T5 Lighting - Combination of bulbs??

F

FranktheTank

Premium Member
Hi, I have a good thread going on swf.com but I wanted to get some opinions here as well.

I will be planning to buy 2-Ice Cap retro fit kits with 6 bulbs each for my 135g (72x18x24). So 12 bulbs total.

I plan to keep SPS, clams, zoo's & rics in this tank. I want to put these anywhere in the tank... no restrictions. Thus why I am purchasing the Ice Cap because they are "overdriven" to VHO.

Now my question is... I like a bluer tint to my tanks. I don't want pinks and oranges or yellow hues to the water. I planned to get a combination of ATI and UV bulbs in a combination kind of like this...

True Actinic
Blue Plus
12k
Blue Plus
14k
True Actinic

One quetion I have is... is that enough daylight bulb? Remember there will two of these combinations (6 bulbs on each half of the canopy). I was staying away from the 10k and lower to not get the yellow, pink or orange.

Sometimes I'm confused as to how much life benefit actinics or blue plus bulbs give to corals. Would this combination be good enough for the corals I desire to keep?

I am attempting to get the flourescents to "pop" out at you under the daylight bulbs too. Kind of a blue ocean look.
 
Here's what I'm planning on my 60g cube. I like a bluer tank as well, but I want growth and some coral 'pop' as well.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Aquablue
ATI Aquablue
ATI Procolor
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus

You can PM The Grim Reefer on RC, he's the T5 expert.
 
Chris, I presume you're doing a retro kit... Do you mind sharing where your going to get your bulbs and kit? I'm thinking about running T5's instead of my 250w MH (20K XM).
 
Sure Bill. I am running a retro kit.

I got the Icecap SLRs and endcaps from Aquarium Specialty. I got 2 of the ballasts and the lamps from Reef Geek. I am trying to find a pair of 24w dimmable ballasts that will work with my Profilux. So far, I have found some that work, but they are $130 each. Not really feeling that too much. I have heard that Icecap and Fauna Marin are coming out with some around the new year.
 
@chrisrush wrote:
Here's what I'm planning on my 60g cube. I like a bluer tank as well said:
I don't think you're going to get too much of a blue look with that set up. All those daylight bulbs together in the middle will create a stripe in your tank. I would break some of those up with some actinics.

What is RC?

I guess mine would be

ATI True Actinic
ATI Blue Plus
UV Actinic White (12k)
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aqua Blue (14k)
ATI True Actinic

I'm just worried that I might need to sub in one more Actinic White or Aqua Blue for a Blue Plus. I don't know if that's enough "daylight" bulbs or not for what I want to carry?

Anyone?
Click to expand...
 
@FranktheTank wrote:
[I]@chrisrush wrote:[/I][quote="Here's what I'm planning on my 60g cube. I like a bluer tank as well said:
I don't think you're going to get too much of a blue look with that set up. All those daylight bulbs together in the middle will create a stripe in your tank. I would break some of those up with some actinics.

What is RC?

I guess mine would be

ATI True Actinic
ATI Blue Plus
UV Actinic White (12k)
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aqua Blue (14k)
ATI True Actinic

I'm just worried that I might need to sub in one more Actinic White or Aqua Blue for a Blue Plus. I don't know if that's enough "daylight" bulbs or not for what I want to carry?

Anyone?"]

Sorry, RC is Reefcentral, another reef board.

If it gives me a stripe in the middle of the tank, then I will move the lamps around. That's the beauty of T5s.
Click to expand...
 
No doubt about it Chris. Thanks for the heads up on RC. I do swf.com too.... I don't know if I can keep up with a third board, lol.

What do you think about my 6 bulb config? Any thoughts?
I think it's going to blue... but I think what I will do is order a few extra bulbs and try a few different configs. Then save the left overs for when I need to change bulbs.

Yea, after talking with someone... I think it would be better to do this:

ATI True Actinic
UV Actinic White (12k)
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aqua Blue (14k)
ATI True Actinic
UV Actinic White (12k)
 
Your best bet is to go to the lighting section on reef central. Like Chris stated the Grim Reefer is very experienced with the color and orientations on the T5 bulbs. Tell him what you are looking for and he will point you in the right direction. :)
 
Thanks... I have registered at RC and posted. I am FranktheTankTx at RC since there is shockingly another FranktheTank in the reefing community!!
 
Good luck Frank.

There is a large (1000+ posts) thread in the Lighting, Filtration section of RC that goes into T5s. Tons of knowledgeable folks on the thread talking about ballasts, reflectors, lamps, etc. Post your question and you'll have an answer in a few hrs. Very similar to the Zoltar Machine from the movie Big.
 
Thanks Chris!

The Grim Reefer kind of liked my set up, but made the suggestion to swap out all 12k bulbs for more 14k bulbs. He suggested....

ATI Aqua Blue (14k)
UV Super Actinic
ATI Aqua Blue (14k)
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aqua Blue (14k)
ATI Blue Plus

I can see how I will probably like this config... I think I might buy an extra UV Super Actinic and see if two Super Actinis look better or two Blue Plus do.

RC looks like a nice community.
 
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