3 tube t-5 lighting choice!

[RAEDSREEF]

i need some suggestions for a 3 tube t 5 lighting choice.currently i have 1 power compact fixture with 2 65 watt 50/50s..im wondering if i should do all 3 t-5s 50/50 as well..i just dont know if i can get optimum chloraphyl production out of 50/50s.what do you guys think about 2 actinics and one 10k in the t5 fixture along with the two 50/50 pcs im running..give me some insight

[chipmunkofdoom2]

Originally Posted by RAEDSREEF

i need some suggestions for a 3 tube t 5 lighting choice.currently i have 1 power compact fixture with 2 65 watt 50/50s..im wondering if i should do all 3 t-5s 50/50 as well..i just dont know if i can get optimum chloraphyl production out of 50/50s.what do you guys think about 2 actinics and one 10k in the t5 fixture along with the two 50/50 pcs im running..give me some insight

How many PC bulbs do you currently have? If it were me I'd rather go with too much daylight than too much actinic. While the actinics produce part of the spectrum that corals need to grow, they are mostly aesthetic and don't replicate EVERYTHING the corals need. Why not just get a 4 bulb fixture and get 2 actinic and 2 daylights, or even a 5 bulb fixture with 2 of them actinic and 3 daylight?

I think you'd be much better off getting a mixture of dedicated bulbs instead of 50/50 bulbs. The concept always was a little hard for me to swallow.

[RockBox]

How many separate switches/plugs do you have for the T5s and the PCs? You really might want to consider having a combo that will allow you to run dawn and dusk modes.