Reef nutrition

T5/LED Hybrid Bulb Combos?

Baykes

Baykes

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Curious what others who are running T5/LED hybrid fixtures are using for their bulb combinations? I plan on using 4 t5 bulbs along with 2 Kessil A360s.
 
I started with 2 actinic and 2 aqua blue special but it was too white for my eyes, so I switched the latter with 2 blue plus bulbs. I think either way, the spectrum is good for the corals.
 
I’m using one Blue+ and one True Actinic03*. I never liked the color of T5 lights at all but these are the least offensive to me. Anyone have opinions on whether it’s better to use the LEDs for predominantly white/T5s for blue spectrum or vice versa? I’m probably doing it backwards.

*edited typo
 
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Currently running 2 actinic (UVL), mostly because I bought them years and years back and never used them, a blue plus (ATi) and a coral plus (ATi) with my 3 LED fixtures.

I used to run 6 bulbs when it was over a tank, then one of my blue plus bulbs just straight up died after a couple months with 4hrs a day light, never got around to replacing it and just ran 5 bulbs, then when the lagoon became active I did 5 bulbs, and eventually switched down to the 4 above due to space constraints.

Now when it's time to replace bulbs I may just go all blue plus, and ramp up the white on the LEDs to compensate if it's too blue for my tastes. I like the idea of actinic bulbs because the really do hit that sweet spot for chlorphyll absorption, however bulbs only show graphs of relative intensity to other colors in THAT bulb, you don't know if that "super tall" violet peak isn't much taller than the little nub in blue plus bulbs for instance and unfortunately PAR meters are next to useless for actinic since a lot of it falls outside the range. Yeah I'm probably thinking too hard about it. :)
 
I added 2 T5 bulbs (Blue Plus + Actinic) to supplement 3 Kessil A360s about 6 months ago. This is over a 4’ wide x 30” deep tank. That helped even out the lighting over the tank for sure but can’t vouch for the effect on the corals yet. It definitely “blued” up the tank which I like. What corals I do have in there really pop when just the T5s are on. I did crank up the white on the Kessils. I was thinking about adding 2 more T5s but I really need to measure my par first.

~Charlie
 
Piper said:
I added 2 T5 bulbs (Blue Plus + Actinic) to supplement 3 Kessil A360s about 6 months ago. This is over a 4’ wide x 30” deep tank. That helped even out the lighting over the tank for sure but can’t vouch for the effect on the corals yet. It definitely “blued” up the tank which I like. What corals I do have in there really pop when just the T5s are on. I did crank up the white on the Kessils. I was thinking about adding 2 more T5s but I really need to measure my par first.

~Charlie
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Wow! Where have you been?
 
Coral reefer said:
Where’d you move to? Need any help? Time to restock some corals?
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We stayed in Oakley, just moved to a bigger house. I set up a 150 in the new house and just moved everything over from my old 65 gallon and shut that down. Had lots and lots and lots of problems with algae. Lost all the corals and fish at one point. Completely re-set the tank and all the algae came back. I finally got it stable and the algae under control about 6 months ago but struggling to keep corals alive long term. SPS frags would STN over weeks or more. LPS would slowly die off. Zoas would ever so slowly stop opening up and melt away. I couldn't even keep GSP alive!! I think/hope a lot of that was my laziness and lack of testing. Once I got my head back in it, things seem to have stabilized. Zoas are starting to stabilize and look healthy. Some are even starting to spread. I have a Bird's Nest that's been in there a few weeks now that seems to be doing fine. My shrooms are starting to spread.

I definitely want to restock but I really want to go slow and make sure everything is OK. I've been trying to find a hammer/frogspawn/duncan coral to stick in the tank as a tester but they're incredibly difficult to find right now. And expensive if you do find them. I'm going to send out some water for an ICP test in the next week just to make sure everything is good.
 
Piper said:
We stayed in Oakley, just moved to a bigger house. I set up a 150 in the new house and just moved everything over from my old 65 gallon and shut that down. Had lots and lots and lots of problems with algae. Lost all the corals and fish at one point. Completely re-set the tank and all the algae came back. I finally got it stable and the algae under control about 6 months ago but struggling to keep corals alive long term. SPS frags would STN over weeks or more. LPS would slowly die off. Zoas would ever so slowly stop opening up and melt away. I couldn't even keep GSP alive!! I think/hope a lot of that was my laziness and lack of testing. Once I got my head back in it, things seem to have stabilized. Zoas are starting to stabilize and look healthy. Some are even starting to spread. I have a Bird's Nest that's been in there a few weeks now that seems to be doing fine. My shrooms are starting to spread.

I definitely want to restock but I really want to go slow and make sure everything is OK. I've been trying to find a hammer/frogspawn/duncan coral to stick in the tank as a tester but they're incredibly difficult to find right now. And expensive if you do find them. I'm going to send out some water for an ICP test in the next week just to make sure everything is good.
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I have a Duncan for you and probably some other easier corals if you want. If in sf. Not sure if you’re ever out this way or maybe we can meet in the middle somewheree
 
Coral reefer said:
I have a Duncan for you and probably some other easier corals if you want. If in sf. Not sure if you’re ever out this way or maybe we can meet in the middle somewheree
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That would be awesome! I can sneak out of work to meet you somewhere during the week. Let me know when and where works best for your schedule.
 
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