_ferguson25]

I like the ATI coral plus bulb as the white bulb personally. It is a nice balanced color (the phosphor ration is 50% blue plus/ 40% Aqua blue special/ 10% purple plus) so it has all the color for a nice white that has all the colors rendered well while still expressing florescence and delivers a lot of PAR. this can be augmented with actinic and blue bulbs.

If I was doing a 7 bulb combo I would use 3 Coral plus, 2 420 actinic and 2 blue plus like this:
Front
Coral+
Actinic
Blue+
Coral+
Actinic
Blue+
Coral+
Back

Replacing one of the coral+ with a blue+ or a purple+ will make the tank a little bluer or a little heavier in the red end of the spectrum.

Much appreciated thx