Cali Kid Corals

I need help deciding 250watt DE MH + 4x54watt T5 combo

kinetic

Supporting Member
So I'm getting a 2x250watt DE + 4x54watt T5 combo Giesemann Infinity. I ordered it though it's going to take awhile to get here. According to a few sources, it looks like it will ship with Actinic + t5's, and the MegaChrome 13K DE lamp.

I was going to just run it until the lamps needed to be changed, though I'm also thinking of replacing some of the lamps if it made sense to do so in the beginning. Anyone have suggestions? Anyone have experience with the megachrome lamps? Actinic+ T5's?
 
I got a couple of the MegaChrome lamps when OT was doing a mega clearance (think it was like $15 each I had to try!) anyways those were some yellow as all hell SOB... 13K my arse!

The Geissman Aquablue is an ok blue color, but not sure about their actinic.

For blue T5... ATi Blue Plus IMO the best there is at a blue bulb something like 85% the PAR of a "daylight" type of bulb with all the fluorescent goodness

UVL Super Actinic is my fave for a T5 actinic

250W DE bulbs, 14K phoenix bulbs baby!

Keep in mind though, the same bulb on two different electronic ballast could give you radically different results.
 
thanks for the suggestions mike.

I like the Phoenix 14K as well, had them before on my frag tank, but they were so blue I don't think I would've needed actinic sup.

I might try:
2x MegaChrome 13K
2x ATI Blue Plus
2x UVL Super Actinic

or

2x Phoenix 14K
2x ATI Blue Plus
1x UVL Super Actinic
1x Fiji Purple
 
OK this is my thoughts:

2x MegaChrome 13K (since they are already coming)
2x ATI Blue Plus T5 (great PAR, nice blue supplement)
1x Korallen Zucht Fiji Purple (brings out reds and stuff!?)
1x UVL Super Actinic (Give it some super actinic love, plus mike likes them)

Does this sound like a good combo? I'm thinking from front to back:

UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
 
Those T5 combos sound good to me, so long as you like a strong blue/ actinic look. I have a small tank with 4 T5s only and I'm convinced I'll always have 2 ATI Blue + and 1 actinic bulbs. For the 4th bulb I use a 12K daylight bulb and am considering trying a figi purple to bring out the red colors when the daylight one needs replacing.
 
i have this fixture, got it last x-mas. i just swapped the lights out with the phoenix 14k and the ati blue plus last september and can't be happier. If I was to describe it, the phoenix bulbs look like an intense Blue+ when on. I also think that there was no slow down on growth of my corals as you often hear about with 20k.
 
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