T5 lights.... too many to choose... what combination....what brand???

[zum14]

Hello, so basically as the title says, there is just so many choices out there... I really like the color of Kiens FOWLR. I have 4 39W slots to fill but dont know if I should get KZ or Giesemann or is there some other nicer bulb out there? Also what should I get like a fiji purple, actinic and 2 14000K?? I also hear that as long as the color temp is high there isnt really a need for actinics but dont want to just get all 20000K bulbs and light everything up crazy and have nothing grow. (heard 20k were good for color but not for growth) I overthink things a lot. My tank is 46Gal, 19" deep. Have a mix of everything, really want a clam in the future. I dont want to buy any metal halides, I have 3 400w pendants (for the future tank) but think that will prob melt my current tank. haha. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[chris88]

KZ SUPERBLUE
KZ NEW GEN
KZ SUPERBLUE
KZ CORAL LIGHT

OR

ATI BLUE PLUS
ATI AQUA BLUE
ATI BLUE PLUS
KZ FIJI PURPLE

KZ's coral light has 6% of its spectrum in red so you may not need to run a fiji pruple with them. The fiji purple is a nice bulb but it can be overpowering in a 4 bulb set up. It makes your tank look a little purpleish. Either of these set ups will give you some good growth and color. Or you could mix them up like this.

KZ SUPER BLUE
ATI AQUA BLUE
KZ FIJI PURPLE
ATI BLUE PLUS

Any of these three are going to give you great results.

[TheKid]

I have from front to back:

kz superblue
UVL actinic white
Ati aquablue special
kz superblue

[kien]

Originally Posted by zum14

Hello, so basically as the title says, there is just so many choices out there... I really like the color of Kiens FOWLR.

I have it on good authority that the colour cast in Kien's FOWLR is achieved with the following combination..

KZ Coral Light New Gen (15K)
KZ Superblue (22K)
KZ Coral Light (10K)
KZ Coral LIght (10K)
KZ Superblue (22K)
KZ Coral Light Gen Gen (15K)

He used to have a couple of fiji purples in the mix but hated them so took them out and opted for more of a growth spectrum with 10Ks, while balancing out with 22Ks and 15Ks, giving an overall 14/15K(ish) cast.

[zum14]

Originally Posted by chris88

KZ SUPERBLUE
KZ NEW GEN
KZ SUPERBLUE
KZ CORAL LIGHT

OR

ATI BLUE PLUS
ATI AQUA BLUE
ATI BLUE PLUS
KZ FIJI PURPLE

KZ's coral light has 6% of its spectrum in red so you may not need to run a fiji pruple with them. The fiji purple is a nice bulb but it can be overpowering in a 4 bulb set up. It makes your tank look a little purpleish. Either of these set ups will give you some good growth and color. Or you could mix them up like this.

KZ SUPER BLUE
ATI AQUA BLUE
KZ FIJI PURPLE
ATI BLUE PLUS

Any of these three are going to give you great results.

Thanks! Is that the order you would run them in?? I hate seeing them blue shadows i get now, One because there not good lights, two im probably running too many actinics looking at what your suggesting. I dont have to have a fiji purple, just thought it was one of those things that helped thats all.

Originally Posted by svaningen

I have from front to back:

kz superblue
UVL actinic white
Ati aquablue special
kz superblue

Thanks, Ill look into the UVL line a bit, availability is mostly the problem for me and im going to try to make the purchase all from one place.

Originally Posted by kien

I have it on good authority that the colour cast in Kien's FOWLR is achieved with the following combination..

KZ Coral Light New Gen (15K)
KZ Superblue (22K)
KZ Coral Light (10K)
KZ Coral LIght (10K)
KZ Superblue (22K)
KZ Coral Light Gen Gen (15K)

He used to have a couple of fiji purples in the mix but hated them so took them out and opted for more of a growth spectrum with 10Ks, while balancing out with 22Ks and 15Ks, giving an overall 14/15K(ish) cast.

Thats funny. So being that you have that amazing wonderful powermodule with 6 slots on it to make it so beautiful, if you had to remove 2, which 2 would go? Thanks again.

[kien]

If I only had a 4 bulb I would take out one of the 22Ks and one of the 10Ks.

So probably something like.

KZ Coral Light New Gen (15K)
KZ Superblue (22K)
KZ Coral Light (10K)
KZ Coral Light New Gen (15K)

Lighting choice is such a personal thing though. What one person likes another person will hate. It all depends on how your tank is layed out. Where your corals are placed, etc.

[zum14]

Originally Posted by kien

If I only had a 4 bulb I would take out one of the 22Ks and one of the 10Ks.

So probably something like.

KZ Coral Light New Gen (15K)
KZ Superblue (22K)
KZ Coral Light (10K)
KZ Coral Light New Gen (15K)

Lighting choice is such a personal thing though. What one person likes another person will hate. It all depends on how your tank is layed out. Where your corals are placed, etc.

Well that sounds pretty awesome to me, Ill post a pic of my tank on here tonight and see if maybe that helps. I do agree that lighting is pretty personal but I like yours so thats enough for me to at least try it. Thanks again.

[chris88]

UVL actinic white and the fiji purple are very similar in color. Both of them look pinkish. The UVL bulb as a broder spectrum and the fiji purple has more red and blue. You can go wrong with KZ bulbs in my opinion. Its what i know run and i love it.

[ElGuappo]

my 4 bulb tanks i run

2 coral light (yellowish)
2 new gen coral light.(Blueish)

decent color and growth.

[zum14]

Not sure if this helps you decide but this is what the tank looks like right now. My acan and pocillipora are still on a shelf till the shrimps are gone.