Light bulb question

[MadReefer]

I plan to order a new T5 HO light fixture. They give a choice of bulbs and I plan to go with 2 blue actinic and 2 white. The give 3 options on color temp for the white: 6700k, 10000k or 14000k. I was going to go with the 14000k. Just wondering what others have done.

 

[steamman]

What fixture are you getting? How many bulbs? Are you going for looks or growth?

 

[JRWOHLER]

You have higher growth with the 6700k the 10000 middle and 14000 k last
You get most yellowish with 6700 and least with 14000K
I personally like the 10000 K UVL Aquasun.
The GE 6500(think it is 6500 or 6700) K is one of the highest PAR and great growth...lots of the old Wendy T5 group use it because they run so many ATI Blue Pluses that it get faded out.
I would suggest the 10 000 K ... the less the quality bulb the more yellow it going to look in my opinion. Eventually swap the bulbs out for some good bulbs it makes a huge difference.
Eventually with four bulbs something like 2 ATI Blue Plus, one Actinic and one 10K or 1 6500K is going to be a good match.
If I was you what I did was got bulbs after 6 months and swapped out half of the bulbs mine came with.
Then added half new bulbs and kept the other half for the next swap out.
In other words. Wait 6 months pick up two ATI Blue plus or wait till the frag swap and get them then. Swap out one actinic and one 10K.
That will give you a bunch more PAR ... the bulbs you save are fine and you can use them later in 6 months to replace the two bulbs you left in the fixture.
Then you have your bulbs on a cycle where you replace half each 6M.

 

[MadReefer]

James,
Thanks for all that info. On my survey post nobody has the Aqua Trader fixture more than a few months and a few people I know a few years back said the ballast burnt out after a year. So another member has had this fixture for about 2.5 years with no issue and I plan to get one.
http://fishneedit.com/4ft4bulbs-with-l44.html

 

[MadReefer]

Doing some online research not many stores carry the 14000k light. They have the other two and a 12000k; only a hand full had the latter. I don't want a yellow looking tank so will go with the 10000k. If the corals don't survive such as zoas, torch, hammer, frogspawn, etc; then I will stick to mainly fish and softies like kenyas, xenia and anthellia.
Hopefully, keeping the water in check and new light will help.

 

[Brando457]

Ati bulbs are what you want, they put out great par and great colors.

On my tank when I ran t5 I had a 6 x 80w fixture.

- 4 ati blue plus bulbs
- 1 Fiji pink
- 1 ge 6700k

Reefgeek.com has the bulbs, our sponsors Aquatic Obsession have them, as does OGII and I believe TB Aquatic.