4 bulb combo PAR

Hi guys, my bulbs are about ready for a replacement and was hoping for a suggestion.. I like deep blues, seeking lots of PAR since it's only 4 tubes, and coloration would be nice as well :

I've got it narrowed down to the following 54 watt bulbs:

3x ATI Blue+
1x Geisemann 6k

or

2x ATI Blue+
1x Geisemann 6k
1x Geisemann Aquablue + (11k)

Is the power of the 6k bulb enough to drown out the overpowering effect of blues I will get out of the Blue+ tubes, or am I better off mixing in the 11k with a 6k and just stick to 2 Blue+?

I've currently got a fiji purple in my fixture now, though kind of feel I'm sacrificing PAR for a color spectrum that's not benefiting me.

I dont really have a good mixture of color corals. By far the majority of my corals are blue/green/red. Hoping to change that though in the upcoming months though.

 

I dont have an answer for ya on this, but I can say I am going to watch this thread because I also have a 4 bulb fixture and would like to know what a good combination is.

 

I would go for the 2 blue plus, 1 ATI aquablue special and UVL actinic white. The actinic white will pop your reds without sacrificing PAR. Plus you'll save $5-6 per bulb over the Geisemann.

 

I'm eager to find out other people's suggestions as well.. I've read a lot that the Blue+ bulbs have a lot of par, though I don't if that really means it "has a lot of par for a blue bulb"... Conversely, I realize the 6k bulbs are closer to the natural spectrum these corals find in nature and will probably aid in growth better. I'm just looking for max PAR/growth while keeping it a nice blue to the eye with only 4 bulbs.. My tanks only 55 gal so it doesnt have to penetrate too deep..

 

Interesting, good call on the UVL actinic white. It looks to be a 12k vs 11k geisemann aquablue+, cheaper, and should provide a hint more blue maybe with the added benefits you mentioned.. I'll definitely consider this a better option than the aquablue+..

Thanks for the suggestion 2in10

edit.. based off these from reefgeek they might not provide more blue, or maybe so, I really don't know how to interpret these graphs.. Nice none the less
Actinic White:

Aquablue+

 

Par values of each bulb:
T5 lamp PAR readings - Reef Central Online Community

ATI aqua blue plus special is 12k

 

If you like "deep" blue 3 Blue + and an AquaBlue or a UVL Actinic White is probably good. If you want a more balanced look you could go with the 2 Blue+ configurations that have been mentioned.
Also to clarify the Blue+ bulbs have more PAR than some cheap 10k bulbs. They are great for PAR on any scale and also have great color.

 

Okay,

From a bit more poking around on that thread the GrimReefer absolutely floods with useful information, it turns out the FijiPurp tube puts out respectable PAR. Something like 320-330ish.. More than I would have thought. Granted, it's a bit more $, but it was suggested that it would be money well spent if you only have 4 bulbs to work with. Otherwise, in a 6 bulb fixture you can mimic the KZ's color with two cheaper bulbs and gain a bit more PAR(Forget the exact combo now though). With that said, I'm most likely going to experiment with the following, in different combination's.

3x ATI Blue+
1x ATI 12k AquaBlue Special
1x Fiji Purp

First test will be 3 of the Blue+ and one of each of the others.. Most likely in the second to front position.

Followed by, 2 Blue+, the FijiPurp and AquaBlue Spec.

So 3 tests in all. I'll probably run each combination for a couple days and get some burn time in on the bulbs before I take pictures and decide. I'll definitely update this thread with some pics as soon as I can.