The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[fishgeeksrus]

I am currently (for a LONG time) running. 6x24 ATI
Front:
B+
B+
P+
AB Special
B+
B+

It is getting to be that time to replace my bulbs. I do like the look but I thought maybe try something different. I am not into the really blue tanks. Do you guys have any suggestions? I was thing about trying the C+ but I'm seeing mixed reviews.

Here is a picture of my current lighting. It looks much bluer in the picture than real life.

 

[bucfan]

I just figured out that the Camera phone was set to HDR, which made the picture more pink. Here is a better one, from last night:

Beautiful tank! Really love the colors. Trying to figure out to achieve something similar while minimizing cost since I already have 4 ATI blue plus and 1 coral plus. Would like to know which other 3 bulbs I should buy.

 

[mhucasey]

Beautiful tank! Really love the colors. Trying to figure out to achieve something similar while minimizing cost since I already have 4 ATI blue plus and 1 coral plus. Would like to know which other 3 bulbs I should buy.

Thank you very much for the compliment! I will have to be honest, however, in saying that restricting the selection to adding 3 bulbs to the 4 blue plus and 1 coral plus prevents me from coming up with a suggestion that will get you close to the look I have. I can make some suggestions for bulbs to add to that mix but I don't know exactly what it would look like- I could try to simulate some combos tonight as I have all the bulbs.

Off the cuff I'd say get a Fiji purple and two aquablue azures. Let me see what that looks like tonight.

 

[rogergolf66]

Ok I have just bought a tank 72x30x25

I have thought of a few different ways to light it. Option 1

2 Lum reflectors with 20k radium 250w MH
2 t5 on each side of MH so 4 bulbs total 60 inch
72in Reef brite 50/50 on each side of the t5
72 in reefbrite blue led on each side the 50/50

The led can be angled towards the middle of the tank.

What t5 bulbs would u go with? All blue plus?

Option 2

I currently have an ati 8x54 setup on my 48x24x24 tank it's to much light. I'm thinking I could hang that center but high maybe 12inch. then use the 72in reef bright 50/50 on each side of the ati and a 72inch blue led on each side of the 50/50.

What do u think or do u recommend or something else completly?

Roger

 

[wcharon]

That sounds good, two true actinic bulbs as the dawn/dusk are a bit too much like a backlight poster IMO but a blue and an actinic bulb are quite nice together

Mhucasey....As promised.... I tried the ATI and Gisemanns actinic and liked better the ATI. It really poped my Elegance, Hammers and Duncan colors. As you stated, for Dawn/Dusk the combination of Actinic with Blue is perfect. When all bulbs are on i still notice the effect of the Actinic but less pronuced.

I finished with this setup from front to back:

B+
Actinic 03
B+
C+
B+
P+

Thanks for all your support.. Now my next step is to evaluate the ReefBrite Strip to see if it has more effect on the flourecence colors.

 

[rogergolf66]

Mhucasey....As promised.... I tried the ATI and Gisemanns actinic and liked better the ATI. It really poped my Elegance, Hammers and Duncan colors. As you stated, for Dawn/Dusk the combination of Actinic with Blue is perfect. When all bulbs are on i still notice the effect of the Actinic but less pronuced.

I finished with this setup from front to back:

B+
Actinic 03
B+
C+
B+
P+

Thanks for all your support.. Now my next step is to evaluate the ReefBrite Strip to see if it has more effect on the flourecence colors.

The reefbright will make all pop much more then the actinic and blue plus

 

[wcharon]

The reefbright will make all pop much more then the actinic and blue plus

Thanks.. That means that when all the bulbs are on with the Reefbrite the colors will pop even more or only using it before and after the daylights ???

 

[bucfan]

Thank you very much for the compliment! I will have to be honest, however, in saying that restricting the selection to adding 3 bulbs to the 4 blue plus and 1 coral plus prevents me from coming up with a suggestion that will get you close to the look I have. I can make some suggestions for bulbs to add to that mix but I don't know exactly what it would look like- I could try to simulate some combos tonight as I have all the bulbs.

Off the cuff I'd say get a Fiji purple and two aquablue azures. Let me see what that looks like tonight.

What Giesmann bulb would be the same as ATI Coral Plus? And is the ATI Actinic the same as Giesmann Super Actinic?

 

[mhucasey]

The reefbright will make all pop much more then the actinic and blue plus

I originally added the Actinics in for growth, not fluorescence, but it is a nice side benefit. If you look back through this thread a bit you can see the case I am making for 420nm being a better light source for coral growth and why. My Corals right now are growing like crazy so I am very happy with the result.

 

[mhucasey]

What Giesmann bulb would be the same as ATI Coral Plus? And is the ATI Actinic the same as Giesmann Super Actinic?

Supposedly the Aquablue Azure, KZ New Gen, and Coral Plus are all in the same group(The bulbs look bluish lavender when on) but I dislike the color of the Coral Plus when its is mixed with other white bulbs.

In the same way I have a purple plus and (several) KZ fiji purple and i dislike the pinkish cast from the purple plus but I like the Fiji Purple. Its a slight shift toward purplish magenta and it looks better to me.

Your overall color is very bluish green because of the blue plus bulbs, and the coral plus doesn't balance against the blue and green much at all. This is due to the fact that it has very little red. That is why I would add a Fiji Purple and then a good balanced bulb like the Azure or the New Gen to increase the whiteness and brightness. Later I would replace one or two blue pluses with Actinics.

 

[mhucasey]

Mhucasey....As promised.... I tried the ATI and Gisemanns actinic and liked better the ATI. It really poped my Elegance, Hammers and Duncan colors. As you stated, for Dawn/Dusk the combination of Actinic with Blue is perfect. When all bulbs are on i still notice the effect of the Actinic but less pronuced.

I finished with this setup from front to back:

B+
Actinic 03
B+
C+
B+
P+

Thanks for all your support.. Now my next step is to evaluate the ReefBrite Strip to see if it has more effect on the flourecence colors.

Im glad you like the combination!

 

[rogergolf66]

Thanks.. That means that when all the bulbs are on with the Reefbrite the colors will pop even more or only using it before and after the daylights ???

It makes a big difference when just blue day lights on. Only a slight difference when day lights r on but u can c slightly more pop with the day lights on

 

[mhucasey]

Beautiful tank! Really love the colors. Trying to figure out to achieve something similar while minimizing cost since I already have 4 ATI blue plus and 1 coral plus. Would like to know which other 3 bulbs I should buy.

Ok I tried this tonight and a KZ Fiji Purple and two Aquablue Azures will get you close. Its just a smidge more blue than my combination, but very bright and the colors look good(much brighter and less blue to the eye than the picture shows):

I then swapped out a blue plus and swapped in a super actinic and it was pretty close to the overall look I have - like an extra depth to the color was added. Hard to show in pictures but here is what I got:

 

[mhucasey]

Ok I have just bought a tank 72x30x25

I have thought of a few different ways to light it. Option 1

2 Lum reflectors with 20k radium 250w MH
2 t5 on each side of MH so 4 bulbs total 60 inch
72in Reef brite 50/50 on each side of the t5
72 in reefbrite blue led on each side the 50/50

The led can be angled towards the middle of the tank.

What t5 bulbs would u go with? All blue plus?

Option 2

I currently have an ati 8x54 setup on my 48x24x24 tank it's to much light. I'm thinking I could hang that center but high maybe 12inch. then use the 72in reef bright 50/50 on each side of the ati and a 72inch blue led on each side of the 50/50.

What do u think or do u recommend or something else completly?

Roger

Roger, I am starting the process for a build of a tank very similar to that footprint. I will light it with 8X80 watt 5 ft long T5 fixture, probably a Sunpower but possibly a Powermodule. After taking PAR readings under my 8X39Watt fixture I know I'll never be starved for PAR with the T5s and 640 watts peak for say 6.5 hours a day isn't all that pricey, thats a lot of area to light. Bulbs are only a couple of bucks more each than I pay now with the 3ft Bulbs.

Hanging Leds off the sides of the fixture isn't my cup of tea(wait, I hate tea. Can of Diet Coke?).

 

[rs1831]

Going down to 6 bulbs makes it a lot harder I'd Probably set it up using the following:

Blue +
Super Actinic
Aquablue Azure
Fiji Purple
Actinic Blue
Aquablue Azure

It looks pretty close to the 8 bulb mix when I approximated it:

I used a KZ New Gen in the last position because I only have one Aquablue Azure. You could use a Aquablue coral there as well, may even be better. I haven't seen that bulb in person yet.

Thank you for the input! What kind of difference would it make if I used a 2nd blue plus in place of the actinic blue?

 

[mhucasey]

The blue plus is a brighter more blue green bulb. It wouldn't ruin the look or anything but the actinic blue will get you some actinic in there as well.

 

[rs1831]

The blue plus is a brighter more blue green bulb. It wouldn't ruin the look or anything but the actinic blue will get you some actinic in there as well.

Sounds good. I'll try it out with both actinic bulbs. Should this be plenty of light for a 90 gallon tank with sps? By the way, I took a look at your build and it is amazing!

 

[mhucasey]

Sounds good. I'll try it out with both actinic bulbs. Should this be plenty of light for a 90 gallon tank with sps? By the way, I took a look at your build and it is amazing!

Just to make sure, since there are several very similar names going around:
DD-Giesemann - Actinic Plus - Weak version of the ATI Blue Plus
DD-Giesemann - Pure Actinic - Actinic only bulb

New bulbs:
Giesemann - Actinic Blue - like Blue Plus crossed with an Actinic - unique blend
Giesemann - Super Actinic - Actinic Only bulb very similar to the old Pure Actinic

I wish they came out with more unique names than they did:face palm:
Thanks for the compliment!

 

[rs1831]

Just to make sure, since there are several very similar names going around:
DD-Giesemann - Actinic Plus - Weak version of the ATI Blue Plus
DD-Giesemann - Pure Actinic - Actinic only bulb

New bulbs:
Giesemann - Actinic Blue - like Blue Plus crossed with an Actinic - unique blend
Giesemann - Super Actinic - Actinic Only bulb very similar to the old Pure Actinic

I wish they came out with more unique names than they did:face palm:
Thanks for the compliment!

I purchased one of the super actinic and I already had an ati actinic bulb. Will that work or should I order an actinic blue instead?

 

[mhucasey]

I purchased one of the super actinic and I already had an ati actinic bulb. Will that work or should I order an actinic blue instead?

In the combo I suggested:
Blue +
Super Actinic
Aquablue Azure
Fiji Purple
Actinic Blue
Aquablue Azure

you will need a blue bulb to go in the position that I assigned the Actinic Blue. You could use a Blue Plus for now if you have one but to get closer to the Color mix this was emulating the Actinic Blue would be best. Two actinic only bulbs out of a total of 6 would be too much but give it a shot, you may like it better