Choosing T5 bulbs for Nanobox Hybrid

[specore]

Background...I haven't had flourescents since the CF's on my first reef tank 18 years ago. 

 

Just picked up a slightly used Nanobox Hybrid with 4 led pucks, two strips of blue/royal blue/violet leds and two 24 inch T5 bulbs.  With so many options for T5 I was wondering what more experiences T5 users would recommend running for the two T5's.  Pic of the unit while being assembled:

 

[hersheyb]

since you have so much LED on your setup, I would go with 2xcoral plus.  If you like it more blue... go with blue +

[specore]

1 minute ago, hersheyb said:

since you have so much LED on your setup, I would go with 2xcoral plus.  If you like it more blue... go with blue +

So what is the difference between the two?  and why Coral plus with more LED's?

 

Just trying to understand the reasoning behind these choices 🙂

[hersheyb]

1 minute ago, specore said:

So what is the difference between the two?  and why Coral plus with more LED's?

 

Just trying to understand the reasoning behind these choices 🙂

it comes down to personal preference.. T5 tend to run a bit more white generally IMO.  When I moved from LEDs to T5 it took me awhile to get used to the how white the t5 system was running.  I eventually got used to it.. You do have a choice of running more Blue+ or actinic to make it more blue but you still don't get the pop from LEDs.  The reason I said you can go with Coral plus it's because you have enough LEDs to add the blue that LED users are used to.  If you do a little research, most of the ATI T5 bulbs will provide you with spectrums necessary to grow most corals, Your LEDS are full spectrum so whether you run T5 on the system or not you'll be able to grow corals without any issues.  T5 are supplementary since you have so many leds. 

[specore]

1 minute ago, hersheyb said:

  T5 are supplementary since you have so many leds. 

That's definitely what I was thinking.  I honestly prefer more white than most, as I think it looks more natural.  Was planning for the T5's to be mostly used for actinic since the LED pucks will do the heavy ilifting.  

[jcreefer]

I’m using a Blue+ and a Coral+ on my Nanobox Hybrid.  With the hybrid setup, you can go more blue with two Blue+ or more white with two Coral+, or split down the middle and get one of each and then adjust the LEDs.  That’s the beauty of the hybrid. 😉

 

Jeff

[specore]

2 hours ago, jcreefer said:

I’m using a Blue+ and a Coral+ on my Nanobox Hybrid.  With the hybrid setup, you can go more blue with two Blue+ or more white with two Coral+, or split down the middle and get one of each and then adjust the LEDs.  That’s the beauty of the hybrid. 😉

 

Jeff

That's kind of  what I did.   Ordered one coral + and one purple +.  I figure the blue actinic led strips should give me all the blue I need, so want to play with those two bulbs and see what looks best to my eye.  

[markalot]

If you are going for acros, especially reds, then coral+ will do best.  Purple and Coral together might be too red.  I have used coral+ and blue+ for 2 years now but I'm tempted to try one purple+ in place of a blue+ over my larger tank.  I only run t5's for 5 hours so I'm looking for a very white spectrum to help color up the reds and pinks.

[1891Bro]

37 minutes ago, markalot said:

If you are going for acros, especially reds, then coral+ will do best.  Purple and Coral together might be too red.  I have used coral+ and blue+ for 2 years now but I'm tempted to try one purple+ in place of a blue+ over my larger tank.  I only run t5's for 5 hours so I'm looking for a very white spectrum to help color up the reds and pinks.

Listen up! When a pro chimes in just do what you’re told. 

[ligershark]

I have a t5 hybrid with 4 t5 bulbs.  I run 3 blue plus and 1 purple plus.   My recommendation is to find someone local with a bunch of different bulbs and play with the combination you like.   I tried actinic, aquablue, and coral plus in my combinations.  

[Marine Tank Journey]

I am also currently trying to figure this out! haha so will watch this thread. keep those suggestions coming!

[DaveFason]

Try Coral + OR Purple +. I would adjust the LED color to your liking first. The light you picked up has a ridiculous amount of power FYI. 

 

-Dave

[Tamberav]

On 7/4/2018 at 10:11 PM, markalot said:

If you are going for acros, especially reds, then coral+ will do best.  Purple and Coral together might be too red.  I have used coral+ and blue+ for 2 years now but I'm tempted to try one purple+ in place of a blue+ over my larger tank.  I only run t5's for 5 hours so I'm looking for a very white spectrum to help color up the reds and pinks.

 

Want to pick your brain as its time to replace bulbs soon in my retro. It is 4 bulb t5 with 4 nano-box pucks (lime version) over a 22g Mr Aqua (for SPS). It's currently hung about 14 inches off the waterline. No idea par but plan on borrowing a par meter from local reef club once new bulbs arrive. I currently have 2 blue+, 1 purple+ and one giesemann 6500k.

 

1. Thoughts on lowering the fixture and only using 2 t5's? Or is higher + 4 a better idea? (Light was for a much bigger tank but no room in new apt but I like the light so kept it). I just don't know if its better to keep the light raised and use all t5's or to lower it and get more out of the LED's and go down to two t5's. 

 

2. Was thinking if I kept 4, perhaps: 2 blue, 1 purple, 1 coral, or 2 blue 2 coral. If using two bulbs than 1 blue, 1 coral? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[markalot]

14 hours ago, Tamberav said:

 

Want to pick your brain as its time to replace bulbs soon in my retro. It is 4 bulb t5 with 4 nano-box pucks (lime version) over a 22g Mr Aqua (for SPS). It's currently hung about 14 inches off the waterline. No idea par but plan on borrowing a par meter from local reef club once new bulbs arrive. I currently have 2 blue+, 1 purple+ and one giesemann 6500k.

 

1. Thoughts on lowering the fixture and only using 2 t5's? Or is higher + 4 a better idea? (Light was for a much bigger tank but no room in new apt but I like the light so kept it). I just don't know if its better to keep the light raised and use all t5's or to lower it and get more out of the LED's and go down to two t5's. 

 

2. Was thinking if I kept 4, perhaps: 2 blue, 1 purple, 1 coral, or 2 blue 2 coral. If using two bulbs than 1 blue, 1 coral? 

 

 

 

 

Howdy,

 

I just switched and so far the change has been very good.  I had been running 4 T5's, 2 blue+ and 2 coral+, for over 2 years.  I'm now just running two blue+ but I upped the T5 time to 7 hours from 5 when making the change.  PAR dropped by about 75 but everything looks better.   I'm now running Lime (edit) at 100% and white at 60% and frankly with the BlueT5's on it doesn't look too bad plus I get more shimmer.  They run at those levels during the 7 hour T5 cycle with 30 minute ramps on either side.  

 

Now more info than you asked for.  :)

 

I did it due to heat issues, not coral health, and was expecting problems.  It also coincides with removal of most of my big Slimer. Since that alone upset the tank 2-part usage why not change everything.   :)  I cut my doser in half so Alk would fall rather than rise.  Went all the way down to 5.8 before I was able to wrestle it back up to 6.5 and get it to stay there.  

 

 

[Tamberav]

1 hour ago, markalot said:

 

 

Howdy,

 

I just switched and so far the change has been very good.  I had been running 4 T5's, 2 blue+ and 2 coral+, for over 2 years.  I'm now just running two blue+ but I upped the T5 time to 7 hours from 5 when making the change.  PAR dropped by about 75 but everything looks better.   I'm now running Mint at 100% and white at 60% and frankly with the BlueT5's on it doesn't look too bad plus I get more shimmer.  They run at those levels during the 7 hour T5 cycle with 30 minute ramps on either side.  

 

Now more info than you asked for.  🙂

 

I did it due to heat issues, not coral health, and was expecting problems.  It also coincides with removal of most of my big Slimer. Since that alone upset the tank 2-part usage why not change everything.   🙂 I cut my doser in half so Alk would fall rather than rise.  Went all the way down to 5.8 before I was able to wrestle it back up to 6.5 and get it to stay there.  

 

 

 

I don't have any heat issues though using less bulbs saves on money. I don't have mint, use lime though lime looks good too. Sounds like you just using your led's to get your reds now since no coral+? Do you still use your blue led's then too? 

 

It sounds like I could go either way and use 4 bulbs or 2 bulbs and not be wrong. 

[markalot]

2 hours ago, Tamberav said:

 

I don't have any heat issues though using less bulbs saves on money. I don't have mint, use lime though lime looks good too. Sounds like you just using your led's to get your reds now since no coral+? Do you still use your blue led's then too? 

 

It sounds like I could go either way and use 4 bulbs or 2 bulbs and not be wrong. 

 

Did I say mint, oops, my old fixture has Lime, sorry.   Yea, I agree.

[Reefkid88]

Me personally,I ran 2x B+ in my fixture. I didn't have lime just Royals,Blues,Whites and Cyan and the 2 B+ I feel just made the light super bright. And its nice too because they make things glow and super easy to take pics of coral under them. 

[Tamberav]

On 10/24/2018 at 5:42 PM, markalot said:

 

Did I say mint, oops, my old fixture has Lime, sorry.   Yea, I agree.

Started to adjust my lights finally. How much par you giving your SPS?

[markalot]

3 hours ago, Tamberav said:

Started to adjust my lights finally. How much par you giving your SPS?

 

Between 200 and 350.  300 seems to be the sweet spot, even for millis, but of course it depends on numerous factors including feeding. 

[DaveFason]

I agree with Mark. 200-300 has been my sweet spot for this as well. 

 

In my tanks for a mixed reef I will aim for 80-100 on sand bed, 200-300 topish. 

 

-Dave

[Tamberav]

4 hours ago, markalot said:

 

Between 200 and 350.  300 seems to be the sweet spot, even for millis, but of course it depends on numerous factors including feeding. 

 

4 hours ago, DaveFason said:

I agree with Mark. 200-300 has been my sweet spot for this as well. 

 

In my tanks for a mixed reef I will aim for 80-100 on sand bed, 200-300 topish. 

 

-Dave

 

Thanks guys... I lowered the light and turned off two of the t5 and dialed back the limes from 90 to 60 percent.

 

I did a good job guessing as my par before was 300 on rocks and 150 in corners. It's now 300ish and 250 in corners.

 

I have monti in those corners so I dialed back the number of hours the light is at its peak and plan to increase the number of hours slowly to hopefully not shock them from the par increase.

 

The color to my eyes has improved and I love the lime + blue+ bullbs. Still debating on running all four t5s as this may be the best way to prevent shadowing as the coral grows. I would try out the coral plus bulbs if I do but I think I may leave well enough alone right now and see the results. 

 

[DaveFason]

10 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

 

 

Thanks guys... I lowered the light and turned off two of the t5 and dialed back the limes from 90 to 60 percent.

 

I did a good job guessing as my par before was 300 on rocks and 150 in corners. It's now 300ish and 250 in corners.

 

I have monti in those corners so I dialed back the number of hours the light is at its peak and plan to increase the number of hours slowly to hopefully not shock them from the par increase.

 

The color to my eyes has improved and I love it. Still debating on running all four t5s as this may be the best way to prevent shadowing as the coral grows. I would try out the coral plus bulbs if I do.

 

My montis really like 150-175. 

[Tamberav]

16 minutes ago, DaveFason said:

My montis really like 150-175. 

I am definitely a little nervous as they look great under 150 par but the tank is so shallow and small (22g) it's kind of hard to give them any less while keeping 300 par on the rocks without hanging the fixture way up like before. Some of the venders say their caps are under 200-250 par so hopefully by slowly increasing the light schedule, they will be okay. 

 

If not, I guess I will have to get more acro's to replace them? lol 😉

[xiaoxiy]

My montis are doing fine under 250-300 PAR!

[markalot]

The only issue I've had with montis under higher par is they tend to pale if I reduce feeding, while the acros do better.  lol  My purple cap weed, though, is much more purple under 300+ so they will vary greatly IMO.