The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[medicreefer]

Do your math on this. Calculate initial cost, electrical usage, and bulb replacement over 5 years. I think on a new system start up the from scratch it is now much more economical to ge with LED's. But for an existing system to switch over it is not always the economical path.

That's a whole other debate. If I go LED I'd want the dimmable option as well for dawn-dusk cycles (I'm in the camp that thinks there's no point dimmind during the day to simulate cloudy days, but I do like a dim blue light in the morning and evening. My plan is to figure out what I would get re T5s, then compare that to my LED options and costs.

 

[mattmaddox573]

t5 cycle time

t5 cycle time

I have a 4 bulb t5 fixture. I currently run them for 12 hours. the first and last hour only on actinics. The reef is mixed sps,softies,and lps, and a clam. the display is 70 gal. Should i change this?

 

[walvis]

Grim,
I need you expert advise.
Is it worth the extra $ using Fiji purple over Purple plus & New generation over Aqua blue special.
Seem both KZ & ATI have about the same color scheme....TIA

 

[TropTrea]

Grim,
I need you expert advise.
Is it worth the extra $ using Fiji purple over Purple plus & New generation over Aqua blue special.
Seem both KZ & ATI have about the same color scheme....TIA

There is a lot of personal choice here.

These bulbs are very simular but slightly different. Some individuals perfer the fugi Purple because it has a slightly stronger red peak compared to the ATI purple plus. But the Purple plus does create enough red to keep your corals happy.

Simularly with the New Generation does create a crisper white than the Aqua Blyue Special but some people prefer the more blue tint of the Aqua blue special.

 

[TropTrea]

I have a 4 bulb t5 fixture. I currently run them for 12 hours. the first and last hour only on actinics. The reef is mixed sps,softies,and lps, and a clam. the display is 70 gal. Should i change this?

I was a strong believer in atinics for many years. But when I switched to the ATI Blue Plus bulbs I found it hard to believe the change they created in my corals.

Four a 4 bulb set up my recomendation is
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aqua Blue Special
ATI Purple Plus
ATI Blue Plus

The nice thing is that all 4 of these bulbs will produce some "atinic" light. But be carefull do not swap them all out at once as the PAR from this setup will exceed what you had with Atinics so I would only swap out one bulb every other week to give the coirals accumation time to the new light.

 

[mattmaddox573]

trop tea interesting that u say that because thats what i run. I was calling the blue plus actinics. My clam has been looking a little shriveled up. Not sure if its called the mantle? but its not all the way up on the shell on one side. was wondering if it needs more light time

 

[gypsyboy38]

I'm getting a 6x39W sunpower soon and I'm having a little trouble deciding on bulb choice. I would prefer a 12-14K look (crisp white?). I was thinking of doing:

ATI Blue+
ATI Coral+
KZ Fiji Pink
ATI Coral+
ATI Blue+
ATI Coral+

Right now I have an old 4x24W sunpower over my tank as a temporary light with 1 blue+, 2 aquablue specials, and 1 fiji pink. I am fairly pleased with the color. I would have added a 6500K GE bulb, but the place I'm buying the fixture from only stocks the 3000K.

 

[TropTrea]

trop tea interesting that u say that because thats what i run. I was calling the blue plus actinics. My clam has been looking a little shriveled up. Not sure if its called the mantle? but its not all the way up on the shell on one side. was wondering if it needs more light time

I'm not a Clam expert. You might want to post this to a group that is mainly concerned about clams. I do know that Clams like a lot of light especialy Blue and UV light. so perhaps extending the light cycle may help. But remember that your tank need at least 8 hours of near darkness every day as well.

 

[TropTrea]

I'm getting a 6x39W sunpower soon and I'm having a little trouble deciding on bulb choice. I would prefer a 12-14K look (crisp white?). I was thinking of doing:

ATI Blue+
ATI Coral+
KZ Fiji Pink
ATI Coral+
ATI Blue+
ATI Coral+

Right now I have an old 4x24W sunpower over my tank as a temporary light with 1 blue+, 2 aquablue specials, and 1 fiji pink. I am fairly pleased with the color. I would have added a 6500K GE bulb, but the place I'm buying the fixture from only stocks the 3000K.

I think your layout for the new fixture will move you slightly bluer than you curently have. The GE 6,500K in place of one of the Coral Plus bulbs would whiten things up considerably though.

As far as the 3000K bulb this is basicly to mimic incadescent lighting. It is very strong in the red end of the spectrum and is not what you want at all for a reef tank. If they do not stock the 6,500K can they order it for you? Anso consider other types of 6,500K bulbs like sulvania and philips. If you still have no luck consider a 10,000K bulb.

 

[gypsyboy38]

I think your layout for the new fixture will move you slightly bluer than you curently have. The GE 6,500K in place of one of the Coral Plus bulbs would whiten things up considerably though.

As far as the 3000K bulb this is basicly to mimic incadescent lighting. It is very strong in the red end of the spectrum and is not what you want at all for a reef tank. If they do not stock the 6,500K can they order it for you? Anso consider other types of 6,500K bulbs like sulvania and philips. If you still have no luck consider a 10,000K bulb.

While I was on the sps forum last night, I came across Yano's iwagumi reef (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1909479&page=5). He has a 12 bulb unit that he lights with 8 kz new generation, 2 kz super blue, and 2 Fiji pink. I think I may give this bulb combo a try, but halved obviously. The colors in his tank look perfect!

 

[khjenki]

I have a 24" aquatic life 24k 4 bulb fixture over a 30 gal AIO. Fixture covers entire tank. Back in Aug, it was suggested I run (2) Blue Plus, (1) Purple Plus and (1) KZ New Gen. With newer lights like the Coral Plus, are there any better options? I would like good growth with more of a blue vs white hue when daylights are running. I have a good mix of softies, los and sps up high. Thanks.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

 

[rtparty]

I have a 24" aquatic life 24k 4 bulb fixture over a 30 gal AIO. Fixture covers entire tank. Back in Aug, it was suggested I run (2) Blue Plus, (1) Purple Plus and (1) KZ New Gen. With newer lights like the Coral Plus, are there any better options? I would like good growth with more of a blue vs white hue when daylights are running. I have a good mix of softies, los and sps up high. Thanks.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

Switch the new gen for another blue plus.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a 24" aquatic life 24k 4 bulb fixture over a 30 gal AIO. Fixture covers entire tank. Back in Aug, it was suggested I run (2) Blue Plus, (1) Purple Plus and (1) KZ New Gen. With newer lights like the Coral Plus, are there any better options? I would like good growth with more of a blue vs white hue when daylights are running. I have a good mix of softies, los and sps up high. Thanks.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

Use 3 blue plus and a purple plus

 

[mos90]

im doing an aquaticlife 72" 6 bulb over my 72x18x20 125g mixed reef. here is the bulb layout they have. the bulbs are all aquatic life. i do have a bunch of ati bulbs that are new laying around.

1-420/460 daylight timer
2-420/620 purple - blue timer
3-420/460 daylight timer
4-420/460 -blue timer
5- aqualife 10k -daylight timer
6-420/460 -daylight timer

i was thinking of replacing #2 with a 420/460 or a blue plus but i dont want to much par on the blue timer, and moving the purple to 1 of the daylight sockets. maybe like this

1-blue plus
2-420/460
3-purple
4-420/460
5-aquatic 10k
6-blue plus. sockets 2/4 are blue timer.

or would it be best to leave a purple on the blue timer. im not sure of aquatic lifes par #'s

the blue plus has to be stronger the the 420/460. i also have 2- ati purple plus's and 2-ati aquablue specials laying around. but i do want to use most of the aqutic life bulbs. the fixture came with 2 brand new sets.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

im doing an aquaticlife 72" 6 bulb over my 72x18x20 125g mixed reef. here is the bulb layout they have. the bulbs are all aquatic life. i do have a bunch of ati bulbs that are new laying around.

1-420/460 daylight timer
2-420/620 purple - blue timer
3-420/460 daylight timer
4-420/460 -blue timer
5- aqualife 10k -daylight timer
6-420/460 -daylight timer

i was thinking of replacing #2 with a 420/460 or a blue plus but i dont want to much par on the blue timer, and moving the purple to 1 of the daylight sockets. maybe like this

1-blue plus
2-420/460
3-purple
4-420/460
5-aquatic 10k
6-blue plus. sockets 2/4 are blue timer.

or would it be best to leave a purple on the blue timer. im not sure of aquatic lifes par #'s

the blue plus has to be stronger the the 420/460. i also have 2- ati purple plus's and 2-ati aquablue specials laying around. but i do want to use most of the aqutic life bulbs. the fixture came with 2 brand new sets.

Your plan seems fine to me.

 

[mos90]

grim. would u run the purple or all blue on the blue timer? im not sure if the purple would look good. i wont have the fixture until next thursday to try it.

im thinking hanging it at 10" awl to start and doing a 12 hour blue and 6 hour daylight. would u turn the blue timer off when the daylight timer is on or run all the bulbs?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

grim. would u run the purple or all blue on the blue timer? im not sure if the purple would look good. i wont have the fixture until next thursday to try it.

im thinking hanging it at 10" awl to start and doing a 12 hour blue and 6 hour daylight. would u turn the blue timer off when the daylight timer is on or run all the bulbs?

Try the purple and see what YOU think. I actually like it. Run all the lamps with the daylights. These fixtures don't make a ton of PAR so with it 10" up you sure aren't going to burn anything/

 

[TropTrea]

grim. would u run the purple or all blue on the blue timer? im not sure if the purple would look good. i wont have the fixture until next thursday to try it.

im thinking hanging it at 10" awl to start and doing a 12 hour blue and 6 hour daylight. would u turn the blue timer off when the daylight timer is on or run all the bulbs?

Grim had suggested to me a while back running the Blue + and a Purple + on my dawn to dusk. With just two bulbs on the dawn to dusk I personaly did not like the effect. Others seem to like it so I would say it has to do a lot with your personal taste in color.

 

[mos90]

I wil try it out. I'm glad I won't burn anything. With my LEDs I pretty much melted a few coral at only 70% using 4 AI led modules. I'm going back to t5s. I'm lacking the color I had before. Don't get me wrong I like the LEDs. My sps corals have not done well since the switch and I burned some of lps.

 

[bennr]

I am having problems finding someone who sells the ge 6500k t5 in Canada......I see many vendors have the giessemann midday 6000k.....is this similar? Or where can I get the ge brand?