The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[The Grim Reefer]

how about the 6th bulb?

2 GE's sorry bout that.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim i currently have a ATI 6 Bulb 48 inch fixture that was running 4 blue plus a purple plus and a ge 6500. This tank is now gonna be used for a frag tank and a friend of mine got me brand new bulbs how ever it has come to my attention that corals tend to like the blue spectrum more. The bulbs i was given were 4 ge 6500k and 2 coral plus. Im aware that these bulbs wont produce the most attractiveness of color but this tank is gonna be in a room that's completely out of site. Would this bulb configuration be "harmful" to the corals or limit growth in anyway? and if so what would you recommend replacing. My other option is using 2 old blue plus bulbs that are a year old over 2 of the 6500 new bulbs. Any input on this would be great.

Be fine. Just use the new lamps.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

What Kelvin temp. would this setup have?

Blue +
Purple +
GE 6500
Blue +
Coral +
Blue +

I'm worried that I don't have enough blue with this setup. I like the look but don't want to limit growth.

Growth will be fine.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thank-You -

Visually, what is the difference between the 2 bulbs provided all other bulbs stay the same.

Option 1:
1: Blue +
2: Blue +
3: Coral +
4: Blue +
5: Purple +
6: Blue +

Option 2:
1: Blue +
2: Blue +
3: AquaBlue Special
4: Blue +
5: Purple +
6: Blue +

Option 3:
1: Coral +
2: Blue +
3: AquaBlue Special
4: Blue +
5: Purple +
6: Blue +

You are just going from a very deep water look with number 1 to a 12~14K look at number 3.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a similar question as above on the coral plus vs the Aquablue special. I know the percentages that ATI states but I have never seen this new Coral Plus bulb and I'm now in need of replacing my line up. I just want to know if people are liking this bulb. It seems like a good bulb from what I read on a local forum.

Here is what I currently run:

Purple Plus
Blue Plus
Aquablue Sp
Blue Plus
Actinic
Actinic

I'm thinking of going with this line up

Coral Plus
Blue Plus
Purple Plus
Blue Plus
Coral Plus
Blue Plus

My current line up is nice but I still think the Aquablue is too harsh. I would still like to get closer to my old Phoenix MH. It has been so long since I ran that bulb I might not know it even if I did achieved it lol.

Try it and let us know how it looks, sound good.

 

[containerman1]

Grim Reefer
If you could help clear my head on this set up.
I have a new 48 in. aqualifeT5 6 bulb 54watt
The lights are from the front
2,4 together
1,3,5,6 together
I have now blue act. 2,4
1=blue act 3 = Fiji purple 5=10k why 6=blue act


I bought new 3 ATI blue plus
1- new ATI aqua blue 12k
1-ATI true actenic

Was thinking
1 spot -fiji purple
Spot 2 blue plus
3rd 10k wht
4thblue plus
5thaqua blue 12k
6th blue plus or true actenic

This is over a 48 x 24x12 frag tank I am trying to grow few corals and move into my main tank.
Lots zoa. and palys and a few sps and lps
Thanks for your advice

 

[astralmind]

From what I've heard the ATI Coral Plus add quite a bit of red and 2 together with a Purple Plus gives a pinkish tint... Then again, I haven't tried myself, I'm ready to change my T5 and was wondering how bad the result would be.

Pondering with either:
ATI recommended

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

BLuer

Blue+
Coral+
Blue+
Coral+
Blue+
Blue+

Any thoughts ?

 

[TropTrea]

From what I've heard the ATI Coral Plus add quite a bit of red and 2 together with a Purple Plus gives a pinkish tint... Then again, I haven't tried myself, I'm ready to change my T5 and was wondering how bad the result would be.

Pondering with either:
ATI recommended

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

BLuer

Blue+
Coral+
Blue+
Coral+
Blue+
Blue+

Any thoughts ?

If you have 2 coral plus then the purple becomes a matter of personal taste. Without it you will be realy close to 20,000K effect, with it will probably give you more of a 18,000K effect. If you have a lot of non florescent reds like birdsnest you might want to keep the purple + if you have a lot of florescent reds then it will not make that much difference.

 

[TropTrea]

Thank-You -

Visually, what is the difference between the 2 bulbs provided all other bulbs stay the same.

Option 1:
1: Blue +
2: Blue +
3: Coral +
4: Blue +
5: Purple +
6: Blue +

Option 2:
1: Blue +
2: Blue +
3: AquaBlue Special
4: Blue +
5: Purple +
6: Blue +

Option 3:
1: Coral +
2: Blue +
3: AquaBlue Special
4: Blue +
5: Purple +
6: Blue +

Option 1 will be very blue close to a 20,000K effect.
Option 2 will be a little brighter closer to an 18,000K effect
Option 3 will brighten it slightly more closer to a 17,000K effect.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim Reefer
If you could help clear my head on this set up.
I have a new 48 in. aqualifeT5 6 bulb 54watt
The lights are from the front
2,4 together
1,3,5,6 together
I have now blue act. 2,4
1=blue act 3 = Fiji purple 5=10k why 6=blue act


I bought new 3 ATI blue plus
1- new ATI aqua blue 12k
1-ATI true actenic

Was thinking
1 spot -fiji purple
Spot 2 blue plus
3rd 10k wht
4thblue plus
5thaqua blue 12k
6th blue plus or true actenic

This is over a 48 x 24x12 frag tank I am trying to grow few corals and move into my main tank.
Lots zoa. and palys and a few sps and lps
Thanks for your advice

Run 3 blue plus with the blue actinic with the purple and 10K.

 

[jcono]

supplementing my T-5's?

supplementing my T-5's?

Hi Grim-

I wanted to ask if you have played with any LED's supplementing T-5's.

I have done a few searches and it seems 1 reefbrite strip might add some shimmer to my 90 gal. Oceanic Tech tank. It is Eurobraced so I only have about a 12" X 42" opening. Right now I have a 4 bulb retro kit over it with an Icecap 660 ballast, 2 ATI B+ on either end, GE 6500 and Fiji purple in between. It's kind of white. They need to be replaced though so maybe I'll drop the GE.

Now, if I were to go more blue with the T5, I wonder, would get a nice shimmer if I went with a a white reefbrite strip? Or go more neutral on the T5 and get an actinic LED strip?
I just thought I would ask if you had any experience with this- since you can't return bulbs it's kind of hard to go by trial and error....

Thanks for any input!
Jan

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim-

I wanted to ask if you have played with any LED's supplementing T-5's.

I have done a few searches and it seems 1 reefbrite strip might add some shimmer to my 90 gal. Oceanic Tech tank. It is Eurobraced so I only have about a 12" X 42" opening. Right now I have a 4 bulb retro kit over it with an Icecap 660 ballast, 2 ATI B+ on either end, GE 6500 and Fiji purple in between. It's kind of white. They need to be replaced though so maybe I'll drop the GE.

Now, if I were to go more blue with the T5, I wonder, would get a nice shimmer if I went with a a white reefbrite strip? Or go more neutral on the T5 and get an actinic LED strip?
I just thought I would ask if you had any experience with this- since you can't return bulbs it's kind of hard to go by trial and error....

Thanks for any input!
Jan

iI'd use Royal Blue LED's with what you have now. I'd also dump the IC ballast and get a normal T5 ballast. Your lamps will last longer and you'll get better color.

 

[jcono]

Thanks! I never thought about going with a lower powered ballast so I'll have to research that. Maybe I can get an Icecap 440 and it will fit with the wire harness I already have?

 

[ilikefish34]

hello grim,

i have a marineland 300dd ordered and would like to use t5's. while this tank will mainly be stocked with fish, i would like to keep some softies (zoas and shrooms) , some lps (torch, hammer and frogspawn) and an RBTA or two. what would you recommend for the livestock plus the coverage of an aquarium that is 72" x 36" x 27"? 27" (tall)

any advice is very much appreciated.

thanks
mike

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks! I never thought about going with a lower powered ballast so I'll have to research that. Maybe I can get an Icecap 440 and it will fit with the wire harness I already have?

440 will only run 2 T5's. Realistically unless you are changing lamps every 6 months you will probably get better growth with the T5 ballast. The Ice Caps just kill the lamps so fast it isn't worth it.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

hello grim,

i have a marineland 300dd ordered and would like to use t5's. while this tank will mainly be stocked with fish, i would like to keep some softies (zoas and shrooms) , some lps (torch, hammer and frogspawn) and an RBTA or two. what would you recommend for the livestock plus the coverage of an aquarium that is 72" x 36" x 27"? 27" (tall)

any advice is very much appreciated.

thanks
mike

I'd think about DIYing an LED fixture but...

A 60' (80 watt)x8 ATI Sunpower.

 

[jcono]

440 will only run 2 T5's. Realistically unless you are changing lamps every 6 months you will probably get better growth with the T5 ballast. The Ice Caps just kill the lamps so fast it isn't worth it.

I'm sorry, Grim- when you say, "you will probably get better growth with the T5 ballast"-- can you give me an example of what kind of ballast you are speaking of? The Icecap 660 I have is a T5 ballast- you would suggest a less powerful (not overdriving) one?

Or do you mean a 660 ballast other than the Icecap brand?

Sorry if I sound dumb...

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I'm sorry, Grim- when you say, "you will probably get better growth with the T5 ballast"-- can you give me an example of what kind of ballast you are speaking of? The Icecap 660 I have is a T5 ballast- you would suggest a less powerful (not overdriving) one?

Sorry if I sound dumb...

Just because a ballast will run a T5 doesn't mean it's a T5 ballast. The Ice Cap is a VHO ballast. They overdrive the lamps to the point that after a few months the par falls off to that which a real T5 ballast would drive the lamp.

Sylvania or Triad ballasts do good. Using two ballasts also would allow you to ramp up your lighting instead of hittig the tank with all 4 at once.

 

[jcono]

Ahh, thanks for the info.! I will look into something different then....

 

[containerman1]

Run 3 blue plus with the blue actinic with the purple and 10K.

Which spots should I run the lights? Since they are all mixed.?
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