New x24 T5 Bulbs

[khaotik]

I recently got my new lighting system
AquaticLife T5 HO Dual Lamp Light Fixtures



I will be linking another one of these in the near future but would like to know which bulbs I should get for the two bulb set up now? Nowhere in packaging have I read what kind of bulbs came stock. All the website says is: Marine includes 10,000°K Lamp and 420/460 Lamp. What lamps should I get now {and which ones for when I get another 2 light link.}?

I would like to keep corals and refine my knowledge until I can acquire a larger tank. I would like to keep SPS and LPS with what I can.

Total watt will be an eventual 96 watt. Each bulb has individual reflector. What could I keep under that?

 

[MushroomXombies]

I would get the additional fixture as soon as you can. 2 bulbs are not enough for SPS and most LPS.

I would go with ATI bulbs (reefgeek.com) they have high PAR.

1.Blue
2.Purple Plus
3.Aquablue
4.Blue

You can replace the Aquablue with a GE 6500K Daylight for a more 10K look...

 

[MushroomXombies]

I was just checking out your other thread with the pictures.When you do get some SPS, your going to want to place them towards the top of your tank. Given that your tank is only a few months old, 29 gallons and you do eventually want SPS, I would start out with LPS that have short sweeper tentacles like Acan lords and candycanes. This will allow you to put corals closer together and you wont have to worry about your LPS killing your SPS from the other side of the tank. Thats a little exaggerated, but some LPS do have sweeper tentacles 6 to 12" long. Thats a lot of real estate in a 29 gallon. Make sure your tank is stable, water is clean and you understand how Alk and Calcium work together before you add SPS. This will save you a lot of heartache down the road.

 

[khaotik]

Was checking out the ATI bulbs on reefgeeks. What is the difference between the True Actinic and the Blue Plus?

 

[MushroomXombies]

Actinic lamps peak around 420nm and provide violet light and some UV range light that is good at causing fluorescence, mainly noticeable in the green range many LPS and soft corals have.

Blue Lamps peak around 460nm and provide a high level of blue light and a good amount of PAR. They actually have more PAR than daylights in some cases. They cause good fluorescence in most colors other than certain greens and are excellent at blending out the greenish yellow tint of 10K halide lamps.

 

[reeffreak]

Mushroom is correct.

True actinics are purple(420nm) and most blues are 460nm.According to PAR test done on RC,the ATI blue plus bulbs have the highest PAR reading then all other bulbs including daylight bulbs.The only time I recommend getting a true actinic bulb is if you have a fixture with at least 6 bulbs.