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T5 Bulb Ratings
- Thread starter diverrk
- Start date
there is a significant difference in colors once you replace stock bulbs with ATI mix as I did. no question asked. AO has ATI in stock, same price like reefgeek.com if you add the members discount and no shipping costs.
ATI, URI, Korallen Zucht and Gieseman are the more common bulbs I hear about being used. T5s let you play with the color so much depending on bulb configuration.
This is a great thread on the subject with a ton of pictures in the first 100 posts. http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=178954&st=0
This is a great thread on the subject with a ton of pictures in the first 100 posts. http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=178954&st=0
Holy Crap that Nano-reef thread was huge. Great information, but to me it's like a large menu at a great restaurant, I can't figure out what I want ;D.
So many choices, and it's kind of hard to tell from pics. Most cameras can't show true color IMO.
Here are a few combos that people had. Help me ???
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue+
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue+
2 x 24W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent by ATI
1 x 24W Super Actinic T5 HO Fluorescent by UV Lighting
1 x 24W Fiji Purple T5 HO Fluorescent by Korallen Zucht
Blue+
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Blue +
ATI aquablue special x2
ATI blueplus x1
KZ fiji purple x1
So many choices, and it's kind of hard to tell from pics. Most cameras can't show true color IMO.
Here are a few combos that people had. Help me ???
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue+
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue+
2 x 24W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent by ATI
1 x 24W Super Actinic T5 HO Fluorescent by UV Lighting
1 x 24W Fiji Purple T5 HO Fluorescent by Korallen Zucht
Blue+
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Blue +
ATI aquablue special x2
ATI blueplus x1
KZ fiji purple x1
Hey Diverk I have a picture posted on that thread. This is what I have:
Blue plus
Super actinic
Aquasun
Blue Plus
The color with all four bulbs on is perfect as far as blue goes. Im still trying to figure out the best combo since I just got my setup a month ago. People also say to ditch the straight actinic bulb and go with a blue plus because you get more par but I still like the look with the super actinic.
Any questions or if you want any pictures let me know.
Blue plus
Super actinic
Aquasun
Blue Plus
The color with all four bulbs on is perfect as far as blue goes. Im still trying to figure out the best combo since I just got my setup a month ago. People also say to ditch the straight actinic bulb and go with a blue plus because you get more par but I still like the look with the super actinic.
Any questions or if you want any pictures let me know.
Sorry for hitch hiking on with a digression.... Mods please to take this off the thread should you feel the need.
I had a question about the Current USA reflectors .. This is from the discussion that followed after the pics, in the link mentioned above [great one BTW]
However here is something I gathered from current usa website. ...
http://www.current-usa.com/novaextreme.html
Which of this is true? If the second one is and both have quasi-full individual reflectors, which one is brighter? I realise reflectors give you more bang for the electricity-bill-buck but is it a noticeable difference ?
Current could you please chime in ..
I had a question about the Current USA reflectors .. This is from the discussion that followed after the pics, in the link mentioned above [great one BTW]
However here is something I gathered from current usa website. ...
http://www.current-usa.com/novaextreme.html
Which of this is true? If the second one is and both have quasi-full individual reflectors, which one is brighter? I realise reflectors give you more bang for the electricity-bill-buck but is it a noticeable difference ?
Current could you please chime in ..
Diver, what are you planning to keep in the tank? Mostly SPS, LPS, softies, mix of everything? What type of "look" do you like? Do you like a blue look, bluish look, white look, yellow look? Will you grow many corals that have the ability to "fluoresce", that you want to "pop out" from your lighting?
If you can answer those questions, it'll be easier to determine which bulbs will do for you.
If you can answer those questions, it'll be easier to determine which bulbs will do for you.
gogol said:
T5s are all about the reflectors. Individual reflectors are what allows T5s to rival MH lighting in many applications.
Current's Nova Extreme line (the non-pro version) recently was switched to pseudo individual reflectors. It's one sheet that is bent around each bulb. IE: Instead of V V V V V it's more like VVVVV
JerseyWendy said:Diver, what are you planning to keep in the tank? Mostly SPS, LPS, softies, mix of everything? What type of "look" do you like? Do you like a blue look, bluish look, white look, yellow look? Will you grow many corals that have the ability to "fluoresce", that you want to "pop out" from your lighting?
If you can answer those questions, it'll be easier to determine which bulbs will do for you.
My tank is fully stocked right now. Everything is thriving with the stock lights, but just looking into options for different hues, if that's the right term.
Frogspawn, shrooms, Candy canes, Pocillipora, Monti spogodes, Zoas, Palys, Caps
diverrk said:
If it were me, I'd try the following combo:
Giesemann Pure Actinic 03
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blue Plus
If you like the "bluish" look, you could also try:
Giesemann Pure Actinic 03
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blue Plus
JerseyWendy said:
It looks like your going to end up with ATI. 1 special to 1 blue will give you a whiteish look, with a good amount of pop even tho its on the bright and white side. 2 of each of these will give the best par.
On the other hand if you perfer the blue look, 2 blues to 1 special is about right. 4th bulb could be whatever your tastes would like to enhance. Personally I like to see the coralines and reds and pinks more.
The only advise I can give on T5 bulbs is see them in person and decide what you like, if you can go see differant tanks that run differant combinations of bulbs it would be easier for you to decide which ones to get. Keep in mind everyones taste is differant and there is no wrong bulb combinations if the corals are healthy and you like the way your tank looks with them.