T5 bulb?s

[Muney Mun]

I just purchased a quad t5 fixture and was wondering what kind of bulbs to get and what color layout for LPS, SPS, & softie all in one 55g tank?

 

[Reefing Madness]

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/mi.../106806-im-drowning-all-lighting-options.html

 

[Muney Mun]

What color figuration should I go with in a 4 bulb t5 setup for all corals. 2-15k white + 2 actinic tru Blu or 2 actinic tru Blu+ 1 purple + 1 white 10k or 15k please help

 

[cmaxwell39]

It really depends on what you like your aquarium to look like. A popular combination for a 4 bulb setup is as follows:

Front:
ATI Blue+
ATI Purple+
ATI Aquablue special
ATI Blue+

If you like a little more blue look than that combination gives you trade out the Aquablue for a Coral+ (also by ATI).

All of these bulbs put out a good amount of par and as long as the fixture you are using has decent individual reflectors and is adequately cooled it should allow you to keep any corals you would like in a 55 gallon tank (assuming that you take care with where you place them.)

 

[Muney Mun]

Do I not need to have any whites in it?

 

[Muney Mun]

What about the t5 geisimian or however u spell it? The spec charts look like the put out more spectrum than the ati.

 

[cmaxwell39]

The aquablue is a "white" bulb. They list it as a 12K bulb and that seems to be fairly accurate. Also the purple+ is a pink/purple bulb that has plenty of "daylight" spectrum in it.

 

[Muney Mun]

What are the best brand if bulbs that you have used or know that someone has used.

 

[cmaxwell39]

Giesmann are good bulbs as well. The Actinic plus is about the same as the ATI Blue+, I can't remember what they call there bulb that is about the equivalent of the Aquablue Special, but they do have one. I don't think Giesmann has a bulb that would equate to the Purple+. I would suggest running one of these as it really helps your reds pop. IMO the tank looks "washed out" with out a purple bulb in the mix.

 

[cmaxwell39]

I prefer the ATI bulbs in general, but I have used Giesmann and some KZ bulbs in the past as well.

 

[Muney Mun]

Thanks for ur input because I'm going from a beamswork led to the t5 and haven't used anything besides that led. Also I'm using 10hr light cycle now should I cut that back a few hours when I swap to the t5

 

[cmaxwell39]

I would recommend it. Anytime I change lighting, or even change bulbs, I reduce my lighting time and slowly bring it back up to allow everything to adjust to the new lighting.

 

[Muney Mun]

Should I cut down to maybe 7 hrs and increase it maybe 1 hr every week. So for 7 days do 7 hrs then day 8 thru 14 do 8hrs and so forth until I get to 10

 

[cmaxwell39]

That would probably be fine. I might even cut it down to 5. When I change bulbs in my T5 setup I normally cut the photoperiod in half and increase an hour every 3 or 4 days. Sounds like you are on the right track.

 

[Muney Mun]

Thanks so much for the help I'm still considered a noob only had corals for 3 or 4 months

 

[cmaxwell39]

No problem. That's why we are here. Why are you switching to T5 from LED if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Muney Mun]

I bought a beams work led for a little bit over a 100 and I haven't got a par meter to c if its strong enough so I'm going with sumthing that is tried and tested like the t5s. I haven't seen much growth in my corals but I don't know if i should've because I'm still new and I haven't had them for many months so I just decided to buy the t5s and also use my led so I should have plenty of light now.

 

[cjrudy]

I have an SPS dominant tank and use ATI bulbs.

3 Coral+
3 Blue+