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Coral Vue Hydros

T5 bulb advice


RK_tek

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I currently run an AI sol over my 27g. 32x14x14. The corals have lost color and just are not as vibrant as they were when I ran a halide for a while. I have been thinking about adding a retro kit with 2 t5 bulbs. My tank is a peninsula so I would like the bulbs to be the same so I dont have two different colors on either side of the rockwork. I was thinking ATI Coral plus. I can supplement blues with the Sol so I dont need 'super actinic'

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I placed an order for a t5 retro with reefgeek. Who is now out of business. I placed my order one evening and the next day their site was shut down. I'm now on the hunt again for a t5 retro system and I need advice on which one to buy.

 

I would like a smaller footprint ballast as space is limited under my stand. I'm not hanging the ballast with the lights.

 

The Fulham workhorse ballasts seem to fulfill criteria 1, but I have read that they are lower end/not a quality part. The biggest expense for this is the ballast, so I'd like something that is at least high quality if not top of the line

 

I need bulb recommendations. I had ordered 2 coral plus bulbs but since they are not coming now, I am open to suggestion. My goals are for better color(in the coral itself, not glowing bc it's all actinic) and growth. I have an AI sol and everything has just faded under it so I'm hoping the retro can help with that. I will be running the t5's while I'm not home so I really don't care if they make the tank look awful as long as they are helping the coral

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jedimasterben

Whatever you do, stay as far away from Workhorse ballasts as possible. BRS sells the same LET Miro4 kits with HEP ballasts that Reefgeek did. It's crazy that they're just gone now. :(

 

Coral Plus for bulbs, definitely.

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I believe premium aquatics has an ati hybrid fixture.

My vote is for blue+ on the bulbs for that icy look. Purp+ is cool as well, less icy

Just looked and couldnt find it. They do have a hybrid mh led light. Sucks reef geek closed.

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jedimasterben

My vote is for blue+ on the bulbs for that icy look. Purp+ is cool as well, less icy

OP is wanting to fill in the gaps that the AI fixture is missing, the Blue Plus is not very well suited for that. The Purple Plus look bad as standalone bulbs.

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Jedi is right. I'm adding t5s to my LEDs but for better growth. BRS is out of stock, but salty supply has them in stock. I'm waiting for a reply on what ballast they use before ordering

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Salty supply uses HEP ballasts, so I ordered their 2x24 kit and ATI coral plus lamps. Hopefully I can get them running this weekend.

Thanks to everybody for their input, I'll post some pics when it's running

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