Advice? lighting

Setting up a 7 foot 210. Will be running 2 black boxes, whites and blues only. Have a 4 foot t5 that will go in the middle. Should I try different bulbs so I have a broader color spectrum or just stick with white and blue?

 

How many bulbs? If it's 8 like the one I have I'd go 2 coral plus 1 purple and 5 blue plus. All ati. I live the growth and color of ati.

 

It's a 4 bulb. Original idea was to buy 2 fixtures to go with my leds and offset then, and I will still probably buy another fixture at some point.

 

You cant go wrong with T5ho's they still perform the best color spread and blending, and depending on who you ask, are still the best for color and growth/health of corals. TBH, they are stil;l nearly as cheap and efficient as LED's at this point. People quickly point out that LED's are more cost effective... BUT In reality... The LEDs are up to 365+ watts a unit at full plus fans... Really with a T5 system you are looking at like, maybe 50 watts more a year... At any rate! in a 4 bulb set up, I would run; Aquablue Special, Coralplus, True actinic, and a purple plus. That will give you a nice blue red green mix and a nice pink pop to corals who have it.

 

I ended up going 1 aqua blue, 1 coral plus and 2 actinic. But will be paired with 2 led fixtures when fully setup. Just started the cycle 2 weeks ago

 

Interesting bulb combination. I guess you will be able to tweek the look with you leds.
I will post a link for future reference if you want to try different combinations.
Aquarium lighting and fltration. Frequently Asked Questions for the SunPower and Powermodule T5 High Output Fixtures, PowerCone Protein Skimmer, T5 High Output Bulbs, Reef Salts and Water Care Products. FAQ - ATI North America.

--- Auto-Merged, Dec 20, 2015, Original Post: Dec 20, 2015 ---

Giesemann bulbs are good also.