Coloring up corals

[fuzzybob4]

I have a general question about lighting and what bulbs are the best.
I have a JBJ 4X T5HO
I'm wanting a white color on my tank. But I want my corals to grow and have great color. I've read that blue lights make the corals pop, and that red light make the red's in the corals pop.
In my tank right now I have sps and zoos and gsp and an anemone. But I want to the colors on the sps to pop.
What would the best color k bulbs you think would be the best?

[350gt]

All ati bulbs

one true actinic ( love this bulb)
Two blue plus
one aquablue special

[FireWater]

Hard to answer because it is a personal choice.
If it were me I would run one daylight bulb, 2 blue+, and a red.

It has been a while since I shopped for t5 bulbs.

[350gt]

Oh and any red bulb on a 4 bulb set up will make the tank pink...

[allan]

I use 20K MH, they seem to do the trick.

[allan]

Sorry, misread the question.

I've tried the pink figi or purple bulbs when I ran T5s, and wow, do they make your tank purple/pink. So plus one on what Tony said.

[FireWater]

They will make the tank pink if you use 2 aqua blue bulbs.

This is why asking for color combos on t5 gets out of hand. What one person likes the other doesn't.

If you go to reef geek and search the t5 bulbs it will give a spectrum that each bulb follows. Might help a little.

The aquablue bulbs will give you a little red spectrum mixed in.

[fuzzybob4]

I don't really need a red light on the tank, but wanted to see what would be said about the red bulb.
i have 2 10k and 2 blue on the tank right now.
one might be 1600k bulb ill have to check latter tonight.

[Big_Pun]

I run 4 t5 as supplement and use 1x Fiji pink, 1 blue plus, 2 coral plus. looks slightly pink due Fiji. I like the coral plus it's an all around bulb, it covers a lil of each of ATI bulbs but is a white color.

I would run 2 blue plus, ge 65k bulb, either coral plus or true actinic

[350gt]

Chris that tank would be yellow with the GE and coral plus with only 4 bulbs.... Even with 2 blue plus...


I know I tried.....

[350gt]

The coral plus is a good bulb too.... But really whitens with only 4 bulbs.....

[fuzzybob4]

Blue plus
Purple plus
Blue plus
Blue plus

are these blue bulbs?

[Big_Pun]

Blue plus
Purple plus
Blue plus
Blue plus

are these blue bulbs?

tank will look super blue take a blue out and do ge 65k bulb to aid in growth. you wont notice it with 2 blues and a purple, warning tank may still look a lil blueish pink

[fuzzybob4]

Would a 10k make it whiter Or yellower?

[Big_Pun]

whiter, when you get to 7k,65k,5k is when you get yellow look, but it can drowned out with enough blue plus

[350gt]

Man I wish I took pics of the GE with 3 blue plus.....


it was still yellow. It lasted only a week and got yanked.....

[fuzzybob4]

Ok that makes since. I'll post latter tonight what I'm running on the tank tonight when I get home.

[350gt]

Lol if I get bored enough tonight maybe I will plug in the fixture I am selling and display what I'm talking about... It's not on a tank anymore but maybe you can get a feel of what I'm talking about.....

[fuzzybob4]

Thanks sounds good.

[alton]

All ati bulbs

one true actinic ( love this bulb)
Two blue plus
one aquablue special

I totally agree with ATI! True actinic and aquablue special is a must. I use a coral plus and a UVL lamp in lieu of the 2 blue plus lamps though, but then that is my preference.

[CoryDude]

All ati bulbs

one true actinic ( love this bulb)
Two blue plus
one aquablue special

That's the exact combo I have on my 60 gallon. I;ve tried UVL, coralife, and blue life bulbs and NOTHING beats this ATI combo. A little on the blue side, but enough white to keep things growing at a nice pace.

[fuzzybob4]

Thank you all for you tips, I did look at the lights on my tank and they are
1x 10k
1x ocean sun
2x true actinic
it gives a nice white color but the corals don't pop.
If I was to add blue strip of led light and let that stay on for 1-2 hours would it make the color pop, as well as adding a 6500k bulb light?

[350gt]

You currently have 2 daylight bulbs.... You could go with one and be alright....

You will notice those with more colorful corals run them more on the blue side 14k+ .... The GE bulb is in the 65k range, it will give you growth but colors will lack more than they do now with only 4 bulbs.... In a 6 bulb set up, it would be easy to cover up the yellowish hue put out by it but not in a 4 bulb set up.....

Are you sure it's a ati true actinic or just a actinic bulb? There's a difference..

dump the unknown 10k bulb for a ati aquablue

dump one of the true actinic for a ati blue plus

dump the ocean sun for another ati blue plus....

Save on buying LEDs for now... But even I put some on my 4 bulb set up to get more blue and pop....t5s just don't make colors pop like LEDs but the bulbs your currently running wont help colors...

[350gt]

If I ever have to run t5s I won't put another bulb besides ati....

They are very affordable and proven to work.....