Adding T5s to Radion.s

[atoll]

Any thoughts on adding a couple of T5s HOs to my Radions XR30s Gen 3 pros and anybody done this?
My tank is only 19" front to back but I am thinking of adding 2 x 39w T5s to supplement them. What 2 tubes would you use ?

 

[gfordQC]

Link to what I did with my hydra 52hd

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hybrid-t5-led-canopy-plans.339120/

 

[jimmyzhou]

3 blue plus 1 coral plus radion xr15 ab+ 70% all. Shot around 18inch form sand bed got 450-500 par

 

[atoll]

Link to what I did with my hydra 52hd

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hybrid-t5-led-canopy-plans.339120/

Thanks, I already have the mounting of them in mind, it's now just down to what 2 x T5s tubes to use.

 

[SDboatguy]

Depends on what you like to look at. Standard answer would be 2 B+, but if you like a "whiter" tank you go with AB specials, in between ...C+. The T5s are going to help your shading , but your primary light source is coming from the Radions and you can adjust those once you have the T5 set up. Personally I run 2 B+ and 2 C+ with 3 AI Hydra 26HDs. I run the Hydras 100% on all channels except White, which is 65%.

 

[jda]

I woud say that more people end up adding T5s than do not... or at least who post about it. Bulbs are up to you... but I would go the opposite of others and use 10K or 6500K and use the Radions to blue up the look again. ...the white light in the T5s is better quality, so I would keep the whites in the Radions as low as possible.

 

[Luno]

I woud say that more people end up adding T5s than do not... or at least who post about it. Bulbs are up to you... but I would go the opposite of others and use 10K or 6500K and use the Radions to blue up the look again. ...the white light in the T5s is better quality, so I would keep the whites in the Radions as low as possible.

While I have not done this I cannot agree more with it. It's what I'm planning in the new build. Whiter look t5's and use hydra to blue achieve desired blue. I am also a big fan of the whiter clearer look of lighting though so it suits me perfectly

 

[AlexG]

I run 4 Blue+ and 4 Coral+ T5s with my 4 XR30pros. I think the T5s really make a difference. As my tank is 48" wide and the T5s do a great job of eliminating shadowing and providing a secondary light source.

 

[Breadman03]

Though you've got your mounting plan already, I think this is worth posting.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/36-h...re-with-led-mounting-system-aquatic-life.html

 

[atoll]

Thanks, guys, some food for thought there.

 

[Daniel Waters]

It's going to be a lot easier to use bluer T5 bulbs and use your LED's to "whiten" the tank up versus the other way around. Most people already like to run their LED blues at max % or use pre-set programs that have the various blue channels maxed out, while usually the white channels, green, and red channels are typically not maxed out. Thus, you have a lot more "un-tapped" wattage in the LED's to go whiter. Plus, it takes A LOT more blue LED's to compensate for a whiter T5 bulb. A blue plus and a coral plus bulb or two blue plus bulbs would both be good choices with your radions.

 

[atoll]

Am thinking
1 x ATI True Actinic (I know it won't look bright but believe the true actinic will benefit the corals more)
1 x Korallen Zucht Super Blue

 

[jda]

You can get some color out of the coral with a True Actinic that will not show up with other bulbs. It can take 4-6 weeks for the pigments to appear. I do not have any experience with KZ Super Blue - sorry.