Reefer_Madness October 20, 2015 Share October 20, 2015 Ok, I'll start this by saying I am an LED guy. All the T5 talk I have heard over the years has gone in one ear and out the other, but things have changed. Haha. I have setup a 48" ATI light over my new shallow reef project and I realize I have no clue what I am doing. It is a standard 6 bulb non-dimmable ATI fixture. Questions/advice needed: The fixture has two cords. One turns on 2 bulbs the other turns on the other 4 bulbs. I obviously have them on a controller. How do you guys have it setup? First the 4, then the 2 at "high noon" or 2 then 4? How many hours of each. Curious. I'm not sure what bulbs to use. I want good growth, but viewing is just as important. The shallow reef is aging to be a mixed reef but mostly SPS. The bulbs I have are Blue+ (3) Aquablue Special (2) Mid Day 6000 (1) Purple+ (1) I know that is 7 bulbs, but I just got the last one at QR. Any advice on bulb combo and light sequence would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDRDATA October 20, 2015 Share October 20, 2015 I ran my T5s on a 12-hour light cycle with the first bank (two, in this case) coming on for two hours, all bulbs for eight, and then back to the first bank only for the final two hours. Assuming your first bank is the two outermost bulbs, I would recommend the following sequence (front to back): 1: Aquablue Special 2: Blue Plus 3: Purple Plus 4: Midday 6000 5: Aquablue Special 6: Blue Plus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epleeds October 20, 2015 Share October 20, 2015 (edited) Ben It really depends on what your looking for. Do you want it more blue like a 20k set up or something like 15k. Also, are you mainly doing SPS or LPS. The two bulb plug is normally done for the dusk/dawn effect and the 4 bulb plug is for full daylight lighting. I would go with a Fiji purple and a blue + for the 2 bulb. For the other four, I would buy a mixture of bulbs which allow you to play with them to see what color you like the best. I love KZ bulbs, which are more expensive but I like how they make my tank look. I use a mix of superblue and 14k new generation with a Fiji purple. As for timing, I would run the 2 bulb fixture for 8-10 hours and the other four bulbs from 4-6 hours. So 2 bulbs come on at noon and shut off at 8pm The 4 bulbs come on at 2 and shut off at 6. You can also add a reef Brite to the front of your fixture to give it some pop too. Edited October 20, 2015 by epleeds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCReefer1964 October 20, 2015 Share October 20, 2015 Ben It really depends on what your looking for. Do you want it more blue like a 20k set up or something like 15k. Also, are you mainly doing SPS or LPS. The two bulb plug is normally done for the dusk/dawn effect and the 4 bulb plug is for full daylight lighting. I would go with a Fiji purple and a blue + for the 2 bulb. For the other four, I would buy a mixture of bulbs which allow you to play with them to see what color you like the best. I love KZ bulbs, which are more expensive but I like how they make my tank look. I use a mix of superblue and 14k new generation with a Fiji purple. As for timing, I would run the 2 bulb fixture for 8-10 hours and the other four bulbs from 4-6 hours. So 2 bulbs come on at noon and shut off at 8pm The 4 bulbs come on at 2 and shut off at 6. You can also add a reef Brite to the front of your fixture to give it some pop too. +1 but no matter what light you run. I t is the reefer that determines success. Get off your------- and start reefing !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjamaya October 20, 2015 Share October 20, 2015 This is what ATI recommends.http://www.atinorthamerica.com/faq.php Personally, I do blue plus, coral+ and 1 purple + but I'm still playing with combos. I haven't found a color that pleases the eyes. Find some used bulbs and play around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime October 20, 2015 Share October 20, 2015 Ben It really depends on what your looking for. Do you want it more blue like a 20k set up or something like 15k. Also, are you mainly doing SPS or LPS. The two bulb plug is normally done for the dusk/dawn effect and the 4 bulb plug is for full daylight lighting. I would go with a Fiji purple and a blue + for the 2 bulb. For the other four, I would buy a mixture of bulbs which allow you to play with them to see what color you like the best. I love KZ bulbs, which are more expensive but I like how they make my tank look. I use a mix of superblue and 14k new generation with a Fiji purple. As for timing, I would run the 2 bulb fixture for 8-10 hours and the other four bulbs from 4-6 hours. So 2 bulbs come on at noon and shut off at 8pm The 4 bulbs come on at 2 and shut off at 6. You can also add a reef Brite to the front of your fixture to give it some pop too. Another +1 to this. Great advice from EP. When I ran my bulb combos I took the advice of a reefer that I respect who said "start as blue as you can, and then work into the whites from there." I usually ended up with 6 blue + and 2 coral (ATI.) The coral + bulbs also incline towards a bluer spectrum. If you can afford it, I really would suggest a reefbrite (with blues) across the front. I used to have my reef bright come on first for a few hours in the morning, then my 2 coral + miday or afternoon, and not long after I'd hit the rest of the blue + bulbs on. Like EP said, it's going to depend on the color you want while you enjoy your tank. I found my best grow with the combo I mentioned above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HgrReefs October 20, 2015 Share October 20, 2015 Personally I would lose the AquaBlue Specials and replace with another Blue+ and a Coral+. IME, the AquaBlue Special washed out a lot of the coral's color. When placing your Purple+, sandwich it between to Blue+. Placing it next to a bulb with a spectrum closer to the white side like a 6500k or Coral+ also tends to wash things out IME. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefer_Madness October 20, 2015 Author Share October 20, 2015 +1 but no matter what light you run. I t is the reefer that determines success. Get off your------- and start reefing !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 October 20, 2015 Share October 20, 2015 Yea light grows stuff. Not sure why I jumped from LED to T5. Things do seem to be growing better but I also am making smarter decisions than a year ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefer_Madness October 21, 2015 Author Share October 21, 2015 Yea light grows stuff. Not sure why I jumped from LED to T5. Things do seem to be growing better but I also am making smarter decisions than a year ago What lights do you run? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefer_Madness October 21, 2015 Author Share October 21, 2015 Thanks for all the advice. I switched the MidDay 6000k for the Purple+ and it made a huge difference. Now I have decided to replace the 2 AquaBlue bulbs. Probably a Blue+ and something else. I'll switch the Blue+ first and see what I am missing. I have more than enough light for a 12" deep tank so I will go for coral pop now. 2 bulb dusk dawn will be a Blue+ and Purple+ 4 will be the balance of lights. Thanks for all the feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilRams October 21, 2015 Share October 21, 2015 I have a 6 bulb Ati. I run 2 Coral+, 1 Purple+, and 3 Blue+. Next go around I will switch the Purple out for another Blue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neto October 22, 2015 Share October 22, 2015 I have a 6 bulb ati as well and my next purchase would be 3 blue + 3 coral +. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 October 22, 2015 Share October 22, 2015 4 blue plus. One aqua blue special and one purple plus is what I use. I had no idea what I was doing when I ordered and still don't but but its growing stuff which is nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefer_Madness October 22, 2015 Author Share October 22, 2015 4 blue plus. One aqua blue special and one purple plus is what I use. I had no idea what I was doing when I ordered and still don't but but its growing stuff which is nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefer_Madness November 6, 2015 Author Share November 6, 2015 OK. I like to think outside the box sometimes and break the "rules". Since most everything I read says that 6500k has the best SPS growth, but doesn't look the best, why don't people use the 6500k bulbs? It seems like you could do 2 6500k bulbs, 1 Purple+, 3 Blue+, and then boost up the blue with a Reefbrite XHO. Obviously I am not speaking from experience, but logically this sounds like it would work. I know that a lot of coral growers use the 6500k bulbs to grow coral, then move the frags to 20K to color up. Why not throw in some 6500k bulbs to give some extra growth? Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 November 6, 2015 Share November 6, 2015 Or make the whole thing 6500 while you are at work and run just the LEDs when you get home from work. I have always wondered that also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad908 November 6, 2015 Share November 6, 2015 OK. I like to think outside the box sometimes and break the "rules". Since most everything I read says that 6500k has the best SPS growth, but doesn't look the best, why don't people use the 6500k bulbs? It seems like you could do 2 6500k bulbs, 1 Purple+, 3 Blue+, and then boost up the blue with a Reefbrite XHO. Obviously I am not speaking from experience, but logically this sounds like it would work. I know that a lot of coral growers use the 6500k bulbs to grow coral, then move the frags to 20K to color up. Why not throw in some 6500k bulbs to give some extra growth? Thoughts? Because reef people love windex blue tanks. I have a T5/LED hybrid and run 2 6700k T5 bulbs. The overall color of the tank mixed with the LED's, is between 6700-10k. Very nice crisp white color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime November 6, 2015 Share November 6, 2015 OK. I like to think outside the box sometimes and break the "rules". Since most everything I read says that 6500k has the best SPS growth, but doesn't look the best, why don't people use the 6500k bulbs? It seems like you could do 2 6500k bulbs, 1 Purple+, 3 Blue+, and then boost up the blue with a Reefbrite XHO. Obviously I am not speaking from experience, but logically this sounds like it would work. I know that a lot of coral growers use the 6500k bulbs to grow coral, then move the frags to 20K to color up. Why not throw in some 6500k bulbs to give some extra growth? Thoughts? I think you should pioneer it and document your sucess. Or make the whole thing 6500 while you are at work and run just the LEDs when you get home from work. I have always wondered that also I used to do this with the Radions. Because reef people love windex blue tanks. I have a T5/LED hybrid and run 2 6700k T5 bulbs. The overall color of the tank mixed with the LED's, is between 6700-10k. Very nice crisp white color. I'm running the XHO 50/50 Reefbrite on the nano, and it's definitly in favor of the whites, with a little little liiiiiittttllllleeee bit of blues in there. OP, I'd like to see you run all ATI coral plus, and the same reefbrite I mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDRDATA November 7, 2015 Share November 7, 2015 If you want to give some of those ideas a try, I have the better part of a case of slightly used 6500K T-5s I got from another WAMAS member; you're welcome to a couple of bulbs, no charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thakki November 7, 2015 Share November 7, 2015 OK. I like to think outside the box sometimes and break the "rules". Since most everything I read says that 6500k has the best SPS growth, but doesn't look the best, why don't people use the 6500k bulbs? It seems like you could do 2 6500k bulbs, 1 Purple+, 3 Blue+, and then boost up the blue with a Reefbrite XHO. Obviously I am not speaking from experience, but logically this sounds like it would work. I know that a lot of coral growers use the 6500k bulbs to grow coral, then move the frags to 20K to color up. Why not throw in some 6500k bulbs to give some extra growth? Thoughts? Oh man! You were little late in breaking the rules I was following this thread and few others in ordering bulbs and decided to order these like 2 days back...4 blue+, 2 coral+, 1 purple+ & 1 aqua blue special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDRDATA November 7, 2015 Share November 7, 2015 Oh man! You were little late in breaking the rules I was following this thread and few others in ordering bulbs and decided to order these like 2 days back...4 blue+, 2 coral+, 1 purple+ & 1 aqua blue special. If it makes you feel any better, on Reef Central there's a ginormous thread on this subject with the primary guru being the "Grim Reefer" -- the combination is pretty close to the recommendations I got for my 8-bulb T-5 unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thakki November 7, 2015 Share November 7, 2015 If it makes you feel any better, on Reef Central there's a ginormous thread on this subject with the primary guru being the "Grim Reefer" -- the combination is pretty close to the recommendations I got for my 8-bulb T-5 unit. Oh really! Thats good. If you have the link handy can you please share? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDRDATA November 7, 2015 Share November 7, 2015 Oh really! Thats good. If you have the link handy can you please share? Thanks. The current link is http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2096816. It "only" goes back to 2011 (previous splits go back at least another five years), and the most recent posts are on Page 241 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thakki November 7, 2015 Share November 7, 2015 The current link is http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2096816. It "only" goes back to 2011 (previous splits go back at least another five years), and the most recent posts are on Page 241 . Indeed! 241 pages...wow! Thanks for the link...I will have to spend good amount of time to go through that thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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