T5 Lighting May Be For You

[rjwilson37]

I have 2 Aquablue 11k, 1 Blue Plus and 1 Pure Actinic, the Actinic is just what was said earlier, to bring out the flourescense in corals. I will probably just get a blue plus to replace it when I get my replacement bulbs in another 3-4 months.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Na-Na Na-Na Naaa-Naaa

I've got VHO actinics and you don't.

Oh, they are T6 and PC's, a 4 foot long, 200 watt PC and 6 foot, 160 watt T6. I fired up the PC for a bit but not on the tank. It seems pretty bright and and not violet, not blue. Sorta in between. Will post a thread once I have a chance to try them over the tank.

 

[rjwilson37]

Grim.. I thought you had all T5's?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I did, then I got a deal on a halide hood which allowed me to get the oak canopy out from in front of my living room window. The odd stuff is new lamps that are coming out that are being supplied to me and a few other people to try out. I got a lot of time on my hands so a guy who helps develop the lamps has sent me the stuff to play with.

I lit off a 110 watt T6 vho today. I think it is going to be a little brighter than the T5's. Nice thing about them is they can be slipped right into a VHO system with only a couple of rubber gromets to make them fit snug in the T12 endcaps. As far as a stand alone system instead of T5 it is going to depend on price. Right now you need a Ice Cap ballast to run the VHO's. They have and interesting Normal Output T6 out (big al's is carrying them) called ultimate reef. They have added infra red and UVA and B to the output of the lamp so it produces light a little more like a metal halide's.

 

[Obi-dad]

Infrared = heat. ! :eek1: That is why I went from halides to T5

 

[Ti]

I have 2 Aquablue 11k, 1 Blue Plus and 1 Pure Actinic, the Actinic is just what was said earlier, to bring out the flourescense in corals. I will probably just get a blue plus to replace it when I get my replacement bulbs in another 3-4 months.

Iused to run that combo
now 2 11k ad 2 blue.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Infrared = heat. ! :eek1: That is why I went from halides to T5

The raw light produced inside fluorescents is infrared. That light acts on phosphores in the tube which creates the light the lamp emits. Shouldn't be an issue as far as heat goes. I haven't seen the actual lamp yet so I don't know how it looks.

 

[Coralover]

Quick question, what's brigther 156w of T5's or 150w of HQI?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

156 watts of "good" T5's would be my bet. At least to 16 or 18" depth.

 

[Obi-dad]

The raw light produced inside fluorescents is infrared. That light acts on phosphores in the tube which creates the light the lamp emits. Shouldn't be an issue as far as heat goes. I haven't seen the actual lamp yet so I don't know how it looks.

Actually, the opposite end of the spectrum. The 'raw' light inside any fluorescent lamp is UV, not infrared. The UV is converted by the phosphors lining the bulb into various frequencies depending on the phosphor. Most is converted to visible light, some is converted to infrared, some escapes as UV.

UV is higher energy light than visible light, which is high energy than infrared. When light is absobed by a phosphor and re-emitted, it is always at a lower energy level (lower frequency).

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Gad's I've been on a backassward streak lately. Violet, blue. Red. well red anyway they are doing whatever they need to do to increase the UV and Ifrared output. No reason for it to raise tempatures. Of course Big Al's lists it as having more colors but the guy who worked to develop the lamp says they just increased infrared and UV output. Someone running an ice cap ballast could throw one in and overdrive it to around 90 watts. It would be interesting to see if it really makes a big difference in growth over a standard T5.

 

[rjwilson37]

Quick question, what's brigther 156w of T5's or 150w of HQI?

The HQI 150w will put out more, but it is directed to an area and will not work well for the whole 3' tank, where the 156w of T5 will cover the length of a 3' tank.

 

[rjwilson37]

Coralover: It is stated well at this link below in the lighting section of this January 04's tank of the month. In trying to give lighting for a 3' tank with one MH over a 40g breeder (which is 3' long) was very bright in the center and dark in the outside corners.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/totm/index.htm

Lighting is a very tough choice with all the options out there today, it just depends on what you want to keep in your tank and what look you want for your tank. I was tossing MH/VHO, or MH/T5 and just T5's up and around for about 2-3 weeks looking at all different kinds of options. What is boiled down to for me was this: I did not want a heat issue and my tank is only 20" high, so T5's were a great choice for me so I could still keep some clams down in the sandbed being my tank is only 20" high.

 

[Coralover]

I asked cause im going to buy a 150w HQI and try to sell my T5's, I really like the T5's but I hate not having the shimmer effects. If I don't like the look of 1 150w HQI, I'll probably buy a second one later.

Thanks!

 

[reefdom]

Which 80W T5 bulbs should I get if I have the following setup and using them a dusk/dask.

3 - 250W 14K DE Pheonix

Looking for the T5's to ramp up and down around the 250W DE schedule. I already have moonlights.

Thx..

 

[The Grim Reefer]

feefdom

Get the blueplus. I don't think I would even bother to run them when the halides are on unless you like a very blue look.

 

[rjwilson37]

A picture from today, I can see some definate growth from my Monti Cap's just in the past week.

I just love this saltwater reefing, there are so many options and ways to go with it!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Your Cap isn't too big, your tank is too small.

 

[rjwilson37]

Thanks Grim, now you tell me this!

Ok, everyone! We need some pictures of your T5 Tanks!

Show us how there doing!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks Grim, now you tell me this!

Ok, everyone! We need some pictures of your T5 Tanks!

Show us how there doing!

Slap yourself upside the head and repeat after me...

"I coulda had a 90, I coulda had a 90".

I need to go through my camera and post a final T5 pic of my tank.

Mem-mories, like the cobwebs in my mind..........:crazy1: