T5 Bulb Question
- Thread starter landshark
- Start date
Reef Geek has nice information and a color spectrum on most of the quality T5s:
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/Bulbs/39_Watt/
ATI 39W Aquablue Special T5 HO Fluorescent bulb combines the properties of a full-spectrum bulb with an elevated blue color peak producing a bulb with an approximate color temperature of 15000K. Recommended Use: as a stand-alone bulb or in combination with Blue Plus, Purple Plus, True Actinic or other supplemental T5 bulbs.
ATI 39W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent bulb combines the properties of a blue bulb (approximately 460nm) with an actinic bulb (approximately 420nm) producing an intense blue light with high PAR numbers and a light spectrum that encourages both bluing in SPS corals and fluorescence in capable corals. Also helps balance out a washed-out/yellow hued tank. Recommend Use: as a supplement to metal halides or in combination with Aquablue Special, Purple Plus or other full spectrum T5 bulbs. Can also be used for dawn/dusk applications. (Similar to KZ Super Blue.)
You can see the differences in the light spectums of these 2 bulbs. The blue plus is an actinic and should be used with a full spectrum type also. Actinic will give you the bluest light.
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/Bulbs/39_Watt/
ATI 39W Aquablue Special T5 HO Fluorescent bulb combines the properties of a full-spectrum bulb with an elevated blue color peak producing a bulb with an approximate color temperature of 15000K. Recommended Use: as a stand-alone bulb or in combination with Blue Plus, Purple Plus, True Actinic or other supplemental T5 bulbs.
ATI 39W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent bulb combines the properties of a blue bulb (approximately 460nm) with an actinic bulb (approximately 420nm) producing an intense blue light with high PAR numbers and a light spectrum that encourages both bluing in SPS corals and fluorescence in capable corals. Also helps balance out a washed-out/yellow hued tank. Recommend Use: as a supplement to metal halides or in combination with Aquablue Special, Purple Plus or other full spectrum T5 bulbs. Can also be used for dawn/dusk applications. (Similar to KZ Super Blue.)
You can see the differences in the light spectums of these 2 bulbs. The blue plus is an actinic and should be used with a full spectrum type also. Actinic will give you the bluest light.
Blue Plus are around 460nm and the AquaBlue special are 60/40 actinic/daylight mix. A good sight to look out is this one by Grimreefer.
PWA
PWA
neither one is what I would call actinic..blue plus is around a 22k and aqua blue special is a 12k...blue special definately puts out a white color with some..almost unoticeable blue light...blue plus definately is blue..the colors flouresce and it has a high PAR for a blue bulb..actinic to me is synonymous with purple type bulbs that have nil in the PAR department..Corals definately need the blue spectrum...IMO..