ATi 8 bulb T5 selection

[A. grandis]

I used that and found removing a coral plus for a purple plus was much more desirable.

I've tried the Purple Plus twice and I just can't stand the pink. LOL!!!
The last try lasted only 2 or 3 weeks and I couldn't take it anymore... LOL!
I truly don't believe there is anything to take advantage in that rich purple/pink spectrum when comparing to other better bulbs. That is because I value the slots and want to offer the system with the best I believe without wasting slots.
All the other bulbs will give something richer to the corals in terms of spectrum IMHO.
So for now I still think Purple Plus is for pure aesthetics when comparing to Blue Plus or Coral Plus. Not for my tanks.
Aqua Blue Special has a touch of what we find in the Purple Plus and I already prefer the Coral Plus instead.
I guess it is also a matter of taste...
Grandis.

 

[A. grandis]

Coral Plus has the right amount of red IMO:

Purple Plus has a bit more and that is excess, not necessary, mostly for aesthetics (which is fine if you have no problems):

Grandis.

 

[rockskimmerflow]

Coral Plus has the right amount of red IMO:

Purple Plus has a bit more and that is excess, not necessary, mostly for aesthetics (which is fine if you have no problems):

Grandis.

That chart right there is the only reason I generally don't run the Coral plus bulb. It's a great mix of spectrums, but I just can't stand the green hue it gets once the phosphors age and the blue/violet punch is less prevalent. Seems too green to my eye after 6 months, but that's just my opinion. Always been a huge fan of the True Actinic, Blue Plus, and Purple plus for aesthetic reasons. In 8 bulb fixtures I like to run 1 - 6500k bulb and then populate the rest with 4 - Blue Plus and 3 - True Actinics. That's the blend that really makes me happy lately on 8 bulbs.

 

[A. grandis]

That chart right there is the only reason I generally don't run the Coral plus bulb. It's a great mix of spectrums, but I just can't stand the green hue it gets once the phosphors age and the blue/violet punch is less prevalent. Seems too green to my eye after 6 months, but that's just my opinion. Always been a huge fan of the True Actinic, Blue Plus, and Purple plus for aesthetic reasons. In 8 bulb fixtures I like to run 1 - 6500k bulb and then populate the rest with 4 - Blue Plus and 3 - True Actinics. That's the blend that really makes me happy lately on 8 bulbs.

You're right! After 6 months the bulb's spectrum changes. I actually think it gets pinkish, not greenish. I don't like much when it starts to change too. The reason I use and recommend the bulb is because of how good it is for the corals. I've used 1 and 2 Coral Plus bulbs for my 6 bulb fixture and both combos were good ones. Coral Plus brings the reds and greens on my polyps. One time I tried 4 Blue Plus to 2 Coral Plus and it was nice!!! Now I added the True Actinic to the combo and it's nicer!
I prefer to keep a Blue Plus or even another True Actinic in the combo than Purple Plus.
Grandis.

 

[olaggie01]

Did you get rid of the LEDs?

I’m getting rid of my Radion/T5 combo. Bought an Ati Led powermodule (the same one you bought from me)

 

[olaggie01]

I’m very much enjoying 4 B+, 2 TA, 2 6500k. But that’s probably a touch whiter than you’re wanting to go. The 6500k bulbs are absolutely dominant bulbs that are hard to tame.

That’s interesting. That’s a lot of yellow. I may add 1 6500k but I would think 2 would be too much. Monster PAR though

 

[juicemanatx]

I’m getting rid of my Radion/T5 combo. Bought an Ati Led powermodule (the same one you bought from me)

I didn’t buy it from you, you just showed me how it worked.

 

[Bpb]

That’s interesting. That’s a lot of yellow. I may add 1 6500k but I would think 2 would be too much. Monster PAR though

Honestly, having run Radiums in the past, this combo is REALLY close to what 250 watt Radiums look like on m80 ballasts. This is a 99.9% accurately white balanced photo of what that combo looks like for me

 

[Emery]

double post, sorry

 

[Emery]

My 120 recently finished cycling and I have a 6 bulb ATI fixture with 2 blue Reefbrite XHOs over it. I've been debating which bulbs to get for it so the timing of this thread is perfect. After watching the JFox videos on YouTube he screwed up my thinking on the coral plus bulb when he said he only runs blues and actinics. These are the three combos I've been thinking about, what are your thoughts?

Combo 1:
4 Blue Plus
1 Actinic
1 Coral Plus
2 Blue XHOs

Combo 2:
3 Blue Plus
2 Actinics
1 Coral Plus
2 Blue XHOs

Combo 3: (no whites because JFox threw me for a loop)
4 Blue Plus
2 Actinics
2 Blue XHOs

 

[A. grandis]

Combo 1.
Grandis.

 

[Kayvon]

I’m very much enjoying 4 B+, 2 TA, 2 6500k. But that’s probably a touch whiter than you’re wanting to go. The 6500k bulbs are absolutely dominant bulbs that are hard to tame.

I was thinking of this exact combo, but I went with 4TA, 3 B+, and 1 6500K. Is it too white? How's the growth?

 

[Bpb]

I was thinking of this exact combo, but I went with 4TA, 3 B+, and 1 6500K. Is it too white? How's the growth?

I posted a tank pic in post #28. I don’t think it’s too white at all. No the sps don’t “glow” like a lot of the Jason Fox and BigR coral pics do of all those different variety of rainbow tenuis, but I prefer a more natural overall hue of the tank. Makes the room look nicer and everything looks more real. I don’t care for the 1990’s blacklight poster/laser tag room look if that makes sense. I like my tank to look more like a real slice of the reef at 15-20 feet deep which I feel like this combo nails. It is also not deficient in any area of the spectrum.

 

[A. grandis]

I posted a tank pic in post #28. I don’t think it’s too white at all. No the sps don’t “glow” like a lot of the Jason Fox and BigR coral pics do of all those different variety of rainbow tenuis, but I prefer a more natural overall hue of the tank. Makes the room look nicer and everything looks more real. I don’t care for the 1990’s blacklight poster/laser tag room look if that makes sense. I like my tank to look more like a real slice of the reef at 15-20 feet deep which I feel like this combo nails. It is also not deficient in any area of the spectrum.

What is the 65K that you are using?
Grandis.

 

[BigJohnny]

@A. grandis
What bulb combo and order was your favorite on your 6 bulb t5?

 

[A. grandis]

@A. grandis
What bulb combo and order was your favorite on your 6 bulb t5?

I think the one that I like the most due to the growth and colors/pigments is the one with True Actinic bulb:

BACK -------------------
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Coral Plus
ATI True Actinic
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Coral Plus
FRONT -----------------

Please keep in mind that the order is related to the landscape you have and the blend of the spectrum so it will look homogeneous.
I was thinking of having 2 ATI True Actinic for next year's set, but I like the one I have now so much that I'm afraid to change and loose what I have. It's just amazing how it is...
I've got some Giesemann Aquablue Coral and Actinic Blue bulbs to try out coming on the mail and will see if I have the courage to do it. LOL! But I also got the same set in case I don't like the spectrum of the Giesemann's.
From my experience trough the years the main bulbs that I have to keep for my set is the ATI Blue Plus in the order above. Because I experienced the changes on pigmentation with the ATI True Actinic, it is definitely part of the main combo now. So the "white" bulbs are what I could change, if so. The ATI Coral plus has good values for the corals and brings up the reds/pinks, so that is nice too!!
The Coral Plus is a combination of Blue Plus (~50%), Aquablue Special (~40%) and Purple Plus (~10%). They call it a "15000K+".
Aquablue Special was used a lot a while ago with amazing results, but the Coral Plus came to stay IMHO.
There are other nice "white" bulbs in the market that will do great, I'm sure, but those are the ones I liked the most.

The beauty of T5s is that you can have the combo you want and they will basically work out in most cases. I would keep at least 1 "white" bulb per 6 bulb set. I had 5 Blue Plus bulbs with one Coral Plus before for a year and loved it. It is amazing what we can do with them! The corals, and in my case zoas, can adapt really well and will display different responses to each type of spectrum.

Grandis.

 

[Bpb]

What is the 65K that you are using?
Grandis.

I’m using the giesemann 6500k tropics

 

[TangingOut]

So in my hybrid setup I was using 3 blue plus and 1 coral plus along with my AI hydras, but I didn't like the aesthetics of the blue plus. I know, blasphemy since that is the darling bulb for T5 fans. To me it gave the tank a washed out and hazed/dull apearence. The slight bit of green/cyan didn't help.

I switched 2 blue plus to giesemann actinic blue, which is a similar bulb, and so far loving it. It's brighter and a crisper blue. Now what to do about the other 2 bulbs? I was thinking keeping the coral plus, but what about that remaining blue plus? I'm undecided between another giesemann actinic blue, a second coral plus, or a true actinic.

 

[olaggie01]

I ended up with 4 B+, 2 C+, 1 P+ and a TA.

Thinking about the following

Front

B+
C+
B+
TA

LEDs

P+
B+
C+
B+

 

[juicemanatx]

I ended up with 4 B+, 2 C+, 1 P+ and a TA.

Thinking about the following

Front

B+
C+
B+
TA

LEDs

P+
B+
C+
B+

Remember to think about your timing of which will turn on first and off first, etc.

Have mine from front to back B+,TA,C+B+, LED, B+,C+,B+,B+.

With my “actinic” set being first on/last off and my “white” set being 2nd on/first off.