T5 Bulb Combinations w/ Pictures

For best polyps grow from my experience are 2 ways - cheaper and not cheaper

Cheaper - ATI bulbs
4x blue plus
1x purple plus
1x true actynic 03

A lot of blue light, tank not gonna look too bright (good for buttons) purple plus and true actynic gonna pop colors nicely but water gonna look unfortunately little bit "blurry"
But this is how the ATI bulbs are made and we can't fix it... Lol

Not cheaper bulbs:

4x Korallen Zucht super blue
1x Korallen Zucht Fiji purple
1x Giesemann pure actynic 03

KZ bulbs are brighter than ATI (par readings are higher, super blue is probably strongest HO T5 bulb available on the market), water looking much better, not "blurry" like under ATI, KZ Fiji purple pops colors slightly better that ATI purple plus. Actinic is personal choice in my opinion the best pure actinic are made by Philips but Giessemann is great option as well or ATI of course.

I have experience only with few brands, ATI, GE, Hagen, KZ, Arcadia, Phillips and Giessemann.
Currently running all bulbs from ATI but new KZ set is on the way cause is time to change my 9 months old bulbs and finally after testing many of them want to get back to KZ...

 

One thing about these old threads I think a lot of people transitioned to the coral plus instead of the aquablue and Fiji purple. Coral plus is a newer bulb that came out a couple years ago.
I have
Blue plus
coral plus
Blue plus
Purple
Blue plus
coral plus
ATI super actinic.
Blue plus.

I love the blue hehe. Also some say the purple is no longer necessary with the newer ATI coral plus.
I have a giesman actinic In box I haven't tried out yet. .. I may do that tomorrow.
Check out reviews for the Coral plus:
ATI Coral Plus T5HO Fluorescent Bulb