The T5 Q&a Thread - split

greennd79 said:
I have a 105 gallon tank 48x24x21 it will be a mixed tank what fixture and bulb combo do you think I should use? I need to keep my budget under 700.00 for everything.
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ATI 6x54watt Sunpower: Cost $647.95 WITH 6 TUBES ($520 for fixture)
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/t5-fluorescent/ati/sunpower-fixtures/48-6x54w-sunpower-t5-high-output-fixture.html

ATI 6x54watt Dimmable Sunpower: Cost $783.95 WITH 6 TUBES ($655 for fixture)
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/t5-fluorescent/ati/dimmable-sunpower-fixtures/48-6x54w-dimmable-sunpower-t5-high-output-fixture-w-controller.html

Either of the above will be perfect for your tank. ATI have the best reflectors in respect of T5 technology. Plus with fan cooling you get the best life and performance of your tubes.

The Dimmable version is slightly outside your price range, but if you can just manage it then I say go for it. But not essential. The normal Sunpower is split into 2 and 4 tubes anyway for dawn/dusk etc.

The normal Sunpower will grow anything you put under it, and with the price with the tubes included you save around $50. :)

For a tube combo for a mixed tank:

ATI Blue+
ATI Coral+
ATI Blue+
ATI Purple+
ATI Blue+
ATI Coral+

or for a bluer look:

ATI Blue+
ATI Purple+
ATI Blue+
ATI Blue+
ATI Coral+
ATI Blue+

Hope that helps.

PS I live in the UK, and only usually see Reefgeek mentioned...seems like these guys are good with the T5 tubes and fixtures...they have a bunch of youtube videos about these fixtures and thats how I know of them...but check out other places like MarineDepot or PremiumAquatics if they stock ATI etc (I've ordered to the UK before from Premium...good service there).

There are other T5 fixtures out there, but being in the UK, I dont really know much about the other USA brands...but since the Normal Sunpower is within your budget, why settle for something less than a premium brand and of the best T5 fixture out there.

Go for the Sunpower. :D
 
sounds great on a good note I just picked up a tek light 8 bulb 54 watt 48 inch for 100.00. what bulb combo would you choose for this fixture? Also what can you clean the reflectors with as the fixture needs them cleaned. thanks for all the help.
 
greennd79 said:
sounds great on a good note I just picked up a tek light 8 bulb 54 watt 48 inch for 100.00. what bulb combo would you choose for this fixture? Also what can you clean the reflectors with as the fixture needs them cleaned. thanks for all the help.
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5 ATI Blue Plus, 2 ATI Coral Plus and 1 ATI Purple Plus.

I would just use some RO water on the reflectors. Dirty reflectors don't have as much as an effect as you think on PAR. Cooling the bulbs is more beneficial.
 
greennd79 said:
is putting fans on pretty easy to do ?
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A simple clip on fan from Wal-Mart is like $10 and they work well. If you can, it is best to mount it slightly above the fixture and have it blowing on the casing itself and not directly on the bulbs. Hope that makes sense. I used to have a good picture but can't find it anymore.
 
greennd79 said:
sounds great on a good note I just picked up a tek light 8 bulb 54 watt 48 inch for 100.00. what bulb combo would you choose for this fixture? Also what can you clean the reflectors with as the fixture needs them cleaned. thanks for all the help.
Click to expand...

I clean my reflectors and bulbs regularly with Windex but make sure they are dry before putting the bulbs back in.

As far as the bulb combo goes I use 5 Blue Plus, two purple plus, and 1 GE 6,500K. If you want to go slithly bluer go to 6 Blue Plus 1 Purple Plus, and 1 Aqua Bue Special. The next step bluer would be 6 Blue Plus and 2 Coral Plus.
 
thanks I think that im going to go with 5 blue plus 2 coral plus and 1 purple plus.I tried windex still need something else to clen it would metal polish work?
 
greennd79 said:
I have a 105 gallon tank 48x24x21 it will be a mixed tank what fixture and bulb combo do you think I should use? I need to keep my budget under 700.00 for everything.
Click to expand...

Going with a standard 6 Bulb Sunpower would keep you around $700 but if you go with the dimmable ones you not only would be over buddget but payiong for something you would not use on your tank, unless you went with 8 bulbs that would be way over budget.

Now there are also lower quality fixtures that would be in your price range and give you more flexability. The thing is you pay more for the sunpower now but save on the electricity long term. Most low cost 8 bulb fixtures are equal in light output to Sunpower 6 bulb fixtures.

Bulb selection tbe basic bulb is the Blue Plus bulb. To that we add white light to meet our viewing pleasure. But keep in mind the whiter we go we also have less coral growth.

For the Whites you go with 2 Purple Plus and a GE 6,500K
Slightly Bluer 1 Purple Plus and 1 ATI Aqua Blue Special
Bluer 2 Coral Plus
and Pluest would be 1 Coral Plus.

Note there is no need to add a Purple Plus with the coral Plus bulbs because the coral Plus does have an nice spike in the red part of the spectrum which is the big difference between a purple plus and a blue plus. Some people like to use the purple plus bulbs to get more of purple look to there tank. But excessive red light can be more detrimental than benificial.
 
greennd79 said:
thanks I think that im going to go with 5 blue plus 2 coral plus and 1 purple plus.I tried windex still need something else to clen it would metal polish work?
Click to expand...

Different reflectors are made of different materials. The best are polished Alumnium which scratches very easily. Once it is scratched only buffing with jewelers polish will bring the shine back. Some are Chrome plated which are mmore durable to cleaners. The next step would be using vinegar before moving to something like sceubbing bubbles that could cause scratches. The real cheap ones have plastic reflectors and those are almost impossible to bring the shine back to.
 
TropTrea said:
Going with a standard 6 Bulb Sunpower would keep you around $700 but if you go with the dimmable ones you not only would be over buddget but payiong for something you would not use on your tank, unless you went with 8 bulbs that would be way over budget.

Now there are also lower quality fixtures that would be in your price range and give you more flexability. The thing is you pay more for the sunpower now but save on the electricity long term. Most low cost 8 bulb fixtures are equal in light output to Sunpower 6 bulb fixtures.

Bulb selection tbe basic bulb is the Blue Plus bulb. To that we add white light to meet our viewing pleasure. But keep in mind the whiter we go we also have less coral growth.

For the Whites you go with 2 Purple Plus and a GE 6,500K
Slightly Bluer 1 Purple Plus and 1 ATI Aqua Blue Special
Bluer 2 Coral Plus
and Pluest would be 1 Coral Plus.

Note there is no need to add a Purple Plus with the coral Plus bulbs because the coral Plus does have an nice spike in the red part of the spectrum which is the big difference between a purple plus and a blue plus. Some people like to use the purple plus bulbs to get more of purple look to there tank. But excessive red light can be more detrimental than benificial.
Click to expand...

Thats interesting so the whiter the less growth. I had never heard that put so simple. So u saying all blue plus equal the most growth?
I have 8 bulb sunpower I was thinking 5 blue plus 3 coral plus? Is there a percentage of how much white vs blue vs purple is in each type of ati bulb?
 
I have a custom made 55g tank and I can get an ATI Sunpower 6x54W or an Odyssea 4x54W.

Would the smaller fixture be enough for my SPS? My tank is 20" high, with water level at less than 18". The light would sit on the tank edges for the beginning, being virtually right over the water (wanna try it our before I hang it over the tank).

The cost of ATI and more bulbs is obviously higher, yet I'm still more inclined to taking ATI - unless someone says that this Odyssea is great.
 
rtparty said:
You need a 6x39w. 54w is 48" and the 39w is 36".

4 blue plus and 2 coral plus for your bulbs.
Click to expand...

I'm getting a used 48" from a friend for a few weeks to test over my tank and check the color.
Actually the question should be if 6x39W (which I plan on getting then) would be enough for my SPS?
 
acabgd said:
I have a custom made 55g tank and I can get an ATI Sunpower 6x54W or an Odyssea 4x54W.

Would the smaller fixture be enough for my SPS? My tank is 20" high, with water level at less than 18". The light would sit on the tank edges for the beginning, being virtually right over the water (wanna try it our before I hang it over the tank).

The cost of ATI and more bulbs is obviously higher, yet I'm still more inclined to taking ATI - unless someone says that this Odyssea is great.
Click to expand...


Actualy with the 55 gallon tank being only 13" front to back and the fact your corals will not be any further than 18" from the bulbs you could get away with a 4 Bulb fixture ATI fixture. With the powerful klight that the ATI fixtures produce you could almost have to much power with the 6 bulb ATI fixture. While the 6 bulb Odyssea is probably about equal to the light output of the 4 bulb ATI you would end up paying 50% mre in your electric bill every month for lighting the tank.

AN ATI Sunpower 4 Bulb fixture will cost you about $435. Initialy
The Odyssea 6 bulb fixture will cost you around $200.00 but your annual maintance cost is roughly increased by $50.00 plus the added eclectical cost of about $70 per year means that after 20 years you start savingmoney with the bigger investment of the ATI fixture.

With the 4 bulb Sunpower bixture I would start with two Blue Plus Bulbs and 2 Coral Plus bulbs. Then based on your p[ersonal color preference later you can either replace a Coral Plus with Blue Plus to make things bluer or if you want to brighten it up more replace a Blue Plus wth Coral Plus.

Remember the Coral Plus bulbs were originaly designed as a stand alone bulb for saller tanks. If you ran all Coral plus ATI thought it would be the prefered lighting. But many of us prefer a bluer tank than what all Coral Plus give us. And some of even like a tank a lot more blue.
 
horseplay said:
I have a current nova extreme 6 bulb fixture on my 75g. It has cooling fans and individual reflectors. How much improvement will I see upgrading to ati sunflower? Primarily growing spa right now and most of my corals are either frags or small colonies. Looking for growth and color. Thanks!
Click to expand...

A few years back I modified my 8 bulb fixture using ATI reflectors. It was a pain however for roughly $160.00 it was a lot more econiomical than spending over $600 for a new fixture. The results were vey comparable to the ATI fixture and with other mods I made possibly better with 4 larger fans.

http://www.reefgeek.com/54w-reflector-for-powermodule-ati2205.html
 
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