The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[rtparty]

Too bad on the study being tainted. Its a shame people go to such lengths to gain an advantage. I also see a lot of the Euro tanks on various sites that use them and have great coloration.

They're good bulbs. Just not readily available here in the US

 

[Av8bluewater]

Are there any suggestions on how I could tweak the 8 bulb combo to be even better? I'm looking for that pure white with a blue tint look.

Blue+ KZ NG KZ SB Purple+ ABS Blue+ KZ NG Blue+

Current setup does look slightly purple to me and does not seem to have a hint of blue.

I do also run a single strip of Tech Reefbrite blue.

This is my combo that seems white to me with a hint of radium blue from my buildMyLED actinic strip.
B+
B+
B+
C+
P+
C+
B+
B+

 

[Raul-7]

I have yet to see an aquarium lit with LEDs come close to those lit with T5's.

 

[rs1831]

Hello,

I have a 6 bulk dimmable ati fixture and I would like to figure out which bulb combo would create a 20k look. Currently I am using 4 blue plus and 2 coral plus. Which sequence should I have the bulbs in? Is there a different combo that would be closer to 20k? If I wanted to have an actinic bulb in there, what should I do?

thanks!

 

[mhucasey]

What are your feelings on the color with 4 blue plus and two coral pluses? What colors do you feel are lacking?

 

[DiscusHeckel]

Hello,

I have a 6 bulk dimmable ati fixture and I would like to figure out which bulb combo would create a 20k look. Currently I am using 4 blue plus and 2 coral plus. Which sequence should I have the bulbs in? Is there a different combo that would be closer to 20k? If I wanted to have an actinic bulb in there, what should I do?

thanks!

I used to have 3 B+ and 3 C+. In your case, I would place the tubes in the following way:

front
B+
C+
B+
B+
C+
B+

or

front
B+
C+
B+
C+
B+
B+

 

[rs1831]

I used to have 3 B+ and 3 C+. In your case, I would place the tubes in the following way:

front
B+
C+
B+
B+
C+
B+

or

front
B+
C+
B+
C+
B+
B+

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[DiscusHeckel]

Thanks for the feedback!

You are welcome.

 

[swk]

Hello,



I have a 6 bulk dimmable ati fixture and I would like to figure out which bulb combo would create a 20k look. Currently I am using 4 blue plus and 2 coral plus. Which sequence should I have the bulbs in? Is there a different combo that would be closer to 20k? If I wanted to have an actinic bulb in there, what should I do?



thanks!

What are your feelings on the color with 4 blue plus and two coral pluses? What colors do you feel are lacking?

I run this combo and really like it. I tried a bunch of different combination and found this to be the most appealing to my eye. I run, from front to back

B+
B+
C+
B+
C+
B+

 

[TropTrea]

Looking at the spectrums, I am a little surprised that ATI North America would recommend the C+ as a possible stand alone bulb (Or in conjunction with others) as opposed to the P+ (Not as a stand alone, but in conjunction with others only). Granted these are recommendations.. but why the different assignments given their similarity? It looks like the green spike in Purple Plus is really the only difference.. but enough so to exclude it being recommended as a stand-alone bulb?

What people miss is that for autistic purposes most people do not like a purple tank. White light consists of blue, green and red. When these are basicly equal you have white light. But when you have predominant of one of the colors the tank takes on a primary tint in that direction which for most Reefs is Blue. If blue is just slightly predominant then then you have a slight blueish tint. But if blue is predominant and green is lagging considerably behind the red then the tint becomes purplish which is a combination of blue and red. The ratio of the three will determine the overall tint as will as the extent of the tint from deep to just slightly off white.

Then you have the second argument as to how much red light corals need and how much of it is excessive. It has been repeatedly proven in research that excessive red light can harm corals. So if someone ran all purple plus bulbs they could easily be teetering on the edge of having excessive red. With the Coral Plus there is less red and a low chance of hitting that point where the excessive red could be harming your corals.

If I were running a two bulb fixture I would consider a pair of Coral plus bulbs as an option. However on reef tanks I run a minimum of 6 bulbs and for the look I like a coral plus is not even considered. But for someone that like deep color it could be considered to brighten the tank up over predominately blue bulbs.

 

[TropTrea]

I have yet to see an aquarium lit with LEDs come close to those lit with T5's.

I would say this is largely because most people that use LED do not understand them. And the comercial LED fixtures are not always using the latest technology..

The big factor comes in when they use specific color LED's. When you put in a blue LED you get strictly blue light from it not a wide spectrum blue like you get from a B+ T-5 Bulb.

The other big issue is that it extremly difficult to produce a LED that is effecient in the 480 to 520 nm range. Since there little demand for LED's in this range few major LED manufacturers put much effort into it. Therefore I like to combine B+ T-5's with the LED's to get the best of both worlds.

 

[DiscusHeckel]

Hi Dennis,

I have recently bought a brand new Powermodule (8 X 39W) and use the following tubes: 5 X ATI Blue + and 3 X ATI Coral +, i.e.

front blue + blue + coral + blue + coral + blue + coral + blue + back

You kindly provided me with a spectrum chart for my previous tube combination (3 X ATI Blue + and 3 X Coral +) in the past. I wonder if you could possibly provide me with another spectrum chart for my new tube combination please.

My corals look OK, but purples and pinks do not look vivid under this combination. In this context, I am wondering whether it would be OK if I replaced one of the C+s with a Aquablue special or purple +, i.e.

front blue + blue + coral + blue + abs/purple+ blue + coral + blue + back

Happy new year

 

[moondoggy4]

where?

where?

And where is everyone getting bulbs now? I last ordered from reefgeek but I think they are gone now.

I bought mine from Marine Depot if you order 6 bulb 54 watt, shipping is free.

 

[tgee]

6x24 or 8x24 for 60 gal cube?

6x24 or 8x24 for 60 gal cube?

For a new 60 gallon cube (24x24x24) I'm leaning towards an ATI Sunpower 6x24 or 8x24. It will be an LPS-dominated mixed reef, so some SPS, etc. Are 6 bulbs enough or would 8 bulbs be better for more options, or would 8 be too much?

Thanks.

 

[rtparty]

For a new 60 gallon cube (24x24x24) I'm leaning towards an ATI Sunpower 6x24 or 8x24. It will be an LPS-dominated mixed reef, so some SPS, etc. Are 6 bulbs enough or would 8 bulbs be better for more options, or would 8 be too much?

Thanks.

For LPS dominated, the 6 bulb will be fine. 8 will be a little much unless you like running actinic bulbs

 

[joshbrookkate]

T5 bulbs recommendation

T5 bulbs recommendation

I SO appreciate having someone guiding me with this!
I am planning a 75 gallon with softies, anemones, clowns, probably some lps and possibly some sps in the future. I have a used Nova Extreme Pro 6 bulb fixture that needs replacement bulbs. I have an Orbit Current 48" fixture as well. What replacement bulbs do you recommend? Can I use the LED fixture, too?

 

[rtparty]

I SO appreciate having someone guiding me with this!
I am planning a 75 gallon with softies, anemones, clowns, probably some lps and possibly some sps in the future. I have a used Nova Extreme Pro 6 bulb fixture that needs replacement bulbs. I have an Orbit Current 48" fixture as well. What replacement bulbs do you recommend? Can I use the LED fixture, too?

3 blue plus and 3 coral plus is a good start. Grab an extra blue plus to play with as well.

The 6 bulb fixture will be plenty of light

 

[joshbrookkate]

Great! I'll buy those. What do you recommend for acclimation process from the leds to the T5?

 

[rogergolf66]

I may be picking up a 300 dd cut twenty I run ati fixture on current much smaller tank. What fixture do I need for the 300dd? I keep sps and some LPS and zoa

 

[TropTrea]

Hi Dennis,

I have recently bought a brand new Powermodule (8 X 39W) and use the following tubes: 5 X ATI Blue + and 3 X ATI Coral +, i.e.

front blue + blue + coral + blue + coral + blue + coral + blue + back

You kindly provided me with a spectrum chart for my previous tube combination (3 X ATI Blue + and 3 X Coral +) in the past. I wonder if you could possibly provide me with another spectrum chart for my new tube combination please.

My corals look OK, but purples and pinks do not look vivid under this combination. In this context, I am wondering whether it would be OK if I replaced one of the C+s with a Aquablue special or purple +, i.e.

front blue + blue + coral + blue + abs/purple+ blue + coral + blue + back

Happy new year

I have drasticly cut back my Reefs tanks over the last 8 months.

On my 120 gallon thank I had the best results with color and coral growth using an 8 bulb fixture using the following combination

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

On my smaller Tanks with only 6 bulbs I found That using T-t bulbs I also got fantastic Results using the following:

Front
1 Gman Aquablue Azure
2 Gman Aquablue Coral
3 Gman Tropical
4 Gman Atinic Blue
5 Gman Super Purple
6 Gman Aquablue Coral
Rear


With my combination LED- T-5's I originally used only ATI Blue Plus to suplement the LED's but have switched to the GMAN AquaBlue Azure when mixed with LED's at a ratio of 3 Royal Blue (454nm) to 1 Neutral White (4,500K).