ATI Sunpower 48" 8 Blub (non-Dimmable.)

[Rob&Gab]

So im finally about to get a fixture for the tank in the basement Its 48x24x12 Shallow tank with a 1.5-2" aragonite/ crushed coral sand bed. Has 20 anemones 5 rosebubble tips, the rest are rock anemones. 3clown fish, 1 blenny, 1 6Line. the other half of the tank is were some of my zoas are sitting 6" below the water right now.


Current fixture is A TEK 48" 4 Bulb sitting 19-20" above the water. My reflectors are shot beyond belief. Thats why im upgrading to this ATI 8 Bulb Brand new gonna be ordering this week i think, i am only gonna be running 6 bulbs for a few weeks to light adjust everything. Keeping at the same height as the other fixture. gonna be only using the inner 6 bulbs and not using the outer bulbs,


any input that i should be doing when i switch these lights i no from a 4 bulb to a 8 bulb with the shallow tank is a bit much no? i no the bubbles and anemones wont mind But i wouldn't wanna burn my zoas out.



Bulb setup gonna be. keep in mind im not using the 2 outter bulbs. only 6 inner for now.


Blue+ Not in use as of right now.
Blue+ Running
Purple+ Running
Blue+ Running
Blue+ Running
Purple+ Running
Blue+ Running
Blue+ Not in use as of right now.

If i do runn all 8 Bulbs should i raise the light another 2" so it would be a total of 22" above the water? SHould i stick with my plan?, just run 6 for now and then wait a few weeks and then blast them with the 8bulb?

any tips hints with you ATI T5 users would be much appreciated.

-Rob.

 

[Rob&Gab]

0 views and comments soon enough someone will stumble on this and help me out with some input.!

 

[Ianfaulk]

I would just do a 6 bulb and save the money, because a 6 bulb is plenty of light. I currently am using 6 bulb ati fixture, but I'm trying out red sea bulbs this time and I like the color better with these bulbs. Here is the layout of both front to back:
ATI- 2 blue+, 1 Fiji purple, 1 aqua blue special, and 2 blue +.
Red Sea- 2 reef-spec actinic, 1 reef-spec pink, 2 reef-spec actinic, 1 reef-spec bluewhite.

 

[McAllyn]

8 bulb might be a little overkill with just some zoa, but you'd be able to grow anything else you'd want in there.

Upgrading from a 4b Tek with not-so-great reflectors to an 8b ATI will definitely take some acclimation time. The ATI ballasts really push the bulbs to the max and their reflectors are spectacular. Start pretty high up and work your way down. Your zoas will tell you when you're close enough.

Mac

 

[Rob&Gab]

thats why i was thinking about only using 6 out of the 8 bulbs for right now. And haveing the 8 bub for the future is good for me cause i might be upgrading next year or something like that.

its gonna be hung using only 6 bulbs at 22" 2" above what there at right now. then ill give it a month or so to start kicking on the 8Bulb if i have too.

 

[Rob&Gab]

I would just do a 6 bulb and save the money, because a 6 bulb is plenty of light. I currently am using 6 bulb ati fixture, but I'm trying out red sea bulbs this time and I like the color better with these bulbs. Here is the layout of both front to back:
ATI- 2 blue+, 1 Fiji purple, 1 aqua blue special, and 2 blue +.
Red Sea- 2 reef-spec actinic, 1 reef-spec pink, 2 reef-spec actinic, 1 reef-spec bluewhite.

Money is not the issue the 8 bulb will be brand new, and on top of that when i upgrade the display i wont have a need to buy another fixture so i am saving money in the long run. im only gonna be running 6 out of the 8 bulbs for now.

 

[MBG75]

Pretty sure if you don't run the outer bulbs, ones next to it won't light.

The 2 bulb channel is the 3&6 slots on a 8 bulb unit

 

[Rob&Gab]

well we will find out monday when iget it and fire it up. cant wait TO open this bad boy up ! been waiting a week ground shipping from CALI.

 

[MBG75]

You could run pure actinics in the other slots. They don't put out much par.

 

[Eric81]

That is definitely plenty of light! I currently run an 8 bulb 36" ATI fixture on my 120 (48x24x24) and it is plenty of light. I grow anything from SPS, Clams, to zoas at the very bottom and sides. Might want to check into a 36" if you find that the 48" is too much light. My 36" covers the length of my tank very well and allows me to put some lower light corals on the edges.

 

[Rob&Gab]

its gonna be going on the 48" SHallow, zoa DOm and Anemones. 48x24x12H so if i have any problems i will figure it out. 0.o any info helps guys!

 

[MBG75]

Run the fans on 9v to prolong bulb life

 

[jeremy]

I think you should be ok running all 8 bulbs just shorten photo period. Run 2 blue plus for like 10 hours and run the six bulb channel for like 5 hours to start and slowly add time to 6 bulbs over like a month or so. I have an 8 bulb sunflower and run 6 blue plus and 2 coral plus and fixture is 10 above water with 24 inch deep tank and par readings on sand bed are 225 to 280. You could also run some low par pure actinic bulbs that may help also. Hope that helps.

 

[Rob&Gab]

But mine is a 12" deep tank. lol the light is gonna be hanging 22" above the water. for safty. my 4 bulb right now is 19 " above the water.

 

[Viperdoug]

I have the 36" ATI 8 bulb. I have it over a 48" wide x 12" deep tank. Personally, it is too much light. I had it hanging 18" above the water and it was bleaching out corals rapidly. Be careful with yours and definitley don't start out running all 8 bulbs. I don't think you will ever need them.

 

[MBG75]

I run an 8 bulb dimmable on my 75. 8" over water. Some LPS have lightened, but everything else is fine.

 

[jeremy]

If you can maybe run 2 bulbs dusk-dawn then have those shut off and the other 6 for daylight come on. With 6 bulbs its still gonna be a lot a light. But hanging it that high will definitely help. You may still want to run lights a little shorter period for acclamation. When I switched from a current nova to a sunflower I had to shorten photo period and raise light to 12 inch above water and slowly lowered it over a month and all my corals acclimated well.