T5 bulb combos

[SynDen]

So I have a 4 bulb t5 light currently but I am not very happy with the colors I get out of it at the moment. I will need to replace bulbs in a few months and I was wondering what bulb combinations others were using. Currently I have 2 10k and 2 actinic blues, dont remember the brands, and I have had good coral growth and such so far, but most things just dont look as good as they could, color wise, under them.
I am thinking of adding one or 2 stunner strips to them sometime later this year, but not sure which color combos I want to go with for those either.

 

[Andrew_bram]

3 blue plus and either a purple plus or a coral plus. Those are ati bulbs

 

[Craigar]

I do blue plus purple plus coral plus and coral sun

 

[Andrew_bram]

I do blue plus purple plus coral plus and coral sun

Your also running led right.

 

[Craigar]

Yeah I have ai sols with that

 

[rplank]

I also have a 4 bulb t5. It is an odyssea setup and came with 2 10k's and 2 bluish/actinic imposters. I am ordering new bulbs this week and have been researching lighting combos. Two ati blue+ bulbs are highly recommended, with one actinic and a purple plus bulb to supplement. I will be ordering 2 blue+ bulbs and 2 uvl 75/25 bulbs.

 

[SynDen]

Hmm so seems that my 2 10k bulbs are part of the issue here and I need to add some purple. I suspected that I should add some purple but didnt think about doing all 4 with blue/purple combos

 

[Andrew_bram]

Blue plus does contain purple where are you located I run 5 blue+ 2 coral plus and 1 purple plus purple plus is pretty intense.

 

[rplank]

The 75/25's I am getting are 75% actinic/25% 10k I believe. They are supposed to give a 14k look.

 

[SynDen]

Located? Im downtown.
Well some intensity is what I would like, cause everything is growing well but just lacking quite a bit in the color pop that I see in most other tanks

 

[SynDen]

The 75/25's I am getting are 75% actinic/25% 10k I believe. They are supposed to give a 14k look.

Ya i was looking at those and wondering how well they did since they do cover quite a range of the spectrum

 

[jda123]

What "pop" are you missing? What kind of lights did you see the "pop" under that you like?

 

[SynDen]

Well havent seen many under t5, but all leds and MH lights I have seen have certainly given coral that bright color pop. For example I have some radioactive green zoas in the tank that I think should look much brighter green then they do, but they just have a somewhat muted green under my lights

 

[Andrew_bram]

It's a drive but your welcome to see mine. Ati are hands down best bulbs I have tried almost every brand.

 

[SynDen]

Where you at? I may have to do that someday if Im in the area

 

[Andrew_bram]

Loveland

 

[SynDen]

That is a bit of a drive but I periodically drive up that way, so I will have to stop by the next time I do. Always love seeing other peoples tanks

 

[jda123]

T5 naturally does not have a great "popping" bulb IMO - the old/current VHO users know what I mean. However, they have some that offer great color. IMO, the best popping VHO bulb is still the URI Super Actinic T5, but will look with more power. Outside of this, I would go with 3 ATI blue plus and a purple plus know that you want some MH type popping.

 

[FishTV]

Currently using 2 coral + 1 blue + and 1 actinic (ati true actinic?). The color is good, not as much pop as my LED tank, but personally I didn't like the windex water look of the blue + when I used 2.

 

[Andrew_bram]

Just order an extra bulb of whatever so you can change it if you don't like it. The purple plus can give a pepto look in some cases.