SPS Lighting

[Sniperhank]

So, I would like to make a move towards SPS. I'd like to give one a shot this spring. Really trying to pace myself with my tank as me moving to fast did bad things...as I knew and was warned... I have been reading as much as I can, but would like to hear from you guys. I've got really sick of all the fluff in the reading I've been doing. I want straight to the point.

I am currently using a T5 setup. Infact, here it is:
Coralife Aqualight T5 Ho Lunar Fixture - Fluorescent Lighting
I believe that I will need better bulbs so any suggestions would be great. I have no real clue about reflectors...no clue what is there or if there is better.

I know that I will ahve to keep it as high as I can in my tank no matter what. I'm not concerned about my water, as I have finally got everything squared away and stable with it. In terms of flow, that will be easy to just point my weaker PH at it and keep my stronger one doing its thing.

 

[Gti_Leo]

its a 4 lamp with single lamp reflectors right. with quality lamps liek ATIs guiessman or KZ you should be fine keeping them closer to the top of your tank

 

[Sniperhank]

Any help on combonation or anything for bulbs? I think my 10ks should be ok...but should my actinics become blue+ or purople whatever or something?

 

[Gti_Leo]

i would go with two bue plus a fiji purple and a aquablue special

 

[mr_X]

I would skip any purple bulbs with a 4 lamp fixture. I would also change out the 10k's that come with your fixture. The high end lamps like ATI put out more PAR than others. That's why you would change the lamps in the first place, as you mentioned above. I would also stay away from acropora with your current fixture, but all others should be ok.
A constant strong flow like pointing a power head directly at a coral would probably kill it. I would use stronger power heads throughout the tank and let them push water at each other and the glass and rock, and let random bursts hit the coral.

 

[Gti_Leo]

i have a fiji purple in my and i love the look with that combo, i'll try and take some pics but i donno if the color will come out right

 

[Sniperhank]

Truely that is what I intended to write...though n clue why I said point a PH at it... Either way, what would you suggest instead of a purple, a 10k for faster growth? All this reading makes my head hurt.

 

[mr_X]

I would suggest 2 blue plus and 2 aquablue specials, but we can wait for Leo's pics. the trouble is, you have to find a place that sells both ATI lamps and Korallen Zucht lamps. I do not like the ATI purple plus AT ALL. I have 2 brand new 54 watters I'd love to trade for 2 blue plus!

 

[Gti_Leo]

kz superblues kz corallight II daylight and fiji purple



fiji and daylight



just blues


hopefully you can see the difference (simple cellphone pics), but the target spectrum that a fiji purple hits is great for coral growth and is said that growing SPS requires more red

i'm actualyl considerign gettign another superblue and removing the daylight

 

[Gti_Leo]

hres a difference between the purple plus and fiji purple

UltimateReef.com - View Single Post - Non Branded T5 tubes, need info and pics

the purple plus is more purple where as the fiji purple is more pink

heres a spectrum comparison so you can see that the purple plus pushes out a little more blue hump, but doesn't ofer the red spectrum that the purple plus does so it would seem that it gives duller look to it and the fiji purple is closer to a daylight then a specialty bulb

KZ Fiji Purple vs. ATI Purple Plus | Reef Gizmo

 

[Sniperhank]

That was a really good read. That clears things up alot. And I fully agree with the fiji purple being > than the ati purple. Def wouldn't need more blue/purp spectrum if you are using the blues.

So what would you think about 2 blue plus, an aqua blue special, and a fiji purple?

 

[Gti_Leo]

i like that combo, it might be a little less blue then mine because my daylight is a 14000k where as the ATI is 12000k but it should look good and do what you want it to do

 

[Sniperhank]

I found Fiji's on bulkreefsupply (Search results for: 'fiji purple'), but they don't list sizes of the bulbs. I need 36 for my T5 unit and I know there are both smaller and larger sizes of bulbs.

 

[mfdrookie516]

39w is a 36" T5HO.

I'm really loving the color combo I have with an aquablue special, blue plus, coral plus, and purple plus.

 

[Gti_Leo]

you got the coral plus already? mind showing some pics of how they look compared to the aquablues?

 

[mfdrookie516]

Sure. I don't have any pics of the bulbs themselves, but I have two FTS.

2x ABS, 1 Blue plus, 1 Purple Plus-

1x ABS, Blue Plus, Purple Plus, Coral Plus-

 

[Gti_Leo]

looks good, much bluer and it doesn't have a dullish kind of look, i guess the coral plus contrasts well with the purple plus

 

[mfdrookie516]

It does. I'm bedridden right now with a bad stomach bug, but once I'm mobile again, I'll try and get a shot of the coral plus beside the purple plus. It definitely makes the tank look more clear... of course, my crappy picture takin skills might be a big factor there. Overall, I'm glad I got it. It's definitely not too blue, but it's blue enough. I don't like a really blue tank.

 

[Gti_Leo]

it has much more pow to it, like theres more variety in the colors available

 

[Sniperhank]

The coral plus is new I know...but I have one in my order right now, they can't be hard to get?