The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[mhucasey]

To achieve a whiter look what should I swap out?
I thought you were a die hard on the KZ Fiji Purple, what happened?

If you can get it, the Fiji Purple is the best, I use it. I just got one of the Super Purples as well and it is pretty good too and easier to come by.

If you want to go whiter, Replace the Actinic with another Azure I suppose. If you are looking for more yellow in the mix, you may need to change a white bulb to something like the Aquablue Coral, Coral Plus or Aquablue Special. the mix you have now is 50% white/purple bulbs, to me that is as White as I like it.

 

[mhucasey]

What's your favorite 8 bulb combination now, for best SPS color?

5 blue plus, 2 coral plus, one Fiji purple.

 

[chevydiesel]

cool

 

[mhucasey]

Do you feel like you are missing actinic at all?

There is plenty of Actinic in a Blue plus. I end up getting frustrated by the dimness of the Actinics when I use them. I haven't seen evidence one way or another that the Actinics are essential, things maybe turn a bit more green under them is all I have found.

 

[SPS_Addiction]

5 blue plus, 2 coral plus, one Fiji purple.

Thanks. How should I order them?

 

[rs1831]

That combo is fine for color and growth, but ultimately it will be up to you as to whether you like the look. My tastes change from time to time, currently I am more pleased by a whiter look.

On one of my tanks, the 6 bulb light is set up with the following and I like it:
C+-B+-Giesemann Super Purple-B+-C+-B+

Does this give a crisp blueish white?

 

[mhucasey]

Thanks. How should I order them?

I would order them B+C+B+FP B+B+C+B+ but you can move them around to your liking.

 

[mhucasey]

Does this give a crisp blueish white?

I think so, but everyone sees these things differently. This tank has that combo - and I didn't clean the glass before taking the pic just now:lolspin:

 

[rs1831]

Looks great! Have you tried 4 blue+, coral+, and Fiji purple? If so, what did you think? I'm trying to figure out what to go with for a 90 gallon sps tank.

 

[CoralNerd]

Would this give me a blue white look?

● ATI Blue +
● ATI Coral +
● KZ Fiji Purple
● ATI Blue +
● Aquablue Azure
● ATI Blue +

Or

● E5 Blue Pop
● ATI Coral +
● KZ Fiji Purple
● ATI Blue +
● Aquablue Azure
● ATI Blue +

 

[mhucasey]

Looks great! Have you tried 4 blue+, coral+, and Fiji purple? If so, what did you think? I'm trying to figure out what to go with for a 90 gallon sps tank.

I haven't tried that out, no. It won't be too different than with two coral pluses and a purple bulb but I think I'd prefer the extra white bulb.

 

[mhucasey]

Would this give me a blue white look?

● ATI Blue +
● ATI Coral +
● KZ Fiji Purple
● ATI Blue +
● Aquablue Azure
● ATI Blue +

Or

● E5 Blue Pop
● ATI Coral +
● KZ Fiji Purple
● ATI Blue +
● Aquablue Azure
● ATI Blue +

I would think so, yes.

 

[rs1831]

I haven't tried that out, no. It won't be too different than with two coral pluses and a purple bulb but I think I'd prefer the extra white bulb.

Thanks! I'll give it a shot

 

[Bpb]

The T5 Q&a Thread - split

Thoughts on this?

90 gallon sps dominant
Ati sunpower 8x54
12" off the water

Blue+
True actinic
Coral+
Blue+
Coral+
Blue+
Coral+
True actinic

I like good color let's put it that way. I know that sounds ridiculous. But I've ran radiums in the past and loved them, and ran xm10k with blue LEDs and loved it just as much. Just a different flavor but equally as tasty.

Will the above combo make the Reds pop? I don't like windex water. I like a nice bright white, but with obvious fluorescence going on.

I'll amend this by saying I LOVE the pics posted of BigE's tank using only blue+ and coral+ bulbs. It looks perfect to me. And while I've read a lot of people say 6x54watt sunpower over a 90 is more than enough for acros anywhere in the tank, I love the look of true actinics, especially when paired with blue+. I figured the 3 blue+ 3 coral+ would be all the power I would need and the 2 actinics would satisfy my love of that color

 

[mhucasey]

Thoughts on this?

90 gallon sps dominant
Ati sunpower 8x54
12" off the water

Blue+
True actinic
Coral+
Blue+
Coral+
Blue+
Coral+
True actinic


I like good color let's put it that way. I know that sounds ridiculous. But I've ran radiums in the past and loved them, and ran xm10k with blue LEDs and loved it just as much. Just a different flavor but equally as tasty.

Will the above combo make the Reds pop? I don't like windex water. I like a nice bright white, but with obvious fluorescence going on.

I'll amend this by saying I LOVE the pics posted of BigE's tank using only blue+ and coral+ bulbs. It looks perfect to me. And while I've read a lot of people say 6x54watt sunpower over a 90 is more than enough for acros anywhere in the tank, I love the look of true actinics, especially when paired with blue+. I figured the 3 blue+ 3 coral+ would be all the power I would need and the 2 actinics would satisfy my love of that color

I can tell you that the Reds will not pop with that combo. There isn't enough red in the coral plus on a normal ballast. Keep in mind that BigE overdrives his bulbs, which produces a whiter spectrum. I set up equal numbers blue plus and coral plus and it's too Windex IMO. With a swap of one coral for a purple it was just right(6 bulbs total).

 

[Bpb]

Thoughts on going with the KZ coral light 10k or GE 6500k bulbs instead of the coral+ bulbs?

 

[spyke326]

@mhucasy
Looking for some help on a 8 bulb combo. Have a 85g sps tank and I am looking for a good mix of growth and color.

I see you recommended 5 Blue+ 2 Coral+ and 1 Fiji Purple. Is this more for color than growth?

Is there any benefit going with more KZ or Giesemann bulbs? I have read that they can have deeper colors.

Also, how high would you recommended to hang the light?

Thanks for your help

 

[mhucasey]

Thoughts on going with the KZ coral light 10k or GE 6500k bulbs instead of the coral+ bulbs?

The KZ coral light is similar to an ATI Aquablue special bulb color wise, adding one into the mix will be good for growth as they put out a lot of PAR. They aren't as good for visual appeal as something more neutral white or a hybrid like the Coral Plus or Aquablue Coral.

Using a PAR meter I did see a good number of used KZ and Giesemann tubes lost a lot of PAR where used ATI tubes lost very little. I'm more partial to ATI because of this.

I have no experience with the GE bulb but it's supposed to be good for growth.

 

[mhucasey]

@mhucasy
Looking for some help on a 8 bulb combo. Have a 85g sps tank and I am looking for a good mix of growth and color.

I see you recommended 5 Blue+ 2 Coral+ and 1 Fiji Purple. Is this more for color than growth?

Is there any benefit going with more KZ or Giesemann bulbs? I have read that they can have deeper colors.

Also, how high would you recommended to hang the light?

Thanks for your help

It's for both color and growth. The Blue plus is a high PAR bulb that grows corals. See above re other brands. I have not seen better results under other mfg bulbs. The light should start at 10" above the water and my experience is no lower than 8" above the water for best results.

 

[Bpb]

In that case what would you think about a combo of:

2 true actinic
2 blue+
2 Aquablue special
2 purple+