The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[Starrhmsp]

I have the same bulbs, and am considering this configuration also.

Send me a pic when you try it out.

 

[Pprice01]

Send me a pic when you try it out.

Will do. I put them in today but one of the actinic bulbs didn't fire. I'm taking it back tomorrow and will snap a picture once installed.

 

[swk]

The T5 Q&a Thread - split

Quick question for some of ya-

One of the ballasts crapped out of my 6x54 dimable sunpower. So, I'm down to 4 tubes on my 75 gal sps tank. For adjustments, I dropped the light 3-4" closer to water level and kept all 4 bulbs on for 10 hours, instead of the usual. Does this sound like a decent plan of attack to mitigate the loss of the 2 bulbs until a ballast arrives on Tuesday? Thanks for your input!

 

[mhucasey]

Quick question for some of ya-

One of the ballasts crapped out of my 6x54 dimable sunpower. So, I'm down to 4 tubes on my 75 gal sps tank. For adjustments, I dropped the light 3-4" closer to water level and kept all 4 bulbs on for 10 hours, instead of the usual. Does this sound like a decent plan of attack to mitigate the loss of the 2 bulbs until a ballast arrives on Tuesday? Thanks for your input!

I think leaving it at normal height and keeping your photoperiod the same as it was before will be fine for the short duration of this outage. People do 3 day blackouts with zero light all the time without losing corals. 4 days at 2/3 power won't be a problem.

 

[AugustWest]

Getting close to bulb change time for me , might as well grab some while they're on sale. Tried 2 Giesemann Super Actinic last time around that I really like, they're little brighter than the ATI actinic.

Considering this combo:
4 ATI Blue Plus
2 Giesemann Super Actinic
1 Kz Fiji Purple ( prefer over the Purple + )
1 ATI Coral Plus

What do you think and could you suggest the order?

Any opinion on this combo ?

 

[AugustWest]

Just realized I had written that wrong, I meant this combo:
3 blue plus
2 Coral Plus
2 Actinic
1 purple

 

[mhucasey]

Any opinion on this combo ?

I think that will be very blue, colors will be washed out. The Spectrum needs a bit more red I think. This is what your combo looks like:

 

[mhucasey]

Just realized I had written that wrong, I meant this combo:
3 blue plus
2 Coral Plus
2 Actinic
1 purple

I think this one is much better

 

[AugustWest]

I think this one is much better

Lol, I would think so! You think that'll look ok ?Any other recommendation? I for sure want to use the 2 Actinics. I'll also be adding a blue Reefbrite onto my fixture also. I like a bluer look, thanks !

 

[mhucasey]

Lol, I would think so! You think that'll look ok ?Any other recommendation? I for sure want to use the 2 Actinics. I'll also be adding a blue Reefbrite onto my fixture also. I like a bluer look, thanks !

Well remember that whether you like it or not is based on your eyes + your preference. One of the most popular combos on this thread is 5 blue plus, two coral plus, and one purple plus(I like the Fiji Purple better too). Replacing two blues with actinics will skew you a bit more purple, but it should be good.

 

[mlb75]

First of all let me just say WOW this thread is still going, that's awesome. Needless to say I'm back for a little advise, I got my T5 setup YEARS ago and it's still going strong and I love it, yea I've considered going to LED but just can't justify the cost when what I have is working so well. Here's my dilemma though, it's time to change bulbs again and I can't seem to find some of the ones I need to replace them with what I've been running so can someone either point me in a direction that has the bulbs or give me some alternative bulbs that will give me a similar or better look.

Tank is 300 gallon deep dimension (72x36 footprint) fixture is 8 bulb ATI powermodule (60")

Here's the way it's been setup since I got it
Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aqua Blue
Fiji Purple (Can't find them)
GE? 3K (Can't find)There's currently another 6500K in this slot but was supposed to be 3K
GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aqua Blue
ATI Blue Plus

Is there a combination that would be better? I like a brighter tank not a darker blue, I like a blue hint but just not all atinic if you get what I mean.

TIA

 

[mhucasey]

First of all let me just say WOW this thread is still going, that's awesome. Needless to say I'm back for a little advise, I got my T5 setup YEARS ago and it's still going strong and I love it, yea I've considered going to LED but just can't justify the cost when what I have is working so well. Here's my dilemma though, it's time to change bulbs again and I can't seem to find some of the ones I need to replace them with what I've been running so can someone either point me in a direction that has the bulbs or give me some alternative bulbs that will give me a similar or better look.

Tank is 300 gallon deep dimension (72x36 footprint) fixture is 8 bulb ATI powermodule (60")

Here's the way it's been setup since I got it
Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aqua Blue
Fiji Purple (Can't find them)
GE? 3K (Can't find)There's currently another 6500K in this slot but was supposed to be 3K
GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aqua Blue
ATI Blue Plus

Is there a combination that would be better? I like a brighter tank not a darker blue, I like a blue hint but just not all atinic if you get what I mean.

TIA

Fiji purple at BRS, GE at Premium Aquatics. I'd ditch the GE personally. Your mix seems like it would be very yellow, but everyone's preference is personal.

 

[wcharon]

Fiji purple at BRS, GE at Premium Aquatics. I'd ditch the GE personally. Your mix seems like it would be very yellow, but everyone's preference is personal.

Mhucasey.... Thanks for all the help provided in lighting... I have a doubt to see if you can clear me up....

I have seen that you prefer the Fiji Purple more than the Purple +. I haven't use the Fiji and will like to know what you see diferent in the Fiji vs the Purple. I saw the spectrum and noticed that the Fiji haves more green and red but if i use it in combination with B+ and C+ in my 6 blulb fixture don't i will have too much red in my spectrum???

Thanks in advance...

 

[mhucasey]

Mhucasey.... Thanks for all the help provided in lighting... I have a doubt to see if you can clear me up....

I have seen that you prefer the Fiji Purple more than the Purple +. I haven't use the Fiji and will like to know what you see diferent in the Fiji vs the Purple. I saw the spectrum and noticed that the Fiji haves more green and red but if i use it in combination with B+ and C+ in my 6 blulb fixture don't i will have too much red in my spectrum???

Thanks in advance...

There are very minor differences between the two of them on a spectrum chart but visually they are quite different in my experience

To my eye the Purple plus is a harsher red look where the Fiji is more of a bright, actinic magenta. This may be due to the larger amount of green and a little higher 400nm UV peak. I know many people have this same experience. It's a bummer, really. I have a purple plus bulb and I've tried to make it work but the light just isn't as appealing.

The DD Giesemann Aqaupink is a decent compromise, perhaps the Super Purple as well but I haven't tried that one yet.
There are differences in the bulbs, and small spectrum differences can have a big effect on how the eye perceives the light.

From Jedimasterben's comparison of ATI to the new Giesemann, here are two Purple Plus:

And here are two Super Purple:

The visual difference is pretty clear to me.

A coral plus and one purple bulb won't be too much red from the coral's perspective. A purple bulb only has a small amount more of red than a white bulb, there is just less green to balance the red.

 

[wcharon]

There are very minor differences between the two of them on a spectrum chart but visually they are quite different in my experience

To my eye the Purple plus is a harsher red look where the Fiji is more of a bright, actinic magenta. This may be due to the larger amount of green and a little higher 400nm UV peak. I know many people have this same experience. It's a bummer, really. I have a purple plus bulb and I've tried to make it work but the light just isn't as appealing.

The DD Giesemann Aqaupink is a decent compromise, perhaps the Super Purple as well but I haven't tried that one yet.
There are differences in the bulbs, and small spectrum differences can have a big effect on how the eye perceives the light.

From Jedimasterben's comparison of ATI to the new Giesemann, here are two Purple Plus:

And here are two Super Purple:

The visual difference is pretty clear to me.

A coral plus and one purple bulb won't be too much red from the coral's perspective. A purple bulb only has a small amount more of red than a white bulb, there is just less green to balance the red.

Thanks Buddy. You are right with the difference but the Super Purple used is the Gissemann not KZ Fiji Purple right???

 

[mhucasey]

Correct, it would be nice to find a direct comparison but I haven't found one yet. I was showing this to show how different purple bulbs can look even if the spectrums seem similar.

 

[wcharon]

Great... Thanks my friend... Time to make decisions with bulb combinations....

 

[AugustWest]

Well remember that whether you like it or not is based on your eyes + your preference. One of the most popular combos on this thread is 5 blue plus, two coral plus, and one purple plus(I like the Fiji Purple better too). Replacing two blues with actinics will skew you a bit more purple, but it should be good.

Thanks for your help. What order would you suggest ? I'm going with 3 blue+ 2 Coral+ 2 Super Actinic and a Purple +

 

[ReeferSteve78]

I have a 6x80 ati fixture. What's the best bulb combination to with with? I have a mixed reef 220gal with 2 48inch reefbrite on the fixture

 

[ReeferSteve78]

Any tips on a combination?