T5 bulb combo conversation

The BRS group buy has me jumping the T5 bulb replacement a bit early, but I want to get away from the stock bulbs that came in my AquaticLife fixture anyway. Currently there are 10k, blue, 10k, blue, 10k, and blue, in that order from front to back. I'd like to get a more 20,000Kish look to the tank, and was thinking the following combo. Any thoughts???

Front to back
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Purple Plus (dusk/dawn timer)
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus (dusk/dawn timer)
ATI 12000K Aquablue Special or GE 6500K (?)
ATI Blue Plus

In particular, how different would the 12000K and the 6500K bulbs look, or would the 6500K bulb be good to have to spread the spectrum a bit? Also, is this too much blue?

Thanks all!

 

Use the 12000K, 6500K are quite yellow and have a tendency to brown out corals. It will be quite blue with that combo.

 

Thanks John. Too blue do you think? What about 2 12000K bulbs? I'm not looking for a really really blue look, just something less "yellow" and more of a blue tinge than my current config.

 

I run

Aqua blue special
Purple plus
Blue plus
Aqua blue special
Blue plus
Blue plus

It looks way better than my other combo it's like an 18k look IMO

 

Thanks Atticus. I think I'm leaning towards that combo after yours and John's feedback.

Is that the order of bulbs from front to back? Interesting you'd put a 12k bulb in the front...

 

Bulb placement in the front two spots and the back spot control how the over color is perceived. The front spot has the most control. Just move your bulbs around to get the look you want. Blue then white will give the whitest look, blue then purple will be bluer. I suggest splitting your white and purple bulbs if you go with 4 blues. I suggest getting another white to give you more options along with the bulbs you were planning on getting.

 

check out this thread...

http://www.3reef.com/forums/t5-aquarium-lighting/t5-bulb-combinations-w-pictures-59447.html

 

Thanks. I'm sure I'll be playing around with the combos a little bit. I also plan on changing out a bulb every 2-3 days, to give the corals a bit of time to adjust to the jump in PAR that I expect switching old to new and to ATI. Do you agree this is neccessary?

 

I've read it. The big problem is that all the photos are taken with different cameras, different settings. Heck, I have a hard time getting my DSLR to replicate my own tank's colors. I figure it's just going to be a couple days of flipping bulbs in and out.

I'm sure my wife will have a bigger say in it than I will... :

 

Hey Sacul I thought I would jump in on your thread. My combo is basically the same as Atticus'. Just one bulb is switched around differently. My current combo of T5s is.

Front
ATI AquaBlue Special
ATI Blue Plus
ATI purple Plus
ATI Aqua blue Special
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

I love this combo, gives the tank a really nice clean white look to it. The coral pops there true color not a bunch of fluorescence from a blue hue to the tank.