Ive been searching and reading...what's the best way to fit a sunpower in an open top hood (canopy)? can't seem to find much info specific to that light. it's a 24" light going over a 30" long tank. so I will have air flow on either side and the open top.
Where do people get the GE 6500 bulbs? Can you just get them from a hardware store like home depot?
4 blue plus 1 purple plus and depending on personal taste a KZ new gen for a more 20K blue look or a GE 6500K for a more 15K look
Hi All (and Grim, would love your thoughts),
I have a 65 gallon Red Sea Max mixed reef with 6 T5s a few inches above the water (covered tank). Many of my corals are a bit washed out / browned (SPS and LPS). I've noticed corals slightly shaded have better color in many cases. Are my lights too strong / close? Should I consider only running 4 bulbs, just changing the bulbs I'm using, or perhaps it doesn't have much to do with the light? I'm using (front to back):
ATI Blue Plus
ATI AquaBlue Special
ATI Purple Plus
ATI AquaBlue Special
ATI Blue Plus
ATI AquaBlue Special
From reading here, I may be overdoing it on the AquaBlue Special. I think I'll try 4 Blue Plus going forward, 1 Purple Plus, and not sure on the third bulb. Grim mentions KZ New Gen (14k) or GE 6500k, and I was considering sticking with AquaBlue Special as well. What differences might I expect in look (less blue with the GE?), coral color, and growth between those three? The KZ bulb looks pretty similar to the AquaBlue Special?
Considering most of my SPS is near the back of the tank and LPS and softies more towards the front, what bulb layout should I use?
I'm also interested in skyshrimp's question - will more Blue Plus slow growth? Although personally I'm more concerned with color and health than growth (most are decent size already!). Thanks so much for your thoughts,
--Kyle
Grim,
I've noticed over the past couple years that my reds/pinks of my sps seem to have lost their previous pop. I'd like to make the plunge and try a couple T5 supplements to my 400W radium. I feel I may have oversaturated the corals by the 6 hrs of MH and always trying to keep the tank lit for a couple more hours in the evening for more viewing pleasure. The push to sometimes having the MH on for 8-9hrs may be a contributing factor. So, I've decided to try a few T5 bulbs for some 'viewing' light, but not the intense mid-day power of all 400W Radium.
Any suggestions on bulb mix to make some reds/pinks pop, but not lose my blues and purples?
I have a question about the bulbs I have. I've been thinking about taking out my aquablues and putting in my spare blue pluses I have. Only thing that is stopping me from doing this is that ive read that the more blue the slower the growth. My current combo is this.
Front to back:
Ati Aqua blue
Ati Blue plus
Wave point Actinic blue
Kz Fiji purple
Ati Blue plus
Ati aquablue
I wan to remove the aqua blues and put in the blue pluses I have but will this slow my growth rates on my corals. The blue pluses are supposed to put out just as much par as a aqua blue bulb from the charts I've seen. Also I know actinics are pleasing to the eye but is this helping my growth in anyway. I don't wanna change bulk and my growth drops off drasticly. Help me out here folks.
Hi All (and Grim, would love your thoughts),
I have a 65 gallon Red Sea Max mixed reef with 6 T5s a few inches above the water (covered tank). Many of my corals are a bit washed out / browned (SPS and LPS). I've noticed corals slightly shaded have better color in many cases. Are my lights too strong / close? Should I consider only running 4 bulbs, just changing the bulbs I'm using, or perhaps it doesn't have much to do with the light? I'm using (front to back):
ATI Blue Plus
ATI AquaBlue Special
ATI Purple Plus
ATI AquaBlue Special
ATI Blue Plus
ATI AquaBlue Special
From reading here, I may be overdoing it on the AquaBlue Special. I think I'll try 4 Blue Plus going forward, 1 Purple Plus, and not sure on the third bulb. Grim mentions KZ New Gen (14k) or GE 6500k, and I was considering sticking with AquaBlue Special as well. What differences might I expect in look (less blue with the GE?), coral color, and growth between those three? The KZ bulb looks pretty similar to the AquaBlue Special?
Considering most of my SPS is near the back of the tank and LPS and softies more towards the front, what bulb layout should I use?
I'm also interested in skyshrimp's question - will more Blue Plus slow growth? Although personally I'm more concerned with color and health than growth (most are decent size already!). Thanks so much for your thoughts,
--Kyle
I have a 36 gal bow front, 30' wide, would i be able to have a mixed reef using this fixture below or is this too much light? Would like to have LPS, SPS and Clams...
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...r_T5_High-Output_Fixture_w!_Controller_by_ATI
Any bulb recommendations are welcomed as well.
Hey Grim, I have a 60x24x28 tank with a 8x80w ATI Powermodule. I am looking to improve the pop in the color and am looking for some recommendations. The top of my tank is SPS dominated tank with LPS in middle to bottom. If I don't go with a GE 6500 will I be sacrificing growth on my SPS? I am thinking of something like this for a setup.
Front
1 - ATI Blue Plus
2 - UVL Actinic white
3 - ATI Blue plus
4 - ?
5 - ATI Aquablue Spezial
6 - Blue Plus
7 - UVL Actinic white
8 - ATI Blue Plus
I am wondering if I should put another Blue Plus, Aquablue or maybe a ATI Purple Plus in the 4 slot, or if this looks like a good setup at all? Not sure of the PAR on the purple plus or if I would be losing too much growth? I currently use a GE 6500 in the four spot but am looking for better color. I have never used the UVL Actinic White but have been reading a lot of posts from Grim recommending them so I am thinking of giving them a try. Thanks for the help
One ATi Blue Plus and one ATI Purple Plus is where I would start.
Your thoughts are right on. Go with 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Purple Plus and 1 GE6500k or KZ New Generation. I like the GE myself because it brings in some yellows and greens that are missed elsewhere. My favorite 6 bulb combo is 4 Blue Plus and 2 Purple Plus however.
Turn down your photoperiod if your corals are getting too much light.