Post your 4 Bulb T5 combo - tubes and visual result

[Giek]

I'm here asking for a 4 T5 combo advice, especially from current T5 users.
Yeah, I know there are probably other 10+ threads about the same question already and trust me I’ve read them, I’ve also looked at the ATI combos with the related expected color temp output.
But I feel there’s a missing element in each of them, in the form of a visual reference of the tank lit with that specific combo.
The point is that for someone like me, with 0 experience of T5 and being quite new to the hobby in general, knowing the color temp of a combo isn’t that useful, and tbh I don't even know for sure whether I’d prefer a bluish look to the tank or a whiter.
My idea is to create a database with:
- 4 bulb T5 combo
- tank picture of the result of the combo
It doesn’t matter if it’s a super common combo (2 B+, 2C+) or an unusual one, if no one has yet posted it, just update the database.
I hope this thread may be helpful to me as well as to everyone approaching T5 in the future.

Disclaimer: my original idea was to compare T5’s only, but given the popularity of LED/T5 hybrids, those will be greatly appreciated too.

 

[piranhaman00]

Images can’t accurately depict.

I always do 50/50 blue plus and ABS. Looks like best imo and covers all spectrum

 

[Dburr1014]

I'm setting up 2 blue+ and 2 coral+
4'

 

[cilyjr]

Images can’t accurately depict

This. The photos will not look like what they seem in person without editing.

 

[Big E]

blue+ coral+ alternating is my suggestion

Here are a ton of pics under this combo---

Build Thread - Big E Rimless 80g Sps

My Sps dominant reef is a work in progress , but here's some recent acro shots.

www.reef2reef.com

The bulbs were on a 660 ballast but throughout the thread there are many pictures under a six bulb Sunpower with the same combo and there isn't any difference in coloration of the corals.

 

[homer1475]

Keep in mind, bulb placement within the fixture will effect the way the color temp looks to our eyes.

Like putting a blue+ bulb in the first position(closest to our eyes) will make the tank appear more blue then say a purple+(whiter bulb) in the first position.

With that said, I run an 8 bulb with LED supplemental(ATI powermodule).

Front to back:

Blue+
Blue+
Purple+
True actinic
2 LED clusters set in a Blue+ spectrum with a bit more white added in
True actinic
Purple+
Blue+
Blue+

 

[Giek]

Keep in mind, bulb placement within the fixture will effect the way the color temp looks to our eyes.

Like putting a blue+ bulb in the first position(closest to our eyes) will make the tank appear more blue then say a purple+(whiter bulb) in the first position.

Thank you. Very helpful, I didn't know that!

 

[homer1475]

I played with bulb placement for a few months till I figured out a combo I liked.

Any combo of bulbs(assuming they are reef bulbs) will work, it's just whats pleasing your eyes, and the PAR output your looking for(white light brings more PAR then the equivalent blue light).\

While most of us certainly like the looks of corals in a mainly blue lit tank, most corals we keep in the hobby come from shallower waters and prefer some white light(all colors of the spectrum).

 

[piranhaman00]

I played with bulb placement for a few months till I figured out a combo I liked.

Any combo of bulbs(assuming they are reef bulbs) will work, it's just whats pleasing your eyes, and the PAR output your looking for(white light brings more PAR then the equivalent blue light).\

While most of us certainly like the looks of corals in a mainly blue lit tank, most corals we keep in the hobby come from shallower waters and prefer some white light(all colors of the spectrum).

Blue lit tanks are gross

 

[homer1475]

Blue lit tanks are gross

Couldn't agree more.

 

[Mr Fishface]

I'm a huge fan of more white lit tanks, if I remember right I used blue plus, coral plus, and purple plus. Can't remember the order (it's been a few years since I've used the t5) but I really liked the way it looked. I watched some you tube videos showing different bulbs and made a decision off that. May not have been exact but it gave me an idea of what they look like.

 

[exnisstech]

Disclaimer: my original idea was to compare T5’s only, but given the popularity of LED/T5 hybrids, those will be greatly appreciated too.

On one tank I have a Reef breeder photon 24 with a 4 bulb t5 running 2 C+ and 2 B+ I don't usually run all blue. I like a more natural look. I've read of people wearing orange glasses to look at their tanks. I'm sorry but to me that's kind of stupid because it just viewing a simulation not the real deal but to each his own.

LED only

LED with T5s. I run the t5s for 6 hours a day I think.

It's hard to capture with a phone camera but at least on my phone these colors are pretty close to what I see.