need some input on bulb selection

[jolson10450]

i currently have 4x t5's over my 29g tank 24" and i use the following front to back

ATI blue +
ATI aquablue special
KZ Fiji purple
ATI blue +


i need new bulbs soon so i am wondering what other people use for their high par bulb layouts. i was thinking of skipping out on the purple all together and going

ATI blue +
ATI blue +
ATI aquablue special
ATI blue +

this will give it a lot more color pop to the tank while still having generally the same par. i am working on switching my tank over to a few softies and then the rest sps so the tank will mainly be sps.

[Heidi]

I don't know a lot about t5s yet but what I have observed in the new system is this: I have the blue specials and blues running right now cause I am waiting on another ballast, it washes out my reds and purples look like blue and reds look like purple. I am looking forward to getting my ballast back so I can put one "fiji purple" in the mix to keep my reds from washing out. Just a thought.
Heidi

[jolson10450]

that is what i was thinking that it will wash some of the reds out, currently though when i put on just blue + bulbs the only thing it washes out is my pink birds nest...

any other input?

[Heidi]

Do you think that half "special" and half blue might not wash out the pinks and reds as much? Just wondered, like I said I am just learning about the T5 set up. I know my preference seems to be with a "whiter" blue light. I am used to MHs so maybe that is why. Maybe you could just get like a 3 red leds plug and play number in there to keep some of that pink color?? Just a thought.

[binford4000]

I'd keep the fiji and replace the special with another blue +,if it was me.Par levels are about the same and the extra blue with a touch of purple should really make the color pop

[rmalone]

The figi purple really makes oranges and reds light up, my flame wrasse is sooo much prettier with figi purple than blue+, ditto with orange digi and setosa. I have found that the figi purple makes purple actually purple rather than more of a blue color. But crap, it really seems to depend on the exact coral or fish as to how the color renders from different bulbs. Personally I like a little change now and then anyway.

Forgot to mention my t5's are supplemental to 14k phoenix mh.

[jolson10450]

what do y'all think of the ATI purple plus? maybe i should do front to back:

blue +
purple +
purple +
blue +

or instead of purple plus use the KZ bulbs again?

thanks for the input so far!

[Sir Patrick]

Are the ATI purple plus and the Fiji purple all that different?

[jolson10450]

Originally Posted by Sir Patrick

Are the ATI purple plus and the Fiji purple all that different?

not to sure, i have used fiji purple not the purple plus yet....

[bigbill]

well i not in to all the blue bulbs i use 2 ati 10k AND 2 antic blues stock from Fish need it iam not in to all the fake color u get from useing the all blue bulbs and purple but this is just my opinion