Advice on my lighting and schedule

[Graphicsplus]

Hey all,

I have been posting the past few months as my reef matures. It is still a baby at only 9 months and I need to take a hard look at my lighting.
I currently run
Lights 4 bulb HO T5 36" 2 Super Blue Actinic 460 & 2 12000k Super daylight

I turn the blue on around 11:30-12:00 each day and then add the whites around 1:30-2:00. I run both blue and white until 6:00 p.m. and then turn the whites off, leaving the blue on until 8:00 ish.

All bulbs are different age as when I set up the tank i didn't know any better. I started replacing the bulbs one at a time and now all 4 are within 4 months to 2 months old.

Are my Blue Actinic 460 adequate? Should I be looking at higher end bulbs or maybe a different spectrum? Current brand is Wave Point.

Anyway any suggestions would be appreciated.
Here is the tank inhabitants etc...

65G
Sal 1.026
Alk 9
Ca 420
Nitrates --next to 0
PO4 - .4
temp -78
Mag-?

Equipment
Lights 4 bulb HO T5 36" 2 Super Blue Actinic 460 & 2 12000k Super daylight
HOB Biowheel Filter with standard carbon inserts
Eshopps HOB PSK 75 Skimmer
2 Jebao RW-8 powerheads with wireless Aqualink wave
30-40 lbs live rock

Livestock:
1 - 2 1/2" sailfin tang
1 - 1 1/2 "Clown
1 - 2" Blue Tang
2 - Firefish
1- 1 1/2" Banggai Card
1 - 2" Watchman
2 - tiny neon Goby
2- CB about 2"
1 - Peppermint Shrimp

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

how are the corals? thats the endrun question without overthinking the matter.

and yes, if you like the t5 replace with higher end bulbs. The market is dropping out and $75 bulbs are 30 now.

if you want your mind bent a little, here's a convo for you. It applies to the science of photosynthesis, not just led.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/adjusting-leds-with-a-meter.246540/#post-2895979

also
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/confuse-about-intensity-and-spectrum.231543/#post-2708242

 

[Graphicsplus]

Just what I needed....more reading lol.
Corals grow in small spurts but has been very slow. I'll see growth and then weeks go by and nothing. I was thinking of adding some violet/blue switching out only one of the 460 blue? Should I run 3 blue and 1 white or 3 white and 1 blue or leave it as is?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Just what I needed....more reading lol.

Thats reefing! No simple answers.
Assuming good food and parameters, better quality tubes do make a difference. Color is kinda IMO species specific. I do like the get the color where it looks good to you theory. The animals are adaptable to a point.

My "Brick Red Monti" (as was sold but is brown really), and had for a year, just went from brick red to sea foam green and exploded in growth. I changed the 20k mh to 14k.

No other corals responded to the change.


and again quality tubes.

 

[Graphicsplus]

Ok so what i am running now is the 2 Super Blue 460's and 2 super daylight 12000k. I would like to replace 1 of the super daylight with a purple. Will just the 1 daylight be enough for coral growth?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Color choice is kinda a matter of formed opinion based on research of others tanks and results. Also the astetc.
IMO largely depends as well on live stock as well and species depth.
Fwiw not knowing your animals. I'd go one blue one purple one 14 one 12. My wife would choose your colors.