Ok I have a 40 breeder with 6 T-5 ho bulbs over it. It actually has a current sundial 4 bulb fixture with individual reflectors and a fish need it double T-5 ho fixture. These are all 36" 39w bulbs. Anyway with the stock bulbs everything looks too white IMO. It has 3 actinics and three daylights. What would be a good combination of bulbs to get a blueish look but still have descent par? I dont know alot about the T-5s because this is my first setup using them. I am reading good reviews about the ATI bulbs. Please give me some advise.
Help me pick some T-5 bulbs
- Thread starter johnr2604
- Start date
Heres the lamps I am using in my new Tek lights. I have pictures of them on page 3-4 of my build thread.
......Front of tank......
1. ATI Aquablue
2. Sfiligoi Pure Actinic
3. KZ Fiji Purple
4. UVL Aquasun
5. ATI Pro Color
6. UVL Aquasun
7. ATI Blue +
8. ATI Aqua Blue
....Back of Tank...
......Front of tank......
1. ATI Aquablue
2. Sfiligoi Pure Actinic
3. KZ Fiji Purple
4. UVL Aquasun
5. ATI Pro Color
6. UVL Aquasun
7. ATI Blue +
8. ATI Aqua Blue
....Back of Tank...
Well, there are tons of threads on RC about it like :
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1220131&perpage=25&pagenumber=1">http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1220131&perpage=25&pagenumber=1</a>
But you may spend days weeding through them. From the thread I linked to, I really think you might like the ATI combo something like this:
Aquablue
Procolor
Blue +
Aquablue
Procolor
Blue +
[front]
I have not tested this combo, but I did order the lamps, so I will test it soon. Mine will just have an additional blue+ and aquablue since I have a 8 lamp setup.
I currently am running:
Blue+
Aquablue
UVL aquasun
Aquablue
UVL aquasun
Blue+
Blue+
[front]
With this combo I got decent par, but the overall color is not spectacular. Reds and blues are muted, so I hope the procolors will help with that. I will let you know how they do. I would say this combo is close to a 14k with all lamps on, and an overall pink look. With just the outer lamps on (3 blue + and 1 aquablue) the greens really pop, but still not impressive. Maybe a 20k look, but no pop of the reds and blues.
Jin is also testing some KZ lamps so maybe he will chime in on those.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1220131&perpage=25&pagenumber=1">http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1220131&perpage=25&pagenumber=1</a>
But you may spend days weeding through them. From the thread I linked to, I really think you might like the ATI combo something like this:
Aquablue
Procolor
Blue +
Aquablue
Procolor
Blue +
[front]
I have not tested this combo, but I did order the lamps, so I will test it soon. Mine will just have an additional blue+ and aquablue since I have a 8 lamp setup.
I currently am running:
Blue+
Aquablue
UVL aquasun
Aquablue
UVL aquasun
Blue+
Blue+
[front]
With this combo I got decent par, but the overall color is not spectacular. Reds and blues are muted, so I hope the procolors will help with that. I will let you know how they do. I would say this combo is close to a 14k with all lamps on, and an overall pink look. With just the outer lamps on (3 blue + and 1 aquablue) the greens really pop, but still not impressive. Maybe a 20k look, but no pop of the reds and blues.
Jin is also testing some KZ lamps so maybe he will chime in on those.
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Actually they are aquascience bulbs. I haven't had a chance to fire em up yet as they are for the new frag tank. We'll see how they look in about a week as our order wasn't shipped out till yesterday. It'll be here next monday Derek. Sorry for the delay but reefgeek dropped the ball it seems... which is almost unheard of but has happened twice to me! 
I would actually recommend only going with ATI bulbs. I find that the color from the corals is much better and that the overall coloration with mixed bulbs is white with a blue tint versus the pink tint you get from UVL bulbs.
I would actually recommend only going with ATI bulbs. I find that the color from the corals is much better and that the overall coloration with mixed bulbs is white with a blue tint versus the pink tint you get from UVL bulbs.
