Choice for T5

[Fredm]

Hello !!

I mount (back) my T5 ramp. It's a 8x39 on a 75g (100cm×60x50h). As it's a bit powerful i used 2 actinics. The others tubes are 4B+, 1C+, 1P+. I love the result, but some people said to me it's too blue for my sps and i shoud replace a B+ by a more white tube as AB special or C+. Do you think is must change or i can let the combo.

 

[clsanchez77]

I would say your choice, but if that photo is white balanced and accurately shows the true coloration, then I would add an AB+ myself...or to an AB+ and a C+. In fact, just get one of each so you can experiment with it.

When I setup my HO to supplement my LEDs, I added two fixtures, but ordered 5 bulbs, then mixed and matched until I found what I wanted.

 

[Fredm]

The picture is with less light and a bit more contrast... No adjustement for the with balance. I post a picture direct from the phone.

In fact if isn't wrong for the sps, it s good for me

 

[CoralWealth]

Looks like you have good growth and color so not sure if I would mess with anything.

I had 4 blue plus and 4 coral plus but I am switching to 6 blue plus and 2 coral plus, which I think a good amount of people run.

 

[clsanchez77]

What a difference a camera makes! Id leave it be. But, go ahead and grab an AB+ bulb anyway. You can experiment and if nothing changes and at least always have spare.

 

[JamesP]

I'm a fan of blue plus and purple plus. Aqua blue special is just too white for me. If you look at the bulb specs you will see that the coral plus and aqua blue special are almost the same, with the aqua blue special being a bit whiter. The purple plus is unique as it provides the reds without the spike in greens making it not look so white. My experience with a 50/50 mix of blue plus and purple plus is what I think looks best. Just my opinion.

 

[Fredm]

Thanks to all for your advice. I'm going to try with an Aquablue. I ran with an evergrow 2080 during 3 months and i'm not happy with the colour temperature. I'll make a point in 3 or 4 months to see the growth with T5....

 

[Fredm]

Last thing, the ramp is running full during 8h a day, do you think it's good ?

 

[Grey Guy]

I ran 2 actinic and 2 10k T5 tubes over my old 60 once and it seemed like you needed sun glasses or had to shade your eyes to look at it. You really can get a lot of light out of T5, but the expense of replacing them, cuases them to loose out to LED's. IMHO

 

[A. grandis]

I finally learned how to place multiple quotes! Thanks to one of the members!

Hello !!

I mount (back) my T5 ramp. It's a 8x39 on a 75g (100cm×60x50h). As it's a bit powerful i used 2 actinics. The others tubes are 4B+, 1C+, 1P+. I love the result, but some people said to me it's too blue for my sps and i shoud replace a B+ by a more white tube as AB special or C+. Do you think is must change or i can let the combo.

How amazing!! Those Acros are very happy now!!

I don't think it's too blue if you like it. They are fine!!!
Blue Plus is the very best you can offer to them.
I personally would have from front to back:
-------- FRONT ------------------
BLUE PLUS
PURE ACTINIC
CORAL PLUS
BLUE PLUS
BLUE PLUS
CORAL PLUS
PURE ACTINIC
BLUE PLUS
--------- BACK ----------------------

I wouldn't have Purple Plus nor Aquablue Special.
But this is only my opinion.
I've tested basically all the bulbs one can imagine and I change every year.
You can change and see what you like. Changing only one of 2 bulbs at a time won't hurt at all.

Last thing, the ramp is running full during 8h a day, do you think it's good ?

Yeah, it's very good!!!!
Are you kidding me?
My bulbs are only for zoas and they run 9 hours a day.
You can choose to have only the actinics for 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour before they go out at night.
But that is only if you want.
I see no benefits to that besides exposing pigments and possible stimulation of spawning, specially in a set up with moon cycle...

Have fun! Your system is totally fine!
Thanks for posting here!
Great Acros!
Aloha,
Grandis.

 

[TonapahNorth]

-------- FRONT ------------------
BLUE PLUS
PURE ACTINIC
CORAL PLUS
BLUE PLUS
BLUE PLUS
CORAL PLUS
PURE ACTINIC
BLUE PLUS
--------- BACK ----------------------

Aloha,
Grandis.

This is the exact set of bulbs I use. I have the second channel (center 4 bulbs) ramping later than channel 1 (outer 4). This allows for a nice transition from “moonlight” to “daylight” which is accomplished with the channel 2 Coral+ bulbs. C+ is a nice white look.

You’re doing good things. I wouldn’t change what makes you happy.

 

[Fredm]

Thanks for all your answers. I'm going to change my tank in 3 weeks. My new setup will be a 470L tank, 2 coral box QD16 running at 15v and 1 QD 8, skimmer omega 180. The light, will be an home made hybrid ramp, with a razor 300w and 4x54w of T5. .

 

[BigJohnny]

Hello !!

I mount (back) my T5 ramp. It's a 8x39 on a 75g (100cm×60x50h). As it's a bit powerful i used 2 actinics. The others tubes are 4B+, 1C+, 1P+. I love the result, but some people said to me it's too blue for my sps and i shoud replace a B+ by a more white tube as AB special or C+. Do you think is must change or i can let the combo.

There is no such thing as too blue for corals

 

[Fredm]

 

[BigJohnny]

How long has your tank been running and we're all acros grown from frags?

 

[Fredm]

most of them grow from frags in 2 years . But, i changed many times of light, i ran with razor, Hydra 26HD, Evergrow, and T5 finally.

 

[BigJohnny]

most of them grow from frags in 2 years . But, i changed many times of light, i ran with razor, Hydra 26HD, Evergrow, and T5 finally.

Very nice, always fun to tinker ; ) although not always best to switch as you know!

 

[Fredm]

yes i know..... the best growth was on evergrow and T5. It's for this reason that in the new tank, i'm going to mix T5 and led. If the resuts are not good, i'll use only the T5.

 

[A. grandis]

There is no such thing as too blue for corals

That's a strong statement that could make lots of people confused and making big mistakes when choosing their bulbs.
Too "blue" isn't that good for any scleractian corals, with zooxanthellae, in the long run. Actinic only shouldn't be a choice.
Even deep water corals don't survive with all actinic bulbs showing problems with growth and other health issues in the long run.
They actually need some "white" for their metabolism.
They all need some PAR too.
The shallow water corals you guys have there need some good balanced spectrum of blues and whites to thrive.
14K is a good color. Going up to 20K is very acceptable for the bluest you can get. Total actinic is too much.

Blue Plus has plenty actinic already and a very good PAR. That bulb could be a primary source of a bluer tank.

Grandis.

 

[BigJohnny]

That's a strong statement that could make lots of people confused and making big mistakes when choosing their bulbs.
Too "blue" isn't that good for any scleractian corals, with zooxanthellae, in the long run. Actinic only shouldn't be a choice.
Even deep water corals don't survive with all actinic bulbs showing problems with growth and other health issues in the long run.
They actually need some "white" for their metabolism.
They all need some PAR too.
The shallow water corals you guys have there need some good balanced spectrum of blues and whites to thrive.
14K is a good color. Going up to 20K is very acceptable for the bluest you can get. Total actinic is too much.

Blue Plus has plenty actinic already and a very good PAR. That bulb could be a primary source of a bluer tank.

Grandis.

Blue does not necessarily mean actinic. Actinic is a very narrow range of the total blue wavelengths/spectrum, and actually appears closer to purple to the human eye.
I said blue, not actinic.

Having said that, look at Jason fox's 400g cube, run only on blue reef brites and actinic blue t5s, one of the nicest tanks I've ever seen. Any blue bulb from a reputable manufacturer in today's aquarium industry contains sufficient spectrum to maintain and grow coral on its own (like the most popular, the blue plus).