Hybrid T5 schooling required

[Mark_C]

So I purchased a 36" AL hybrid light.
Tank is 24" deep.
Fixture will be about 10-12" above waterline
Tank will be mixed reef, and I'm going to start some SPS higher up.
The hybrid unit will hold 4 T5 bulbs along with 3 Hydra 26HD LEDs.
I like the blue spectrum for the zoa pop, but have no experience, zero, with T5.
Any thoughts or advice appreciated.

 

[Mrx7899x]

You could do 4 blues plus ati bulbs or 2 coral plus and 2 blue plus.

 

[Mark_C]

Found this most excellent little article...

The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Reef Tank Lighting (2018 Update)

 

[Versys47]

Have 2 Blue plus and 2 coral plus, looked like the Hydras on 13-14k without all the yellow light. It was kind of a dull pale white light. I didn't care for it.
Now have 3 blue+ and one coral+. This looks more like the Hydras on 15-16k setting.

From my research you can go pretty blue on the T5 and use your powerful white of the Hydra's to get a color you like. Its harder to get more blue if the T5 is too white.
That being said I may change to a Actinic or purple +, 2 Blue+ and Coral+ to try to get closer to the Hydra's 17.5k look.

 

[Mark_C]

Cool deal, picking up a lot this AM.

Found these excellent vids on the ATI bulbs...

X and Ver, I was thinking along those lines initially of 2 blue and 2 coral, but reseach seems to say that 2x coral+ tend to wash out the blues, I'm thinking...
Blue+, Coral+, True Actinic, Blue+, and fine tune with the hydras.

 

[Trio91]

I also use the coral plus, blue combo, then I have my kessil set to max blue to give me that nice pop.

 

[DangerDave]

I’m using giesemann actinic & super actinic in mine.

 

[harthag12]

I went 2 blue plus, 1 coral plus, 1 purple plus in my 48" unit along with 3 Kessil A360WE. Based on something I read on reef2reef. I haven't actually tried it out yet however so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[horseplay]

I had 2b+, 1c and 1p and used mostly blue from the LED’s. I think most of the par is coming from the T5 anyway. The purple + really bring out the colors from fish and corals alike. Suggest you buy a few more bulbs and play with the combination. BTW I didn’t change bulb at the one year mark. I read somewhere it makes little difference and i couldn’t tell from my experience.

 

[mnat]

I would also recommend one purple plus, makes the reds pop on the fish and corals.

 

[Mark_C]

So, for my first run...
1x Coral +
1x Purple +
1x Blue +
1x True actinic
Then fine tune with 3x Hydra 26

I could go 2 Blue+ but I'd like to get the actinic in there to supplement growth.

 

[Versys47]

That sounds good. Going to try that combo as well.

 

[iTzJu]

So, for my first run...
1x Coral +
1x Purple +
1x Blue +
1x True actinic
Then fine tune with 3x Hydra 26

I could go 2 Blue+ but I'd like to get the actinic in there to supplement growth.

I would replace one of either Coral + or Purple + for a Blue +. Coral + and Purple + are very similar enough unless you want a whiter look to your tank.

 

[iTzJu]

i'm currently running front to back.

Blue +
Coral +
Radions
True Actinic
Blue +

next set of bulbs will be 3 Blue + and 1 actinic and i'll let my Radions handle the white/green/red spectrums.