T5 expert advice needed

[lee_steffen87]

I am about to have to purchase 4 new bulbs for my 55g I have 48" 216w 4 bulb fixture. 54 watts each but I am looking for the best coral growth i can get from t5 . everything i have researched thus far is ATI has the best as far as PAR goes but I need the best 4 Bulb combo. any help is appreciated


currently
55g DT
20g sump
4 bulb T5 216w

2 head torch coral
green polyps
blue mushroom
want add more soon

2 false percs
mandarin
sexy shrimp

 

[johniii]

If you want growyh put 4 ge 6500k bulbs in. but it will be yellow.
2 blue plus
2 aquablue special
Will get good growth with a nice blue hue.
For a little more blue you could use the
Coral plus instead of the aquablue special.
Or for a nice glow replace one aquablue special with a kz fiji purple.

I use
blue plus
Purple plus
Aquablue special
Aquablue special
Blue plus
Blue plus

All ati

 

[lee_steffen87]

so in my 4 bulb for coral growth

blue plus
blue plus
aquablue special
purple plus

 

[johniii]

lee.steffen87;760805 wrote: so in my 4 bulb for coral growth

blue plus
blue plus
aquablue special
purple plus

Front to back I would do
Blue plus
Kz fiji purple(has more par than the,ati purple)
Aquablue special
Blue plus

 

[lee_steffen87]

Sounds like a plan to me any advice best place to order kz fiji

 

[johniii]

JennM should be able to get them all for you just send her a pm.

 

[lee_steffen87]

Thanks John

 

[containerman1]

I have a 48 in T5 6 bulb and I am going to try out your combo.
Are the aqua specials white or similar?
Thanks

 

[johniii]

containerman1;760847 wrote: I have a 48 in T5 6 bulb and I am going to try out your combo.
Are the aqua specials white or similar?
Thanks

They are about 12000k
I can post a pick tommorow evening when all the bulbs are burning if you like.

 

[stevhan]

I've got 6 bulbs above my tank.
ATI Blue +
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue +
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue +
Zoomed Ocean Sun (when I was replacing bulbs I had this one extra in my garage somehow)
Premier Aquatics didn't have the Purple + when I bought all of mine.

 

[lee_steffen87]

It seems sort of obvious that the blue plus is a favorite. I just hope with this new combination I see a little more coral growth the last four months I haven't really seen any and i check all water parameters weekly.

 

[mufret]

Which fixture do you have? To get the most out of T5's it really should have individual reflectors (or at least the individually contoured reflector)? The Blue Plus are great bulbs and I'd have a couple in the mix but, if you are looking for growth, I'd work at least one of the GE bulbs (6500k) into the mix. Once you've got your corals to the size you want, you can then switch it out with something that's a little more pleasing to your eye.

 

[lee_steffen87]

I might just do that. mine does not have individual reflectors can i diy add them.

 

[mufret]

lee.steffen87;760878 wrote: I might just do that. mine does not have individual reflectors can i diy add them.

Depends. Is it a fixture (and if so, which one) or a retro setup?

 

[lee_steffen87]

yes but its a no name one I had given to me.

 

[stevhan]

As Mufret said it is far better to have independent parabolic reflectors. You get much more light reflected back into your tank.
Retrofitting a fixture isn't generally easy if your fitting in new reflectors. Most good t-5 fixtures with independent reflectors are a good deal wider than the ones with a single reflector. If you have a canopy a retrofit would be cheaper than a whole new fixture.

 

[lee_steffen87]

well im working on upgrading to 150g tank at least i thought so until i did some research on glasscages.com but never the less I will find something so ill just quit putting money in this tank because it will just become a sump.