The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[jgraz]

For the T-5's you I do not think the you will get enough light with the 2 bulb system unless the corals are realy near the top of the tank and you have your light fixture realy close to the water level. The 4 bulb fixture about the least I'd consider for a 20 gallon high tank. With the tank dimensions I doubt it that you could use a 6 bulb fixture.

I would not even consider a 2 bulb fixture. I might get the 4x24 TEK fixture. Not sure yet. I already have a Current Nova 4x24 but I realize that it does not compare to the TEK. Also The ATI fixture would both fit with 6 bulbs but I think that would be overkill IMO, plus the cost would kill me.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Ok well my wife has put the kabosh on my 75 gal new years build. So that is out the window so I am going to convert my 20 gal high frag/ grow out tank to a SPS heavy nano. Right now I have a 120 watt LED fixture pretty much the Chinese fixture rebranded by Apollo LED. It has 30 3 watt blue and 25 3 watt white led. All run at 2 watts. We all know the fixture by now. I also have a current nova 4x24 watt fixture. Which should I go with. I'm also considering a Tek 4x24 and that would be the best way to go right. Sorry bout the led question here but figured I would post here because of the decision between T5 and led. Thanks in advance

Run the LED's bu8t pick up An exotic stunner strip to run with it,. They have a magenta/blue mix that should make the chinese unit give great color

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have been running the following setup over my 75 for about 4 years. I have gotten excellect growth and color from a lot of SPS. However, I have had some trouble keeping the color in some of the LPS (Acan, chalice, etc.). So, I am looking for a new bulb combination to get some of the great color back into my LPS and maintain the color in anything new I might purchase. I still plan on having plenty of SPS. Any suggestions?


Current Setup:
Tek Light 48" Retrofit: 6-54W T5 HO Fluorescents
Ice Cap reflectors
Icecap 430 Ballest overdriving 2 bulbs (see below)

Front
Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun (OD)
Blue Plus
GE 6500K (OD)
Blue Plus

Thanks
Brad

Blue Plus
Purple Plus
Blue Plus
Blue Plus
KZ New Gen
Blue Plus

Use the two overdriven lamps as your daylight pair.

 

[jgraz]

Thanks Grim. Would you get 2 12" strips and attach to the fixture or one 24" fixture and affix to front or back of tank. If I go with 2 12" would they both be magenta/blue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks Grim. Would you get 2 12" strips and attach to the fixture or one 24" fixture and affix to front or back of tank. If I go with 2 12" would they both be magenta/blue

Whatever makes the most sense as far as mounting it.

 

[jgraz]

Thx again. Hijack over.

 

[jgraz]

Back to the t5's. I have a 24" current nova 4 bulb on my 44 gal corner pentagon. My current array is Blue+
KZ purple
Aquablue
Blue+
Should I stick with this or is there an advantage to the new generation. The tank houses some LPS and Zoos mainly though I do have a orange cap and green slimmer acro way up top.

 

[barney1215]

Hey Grim. Just picked up a 10 bulb 80 watt ati powermodule for sps dominant tank. What bulb conf. would you go with. I like a bluer look also.

 

[garygb]

Dumb question: I just received my ATI Sunpower fixture. I'm embarrassed to ask this, but admittedly, I'm not very handy so here goes, how do I get the "cable gripper" to release so I can lower the fixture. The gripper does a great job at preventing the fixture from dropping, but I have it too high and need to lower it. I've tried angling the cable in the hole of the gripper, I've even tried turning the cable in an attempt to "screw" it up through the gripper--nothing.

Thanks in advance,
Gary

 

[AugustWest]

Press the little button in on top of the hanger

 

[garygb]

Duh. I figured it out. I should have fiddled with it a few minutes longer to realized if I press down on the top part of the grabber it causes it to release. Maybe for us "unmechanically" inclined, the User's Manual should mention how to get the grabber to release. C'est la vie.

 

[garygb]

: ) Thank you August, I appreciate the quick reply.

 

[TropTrea]

Back to the t5's. I have a 24" current nova 4 bulb on my 44 gal corner pentagon. My current array is Blue+
KZ purple
Aquablue
Blue+
Should I stick with this or is there an advantage to the new generation. The tank houses some LPS and Zoos mainly though I do have a orange cap and green slimmer acro way up top.

It realy depends a lot of how you like the color. I think your combo now work good for your corals however there is that personal taste. You definatly want to keep you 2 blue plus bulbs. The Aqua Blue is a matter of color preference. You could try a New Gen in its place to see if you like that better clor wise. Simularly you could try an ATI purple instead of the KZ purple but it realy a lot of what you like. Do you want to reduce the blue or increase the blue?

 

[TropTrea]

Hey Grim. Just picked up a 10 bulb 80 watt ati powermodule for sps dominant tank. What bulb conf. would you go with. I like a bluer look also.

I love the idea of 10 bulbs it realy gives you the option to tune the light to your eye without giving any thing up.

On your dawn to dusk two bulbs I'd say you have two options that is both ATI Blue Plus or an ATI Blue Plus with a Purple.

Now for the Mid Day 8 bulbs you can be much more creative. If you went with the 2 blue plus bulbs in the dawn to dusk than you want to add a purple here. Then add two full spectrum bulbs basicly of your choice from the aqua blue, New Generation, or even a 6,500K. Mix and/or match these two bulbs for your personal color taste. Then the remaining 5 or 6 slots would get additional ATI Blue Plus bulbs.

 

[mginn]

When a coral or clam is rated as requiring intense lighting how is this determined ? Is that strictly a total par rating. Very confused as to how wavelength, kelvin temperature and par values are related. Thanks for any help.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim. Just picked up a 10 bulb 80 watt ati powermodule for sps dominant tank. What bulb conf. would you go with. I like a bluer look also.

blue plus
blue plus
purple plus
blue plus
ge 6500K
blue plus
purple plus
blue plus
blue plus
blue plus

Grab an extra GE to play with

 

[The Grim Reefer]

When a coral or clam is rated as requiring intense lighting how is this determined ? Is that strictly a total par rating. Very confused as to how wavelength, kelvin temperature and par values are related. Thanks for any help.

Corals will use any light from violet to red. I've seen shallow water coral that would have seen some red and a lot of yellow light do fine in a tank with very blue halides and deep water corals that would never see anything but blue light do well under 10K's

Just worry about PAR. Truth is the corals adapt to whatever light they get. You can have the same species 5 feet below the surface and 25 feet below the surface in the same area. They will see a big difference in the light reaching them

 

[sixshot00]

Hi Grim,
I Have a TEK 8x54
Bulb recommendation for LPS and some SPS
Order from front to back?

How lOng should I have bulbs on? Four middle bulbs are in one switch and two outer On either side for the other switch.
Thanks!!!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim,
I Have a TEK 8x54
Bulb recommendation for LPS and some SPS
Order from front to back?

How lOng should I have bulbs on? Four middle bulbs are in one switch and two outer On either side for the other switch.
Thanks!!!

Blue Plus
Purple Plus
Blue Plus
GE 6500K
Blue Plus
Purple Plus
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

 

[garygb]

I just received and hung my new ATI Sunpower fixture today. I want to make sure I install the bulbs correctly. In the User's Manual that accompanied the fixture, it says: "Each bulb should be oriented so that the stamp/label on the bulb is over the hole in the fixture." I'm pretty sure this means facing down, as into the water, but I want to be certain I'm installing them correctly. Also, does it matter if the label end is on the fan end of the fixture or not?