Lighting question / pics

so im going to be setting a new tank and decided to go with T5 lighting.

I wanted to see what people have as far as different color combos. im trying to get good lighting for coral growth, colors popping and having something nice to look at. (I like a little more blue but want whats best for the livestock). if you have any recommendations or lessons learned please feel free to share.

Post pics if you have any.

Im leaning towards a 4 bulb fixture with one 10,000k, one actinic blue, one Fiji purple, and one pink.thanks

How big is your tank (more importantly, how tall is the tank)? What do you plan to keep?

T5's beat LEDs because of the incredible amount of UV light they produce. Corals seem to really benefit from it.

The spectrum you say (one blue, white, purple, pink) will look a little off. If that was my tank, i'd do a 3:1 blue to white ratio or a 2 blue, one white (higher K spectrum) and a purple.

What people don't realize is that blue bulbs do emit 'white' light, I have grown SPS under 3:1 blue/white. The trick is keeping tissue light with various ULNS methodologies. When corals have less tissue, they need less light to grow IME.

Here is my tank with a 4-bulb (3:1 blue white running VGV method)
http://i50.tinypic.com/34g66p2.jpg

6 bulb running zeovit (3 blue, 2 white 18k, and one fiji purple)
http://i50.tinypic.com/295sb5y.jpg

MH/T5 combo running zeovit (3 x blue 1 x purple)
http://i60.tinypic.com/eg4ggw.jpg

my tank is 30" deep. I don't want to get too crazy with it....some GSP, carpet anemone, frogspawn, hammers, xenia, maybe a big leather or two, and zoas.

I was also debating doing one blue, white (10,000k), purple and possibly a 50/50 so it will have a bluish hue but not too much and still have the wavelengths for growth. (I like the color of the second pic you sent)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Funkateer_1

How big is your tank (more importantly, how tall is the tank)? What do you plan to keep?

T5's beat LEDs because of the incredible amount of UV light they produce. Corals seem to really benefit from it.

The spectrum you say (one blue, white, purple, pink) will look a little off. If that was my tank, i'd do a 3:1 blue to white ratio or a 2 blue, one white (higher K spectrum) and a purple.


What people don't realize is that blue bulbs do emit 'white' light, I have grown SPS under 3:1 blue/white. The trick is keeping tissue light with various ULNS methodologies. When corals have less tissue, they need less light to grow IME.

Here is my tank with a 4-bulb (3:1 blue white running VGV method)
http://i50.tinypic.com/34g66p2.jpg

6 bulb running zeovit (3 blue, 2 white 18k, and one fiji purple)
http://i50.tinypic.com/295sb5y.jpg

MH/T5 combo running zeovit (3 x blue 1 x purple)
http://i60.tinypic.com/eg4ggw.jpg

---

This may be off topic, but how is it that your zeovit tank does not have that creepy pastel color I have seen with most zeovit tanks? Or it may be on topic, is it your light spectrum choice? Just curious I dont know much about the zeovit system but all the zeovit tanks I have seen look creepy and un natural to me. Yours looks amazing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sancho

This may be off topic, but how is it that your zeovit tank does not have that creepy pastel color I have seen with most zeovit tanks? Or it may be on topic, is it your light spectrum choice? Just curious I dont know much about the zeovit system but all the zeovit tanks I have seen look creepy and un natural to me. Yours looks amazing.

---

It's just the metal halides that give it a more 'sun-washed' glow. I don't really do anything that the other zeo guys don't. The big trend now is to use T5 dominated lighting with a 4:1, 5:1, even 6:1 blue:white ratio. This combined with how much Zeo can drop your nutrient levels makes corals appear anorexic.

I am a diver, the ocean has always been a passion for me since I was a little kid. For me having over-priced and unhealthy ULTRA RAINBOW corals with overly blue light is unnatural and nothing like you'd see in the wild. The biggest reason I went with Zeovit is it does keep my nutrients lower than any other methodology, I've never thought GFO was particularly healthy for reef environments, plus I can put in as many fish as I want and feed with no consequences.

I'm using a 4bulb 54w t5 light
Ati bulbs
2 blue+
1 purple +
1 coral+

And run for 4hrs a 2bulb 39w t5
1blue+
1coral+

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/3ezege8u.jpg

I like it! not too blue and not too white.

looks like your fixtures are not the complete length of the tank either....I thought the T5s have most of the light directed straight downward compared to LEDs. ( I know light goes in all directions but you know what i mean) do your fixtures cover a good side area? I was planning on running as much as full length as possible but if I can get away with a foot shorter on each fixture then I might do that to save space and money. I have a 97" tank and was going to use two 48" fixtures.

Usually with a 4 bulb peeps do two ATi blue plus, a Fiji purple from Kz or ATi purple plus and a white bulb to their liking. I'm all about the 20k look, jesse's looks good to me. I like the giessman lagoon blue too for the white. To me, I actually like the kz purple bulb better than the ATi one, but difference is pretty small...

My tank is 48" and so is my main light so def. full coverage
But even when I light up the 36" alone it looks great also
So IMO you would be fine being shirt running t5s, but
Of course you cannot expect for your corals if any on the edges of the tank to grow like weeds but you can def. keep them alive & healthy (with good parameters :) of course

yeah, I was a little hesitant to get some 36" fixtures but now im certain I will go the full length.

as far as the different color setup for a 4 bulb fixture, I think I will just play around with some bulbs and see what works best. I definitely will use one blue, one white and one purple....just gotta find the right last bulb for color and growth. thanks guys!

Reef central has a thread called, "T5 Q & A thread". Check it out. Lots of good advice. But you'll have to search for it. It's been pretty dead since Chinese fixture starting becoming available for <$100.

The 10k bulbs give the tank a dull look in my opinion. Use a coral + or any other mixed white spectrum bulb

I have a Coralife MH/fluorescent 24" fixture I'll sale you. Oh and it also has led moon lighting. Make me an offer.http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/03/hy2asype.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/03/uhu7e5a8.jpg