Advice on T5 bulbs

[IlliniCoastie]

So, I am building a new tank. I got a great deal on a new 57G RR Deep Blue rimless and stand.
I am currently ordering all of my equipment and re-working the stand to go with our décor.
I will be creating a build thread shortly.

Right now I have a 30G AIO with 2 XR15 Pro's, MP10, and a reeflink.

I just bought 2 more XR15's for my new tank but also got the Aquatic Life T5 Hybrid 36". I need some help picking the right bulbs. This will be a high end mixed reef DT. I would like to achieve a compromise between great viewing tank and great for corals. Any suggestions on bulbs would be greatly appreciated. I am open to all brands, including ATI, Hamilton.... I am not a fanboi.

 

[Crabs McJones]

So, I am building a new tank. I got a great deal on a new 57G RR Deep Blue rimless and stand.
I am currently ordering all of my equipment and re-working the stand to go with our décor.
I will be creating a build thread shortly.

Right now I have a 30G AIO with 2 XR15 Pro's, MP10, and a reeflink.

I just bought 2 more XR15's for my new tank but also got the Aquatic Life T5 Hybrid 36". I need some help picking the right bulbs. This will be a high end mixed reef DT. I would like to achieve a compromise between great viewing tank and great for corals. Any suggestions on bulbs would be greatly appreciated. I am open to all brands, including ATI, Hamilton.... I am not a fanboi.

There are three combinations I recommend.
Option 1 This will give you a whiter appearance to the tank with just the T5's on (recommended to me by a coral vendor)
(2) ATI Blue+
(1) ATI Coral+
(1) ATI Purple+

Option 2 This will be more on the blue side, and the actinics will make the corals really pop (Recommended by BRS)
(2) ATI Blue+
(2) ATI Actinic

Option 3 This will also make the corals pop, and be much more blue but can promote alot of growth
(4) ATI Blue+

Bear in mind that the radions can be used to fill in the absence of white light

I'm currently running option 3 with a 20K metal halide. I do like my tanks on the blue side. But everything is growing like a weed and seems to enjoy the lights

 

[jda]

I would run a pair of 6500k Daylight bulbs (GE 6500k or Giesemann Tropics) and a pair of good True Actinics. Then, use the Radions to adjust the color to your visual preference. The 6500k and Actinics have wave lengths that LEDs and some other T5s do not have en masse.

 

[IlliniCoastie]

There are three combinations I recommend.
Option 1 This will give you a whiter appearance to the tank with just the T5's on (recommended to me by a coral vendor)
(2) ATI Blue+
(1) ATI Coral+
(1) ATI Purple+

Option 2 This will be more on the blue side, and the actinics will make the corals really pop (Recommended by BRS)
(2) ATI Blue+
(2) ATI Actinic

Option 3 This will also make the corals pop, and be much more blue but can promote alot of growth
(4) ATI Blue+

Bear in mind that the radions can be used to fill in the absence of white light

I'm currently running option 3 with a 20K metal halide. I do like my tanks on the blue side. But everything is growing like a weed and seems to enjoy the lights

Thank you for the input Crabs. Ironically, my buddy from St Louis who has been reefing for over 30 years said the same exact thing. Except he specifically gave me the names of bulbs from different manufactures that will create the same exact effect. Well to be honest, initially he told me to sell those fancy LED's on ebay and get MH's, T5's, and a chiller.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Thank you for the input Crabs. Ironically, my buddy from St Louis who has been reefing for over 30 years said the same exact thing. Except he specifically gave me the names of bulbs from different manufactures that will create the same exact effect. Well to be honest, initially he told me to sell those fancy LED's on ebay and get MH's, T5's, and a chiller.

I went mh/t5 hybrid and never looked back
But t5 led is my #2
Give me 4 t5's with a kessil ap700 and crabs is a happy camper

 

[T-5unsystem]

I went mh/t5 hybrid and never looked back
But t5 led is my #2
Give me 4 t5's with a kessil ap700 and crabs is a happy camper

What T5 fixture do you use Crabs and what do you like/dislike about it?

 

[Crabs McJones]

What T5 fixture do you use Crabs and what do you like/dislike about it?

Are you referring to my MH/T5 hybrid? or my LED/T5 hybrid?

 

[madweazl]

ATI put together a pretty nice list with a video to illustrate what some of the different choices will look like. I like things on the "whiter" side and went with two Blue+, an AquaBlue Special, and a Purple+. Visually it would be close to what JDA suggested with the two 6500k and two actinics (what most of us used with VHOs back in the bad old days).

 

[T-5unsystem]

Are you referring to my MH/T5 hybrid? or my LED/T5 hybrid?

Didn't know you had both! Mostly just curious about preferences. Don't mean to hijack the thread though either...