Ati t5 go with 6 or 8 bulbs

Paolissimo · Jul 4, 2015

Hi guys
I decided to stop using LED and go back to t5. I want to use ati, because i have used them in the past with soft corals.
Right now i have a standard 75 gallon deep blue reef ready tank. Should i go with a 6 bulb fixture or an 8 bulb one? My tank is 80% sps.
Thank you
Paul

Reefing Madness · Jul 4, 2015

8 bulb would give you more color options. But you could run 6.

dieselkeeper · Jul 4, 2015

6 bulb is plenty for soft corals. Even good enough for SPS.

jeremy · Jul 4, 2015

I think an 8 bulb would hang over the front and back. I run 8 bulb sun power on my 120. It 24 inches front to back and more than enough for my tank. I would think 6 bulbs on a 75 would be perfect. How many inches front to back is your tank?

Paolissimo · Jul 4, 2015

My tank is 18" front to back and 20" high. I am mostly sps not soft corals. If i go with 8 would the first and last bulb be useless as the light would disperse in the front and back? Would 6 bulb be enough for sps?

kschweer · Jul 4, 2015

jeremy said:
I think an 8 bulb would hang over the front and back. I run 8 bulb sun power on my 120. It 24 inches front to back and more than enough for my tank. I would think 6 bulbs on a 75 would be perfect. How many inches front to back is your tank?

I agree. The 6 bulb would be a better fit for the tank than an 8 bulb. My 57 rimless is 18" also and I run a 6 bulb with everything from zoas to sps.

jeremy · Jul 5, 2015

My 8 bulb sun power is 17.5 inches wide. It would lite your hole tank over flow and all. It's recommended 1 bulb for every 3 inches of tank width. I think with the 8 bulb you would have too much light. 6 bulb will be plenty.

B.O.B. 2 · Jul 5, 2015

I'm running 6 bulbs as well on my sps tank. Mine is 24" wide and I'm getting plenty of light and good growth.

jeremy · Jul 5, 2015

A pic of mine over 24 inch wide tank.

Paolissimo · Jul 5, 2015

Hey guys thanks for the answers. I am gonna go with 6, but before i make the switch i am going to see if i can see actual pictures of sps tanks with 6 bulbs. My fear is that sps won't grow as fast at the bottom of the tank. Right now i have ai sol, and sps grow at the bottom of the tank without any problems.
Jeremy is that a reef brite strips you have on the outside of the ati fixture? Why do you use it?

kschweer · Jul 5, 2015

Paolissimo said:
Hey guys thanks for the answers. I am gonna go with 6, but before i make the switch i am going to see if i can see actual pictures of sps tanks with 6 bulbs. My fear is that sps won't grow as fast at the bottom of the tank. Right now i have ai sol, and sps grow at the bottom of the tank without any problems.
Jeremy is that a reef brite strips you have on the outside of the ati fixture? Why do you use it?

In my tank with 6 bulbs I have a milli on the sand bed that does great. I also have a reefbrite strip on my fixture. It definitely adds some "Pop" to the colors.

AsphaltPays · Jul 5, 2015

I would go with an 8 bulb if you upgrade you don't need a new light if it is to much you can remove a bulb I had an 8 bulb over my 90g and it grew sps like weeds but alot of light spill

jeremy · Jul 5, 2015

Yes it's a reef brite. I use it for the actinic pop from the royal blue leds. It runs 30 minutes before and after main lifgts just more for my benefit I like the royal blue led.

jeremy · Jul 5, 2015

You can't just remove a bulb. They are wired so 2 bulbs on 1 plug and 4 on the other. I think it's position 2 an 5 on one and others on the other. You could rewire but what ever works.