What bulbs for my 49g breeder

Ok i belive i have decided to just order the Tek 4x36 lighting unit for my 40g breeder. i was thanking about the 6 light unit but the 4 is a little cheaper but also it is a little smaller, making it easier to get into my tank if need be. Im just hopping that it will be enough lighting for a LPS dominate tank, with a couple of SPS and clams down the road.

So as for bulbs im just wondering what ones to order. Ive havent really got to look into the brands to much, ive mostly been looking at what fixture to get.

As for the color. i would like a nice blue/white look, or whatever would make the corals really pop. not to blue though but not to white, maby along the lines of 50/50 blue to white.

BTW i have some blue LED's that i will be adding to the fixture for a moon light effect. not sure if that changes the bulbs you would have choose or not.

hope that that is enough info for what i want. if not please tell me.
Thanks for the help

 

Bulbs are such a personal choice. I would use ATI, Geissman or UVL. IMO a 50/50 daylight to actinic is too white. If you really want a nice blue look. I would try 3 Blue+ (ATI I believe, but the others have equivalents) and 1 daylight (around 10K). I run 2 actinics, 2 blues and 2 12K bulbs and like the color.

 

A good starting point is 2 ATI blue plus, 1 ATI aquablue special (11000K), and 1 UVL actinic white. Put in this order front to back blue plus, actinic white, aquablue, blue plus.
Geisemann equivalents are about as good just $5 more per bulb. If you order from Reefgeek.com you will only pay about $15 per bulb instead of $21 using their combo package. Put your SPS and clam in the upper half under the reflectors. Your LPS may need light acclimation.

 

So would the Geisemann be the better bulb or is the ATI just as good but better priced?

So for the bulds you posted it looks like this.

Back. :blue color/fluorescence
mid back :Blue color/ growth (daylight, white in color)
mid front :blue color/ growth/ fluorescence
front. :blue color/ fluorescence

I'm I look at what each bulb is for correctly or am I way off?
Does my thing above even make sence?
I'm just trying to be sure that I have a good understanding of what each buld is actuly doing.

Thanks

 

Generally speaking, the higher kelvin temperature, the better color you will get out of a coral. The lower kelvin temperature, the better growth. IMO, ATI and Geismann bulbs are equivalent. If will be really be trial and error to get a combination you really like. What you actually see depends on the bulbs, the ballasts and the reflectors.

Here's a thread I started a while back that can give you some help with bulb choices.

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

 

ATI has a little bit higher PAR values but basically equal. Both made in Germany.
The UVL is actually pink and will bring out pink, red and purple.
The aquablue is actually almost white.

You got a pretty good idea. They all have good PAR. The blue plus have the best.

 

Spot on.

 

GuitarMan89,
That has to be the best thread ever. That's a big help. Thanks alot

2In10
A big help as well thanks. I belive I got the lighting order.

Front to back: blue (makes the blues pop)
Pink (makes the reds pop)
White (daylight/grouth)
Blue ( makes the blues pop)
I thank I would like that setup. I was hoping robe able to get the reds and stuff to realy shine as well as the blue. I just didn't know if I would be able to with just 4 bulbs. Was thanking that it might cut me short on the daylight or blues.
Time to look at that link GuitarMan89 posted to see if I can find someone using somthing close to that setup, so I can get an idea of the color/look.

Thanks