AI Sol blue with T5 supplementation

[thanhreef]

I was planning to add 4 39" T5 Retrofit (2 Fiji Purple and 2 Actinic) for more pop to my 2 AI Sol Blues covering a 100g.

Do you think 4 T5 would overpower AI?
Which bulbs would you add to get a more full spectrum effect?

Thank you

 

[jef4y]

Fiji purple is pretty much just for color, so don't expect any par out of it.

I'd probably just use 1 Fiji Purple and do 3 of the Aquablue + bulbs.

 

[ichthyoid]

vista;817612 wrote: I was planning to add 4 39" T5 Retrofit (2 Fiji Purple and 2 Actinic) for more pop to my 2 AI Sol Blues covering a 100g.

Do you think 4 T5 would overpower AI?
Which bulbs would you add to get a more full spectrum effect?

Thank you

If you are talking 'true/420 nM (purple) Actinics' then yes. Exactly the two I recommend with LED's.

FYI- Here's the Fiji Purple spectrum. That big 660 peak along with the blue, really brings out the reds, blues & purples! The 420 adds the 'pop' due to flourescence.

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Here's a 420 plot (Geisemann)-

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[thanhreef]

Thank you both of you. I still have my old Tek Light Fixtures and many ATI & Giesemann bulbs so I could try different combination.

I think my light layout would be

Back
Giesemann Pure Actinic 03
Giesemann Aquablue Plus
AI--AI--
Fiji Purple
Giesemann Aquablue Plus
Front

Daytime:
Giesemann Pure Actinic ON
Giesemann Aquablue Plus ON
AI: 60W 75B 75RB
Fiji Purple ON
Giesemann Aquablue Plus ON


Night time (view time)
Giesemann Pure Actinic OFF
Giesemann Aquablue Plus ON
AI: 2W 75B 75RB
Fiji Purple ON
Giesemann Aquablue Plus OFF

 

[jef4y]

Very interested to hear how you like the combo from a light, color, shimmer perspective and how the growth is.

 

[ichthyoid]

Not sure I get the preference for Aquablue's? LED's produce mostly 460nM light, that's from either the blue's or white's. The Aquablue T5 is heavy in 460 also.

The white LED's are actually a blue (460) LED that contains a phosphor which expands their spectrum. They still produce a ton of the blue though.

Adding an Aquablue just seems like a lot of extra blue to me (maybe too small of an LED?).

FWIW-
I'll be using 400 watts of LED over my 120, plus
1x 420 (purple) Actinic and
1x Fiji Purple,
with both T-5's overdriven

If I don't get the tint (and 'pop') that I want, then I'll add 2x extra banks of those same T-5's.

 

[thanhreef]

I don't know how it would look like. I have extra bulbs lay around that I have never used yet so just play around with different combination when my new tank is ready.

I am going to order to 2 of 36" 2x39W Miro-4 T5 High-Output Retrofit Kit.

thank you

 

[jj ocean]

I'm kind of scratching my head with all the talk of augmenting AI's with aquablue and actinic bulbs. I've got 12 AI Sols and one thing they have plenty of is blue hues. I haven't seen PAR to be an issue either with the Sols. I ramped them up over time based on meter readings and have stopped at 50% power on the whites. I originally expected I would have to go higher. However, I'm not saying that there aren't some gaps with the AI's.

The area of augmentation I feel is needed is in the red and pink hues. More from a visual appeal vs. growth. I've contemplated running T5 pinks, but ultimately decided to go with magenta LED supplements (for the same power/temp/operating reasons I moved to LED for my main lighting). I haven't installed them yet, but that's the route I went down.

 

[thanhreef]

I just received 2 of LET 2x39W Miro-4 T5 High-Output Retrofit Kit from ReefGeek. I have no clue how to wire and install in the canopy with 2 AI Sol Blue modules. I will update how it looks

 

[ichthyoid]

AI's, to my knowledge, have almost zero output in the 'purple' (ie- 400-450nM wavelength's).

FWIW- Most LED's are lacking in ^ this part of the spectrum.

Supplementing with 'true actinics' (~420's) corrects this.

The Fiji Purple T5, adds the red/pink tones mentioned.

There is some data that ~630nM light 'may' have a beneficial effect as well.

 

[ichthyoid]

vista;819634 wrote: I just received 2 of LET 2x39W Miro-4 T5 High-Output Retrofit Kit from ReefGeek. I have no clue how to wire and install in the canopy with 2 AI Sol Blue modules. I will update how it looks

If you need help with this, PM me.

 

[thanhreef]

ichthyoid;819638 wrote: AI's, to my knowledge, have almost zero output in the 'purple' (ie- 400-450nM wavelength's).

FWIW- Most LED's are lacking in ^ this part of the spectrum.

Supplementing with 'true actinics' (~420's) corrects this.

The Fiji Purple T5, adds the red/pink tones mentioned.

There is some data that ~630nM light 'may' have a beneficial effect as well.

ichthyoid;819639 wrote: If you need help with this, PM me.

thank you

 

[jj ocean]

Let us know how you like the augmentation. Definitely interested to hear how it goes for you.

ichthyoid;819638 wrote: AI's, to my knowledge, have almost zero output in the 'purple' (ie- 400-450nM wavelength's).

FWIW- Most LED's are lacking in ^ this part of the spectrum.

AI Sols peak in the 440-450 range ... ton of blue and plenty of blue/purple hues. I'd agree you could get lift and they are lacking in the pure purple 420 range - no debate. I've run augmented atinics with mine and I didn't think there was a differernce. Maybe I can't pick up the hue difference though.

The 550nM seems to be the biggest gap with AIs both in the spectral analysis and my visual observation- most MH bulbs have a decent bump up there comparatively. That's what I was targeting.

Anyway, just one persons opinion ... Would love to hear how other's augmentation experiments go. Vista - please post your feedback when you get your T5s up.

 

[thanhreef]

JJ Ocean;819666 wrote: Vista - please post your feedback when you get your T5s up.

Sound great. I will post when it is up

 

[thanhreef]

I planed how install T5 retrofit and place it in the canopy. At first, I was confused all the wire colors (red, blue and yellow). I called Reefgeek tech support. He's very nice and he walked me through. So I spent weekend to install T5 Retrofit. It is my first time to install anything like this. I wanted to place all the ballasts in the closet so all the wires are short...went to Home Depot to find the 600V 18 gauge wire. I could not find it. Finally I got 600V 14 gauge wire which is a bit thicker and has different colors. It works. What great experience.

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Lighting goes: (front to back with AI Sol Blues in middle)

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[ichthyoid]

So, how do you like the look?

Have a shot of the tank you can post?

Thx

 

[thanhreef]

I have not had a time to play different combination of bulbs or AI setting. I just took some bulbs from my old Tek fixture to see how it looks. Tank is still cycling. I like the color so far . The shimmering effect of AI is still there.

Lighting goes: (front to back with AI Sol Blues in middle)

Aqua Science 22,000K (ON)
KZ fiji purple (ON)
---------------------------
2x AI Sol Blues (60W B75 75RB)
---------------------------
Giesemann pure actinic (ON)
Aqua Science 22,000K (ON)

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Aqua Science 22,000K (ON)
KZ fiji purple (ON)
---------------------------
2x AI Sol Blues (0W B75 75RB)
---------------------------
Giesemann pure actinic (ON)
Aqua Science 22,000K (ON)

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Aqua Science 22,000K (OFF)
KZ fiji purple (ON)
---------------------------
2x AI Sol Blues (0W B75 75RB)
---------------------------
Giesemann pure actinic (ON)
Aqua Science 22,000K (OFF)

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[thanhreef]

I tried one KZ fiji purple bulb and 3 Giesemann pure actinic bulbs. I don't like.

Photos below are taken by HTC One X smartphone. All chalices respond very well and colors are much better. I use Aqua Science 22,000K because I think 2 AIs would not be enough light for SPS. I like it and I still play with it until I find the sweet settings.

Giesemann pure actinic (ON)
Aqua Science 22,000K (ON)
---------------------------
2x AI Sol Blues (25W 35B 35RB)
---------------------------
KZ fiji purple (ON)
Aqua Science 22,000K (ON)

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Giesemann pure actinic (ON)
Aqua Science 22,000K (ON)
---------------------------
2x AI Sol Blues (0W 35B 35RB)
---------------------------
KZ fiji purple (ON)
Aqua Science 22,000K (ON)

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[ichthyoid]

ichthyoid;817664 wrote: If you are talking 'true/420 nM (purple) Actinics' then yes. Exactly the two I recommend with LED's.

FYI- Here's the Fiji Purple spectrum. That big 660 peak along with the blue, really brings out the reds, blues & purples! The 420 adds the 'pop' due to flourescence.

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Here's a 420 plot (Geisemann)-

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By comparing the above to the AI (or most LED's) spectrum, its easy to see what's missing.



http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/3/aafeature">http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/3/aafeature</a>

Also, the human eye has a response curve that is a skewed bell curve, most sensitive to green.

It makes sense therefore to have an illumination curve that is diametrically opposed to the other, in order to get a more uniform appearance, color wise.

The eye curve is a 'hill', therefore the illumination should be a 'U' shape.

They average out to be a fairly flat line response, by the brain.
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