The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[TropTrea]

But for strictly blue its hard to beat blue bulbs like ATI/KZ & a purple bulb.

I will disagree about that for strictly blue. As far as T-5 go yes the ATI and KZ Bule bulbs produce the most blue compared to other T-5's. But these bulbs also produce a considerable amount to Cyan and "Violet" The lighting that strictly add Blue are the 460nm to 470nm LED's. Even the 454 Royal Blue LED's are producing a mix of Violet and Blue rather than strictly blue.

However I would realy have to study the heat issues if were to try mixing MH's with LED's. MH's do produce a lot of heat and excessive heat is the worst enemy of LED's when properly used. I'm not saying it cannot be done but it would to be strongly considered.

 

[Michigan Mike]

I will disagree about that for strictly blue. As far as T-5 go yes the ATI and KZ Bule bulbs produce the most blue compared to other T-5's. But these bulbs also produce a considerable amount to Cyan and "Violet" The lighting that strictly add Blue are the 460nm to 470nm LED's. Even the 454 Royal Blue LED's are producing a mix of Violet and Blue rather than strictly blue.

However I would realy have to study the heat issues if were to try mixing MH's with LED's. MH's do produce a lot of heat and excessive heat is the worst enemy of LED's when properly used. I'm not saying it cannot be done but it would to be strongly considered.

This is a T5 thread still right?

 

[DiscusHeckel]

This is a T5 thread still right?

I echo your question and hope that the answer is yes.

 

[dsmooth]

I have a 36" TEK LIGHT T-5 that is ready for a bulb change. I am looking to keep mostly SPS, and I have a Clam. What do you think of the following bulb combo, 4-ATI Blue Plus, 1-ATI Aquablue Special and 1-ATI Purple Plus. I am looking for a crisp bluish look, thx

Thx what would be the best order to put them in?

 

[sweeper7]

I am having a massive cyano green slime break out and red cyano and wondering how long I should run my lights?

I have a 40 B with a 4x36w T5 using 2 Blue+, 1 Purple +, and 1 Coral +. I think I run the 2 Blues from 11:45am - 9:30 PM and the other two from 12:30PM to 9 PM.

Is that too logn?

Also, I had 2 Anthias fish taht looked a bit dull in color and the other day I was at the fish store and he had 2 that were SUPPPER ORange, the original color that I fell in love with and asked what he ran and he said 1 of his lights is a Pink + or something. Was it my fishes coloration or the lighting that didn't make mine look super bright orange like most Anthias?

 

[Mr_N1ce]

9 hours shouldn't be too long. The cyano is most likely related to flow and/or nutrition.
With pink something it could be the giesemann aqua pink,that's a pink one which is suppose to be similar,if not better to the purple plus. Since your bulb combination is quite blue,maybe the solution could also be a whiter bulb instead of the coral plus?

 

[Michigan Mike]

Thx what would be the best order to put them in?

Sorry about that, its not on purpose.

How does the 6 bulb TEK order go again? The outside 4 bulbs are on a switch, and middle 2 ?

 

[dsmooth]

Sorry about that, its not on purpose.

How does the 6 bulb TEK order go again? The outside 4 bulbs are on a switch, and middle 2 ?

Its the opposite 2 outside on a switch , and than the 4 in the middle, thx

 

[Michigan Mike]

Its the opposite 2 outside on a switch , and than the 4 in the middle, thx

I was afraid of that....

Back
Blue plus-dawn/dusk
Blue plus
Aquablue
Blue plus
Purple
Blue plus-dawn/dusk.
Front.

 

[jdraider75]

whats the difference between the dimmable sunpower fixture and just the sun power besides dimming and timer display and price tag lookn to buy 48 in. 8 bulb for a 120 gal. sps tank 48x24x24.

 

[Dapg8gt]

whats the difference between the dimmable sunpower fixture and just the sun power besides dimming and timer display and price tag lookn to buy 48 in. 8 bulb for a 120 gal. sps tank 48x24x24.

I think you just about got it all LOl.. If you want to have a realistic sunrise/set its cool and for acclimating new corals you can dim it down temporarily and place them where you want them. At least that's what I got from a vendor as I asked a similar question. Seems they have the same reflector but he wasn't 100% on that go figure .

I have a 6 bulb sunpower and would like to get the Dimmable 8 bulb as the last piece to my puzzle in prob about a year. I like it a lot. Do I need it? NO... Do I want it? Sure do... Will I get it? YUP..

 

[TropTrea]

Well, First of all, thank you for your response. And you are right. I have two coralife fixtures which take the 30" bulbs, which from all the boxes I have are coralife bulbs as well. And as a college student I don't have a large amount of money to keep spending. I'd like to limit it to $100 or so with coral. This means that I'd be limited to a DIY method for the LEDs. I can solder and build the mount fairly easy, I'd plan on using an old laptop charger for the power supply at 19.5 V. That should power two rows of 30 bulbs with good illumination. but I'm not entirely sure I understand optics. How necessary are they a tank with a 21" depth? And it seems that I should get a relatively even spread with an LED per inch. Or is this too far off topic for a T5 thread? :lol:

Yes this is off topic. But I'll answer anyway.

1. LEDs realy require a current supply rather than a vlotage supply with a voltage supply if one shortens out the rest will blow up.

2. As far as optics go I do not use them if there is 24" or less between the substrate and the LED's. But I would for anything taller than 24". By 24" though I mean from the LED to the Substrate. So even on a 16" tall tank with no substrate and the LED's 12" above the tank then I would use optics.

 

[TropTrea]

I am having a massive cyano green slime break out and red cyano and wondering how long I should run my lights?

I have a 40 B with a 4x36w T5 using 2 Blue+, 1 Purple +, and 1 Coral +. I think I run the 2 Blues from 11:45am - 9:30 PM and the other two from 12:30PM to 9 PM.

Is that too logn?

Also, I had 2 Anthias fish taht looked a bit dull in color and the other day I was at the fish store and he had 2 that were SUPPPER ORange, the original color that I fell in love with and asked what he ran and he said 1 of his lights is a Pink + or something. Was it my fishes coloration or the lighting that didn't make mine look super bright orange like most Anthias?

With a 4 bulb set up running a purple plus plus a coral plus will add a lot of red light in proportion to the other colors in your tank. The Cyno red algea is often considered part of the cycling of the tank but it florishes on either high phosphate levels and/or excessive light especialy around 680nm. The 680nm range is the longer lenght of the red spectrum. So I would swap out either the purple plus or the coral plus for another blue.

As far as the orange goes it is a combination or red and green light that makes the reflective orage glow. This is usualy in the 560 to 600nm range. If you want to bring out those reflective colors and still keep the strong blue tint use an Aqua Blue Special with a Purple Plus and 2 Blue Plus bulbs.

 

[nsr500rossi]

Hi, I am looking for some suggestions for my ati dimmable sunpower 6x24w

Tank is 24x18x 15 high so pretty shallow

Currently I have 4xnarva blue, 1x kz pink and 1xaquamedic 15000k reef white

Bulbs are now 12 months old so seriously in need of changing

I am getting reasonable growth with my spa although colour is a little lacking

I am thinking that I have to many blue plus which is not helping colour or growth , although I like the look

By the way this photo was taken in the evening just on blues

Also I have the lamp about 8 inches above the water level, my acropora prostrata is 3 inches below the water level , it has good growth but is lacking color and looks pale, could this be the lamps to close to the water

Cheers

Mike

 

[nsr500rossi]

Correction on my last post, ati is 5 inches above water line Nd acropora prostrata is 2 inches bellow the water

 

[jdraider75]

I think you just about got it all LOl.. If you want to have a realistic sunrise/set its cool and for acclimating new corals you can dim it down temporarily and place them where you want them. At least that's what I got from a vendor as I asked a similar question. Seems they have the same reflector but he wasn't 100% on that go figure .

I have a 6 bulb sunpower and would like to get the Dimmable 8 bulb as the last piece to my puzzle in prob about a year. I like it a lot. Do I need it? NO... Do I want it? Sure do... Will I get it? YUP..

Hey thanks for the reply I kinda figured that was the case I will prob go with the sunpower it will be a big improvement from what I have now. I have a current nova extreme. I have been kickin around goin with led but just cant bring myself to do it so gonna order ati prob in next few weeks. thanks for advice.

 

[jdraider75]

On the ATI sunpower whats the best order front to back to put bulbs. The bulbs I have to play with are 2 purple plus 6 blue plus 2 coral plus and a ge 6500k, It will be a 48 in. fixture 8 bulbs on a sps tank 48x24x24. I currently have 6 blue plus a coral plus and a purple plus on current fixture.
I never did like the ge 6500k bulb but might try it again in new fixture. I like a blue tank. If I remember right on ati 2 bulbs are on 1 switch and 6 on other. Any suggestions will be appreciated thanks

 

[steelwrap]

O.K dumb question I'm pretty sure I know the answer to, from looking at the charts is the coral plus considered full spectrum like the aquablue special?

 

[TropTrea]

O.K dumb question I'm pretty sure I know the answer to, from looking at the charts is the coral plus considered full spectrum like the aquablue special?

Yes it is considered full spectrum however the light total is considerably different. You could almost say the the Aqua Blue Special is 50% full spectrum and 50% blue, while the Coral Plus is 25% full specturm, 25% red, and 50% blue, with a blue Plus being 100 blue, and Purple plus being 60% blue and 40% red.

 

[TropTrea]

On the ATI sunpower whats the best order front to back to put bulbs. The bulbs I have to play with are 2 purple plus 6 blue plus 2 coral plus and a ge 6500k, It will be a 48 in. fixture 8 bulbs on a sps tank 48x24x24. I currently have 6 blue plus a coral plus and a purple plus on current fixture.
I never did like the ge 6500k bulb but might try it again in new fixture. I like a blue tank. If I remember right on ati 2 bulbs are on 1 switch and 6 on other. Any suggestions will be appreciated thanks

Im not sure which two are on a seperate switch but here is a basic layout.

front
1 Blue Plus
2 Purple Plus
3 Blue Plus
4 GE 6,500K
5 Blue Plus
6 Purple Plus
7 Blue Plus
8 Blue Plus
Rear

Your coral placement may change this a little as well as which bulbs are on the circuit of two bulbs. For the circuit of 2 bulbs you may want either two blue plus bulbs or 1 Blue Plus and 1 Purple Plus.