Yet another T5 4 bulb combo question

[Andreww]

My ATI 4x24 sunpower will be here Thursday.

I am planning to run 2 ATI blue+.

What should the other 2 be?

 

My head hurts...I read about a lot of combos,but I don’t like a very blue look.

Some people swear by blue+ x3 and a GE6500k.

 

Does anyone have pictures of the setup they run?

That would help a ton in making a decision.

Thank everybody!

[Dantrasy]

I went through the same process a little while ago with my ati power module 4x24. It’s a fixture I’ve had for years on planted tanks, but now this is my first reef build. I settled on x2 blue+, actinic and purple+. To my eye it’s blue, but not too blue.  I put a blue+ on each channel. I’d show you pics, but my tank is currently away getting drilled. I should have it back by next weekend. When it’s up and cycling I plan to run just one channel for a month or two, is that your plan? Or will you dim?

[xiaoxiy]

It all depends on how blue you want your tank to run! 2x B+ and 2x GE6500 is pretty darned white, almost yellowish FYI. I haven't had the chance to run 3x B+ and 1x GE6500 yet. 

 

A standard option is always 2x B+ and 2x C+. 

[Privateer]

I run 2x blue+ and 2x Coral +...is a blueish white. 

[Andreww]

4 hours ago, Dantrasy said:

I went through the same process a little while ago with my ati power module 4x24. It’s a fixture I’ve had for years on planted tanks, but now this is my first reef build. I settled on x2 blue+, actinic and purple+. To my eye it’s blue, but not too blue.  I put a blue+ on each channel. I’d show you pics, but my tank is currently away getting drilled. I should have it back by next weekend. When it’s up and cycling I plan to run just one channel for a month or two, is that your plan? Or will you dim?

I think I wanna skip the actinic since it doesn’t put out PAR like the blue+ or the other bulbs.

I know looks are so subjective, what’s blue to one person might not be blue at all to the other.

The fixture is non dimmable. Full power from the beginning. Mounted at 8” high, looks like I’ll be getting around 250-350 PAR from front to back of my 12” wide tank according to the BRS video which is perfect for my SPS.

No LPS in the tank. Only a gorgonian and maxima clam which should love high light.

 

Plan is to install a ReefBrite actinic LED strip on the fixture in the next couple of months but I’m torn between XHO and tech models.

 

The XHO is probably too much on my 14” tall tank . All I wanted is some pop and slight shimmer. But I’m not sure the Tech strip is enough for that.

I read mixed reviews and people almost always recommend the XHO.

[Andreww]

1 hour ago, xiaoxiy said:

It all depends on how blue you want your tank to run! 2x B+ and 2x GE6500 is pretty darned white, almost yellowish FYI. I haven't had the chance to run 3x B+ and 1x GE6500 yet. 

 

A standard option is always 2x B+ and 2x C+. 

I bet running 2x GE6500 will be too yellow.

Dont plan on that. But I was thinking of trying the 3 blue+ and one GE.

I noticed the standard is the 2B+ and 2C+. Lots of people run it. Hmm...

I looked at what ATI recommends on their website as well for a 4 bulb fixture.

Check it out:

[Andreww]

Maybe I’ll try the blue plus and coral plus combo as well as the GE bulb with 3 blue plus see which looks better .

 

Then once I get my ReefBrite actinic, maybe try the Blue+ x2, 1x purple + and 1x aquablue special ATI recommends for a 10k-14k look.

 

That way I have white light and good PAR but get the pop with the actinic strip.

 

[xiaoxiy]

Yeah, get a Ge6500; they're cheap as heck anyways. Another T5 to check out would be the Giesemann Midday as it's literally the definition of "full spectrum".

[Tmr8188]

I ran 2x blue +, 1x coral + , and a purple with 2x reefbrite xho actinics on a 12” deep tank and I was very happy.

[Andreww]

1 hour ago, Tmr8188 said:

I ran 2x blue +, 1x coral + , and a purple with 2x reefbrite xho actinics on a 12” deep tank and I was very happy.

Wow, 2 xho’s on a 12” deep tank?

Gives me hope I won’t cook my coral. Lol

[Andreww]

3 hours ago, xiaoxiy said:

Yeah, get a Ge6500; they're cheap as heck anyways. Another T5 to check out would be the Giesemann Midday as it's literally the definition of "full spectrum".

I’ll have to see if Home Depot sells the GE.

I might get lucky.

[Tamberav]

I did 2 blue + purple + GE 6500 and color seemed fine to me although the purple could prob be replaced with something even better.

 

 

[Tmr8188]

19 hours ago, Andreww said:

Wow, 2 xho’s on a 12” deep tank?

Gives me hope I won’t cook my coral. Lol

Reefbrites are dimmable and you can always raise the fixture.  I had it set about 18” above the rim because of a mangrove in the tank.

[Andreww]

26 minutes ago, Tmr8188 said:

Reefbrites are dimmable and you can always raise the fixture.  I had it set about 18” above the rim because of a mangrove in the tank.

I wasn’t aware that reefbrites are dimmable. Do they come with a controller?

I haven’t read or seen anyone dimming them hence my question.

I will be mounting the fixture at 8-10” above water to minimize light spill into the room.

 

Who knows I might even put it lower at 6” depending on PAR.

 

Edit: Nevermind I just realized they’re Apex compatible.

[Tmr8188]

There’s also an inline dimmer that plugs directly into the power supply.  Has 4 settings but works pretty well if no controller available.  They are like $7.99 each.

 

A canopy works to control light spill.

[Andreww]

2 hours ago, Tmr8188 said:

There’s also an inline dimmer that plugs directly into the power supply.  Has 4 settings but works pretty well if no controller available.  They are like $7.99 each.

 

A canopy works to control light spill.

That’s great to know about the in-line dimmer. I’ll probably buy that since I don’t have a controller yet and when I get one I’m going with the Profilux.

A canopy is in the works at the moment.

Not a fan of the look of the led bar on the Sunpower just out like that in the open.:)

[Tmr8188]

1 hour ago, Andreww said:

That’s great to know about the in-line dimmer. I’ll probably buy that since I don’t have a controller yet and when I get one I’m going with the Profilux.

A canopy is in the works at the moment.

Not a fan of the look of the led bar on the Sunpower just out like that in the open.:)

That is exactly why I sold my reefbrites looked butt ugly with a sleek fixture like that.

[Reefkid88]

I used 2 B+,1x Actinic and 1 C+ in my 4 bulb fixture. 

[Andreww]

1 hour ago, Reefkid88 said:

I used 2 B+,1x Actinic and 1 C+ in my 4 bulb fixture. 

Yup My favorite combo so far. Played around with aquablue special, KZ coral light, etc but they washed out colors too much.

 

The current bulbs are :

Blue+

Coral+

Giesemann powerchrome super actinic

Blue+

 

Not sure how an ATI actinic would have looked like but I’m happy with the giesemann. It’s at 425nm and that seems to make the coral look pretty. 

Im ok with that😁

[slowngreen]

On 1/6/2019 at 4:36 AM, Dantrasy said:

I went through the same process a little while ago with my ati power module 4x24. It’s a fixture I’ve had for years on planted tanks, but now this is my first reef build. I settled on x2 blue+, actinic and purple+. To my eye it’s blue, but not too blue.  I put a blue+ on each channel. I’d show you pics, but my tank is currently away getting drilled. I should have it back by next weekend. When it’s up and cycling I plan to run just one channel for a month or two, is that your plan? Or will you dim?

Love your avatar! Posing for the camera haha.

 

I always liked b+, actinic, purple+ and a coral+. The coral+ brings back some white to it imo.