T5 lighting

[Coolhand&Cshell]

I was looking at upgrading the bulbs on my 24" fixture and was wonder what kind of bulb combinations were good? I was think some ATI blue + for actinic, a KZ fiji purple and not sure about the bulb for day time..

Thanks, Luke

 

[returnofsid]

How many bulbs do you have? ATI Blue Plus are a great bulb, with a high PAR rating.
ATI Aquablue Special are a 15K bulb, with tons of PAR. If you have a 4 bulb system, I'd suggest:

2XATI Aquablue Special
2XATI Blue Plus OR 1XATI Plue Plus and 1XKZ Fiji Purple

With a 6 bulb system, I'd suggest

3XATI Aquablue Special
2XATI Blue Plus
1XKZ Fiji Purple

 

[rainydave]

I ran this combo from Reefgeek when I had my 24".

1 x 24W 12000K Aquablue Special T5 HO Fluorescent (ATI1001) by ATI
2 x 24W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent (ATI1009) by ATI
1 x 24W Fiji Purple T5 HO Fluorescent (KZ0001) by Korallen Zucht

 

[Skimmy]

my favorite combo (other than ALL blue+)
is 2 ATI blue+, 1 ATI true actinic, and 1 ATI pro color(red/pink)

 

[Coolhand&Cshell]

How many bulbs do you have? ATI Blue Plus are a great bulb, with a high PAR rating.
ATI Aquablue Special are a 15K bulb, with tons of PAR. If you have a 4 bulb system, I'd suggest:

2XATI Aquablue Special
2XATI Blue Plus OR 1XATI Plue Plus and 1XKZ Fiji Purple

With a 6 bulb system, I'd suggest

3XATI Aquablue Special
2XATI Blue Plus
1XKZ Fiji Purple

It's a 4 bulb system. Also thanks for the info!

 

[Coolhand&Cshell]

my favorite combo (other than ALL blue+)
is 2 ATI blue+, 1 ATI true actinic, and 1 ATI pro color(red/pink)

Is the ATI true actinic a lighter blue? and how does the pro color compare to a KZ fiji purple?

 

[Coolhand&Cshell]

I ran this combo from Reefgeek when I had my 24".

1 x 24W 12000K Aquablue Special T5 HO Fluorescent (ATI1001) by ATI
2 x 24W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent (ATI1009) by ATI
1 x 24W Fiji Purple T5 HO Fluorescent (KZ0001) by Korallen Zucht

I might run this light combo Thanks alot!

 

[eww]

I ran this combo from Reefgeek when I had my 24".

1 x 24W 12000K Aquablue Special T5 HO Fluorescent (ATI1001) by ATI
2 x 24W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent (ATI1009) by ATI
1 x 24W Fiji Purple T5 HO Fluorescent (KZ0001) by Korallen Zucht

This is the exact combination we are running right now. After many combination's we finally settled on this and so far we, and the corals , really like it.

 

[Coolhand&Cshell]

my favorite combo (other than ALL blue+)
is 2 ATI blue+, 1 ATI true actinic, and 1 ATI pro color(red/pink)

How do you like the 4 ATI blue+ combo?

 

[iroll253]

If it were mine i'd run all blues but thats mee

 

[Skimmy]

How do you like the 4 ATI blue+ combo?

love the all blue...as you imagine though, it does wash out some of the yellow,orange and red. but it looks awesome!! and plenty of par for good growth and color.
i think i like thecombo of 2 blue, 1 true actinic(purple), and the ATI pro color (red/pink) almost as much, and all the yellow,orange,reds pop.

only prob is that they are discontinuing the ATI pro color and replacing it with a purple bulb... but it might be just as cool...obviously dunno yet.

 

[Skimmy]

Is the ATI true actinic a lighter blue? and how does the pro color compare to a KZ fiji purple?

true actinic is a darker purple bulb...
and the ATI pro color is a red/pink color, very different than the KZ fiji purple...
here's a pic with an ATI pro color, and an ATI pure actinic only:

here's with just 2 ATI blue+

and here's with all on, the blues wash out the color you would see in real life, but it's very blue/purple with hints of pink

 

[07FocusST]

I am not really sold on a particular brand. I just stick with the big name companies that are suggested on RF. I have a 48" 4-Bulb setup that runs 1x 10k, 2x Blue Actinics, and 1x Purple-Violet Actinic. If I remember correctly the Actinics are 420nm and 460nm. This is run on a standard 55G 48"x13"18".

PS... after re-reading the above posts it seems that the Purple-Violet light I was describing is actually a True Actinic. The Blue Actinic's are called something else I guess. Here is my layout: B-P-W-B. My timer is set to run every other bulb. I have the P and last B set for Dawn/Dusk. All 4 bulbs running for daytime. and 4x 1w Blue LEDS for Lunar. To the naked eye the lighting looks 90% white with about 10% Blue. Under a camera lens it shows mostly blue.

 

[Coolhand&Cshell]

true actinic is a darker purple bulb...
and the ATI pro color is a red/pink color, very different than the KZ fiji purple...
here's a pic with an ATI pro color, and an ATI pure actinic only:

here's with just 2 ATI blue+

and here's with all on, the blues wash out the color you would see in real life, but it's very blue/purple with hints of pink

Thanks for all the pictures! The options are killing me haha. Maybe 3 Blue+ and a fiji purple??