el_vulture619 Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Well I am going to order the 3ft/4 bulb fixture from fish need it for $99.....just do it! It has options for bulbs to get..what do you guys think? 1 white 3 blue 2 white 2 blue 3 white 1 blue 2 white 2 pink 3 white 1 pink Color temps for the whites: 67k 10k 14k 20k Time to get my 40b going!! Quote Link to comment
jSully Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 I haven't taken pics yet but to give you an idea of how it looks....You know all those coral pics you see posted by vendors online, and you say to yourself, "There's NO way those corals look that bright or that good in real life"? Well, under the 2 Blue+, 2 Fiji Purple combo, my corals really DO look like that. It's crazy. They really GLOW, there's some major fluorescence. BibleSue is here right now and she agrees with me, she thinks I should just keep this combo and not try to trade out the one Fiji Purple for the KZ Coral Light II. n33d picherz Quote Link to comment
lakshwadeep Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Weetabix is right. I got my first zoa colonies of my tank, and they look nothing like the PC lights from the LFS. Quote Link to comment
fishstick41 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 cool guys i cant w8 till i upgrade my lights to T5s =] Quote Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 I decided not to keep 2 Fiji Purples in my light combo. The corals glowed, but they glowed TOO much, kinda like they were radioactive or something. It was hurting my eyes looking at it. I can see how a 5 bulb combo like Masterbuilder's would work though, cause he has that extra Aquablue to balance it out. I'm still waiting to hear back from Aquarium Specialty on how to work things out so I get the bulb I ordered, but in the meantime I have 2 Blue+, 1 Fiji Purple, and 1 of the TRU 10k bulbs that the HelloLights discount fixture came with. It actually doesn't look bad at all like that. My coral colors still have some POP, esp greens and reds, but they don't look like they're from Outer Space anymore. Quote Link to comment
jSully Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 what happened to a picture reference for the rest of us? Quote Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 what happened to a picture reference for the rest of us? I'm sorry! I did take pics, but they didn't come out very good, not totally sure why. They weren't that sharp and didn't convey the colors very well. If you REALLY want me to, I can post what I took anyway... Quote Link to comment
dtfleming Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I still to need to finish my bulbs out. So Ill end up with: front ATI blue+ Giessman pure actinic k figi purple ATI blue+ aquablue special ATI blue + over the frag tank ATI blue plus k figi purple aquablue special ATI blue plus. Quote Link to comment
jSully Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) I'm sorry!I did take pics, but they didn't come out very good, not totally sure why. They weren't that sharp and didn't convey the colors very well. If you REALLY want me to, I can post what I took anyway... Well if you've got it easily accessable then yes, please upload. if not, no worries. I'm undecided between 2 ATI Blue+ and 2 fiji, or 2 ati blue+ w/1 aquablue and 1 fiji.. Edited January 8, 2009 by xtra0t Quote Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 Well if you've got it easily accessable then yes, please upload. if not, no worries. I'm undecided between 2 ATI Blue+ and 2 fiji, or 2 ati blue+ w/1 aquablue and 1 fiji.. I'll try to post the pics later tonight, I'm not at home right now. I would personally recommend the 2 ATI Blue+, 1 Fiji Purple, 1 Aquablue. That's what I'm gonna be doing myself. I talked to the guy at Aquarium Specialty on the phone yesterday and he said he was shipping my Aquablue out to me then, so I'm hoping to have that in by this weekend. I can give you a personal comparison between the two combos at that time. The 2 Fiji Purple, 2 Blue+ combo looks cool, but it doesn't look natural. Think of how your aquarium would look under a lighting combo that was half natural aquarium lighting and half blacklight, and that'll kinda give you an idea of the effect. It's a cool effect, but it looks kinda weird to keep it over an aquarium 100% of the time. Quote Link to comment
got2envy Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Can't wait for the pix weetie! I am hoping by the time the contest is over I will have a good idea of the bulbs I will order..I still want to add another power supply to seprate the 4 bulbs coming on at once Quote Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 Ok, I haz pichers. This is my 20L tank under a combo of 2 ATI Blue+ and 2 KZ Fiji Purple. Please remember that I told you these weren't very good pics. In real life it looks a little less blue and the "glow" effect is stronger. Seriously, the corals look mildly radioactive. Also, pls remember this tank is very new. I haven't arranged the rockwork or corals at all yet, everything is just in there. Quote Link to comment
el_vulture619 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 I hear some techno going on in the background when I look at those!! Anybody have some glow sticks?! LOL My fishneedit fixture is on the way! Soon Ill post some pics Quote Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 I hear some techno going on in the background when I look at those!! Anybody have some glow sticks?! LOL My fishneedit fixture is on the way! Soon Ill post some pics You see what I mean???? Quote Link to comment
fellbeast Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Got my new bulbs!!! Love the new look. the fiji makes my clown look sweet, along with anything red, purple, or blue. Before (Back) Current 460nm UVL 12k UVL Super Cactinic Current 460nm (Front) Now (Back) UVL 12k ATI Blue+ Fiji Purple UVL Super Actinic (Front) Quote Link to comment
jSully Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 I see what you meant weet. Thanks for the uploads. I'm anxious to see it with one less figi and +1 aquablue Quote Link to comment
Codeman Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Wow, thanks for the great info! I've been considering upgrading to T5HO, from my Current 2x18 Watt fixture. My only concerns are: 1. Can I get a fixture that will fit well on a 5.5G? (Or do I just need a bigger tank? ) 2. Is there a fixture with independent switches so I can get a dusk/dawn effect like I have now with the power compacts? Thanks again! Quote Link to comment
lakshwadeep Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 No, 24" is the smallest size where you can get a good selection of bulbs, and the 18" current lights are the smallest I've seen. Another option is a 70W MH; that's what dapellegrini has, I think. Complete fixtures should have independent switches. Retrofit kits and others will often have two cords, so you could get timers with them, which is more reliable than flipping switches yourself. Quote Link to comment
IMaNoob Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Wow, thanks for the great info! I've been considering upgrading to T5HO, from my Current 2x18 Watt fixture. My only concerns are: 1. Can I get a fixture that will fit well on a 5.5G? (Or do I just need a bigger tank? ) 2. Is there a fixture with independent switches so I can get a dusk/dawn effect like I have now with the power compacts? Thanks again! you can but you will be very limited on bulb choices. i think the smallest they make is 18" << very few Quote Link to comment
Codeman Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 No, 24" is the smallest size where you can get a good selection of bulbs, and the 18" current lights are the smallest I've seen. Another option is a 70W MH; that's what dapellegrini has, I think. Complete fixtures should have independent switches. Retrofit kits and others will often have two cords, so you could get timers with them, which is more reliable than flipping switches yourself. I have considered MH, but in most cases I'd need to retrofit or get a separate fixture for actinics. As is , its all on timers and I have the nice dusk/dawn effect going and I'd like to preserve it, but it seems that won't be easy, so I'll probably stick with my PC's until I inevitably get a bigger tank. Quote Link to comment
IMaNoob Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 I have considered MH, but in most cases I'd need to retrofit or get a separate fixture for actinics. As is , its all on timers and I have the nice dusk/dawn effect going and I'd like to preserve it, but it seems that won't be easy, so I'll probably stick with my PC's until I inevitably get a bigger tank. just move to a 10g. that is what i did. i couldnt really afford a whole new setup. everything i had in my 5.5 was enough for a 10g. gives you alittle more room while you save for a bigger tank. all i needed to do was replace the sand. now i am working on my 30g Quote Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 I see what you meant weet. Thanks for the uploads. I'm anxious to see it with one less figi and +1 aquablue Just got the Aquablue, going to put it in now! Quote Link to comment
05XRunner Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 well I just ordered 2 ATI Blue+ bulbs..I am going to try the combo of this Blue+ Stock Actinic Stock 10k Blue+ and see how it looks. I am hoping for a 14-20k look and I am sure that should give me more par then the stock config Quote Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 well I just ordered 2 ATI Blue+ bulbs..I am going to try the combo of thisBlue+ Stock Actinic Stock 10k Blue+ and see how it looks. I am hoping for a 14-20k look and I am sure that should give me more par then the stock config That might actually not be bad. My favorite combo so far has been 2 Blue+, 1 Fiji Purple, 1 Stock 10k. Quote Link to comment
05XRunner Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 if I dont like it I am going to get a Giessman Actnic plus and a ATI Aquablue special to replace the other to stock lamps Quote Link to comment
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