rtparty
Raise The Reef!
4 super blue, 1 new gen 14k and 1 Fiji purple.
The T5 Q&a Thread - split
- Thread starter eagle9252
- Start date
4 super blue, 1 new gen 14k and 1 Fiji purple.
Koddie Doo
Czar of All ThingsAwesome
What order?
ColtonMeng
New member
Assuming my lights are hung over my tank similar to the above, what would your recommendation be on bulb placements? C+ on 1 / 4 and B+ on 2 / 3?
Any recommendations on run cycles? these will be used either at the same time as, or before/after using my Orphek PR-156's.
I was thinking:
T5's on 1 hour before LED's
"white" LED / T5 for 6 hours
T5's on 1 hours AFTER blue shuts off
BLUE LED's 2-4 hours
this would allow me to use all functions of my lights and provide a nice period for each. Additionally, the T5's would probably be calmer on "waking up" the corals than blasting them with my Orphek whites come kick-on time.
Any thoughts here?
Colton
TropTrea
New member
Assuming my lights are hung over my tank similar to the above, what would your recommendation be on bulb placements? C+ on 1 / 4 and B+ on 2 / 3?
Any recommendations on run cycles? these will be used either at the same time as, or before/after using my Orphek PR-156's.
I was thinking:
T5's on 1 hour before LED's
"white" LED / T5 for 6 hours
T5's on 1 hours AFTER blue shuts off
BLUE LED's 2-4 hours
this would allow me to use all functions of my lights and provide a nice period for each. Additionally, the T5's would probably be calmer on "waking up" the corals than blasting them with my Orphek whites come kick-on time.
Any thoughts here?
Colton
The Orphek LED's are very very White. Looking at the spec on them they were close to 75% white and 25% blue. So I would only run Blue bulbs in yout T-5's.
Timing wise I would go
0 Hour Blue LED's on
1 hour Blue T=5's on
2 hour White LED's on
7 hour White LED's off
9 Hour Blue T-5's off
11 hour Blue LED's off
On personal choice after viewing it both ways you could swap the cycling of the blue LED's with the Blue T-5's but I think you like the effect of just the Blue LED's on alone better than the Blue T-5's.
As far as your lighting compared to the clock I suggest calculating it so your normal bed time corsponds with that 11 hour point.
ColtonMeng
New member
TropTrea, thanks for the feedback. I'll be back with results!
Colton
Colton
Froggy
Reef "Hobbyist"...right!?
I think I am ready to change up my bulb combination look this bulb change go around. I use a standard TEK 8 bulb unit and have for going on 2 years. I currently use 5 blue plus, 1 coral plus, 1 purple plus, and 1 GE 6500. I never thought I would do so but I am leaning toward leaving the GE 6500 out of the mix.
Looking for some input. I am considering replacing the 6500 with either an aqua blue special or another coral plus. I am also considering getting rid of the purple plus for another coral plus and maybe working in 1 actinic lamp somewhere.
Would I have plenty of red spectrum using coral plus bulbs and leaving the purple plus out. Is it a bad idea to use an actinic tube in a TEK as I have primarily an SPS tank?
Any favorite 8 bulb combos to share using all ATI bulbs ( unless the actinic is better in UVL)?
Thanks,
Joe
Looking for some input. I am considering replacing the 6500 with either an aqua blue special or another coral plus. I am also considering getting rid of the purple plus for another coral plus and maybe working in 1 actinic lamp somewhere.
Would I have plenty of red spectrum using coral plus bulbs and leaving the purple plus out. Is it a bad idea to use an actinic tube in a TEK as I have primarily an SPS tank?
Any favorite 8 bulb combos to share using all ATI bulbs ( unless the actinic is better in UVL)?
Thanks,
Joe
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
Hi Joe! :wave:
I would go with 4 Blue Plus, 3 Coral Plus and 1 Actinic. Grab an extra blue to play with. You won't lose a ton of PAR going to 1 actinic. When we really get down to it you may be adding PUR by going with an actinic. The majority, if not all, of the light from actinic is going to be used by your corals. Some of the green found in Blue Plus bulbs MAY be pointless.
The Coral plus has plenty of red in it. It is a nice bulb.
brenash711
New member
Hi, i have been using metal halides and leds for my SPS tank and I have never tried T5s, I brought a 8x54w ATI unit with a mixture of Blue+, Aquablue special, and fiji purple....I like a bluer tank around 20k or little bit more....what combination should i use with the bulbs I have from front to back...thanks in advance...
Froggy
Reef "Hobbyist"...right!?
Thanks Ryan!
As far as the actinic bulb goes do you like the ATI brand?
I think I will like your suggestion and will probably grab an extra couple if bulbs to tweak the look.
Do you recommend the actinic bulb all the way in the rear of the fixture?
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
I really like the ATI. There is lots of violet and just enough blue IMO. I would put the actinic somewhere in the middle.
What bulbs are your dusk/dawn? I can't remember on those Tek fixtures.
Froggy
Reef "Hobbyist"...right!?
Thanks,
The TEK is split 4 and 4 on the 8 bulb. They are divided 1,2,7,and 8 on one bank and the inner 4 on the other. Right now I use the outer bulbs as dusk/dawn lighting but nothing says I can't switch that to the inner 4 if needed for better bulb blend with full lighting.
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
How many of each? For a true 20k you would want 6 Blue Plus and 2 Coral Plus. Aquablue bulbs will pretty much negate a 20k look.
Can I get some opinions on photo period.
Stats:
8x54W Tek light
5 Blue+, 2 Coral+, 1 Purple+
48x24x18 tank, light 9" above water line
4 blue+ bulbs on for 12 hours (dusk/dawn)
other bulbs on for 7 hours
Corals seem a be a bit light in color and some people attribute that to too much light/photo period. I'm not running an ULNS system, so I don't think lack of nutrients is to blame. Should I cut my photo period back to 10/6? Keep as is? Give it a shot and see what happens? thanks.
Stats:
8x54W Tek light
5 Blue+, 2 Coral+, 1 Purple+
48x24x18 tank, light 9" above water line
4 blue+ bulbs on for 12 hours (dusk/dawn)
other bulbs on for 7 hours
Corals seem a be a bit light in color and some people attribute that to too much light/photo period. I'm not running an ULNS system, so I don't think lack of nutrients is to blame. Should I cut my photo period back to 10/6? Keep as is? Give it a shot and see what happens? thanks.
brenash711
New member
brenash711
New member
how about 6 Blue+, 1 ABS and 1 p+?
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
That should work.
TropTrea
New member
You ar probably thinking of moving your system to something more Blue from your comments. But the question is how blue do you want to go?
If you swapped your corl plus for another pur plus you would have the same combination that I have and it would be slightly more Blue.
Going with a Aqua Blue Plus in place of the GE 6500 and replacing the Coral Plus with another Blue Plus would be the next step in the blue direction.
If you want it Bluer than that the next thing is 5 Blue Plus and 3 Coral Plus.
You can even step further in the Blue direction with less Coral Plus bulbs and more Blue Plus. But you will evenualy hit a point where it will be way to blue for your taste.
Remember that the personal taste in color is something that is very individual. The only time I wouldAtinic Bulbs is if I had way to much PAR for the corals I would keeping. With th Trek fixture I doubt that that is an issue. But if you use to many coral plus and add a purple you might have issues with too much red. Both of these bulbs have a strong RED complement.
Adding "white" brings out the reflective colors of fish and some corals.
Adding "blue" brings out the florescent in the corals.
Formax growth you want to combine the two with the predominant color being Blue. Peeople will argue though on the perfect ratio which does not exist for all types of corals.
Similar threads
