8 bulb t-5 need help

[mattc183]

what combination of bulbs should I get for a slight to blue tint and good phosphoresence? And has anyone heard of catalina aquariums?

thanks
mattc

[twon8]

what are you trying to keep?

[mattc183]

clams and zoos.

[luke33]

Catalina has a very bad rep....worst than odyssea and jebo fwiw, and supposedly there customer service is worst than there products. Search for the threads.....yes plural! lol

[wizzbane15]

Catalina=Bad.

As for T-5, I have been using T5 setups for years. 8 Bulbs is a lot but you can cover the full spectrum. I would recomend the following combos:

2 Blue Plus or Super Blue (ATI has good ones)
2 actinic 420 (I like Giesemann actinic bulbs)
1 actinic 460nm
2 20k
1 50/50 or full spectrum for the white balance.

This will be good and blue, but really make for good phosphoresence.

[mattc183]

I should have known the price was too good to be true. After reading the threads on catalina, it's amazing they are still in business.

[mattc183]

oh and thanks for the bulb combo setup

[mattc183]

is that the combo you are using twonb? Your setup looks really good.

[kodyboy]

if this is for your 55 gallon get an aquactinics 5 x t5 54 watt unit, great fixture, more than enough light for your tank to grow anything.
I use 2x geisman 6500k, 2xgeisman actinic + and 1 UVL (URI?) superactinic. Great results!