What T5s are everyone using now?

[bljohnson]

I kinda been out of reefing for the last 2 years or so. I was running 14K Phoenix (250 W) + ATI Blue+ T5s. What is everyone running now with their Phoenix bulbs? I think back then the only bulb selections were GE and ATI. Now there are an abundance of bulbs on the market... KZ, Geissman, etc...

FYI I'm using a 72" Maristar that has 3x 250 W MH and 4x 36" T5s.

Thanks for the help.

 

[sfsuphysics]

If you want that blue look to get that coral fluorescence without going full on Actinic 03, the ATi Blue Plus bulb puts about as much useful energy as you can get, the Geisemann Actinic Plus (really it's blue) comes in a close second.

 

[Paradox]

ATI blue plus is the best blue bulb. UVL super actinics are IMO the best actinic bulb.

 

[LordHelmet]

What they said.

 

[Elite]

I like these T5 bulb.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+13821+13825&pcatid=13825

 

[bljohnson]

So should I go with 2x of the ATI Blue+ and 2x Actinics or 4x ATI Blue+?

Also is there anywhere near Livermore/Dublin that I can purchase bulbs? I always have 1/6 or 2/6 bulbs broken when I order from PA or MD.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[Paradox]

Id go with one of each since actinics draw some colors the ati blue+ do not. However, if you want to shift the phoenix more towards the 20k, get all blue +s.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Depends what you want in your tank.

For me, it's really a hard sell to simply buy a bulb to make pretty glowing colors after the lights go out (although that is nice ), so I lean more towards the Blue+ bulbs, as I get useful radiation for the corals without wasting so much electricity, just to make colors fluoresce a bit. Saying that however I don't recall seeing PAR numbers for UVL's bulbs.

 

[bljohnson]

I have seen Sanjay's website for halide comparison... does something like this exist for T5s? Color is important but I also want some decent PAR out of my bulbs. I know there is a huge thread on RC about T5s... but I'm not sure how much information I will get out of reading the 1000+ posts... LOL.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Sanjay doesn't do a T5 mockup, however there's a multi-split thread over at reefcentral where I managed to get pointed to one particular page (out of thousands... yeah literally!) where it had some numbers to give you a gauge of par values between various lamps, and yeah it's over a year and a half old... so take it with what you want. I'm not going to try to search through that thread to find any information, because what started as a "comparison of bulbs" turned into thousands of people asking if bulb X&X would work, or what's the best... etc..

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=918935&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

 

[Paradox]

To make things more confusing, I would add a fiji purple.

With a 14k phoenix, I would supplement with

ati blue +
Fiji Purple
UVL super actinic
ATI blue +

Ive tried a lot of bulbs expecially actinics. The highest par actinic is the UVL. I cant find the thread on this, but Ive spent a lot of time/money researching when I did.

 

[Paradox]

Just looked at those numbers... Not sure if I trust them. I have both Geissman actinics and UVL super actinics. The Geissman are so low in par that they dont add a thing compared against a 250w hallide.

 

[Gomer]

[quote author=Paradox link=topic=3888.msg45550#msg45550 date=1213390429]
ATI blue plus is the best blue bulb. UVL super actinics are IMO the best actinic bulb.
[/quote]

Well..I think there may be 2 versions of the UVL super actinic. I think one is a good actinic. the other (which I have) is more like a 50% blue and 50% actinic. It doesn't fluoresce that well at all.

 

[Gomer]

[quote author=Paradox link=topic=3888.msg45565#msg45565 date=1213397107]
Just looked at those numbers... Not sure if I trust them. I have both Geissman actinics and UVL super actinics. The Geissman are so low in par that they dont add a thing compared against a 250w hallide.
[/quote]


You dont' add actinics for PAR. PAR is a bonus

 

[Elite]

yeah I add actinic just because I don't like to see the white/yellow color when the light kick in. The bulb I use has nice color (according to my eyes ). It works great with 10K MH bulb.

 

[sfsuphysics]

[quote author=Paradox link=topic=3888.msg45565#msg45565 date=1213397107]
Just looked at those numbers... Not sure if I trust them. I have both Geissman actinics and UVL super actinics. The Geissman are so low in par that they dont add a thing compared against a 250w hallide.
[/quote]
Now are you sure you're reading the right Giesemann actinic? because the "Actinic Plus" is really a blue bulb (obvious if you look at it), I think it's the "Pure Actinic" which is an absolutely horrid bulb as far as PAR