T5 bulb help for a newbie

[austinl]

Hey everyone looking for some help on bulb choices for a 8 bulb ATI fixture.

I have scoured this and other forums to help my search, and I seem to keep coming across obviously various answers but what has eluded me is the elusive Diesel build that some were/are using.

I'd like to limit the choices to ATI bulbs as I am having a hard time finding KZ and Geisemann bulbs anywhere near me.

So if anyone know comparable builds from the ATI that would be helpful. But if the consensus is to go with a different bulb
I'll continue my search.

Love to hear your guys thoughts.

 

[cb684]

If really only using ATI:

Blue Plus
Blue Plus
Aquablue Special
Blue Plus
Blue Plus
Aquablue Special
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

If you decided to buy from other brands this would be better (IMO):

Blue Plus
E5 Blue Pop
Coral Light II - KZ
Blue Plus
Blue Plus
Coral Light II - KZ
E5 Blue Pop
Blue Plus

 

[chriscq]

I've been running this bulb combo for about a month and I really like the coloration I'm getting out of my corals. All ATI

Blue plus
Blue plus
Coral plus
Purple plus
Actinic
Blue plus
Blue plus

I also run a XHO reefbrite strip

 

[austinl]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Let's see a few more hopefully.

 

[cb684]

Check the last few posts of my 300 system. You will see that the corals are happy.

 

[40B Knasty]

I think I have something that might help with your research towards bulbs. I would just say stay away from bulbs with a red spectrum and yellow for algae growth. The True Actinic at 430nM could be arguably be one of the best bulbs on the market for Chlorophyll A & B which is produced between 400nM-450nM. I will just give you a heads up about the TA bulb. It does leave a muddy purple line down the live rock, but it is 100% great for the corals.

 

[austinl]

I think I have something that might help with your research towards bulbs. I would just say stay away from bulbs with a red spectrum and yellow for algae growth. The True Actinic at 430nM could be arguably be one of the best bulbs on the market for Chlorophyll A & B which is produced between 400nM-450nM. I will just give you a heads up about the TA bulb. It does leave a muddy purple line down the live rock, but it is 100% great for the corals.

Thank you sir....nice to see some par numbers thanks. Im guessing that's your bulb layout, the problem I have is finding Giesemann and KZ bulbs locally. I'm not even familiar with that lagoon bulb even from online vendors local to me that's not a listing.

Any idea what the ATI equiv of those bulbs are.

 

[40B Knasty]

Thank you sir....nice to see some par numbers thanks. Im guessing that's your bulb layout, the problem I have is finding Giesemann and KZ bulbs locally. I'm not even familiar with that lagoon bulb even from online vendors local to me that's not a listing.

Any idea what the ATI equiv of those bulbs are.

Actually I have JBJ Trinity 4x39w. ATI B+, C+, B+, TA. I just do a lot of research. Checkout 40B Knasty on YouTube so you can get an idea of what 2 Blue+ look like running and then all 4 bulbs running and checkout the muddy line left from the TA bulb. Also checkout Tidal Gardens part 1 & 2 ATI T5 review. Than gives some great direction to point a T5 user in and plays a color combo game so what you may choose to like is unbiased. That is in part 2.

 

[austinl]

Check the last few posts of my 300 system. You will see that the corals are happy.

I will thanks CB

 

[Fritzhamer]

http://www.atinorthamerica.com/faq.php

 

[40B Knasty]

Thank you sir....nice to see some par numbers thanks. Im guessing that's your bulb layout, the problem I have is finding Giesemann and KZ bulbs locally. I'm not even familiar with that lagoon bulb even from online vendors local to me that's not a listing.

Any idea what the ATI equiv of those bulbs are.

I have no clue of any equivalents to the bulbs. All I heard was Than, a man who is very reputable in the business and years experience excited about a bulb and what it could do. Common sense says to me get at least 1 True Actinic. Then I talked to my LFS guy. The ONLY person I trust to not point me in any wrong direction said,"so many people leave out the Actinic bulb and that is so stupid. It is the best bulb for health and growth." He has lead me this far into the battle. Not going turn my back on someone with 27 years of success. It is true. As soon as I put that baby in. Bam! Rastas went from 8 to 30 in 4 months and they are slow growers. Not anymore 5 grew in the last two weeks. That's insane with nitrates at 1ppm.
Today

 

[Fritzhamer]

Wow!

 

[austinl]

How does this sound?

4 ATI Blue +
2 ATI True Actinic
1 ATI Purple +
1 ATI Coral +

Also what would be a good order of bulbs and best combo for a dusk/dawn setting.

Cheers and thanks for the help guys.

 

[rossco]

I've been running this bulb combo for about a month and I really like the coloration I'm getting out of my corals. All ATI

Blue plus
Blue plus
Coral plus
Purple plus
Actinic
Blue plus
Blue plus

I also run a XHO reefbrite strip

Same combo I run, I just have them in a little different order

 

[40B Knasty]

How does this sound?

4 ATI Blue +
2 ATI True Actinic
1 ATI Purple +
1 ATI Coral +

Also what would be a good order of bulbs and best combo for a dusk/dawn setting.

Cheers and thanks for the help guys.

Go with what you think will work great for your visual aesthetics. You are pretty much covering all the spectrums. That Aqua Blue special a lot of people say it washes out colors. The Purple Plus has a high red spectrum I believe. Which is "believed" to be associated with GHA or most algaes. I will say 8 lights seems like over kill for a 70g. I have people say that about 4 bulbs for my 40B, but I use the 2 B+ as a base light all day and the C+ & TA for my ramp up hours from 9:15am-11:am & 4pm-6pm.