6x54W T5 retrofit

[crumbletop]

To all you T5 fanatics/experts:

Following the advice of many on RC, I am switching out my 4x65W PCs for T5s on my 90. I have ordered the Tek T5 retrofit with the Ice Cap SLR reflectors from Reefgeek. What I am wondering is what kind of bulb combination and bulb order to start with. I ordered 8 bulbs total in order to experiement with different combinations, but I'd like a recommendation of what a good place to start would be. I've ordered several geissman aquablue and actinic/blue plus bulbs, and GE daylight bulbs.

 

[Blown 346]

It wounds like you are off to a great start. As far as order goes I would do 1 daylight, then one actinic and so forth. it will even out the light spectrum instead of having the back blue and front daylight.

 

[crumbletop]

so do you mean alternate actinic/blue+ and daylights all the way across? Maybe use an aquablue in place of a daylight in spots? Something like this:

---FRONT---
A/B+
AB
A/B+
Daylight
A/B+
AB
---BACK---


Jack

 

[Blown 346]

I would do this.
---Front---
Daylight
Actinic
Daylight
Actinic
Daylight
Actinic
Daylight
---Back---

 

[horkn]

i would do it more like crumbletop has it listed for bulb order than blown 346's way. but thats just me. the day bulbs at the front and back would make the tank too yellow for my taste.


sounds like you did your research and got a good selection of bulbs, and a good t5ho setup.

 

[Wryknow]

It's going to be largely a matter of personal aesthetics. The GE bulbs will produced the most PAR but some people don't like the way that they look very much. Try a couple of different combos and see what you like. My set-up looks like this...

------------------ 160W VHO Actinic -----------------
----- 39W blueplus----- -----39W blueplus -----
----- 39W GE ------------ ----- 39W GE ------------
----- 39W aquablue ---- ----- 39W aquablue ---
----- 39W GE ------------- ----- 39W GE -----------
------------------ 160W VHO actinic -----------------