ATI Bulb Issue

[32Bit_Fish]

I just purchased an ATI actinic 39w T5 bulb and the bulb doesn't illuminate completely. The mid section of the bulb is darker than the section at both end of the bulb. I can also see some dark shimmering at the mid section of the bulb when the bulb is on.

Is this normal? Is there a break-in period for new T5 bulb?

Thanks

 

[jaa1456]

How long has it been running? They do not light up completely as soon as you turn them on. Give it 10 minutes and then look again.

 

[32Bit_Fish]

I leave it on for 30 seconds and it is dark in the middle. Ok, I will try to leave it on longer to see if it makes any difference.

Thanks

 

[32Bit_Fish]

I've also noticed the GE6500 bulb produces yellowish light. The current 10kk daylight bulb I used to have produces a much bright white.

Someone told me the lower k, the more white it gets. But it seems this is not the case.

Can someone shed some lights here? Thanks

 

[jaa1456]

Well the lowest K will be yellow, the higher will be blue. So your 6500 will have more yellow than a 10k, a 12k will be white with a hint of blue, and 20k will be really blue. Not as blue as actinics or blue LEDs ,but defintely will be bluer. Did the dark spots go away after letting the bulb warm up? And how many bulbs does your fixture hold? Are you looking for a white look or a hint of blue added?

 

[ryangrieder]

ATI blue plus is amazing. its like a 12k look. white with a tint of blue/green! i love them. also what kind of fixture is it? i know most people with odyssea fixtures do not get the full effect of ati and some other brand bulbs because of the cruddy ballasts they give you in it. i can nodice a difference with my buddy running ati bulbs in a odyssea fixture, and my other buddy with an aquaticlife fixture.

 

[32Bit_Fish]

I have a Sundial 36" 39wx4 fixure. The dark color seems dissappeared after I left the light on for a few minutes. However, I've compared the ATI artinic with my Current artinic(it is almost 1 yr old). The Current actinic has a much brighter blue than the ATI actinic. Maybe the new ATI actinic needs more time to break-in?

I have the following 36" 39w ATI/GE bulbs:

1) GE6500k
2) ATI actinic
3) ATI blue plus
4) ATI quablue (but it produces white light)

 

[jaa1456]

I have a Sundial 36" 39wx4 fixure. The dark color seems dissappeared after I left the light on for a few minutes. However, I've compared the ATI artinic with my Current artinic(it is almost 1 yr old). The Current actinic has a much brighter blue than the ATI actinic. Maybe the new ATI actinic needs more time to break-in?

I have the following 36" 39w ATI/GE bulbs:

1) GE6500k
2) ATI actinic
3) ATI blue plus
4) ATI quablue (but it produces white light)

The ATI and Current actinics are different wavelengths unless they have changed them. I forget which one is which but one has a more purple color to it, I believe it is the ATI. I would get rid of the actinic and add another blue plus instead. Also what order are you running your bulbs in? The blue plus or actinic if you chose to keep it should be the first bulb towards the front of the tank. I don't know which 2 bulbs in your fixture turn on together but the 2 should be the actinic and blue plus the other 2 should be the white bulbs, personally I would run 2 blue plus and 2 aqua blue special. In my 6x39 I have 3 blue plus, 2 aqua blue special and a fiji red.

 

[batt600]

The kz super blues are better then the Ati blue +

 

[32Bit_Fish]

The ATI and Current actinics are different wavelengths unless they have changed them. I forget which one is which but one has a more purple color to it, I believe it is the ATI. I would get rid of the actinic and add another blue plus instead. Also what order are you running your bulbs in? The blue plus or actinic if you chose to keep it should be the first bulb towards the front of the tank. I don't know which 2 bulbs in your fixture turn on together but the 2 should be the actinic and blue plus the other 2 should be the white bulbs, personally I would run 2 blue plus and 2 aqua blue special. In my 6x39 I have 3 blue plus, 2 aqua blue special and a fiji red.

The order I've been running with my old Current bulbs are follow:

Front: 10kk Daylight
second row: actinic
third row: 10kk Daylight
fourth row: actinic

I haven't put the new ATI bulbs on yet because my old Current bulbs are only about 9 months old and I only leave the lights on 5-6 hours a day. So I believe there are still some life in these bulbs. My corals open wide under these bulbs also. I'm assuming they are fine.

I will replace them with the ATI next Feb or March.

I read an online article written by a member here (I forgot his username). He recommended to use GE6500 for coral growth. But are you saying corals grow better under 10kk bulbs (white color)?

I tried the ATI bulbs this afternoon and my tank looks abit of yellowish and lack blue to my my taste.

 

[jaa1456]

The order I've been running with my old Current bulbs are follow:

Front: 10kk Daylight
second row: actinic
third row: 10kk Daylight
fourth row: actinic

I haven't put the new ATI bulbs on yet because my old Current bulbs are only about 9 months old and I only leave the lights on 5-6 hours a day. So I believe there are still some life in these bulbs. My corals open wide under these bulbs also. I'm assuming they are fine.

I will replace them with the ATI next Feb or March.

I read an online article written by a member here (I forgot his username). He recommended to use GE6500 for coral growth. But are you saying corals grow better under 10kk bulbs (white color)?

I tried the ATI bulbs this afternoon and my tank looks abit of yellowish and lack blue to my my taste.

The current Actinics do absolutely nothing for the corals, Those bulbs are more for just highlighting the coral and bringing out the flourescent colors. They do nothing for growth. The ATI blue plus have great par and help with growth. If your tank looks to yellow with the GE in it don't use it. Go with either 2 blue plus and 2 aqua blues or 3 blue plus and 1 aqua blue. T5 lighting takes a little fooling around with to get the color you want. I had about 10 extra bulbs when I finally settled on the color of the light I liked best.

 

[jaa1456]

The kz super blues are better then the Ati blue +

What leads you to say that? Do you like the color they give off better? Other than that they are NO way better than the ATI blue +. The ATI beat that bulb in PAR value in 10 different fixtures in more than one study done. The KZ has a much lower PAR value and loses its PAR value faster than the ATI.

 

[batt600]

What leads you to say that? Do you like the color they give off better? Other than that they are NO way better than the ATI blue +. The ATI beat that bulb in PAR value in 10 different fixtures in more than one study done. The KZ has a much lower PAR value and loses its PAR value faster than the ATI.

Wrong do you even now the par on kz bulbs the Ati blue plus is 311 par the Kz super blues are 320 Par what are you talking about even the fiji purple is more pare the the blue plus at 335 par these test were all done on zeovit forum even grimreefer had ran test and said the Kz bulb has veery high par

 

[anthony27]

Bat is correct look up a good par reading on some of the sites and kz is higher then ati by far and if you hav active cooling then you will get a even higher par reading

 

[jaa1456]

Wrong do you even now the par on kz bulbs the Ati blue plus is 311 par the Kz super blues are 320 Par what are you talking about even the fiji purple is more pare the the blue plus at 335 par these test were all done on zeovit forum even grimreefer had ran test and said the Kz bulb has veery high par

I was talking about the KZ blue not purple in comparison to the ATI, All the sites I have found with independent studies the KZ is lower everytime. The PAR # you got is most likely from KZ's site.

 

[batt600]

I was talking about the KZ blue not purple in comparison to the ATI, All the sites I have found with independent studies the KZ is lower everytime. The PAR # you got is most likely from KZ's site.

The KZ super blue par is 320 with no reflectors test one bulb