time to order new bulbs....

[SPotter]

So its that time again and I need to order new bulbs for my tank. I have a 4 bulb t5 icecap reefilluminations fixture and I'd like to hear what bulbs and combination everyone likes.

My tank is a mixed reef but sps are beginning to be the dominant coral in the tank.

I have been looking at ATI, Geisemann, and UVL bulbs. My tank is 20" deep so one of things I am trying to decide on is how many daylight bulbs do I go with.

This is what I am thinking about right now....
(1) Geisemann Midday
(1) ATI purple plus
(1) UVL 75/25 14k
(1) ATI True actinic 03

Thanks for looking and sharing your preferences!

 

[masterswimmer]

Steve,
First, eliminate the Geisemann Midday. That bulb is so yellow it makes the rest of your bulbs (whichever ones you use) look horrible. So lets agree on no Middays. FYI, we don't even carry them and we carry all the Geisemann's.

I like the Geisemann AquaBlue+ for your daylight bulb. It is a real nice crisp white bulb.

As for the ratio of blue vs white bulbs, it's impossible to make a recommendation without knowing what animals you keep in your tank (referring to coral/inverts, not fish). If it's heavily stocked with SPS, clams and anemones, I'd probably use two daylight bulbs.

Russ

 

[jaa1456]

I run 6 bulbs on my tank and all of them are now ATI bulbs. 3 ATI Blue +, 2 ATI Aqua Blue Special and 1 ATI Purple Plus. I had the same combo of bulbs before but had a Geisman Purple Fiji in there, I like the ATI version much better. My tank looks to be about a 14K spectrum.

 

[masterswimmer]

4 bulbs is a world of difference from 6 bulbs. Like night and day. Can't make a recommendation to him without knowing what animals he has.

 

[SPotter]

Russ,
It started out mostly softies but over the last few months that tide has turned to prodiminantly sps. I have several acros, a few monti's and a handful of birdsnest. I have no plans on adding clams...but i do reserve the right to change my mind on that one :Blurp:

 

[masterswimmer]

Russ,
It started out mostly softies but over the last few months that tide has turned to prodiminantly sps. I have several acros, a few monti's and a handful of birdsnest. I have no plans on adding clams...but i do reserve the right to change my mind on that one :Blurp:

lol, funny. I guess that right does stay with you.

If you're running a four bulb t5 with predominantly sps I'd have to suggest running at least two bulbs with the daylight spectrum (not the D & D Midday, as stated above). The other two bulbs you can play with your blues, purples, pinks whatever you want. I just feel that those other spectrum's won't contribute to the necessary light your higher light demanding acros will require. The softies and LPS obviously don't need the increased light, but the acros do. Just be very diligent with your placement of your coral. Lower and to the sides in your tank will be more appropriate for the lower light corals.

HTH,
Russ

 

[jaa1456]

4 bulbs is a world of difference from 6 bulbs. Like night and day. Can't make a recommendation to him without knowing what animals he has.

That's funny I never said 4 were the same as 6 nor did I know what is kept in the tank. I just said what bulbs I run in my 6 bulb fixture and the color it gives me. Now that being said he could run almost any of the ATI bulbs no matter the color and grow SPS or anything else, as long as the SPS are not placed to deep into the tank. From what I can find almost all ATI bulbs put out plenty of PAR, so used in any combo will grow SPS unless he were to use say 4 purple plus together than I could see a problem.

 

[masterswimmer]

That's funny I never said 4 were the same as 6 nor did I know what is kept in the tank. I just said what bulbs I run in my 6 bulb fixture and the color it gives me. Now that being said he could run almost any of the ATI bulbs no matter the color and grow SPS or anything else, as long as the SPS are not placed to deep into the tank. From what I can find almost all ATI bulbs put out plenty of PAR, so used in any combo will grow SPS unless he were to use say 4 purple plus together than I could see a problem.

:sad2:

 

[SPotter]

I really apprecaite everyones help. your feed back has definitely helped me.

 

[knutez24]

I also run a t5 4 bulb fixture....its on a 40B don't know the exact depth, but it seems to be what you are running too. I have ati blue+, 2 aquablue special, and have been playing with the 4th bulb trying to find what i like. Think next bulb i'm going to try is the purple plus hopefully to get a bit more of a color pop.

I haven't had any issues keeping sps (acros, digis, montis, birdnests) at all. most are placed up top with a few middle of the tank area.

Post what you end up going with and how you like the combo.