What color t5

[jda]

Again, not really. Old bulbs have taken the blame for this for years, but they get old about the same time that bad maintenance starts to manifest and aragonite starts to get bound-up with phosphate and water level starts to climb. You can find some study that might show that more red light can increase some algae growth by some small percentage, but all new bulbs will also have enough of that spectrum to grow it too, so if you have enough with new bulbs, then more with older bulbs (if even) is inconsequential. Algae issue are from excessive building blocks and lack of flow.

Daylight bulbs do have more energy and output, which in it's self can grow stuff faster... but it is the quantity not the spectrum. Daylight bulbs grow coral and coralline faster too.

If people truly did think that old bulbs and more daylight spectrums grew algae better, then why would they not want to use these over their corals since the algae in their tissue would also benefit?

 

[Hitman]

6500k is the color that most coral get in nature under the water. They will usually render the best color and growth, but are most people do not like to illuminate with them alone and mix them with actinics or other bluer bulbs.

There is enough red, yellow and green to grow any algae in even the bluest bulb - daylight bulbs growing too much algae is a long-repeated fallacy about algae and lighting.

Can bad(old) lights cause red slim growth

Again, not really. Old bulbs have taken the blame for this for years, but they get old about the same time that bad maintenance starts to manifest and aragonite starts to get bound-up with phosphate and water level starts to climb. You can find some study that might show that more red light can increase some algae growth by some small percentage, but all new bulbs will also have enough of that spectrum to grow it too, so if you have enough with new bulbs, then more with older bulbs (if even) is inconsequential. Algae issue are from excessive building blocks and lack of flow.

Daylight bulbs do have more energy and output, which in it's self can grow stuff faster... but it is the quantity not the spectrum. Daylight bulbs grow coral and coralline faster too.

If people truly did think that old bulbs and more daylight spectrums grew algae better, then why would they not want to use these over their corals since the algae in their tissue would also benefit?

There is a complete difference is energy, PAR and PUR. You can have 500 PAR but 0 PUR and you will NOT grow corals. If you do it have the correct spectrum and 6.5k is not one in my opinion you will not have good growth. Your 6.5k is for your viewing pleasure not growth. I bet if you removed your 2 GE 6500 bulbs and replaced them with 2 ATI Blue + you would have better growth. Or is you like the whiter look replace them with 2 ATI Coral + bulbs either way I bet your growth will increase

 

[the3rd]

Ok my frogspawn and duncan both die. But soft Coral I'm doing great

 

[Hitman]

How's the flow in your tank? What are your parameters? Those corals all like medium to strong flow and moderate lighting and on the dirty side for water.

 

[Bpb]

There is a complete difference is energy, PAR and PUR. You can have 500 PAR but 0 PUR and you will NOT grow corals. If you do it have the correct spectrum and 6.5k is not one in my opinion you will not have good growth. Your 6.5k is for your viewing pleasure not growth. I bet if you removed your 2 GE 6500 bulbs and replaced them with 2 ATI Blue + you would have better growth. Or is you like the whiter look replace them with 2 ATI Coral + bulbs either way I bet your growth will increase

That has absolutely not been my experience

 

[jda]

You might need some more experience. If you cannot grow and color coral with a 6500k bulb, then you are doing something wrong. I think that you might have misunderstood something that you read along the way.

 

[the3rd]

The parameters are fine the frog spawn sucked in cuz flow I think and Duncan red slim got on it and choked it out

 

[the3rd]

And are led better then t5 or no

 

[Hitman]

And are led better then t5 or no

Better I don't think so. Will a led / t5 combo hit the mark yes per all the newer studies.

 

[Hitman]

You might need some more experience. If you cannot grow and color coral with a 6500k bulb, then you are doing something wrong. I think that you might have misunderstood something that you read along the way.

Ya I guess 30 years growing beautiful corals gives me zero experience. Have a nice day I'm done talking to you. I'm here to help someone that is asking for help not argue with someone that thinks he knows it all and his way is the only way. Good day.

 

[Sea MunnKey]

Personally for T5’s I like ATI Blue+ they have a great spectrum for lps and make them pop. In a 6 fixture I would run 4 ATI Blue + and 2 ATI Actinics if you like a lot of blue, if you want a nice blue hue mixed with a bright white then I recommend 4 ATI Blue+ and 2 ATI Coral+

Yeah that's what I got for my 6 x ATI T5 light fixture ... 4 x ATI Blue Plus & 2 x ATI Coral Plus. I'm getting growth on everything. I'm due for new ATI bulbs replacement & contemplating on MH on my sps island.

 

[Bpb]

Ya I guess 30 years growing beautiful corals gives me zero experience. Have a nice day I'm done talking to you. I'm here to help someone that is asking for help not argue with someone that thinks he knows it all and his way is the only way. Good day.

I can’t argue what you’ve experienced personally and you have some years on me. But in my own tanks, I’ve gotten dramatically faster growth with more 6500 tubes than with more blue+ tubes. When I ran halides I had much faster growth using xm10k bulbs than I did with radiums. This isn’t limited to acropora only. It translates over to mushrooms and lps as well. Every coral in my tank performs better under a more natural spectrum with a warmer kelvin

 

[Hitman]

I can’t argue what you’ve experienced personally and you have some years on me. But in my own tanks, I’ve gotten dramatically faster growth with more 6500 tubes than with more blue+ tubes. When I ran halides I had much faster growth using xm10k bulbs than I did with radiums. This isn’t limited to acropora only. It translates over to mushrooms and lps as well. Every coral in my tank performs better under a more natural spectrum with a warmer kelvin

Oh no question that 10K halides grow corals fast. It remember the spectrum of halides and T5's are a different world. Back in the day I only ran 10k halides and everything grew like weeds! The only explanation I can give for your growth is the mix of spectrum which would be the same as adding a ATI Coral Plus like I mentioned above. Look at the big boys with grow out tanks wwc, Jason Fox, Tidal Gardens, etc etc that run blue and blue only. The results are undeniable. With that said we all know every tank has different parameters and runs different. What works for 1 may not work for others at all. Lighting can be a game of chess.