T5's: A cautionary note

[GoldStripe]

Thanks for the input all!!!

 

[xcreonx]

I've been running T5s on my 180g tank since I set it up, about 2 years. before I had T5s on my 90g reef.

Here's a shot from about 6 months ago... i will get an updated shot tonight and add it to this post to show some of the differences in growth and some aquascaping changes as well.
<img src="http://www.goodmorningheartache.com/newtank/fulltankweb.jpg">

The setup is this (top down view):
<img src="http://goodmorningheartache.com/newtank/LIGHTS.jpg">

The lights are a kind of "Frankenstein" setup, as I'm using some of my old 90g stuff. But it all works great! I did notice many of my mushrooms don't like the T5s, but everything else is loving them.

These are the sunlight supply retrofits with the Triad ballasts. I got them from reefgeek. I will get an updated shot tonight!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Nice tank!

 

[horkn]

holy HUGE softies

nice tank

and i get shimmer lines to some extent. surface aggitation is crucial if you want shimmer lines with fluorescent lights

 

[horkn]

www.reefgeek.com

Usually has the best prices on T5.

Aquablue might be listed as 11K but not 10. There is no "20K" T5 lamp. There are blueplus/actinicplus which is the name for the blue lamp.

my ati blues are listed as 20k bulbs..

reefgeek and aqualux are always very close in pricing for similar things

 

[The Grim Reefer]

ATI doesn't list them as 20K's. They are actually closer to 50,000K than 20K anyway, just like the so-called 20,000K halides.

 

[rdmpe]

If you guys with hoods want shimmer lines can't you just mount a a little 30w halogen in there? Not a lot of power but since it's a point source it may give you shimmers

 

[The Grim Reefer]

30 watt halogen would probably get lost with decent lighting. Fluorescents are pretty bright.

 

[rdmpe]

Yeah, maybe so. But It'd be cheap to try and the depot / lowes are pretty good about returns...

 

[GoldStripe]

I bet that would work. It wouldn't be bright enough to notice the "spot" of light but you'd get the shimmer. Somebody run up to Lowe's and get one!!

 

[mufret]

Will the light be beneficial in any other way? Can you get them in the higher K ranges?

 

[rdmpe]

I doubt it would be of much benefit except maybe for some shimmer lines. I'm picturing something similar to what jewelry stores use to make their gems sparkle in the cases - very bright point source...

 

[Obi-dad]

hmmm...anyone know what those bright jewelry store lights are? I think the regular halogen bulbs may not be bright enough to make a difference with white T5s, but some of those jewelry stores have some very bright point source lights, and I think they may not be the same as the 70w halogen bulbs you see at Home Depot.

 

[glenns]

Anyone have a problem with a brown hair algae after adding T5's? My tank was looking great. Then I added the T5's and since then, I have a brown hair algae growing everywhere. It's on rock, sand, pumps, glass, ect. It even appears to float at the surface of the water. There are clear like bubble on it to. I did go two weeks without a water change But, I've changed 20G of water in the last two weeks and it is still growing. Nothing appears to be eating it either.

One of my LFS has T5's and they have the same algae. The woman that works there was not sure what king of algae we have.
Thanks.

 

[Codeman00]

I don't have brown hair algae, but I do have a cyano problem and have for the past 6 weeks....mine is only on the substrate though. Are you sure that its hair algae and not cyano? Can you post a picture of it?

 

[jnb]

what lighting were you using before? If the t-5s are more light I could see where algaes may grow for a bit.

Anyone have a problem with a brown hair algae after adding T5's? My tank was looking great. Then I added the T5's and since then, I have a brown hair algae growing everywhere. It's on rock, sand, pumps, glass, ect. It even appears to float at the surface of the water. There are clear like bubble on it to. I did go two weeks without a water change But, I've changed 20G of water in the last two weeks and it is still growing. Nothing appears to be eating it either.

One of my LFS has T5's and they have the same algae. The woman that works there was not sure what king of algae we have.
Thanks.

 

[glenns]

Codeman00, it is not slimey like Cyano. I is like hair algae but brown.

Nicholas, I went from 3 36" NO 10000K, 1 36" NO 50:50 and 1 36" NO Actinic to 2 48" 11000K, 1 daylight and 1 Super Blue HO T5's and 1 36" NO Actinic...

 

[horkn]

glenns, sounds like dinoflagellates...

does it look like snot?

 

[Lildragon]

Anyone have a problem with a brown hair algae after adding T5's? My tank was looking great. Then I added the T5's and since then, I have a brown hair algae growing everywhere. It's on rock, sand, pumps, glass, ect. It even appears to float at the surface of the water. There are clear like bubble on it to. I did go two weeks without a water change But, I've changed 20G of water in the last two weeks and it is still growing. Nothing appears to be eating it either.

One of my LFS has T5's and they have the same algae. The woman that works there was not sure what king of algae we have.
Thanks.

I don't have brown hair algae, but I have consistently been battling with a bryopsis outbreak since I switched to T5s. Water parameters look great, although it may be using my nitrates and phosphates so that my kits are testing negative...

 

[xcreonx]

all of my T5s have created a short-lived algae outbreak in my tanks. I just put a 2 x 24w retrofit on my frag tank two weeks ago and already there's long, stringy brown algae. It's very smooth and comes off VERY easily. You can siphon it out quickly.

I had it in my 180g display for about two months after upgrading to the T5s. It went away on it's own soon after.