What bulb combo is best?

[CandyCane]

I have a 12 bulb T5HO fixture and dont know what bulb combonation i should go with.

I like the bluer look but I want everything to grow like crazy, the tank is full of LPS like blastos, acans, hammers, torchs, and small clams as well. There is a small peice of birds nest and some softies like mushrooms and gsp. I also have one medium corgie finger and some black sun polyps.

What would all of you guys do for a bulb combination?

[Starry]

I love the ati bulbs, so im gonna say 5 blue pluse, 5 aqua blue specials and 2 uri attinic. this will give you alot of par with a crisp blueish effect.

[CandyCane]

Thanks Starry, correct me if I'm wrong but I thought that daylight in like 10-12k was a must have for corals?

Lastly does anyone have an opinion on wave point bulbs?

[doch]

Kind of depends on your tank size and depth (mostly depth), but nothing that you listed here requires tons of light. Go as blue as you want. I like the KZ line... maybe 5-6 Super Blues, 4-5 New Gen, and 2 Fiji Purple. This will be a really blue look. If you go SPS down the road, lean more towards the 4-5 Super Blues, 5-6 New Gen, and 2 Fiji Purple.

I just remembered... you have clams, but they should be fine with the first combo.

[phi delt reefer]

Originally Posted by Starry

I love the ati bulbs, so im gonna say 5 blue pluse, 5 aqua blue specials and 2 uri attinic. this will give you alot of par with a crisp blueish effect.

I would go with 4 blue plus, 4 aquablue special, 2 purple plus and 2 URI Super Actinic.

BTW - Aquablue special is your 10-12K daylight bulb

i would do this front to back;

Blue Plus
Aquablue Special
Purple Plus
Super Actinic (or whever your sunrise/sundown slot is)
Blue plus
Aquablue Special
Blue Plus
Aquablue Special
Super Actinic (or whever your sunrise/sundown slot is)
Purple Plus
Blue Plus
Aquablue Special

[sphelps]

If you have the ability to run only two bulbs while the remaining stay off then the 2 actinics may be worth while, otherwise they will just get drowned out.

This my vote:

BACK
12-15K (Blue special or similar)
22K (blue + or whatever)
FIJI Purple or similar
12-15K (Blue special or similar)
22K (blue + or whatever)
12-15K (Blue special or similar)
FIJI Purple or similar
22K (blue + or whatever)
12-15K (Blue special or similar)
22K (blue + or whatever)
FRONT

Personally wouldn't bother with 10K or daylight bulbs. Keep things fairly simple to begin with and experiment with new bulbs as time goes on.

[Wanderer]

I use the following ratio

2 kz superblue : 1 KZ fiji purple : 1 kz New genreation 14K

my lps chalices and acans look shmexy

[RuGlu6]

Originally Posted by CandyCane

Thanks Starry, correct me if I'm wrong but I thought that daylight in like 10-12k was a must have for corals?

Lastly does anyone have an opinion on wave point bulbs?

I always have my SPS under at least 14K

[CandyCane]

Originally Posted by doch

Kind of depends on your tank size and depth (mostly depth)

The tank is 2 feet deep by 3 feet long and 3 feet wide. as for the light I have 4 ways of controlling it through 4 switches

BACK
1 Switch 1 Dusk/Dawn
2 Switch 2 Daylights
3 Switch 2 Daylights
4 Switch 2 Daylights
5 Switch 2 Daylights
6 Switch 1 Dusk/Dawn
7 Switch 3 Dusk/Dawn
8 Switch 4 Daylights
9 Switch 4 Daylights
10 Switch 4 Daylights
11 Switch 4 Daylights
12 Switch 3 Dusk/Dawn
FRONT

If you like blue use kz super blue. Much nicer than any ati blue bulb. Bluer and the same par. In my four bulb combo I run 2 super blue, dusk and then a kz fiji purple. I picked up an aqua science duo that is wonderful. More of a 15 k bulb. With this combo the tank is bluish white and very crisp. I believe the super blues are about 17k if I am not mistaken but have a par of about 330. Fiji purple also has a par in that range.