Blue LED supplement to go with a 150W Metal halide?

[SpongeAl]

My build is progressing to the point of wanting to plan out my light hood.

I switched from a Kessil A360 to a 150W JBJ "viper" fixture that I bought off eBay for the ballast and reflector.

I have given into the fact that I can't have it all from one lighting source. The Kessil could look good, but was selective of the coral it would grow. I find the Halide much more forgiving, easier to use, everything responds well to it.

Overall I am very thrilled with the Halide bulb, it just works, but at the same time I wouldn't mind playing with some Actinic supplement to bring out a bit more pop. (Like LED pop) The problem I am having is all the coral I buy is displayed under LED so you understand that things can look quite different when you get them home under the Halide. Dont get me wrong, things that look good under the Halide, look really good, the rest are too brown, they need LED (Or perhaps T5 Actinic) to bring out the purchased colour.

At first I contemplated doing a T5 thing, maybe have some dusk/dawn thing going on, but from what I have read, it might be hard for a T5 to have enough actinic grunt against a Halide? Perhaps it would be doable because my bulb is only 150W? I don't know.

I do have a Apex Jr, but the outlets are in demand, so I don't think I will do the dusk dawn at this point, although I might consider getting a EB4 as I could use more outlets anyways.

With blue LED, I don't think would be as nice for Dusk/Dawn as a T5, but I digress.

I guess what I am looking for would be a 18"- ~23" LED strip light.
Anybody using something like this with their MH setup?

[Wheelman76]

If you decide to go with a couple T5 strips instead they shouldn't be drowned out by the halide. I have a 400w halide and I can turn my T5 strips on and off and clearly see the difference. While that will help add a little pop with blue plus bulbs and also fill in some shadows it's not going to pop like an LED strip. I just ordered a Reefbright LED strip to add some more pop to my tank , they get great reviews but are not cheap. Tru lumen also makes an LED strip but they don't put out near the output that the Reefbrights do.

[SpongeAl]

Originally Posted by Wheelman76

If you decide to go with a couple T5 strips instead they shouldn't be drowned out by the halide. I have a 400w halide and I can turn my T5 strips on and off and clearly see the difference.

Noted.

Originally Posted by Wheelman76

While that will help add a little pop with blue plus bulbs and also fill in some shadows it's not going to pop like an LED strip. I just ordered a Reefbright LED strip to add some more pop to my tank , they get great reviews but are not cheap.

I will check out the Reefbright, thanks.

Originally Posted by Wheelman76

Tru lumen also makes an LED strip but they don't put out near the output that the Reefbrights do.

OK good to know, cause I have some sort of Tru Lumen string light here and ya as far as I can remember it doesn't do much of anything, aside from moonlight duty.