4 bulb t5 fixture bulb suggestion

HarleyMan · Mar 28, 2021

Iv got a 4 bulb t5 fixture and im looking for the best bulbs to grow coral for a frag tank. looking into ATI but no sure on best combination. Wanting to have the capabilities to grow out off different types of corals. i have primes as well to supplement is need be.

Right now i have softies and euphillia in there with some primes.

Tamberav · Mar 28, 2021

I have a coral QT tank with 4 bulb ATI over a IM25g and went with 3 blue plus and one coral plus.

Everything from Xenia to Acros is doing well under it.

HarleyMan · Mar 28, 2021

Tamberav said:
I have a coral QT tank with 4 bulb ATI over a IM25g and went with 3 blue plus and one coral plus.

Everything from Xenia to Acros is doing well under it.

yai have a couple 20g longs I'm Going to be setting up one as qt tank and one as a grow tank

mmorriso · Mar 30, 2021

Generally a combination of Blue+ and Coral+.

Anything from 4 x B+ to 2 x B+ will look ok, although if you’re not accustomed to T5’s more than a single Coral+ could be a bit of a shock for you.

Midrats · Mar 31, 2021

I use 3 B+, 2.4 AB specials, and .6 P+ in my six bulb.

RedReefer · Mar 31, 2021

I would probably go three blue plus and one daylight bulb.

trout · Mar 31, 2021

2 X Coral+ and 2 X Blue+

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Mar 31, 2021

Do you want a white tank or a blue tank? Lol

Most makers make these diffrent colors or bulbs and call them something diffrent. I plan on getting more to play with. Like an all actinic and a coral bulb.

If u want a blue tank. The white and lagoon bulb replace with actinic and another blue.

mine will be-
Purple
Blue
Lagoon or aquablue
White

nereefpat · Mar 31, 2021

HarleyMan said:
Iv got a 4 bulb t5 fixture and im looking for the best bulbs to grow coral for a frag tank. looking into ATI but no sure on best combination. Wanting to have the capabilities to grow out off different types of corals. i have primes as well to supplement is need be.

Right now i have softies and euphillia in there with some primes.

If you are going with ATI, then any combination of Blue+ and Coral+ will work great. I agree that 2&2 or 3 B+ is a good combo for 4 bulbs. I would buy 3 blue+ and 2 coral+ and maybe an actinic, that way you can experiment a little.

Midrats · Apr 1, 2021

Four Coral Plus. It's a standalone 50/50 bulb that shows off excellent fluorescence while not drowning out all of the reflective colors like Blue Plus does. I have all the other ATI bulbs on the shelf in my basement, and occasionally I'll throw in a couple of B+ or actinics and it just ruins the perfect spectrum that ATI created with the C+. When I'm in my chair looking up at my Sunpower, it looks exactly like the blue sky behind Eagle in my avatar.

NC Jim · Apr 1, 2021

For only growth and not looks I would go 3 blue + and 1 actinic. If you care about looks 2 blue + 1 coral + and 1 actinic.

mmorriso · Apr 2, 2021

Midrats said:
Four Coral Plus. It's a standalone 50/50 bulb that shows off excellent fluorescence while not drowning out all of the reflective colors like Blue Plus does. I have all the other ATI bulbs on the shelf in my basement, and occasionally I'll throw in a couple of B+ or actinics and it just ruins the perfect spectrum that ATI created with the C+. When I'm in my chair looking up at my Sunpower, it looks exactly like the blue sky behind Eagle in my avatar.

I’ll admit, you’ve piked my interest! I’ve never seen more than 50% Coral+, I would have thought it would be too white.

I’m tempted to break out the PowerModule just to try it out.

CanuckReefer · Apr 2, 2021

2x Blue 2x Coral for viewing...however to grow, 3x blue 1x coral.

CanuckReefer · Apr 2, 2021

Midrats said:
Four Coral Plus. It's a standalone 50/50 bulb that shows off excellent fluorescence while not drowning out all of the reflective colors like Blue Plus does. I have all the other ATI bulbs on the shelf in my basement, and occasionally I'll throw in a couple of B+ or actinics and it just ruins the perfect spectrum that ATI created with the C+. When I'm in my chair looking up at my Sunpower, it looks exactly like the blue sky behind Eagle in my avatar.

I have to admit I do like a 10 even 15K lamp , with at least one actinic....in terms of viewing the tank anyway. Mine is only 2 lamps, and run a coral + 10k and an Actinic deep spectrum. Along with a Fluval LED to supplement.

Midrats · Apr 2, 2021

It's still a very blue spectrum IMO, but with excellent color rendition of ALL the colors. I also like that it's a completely homogeneous blanket of light over the tank. It will be too white for most American reefers these days, but I'm a guy that thought 10K halides were too blue when they came out. My little Battlecorals aren't complaining!