The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[tspfish]

I'd use 3 ATI Blue Plus and a Purple Plus with a 12 to 14K halide myself.
It takes advantage of each lamps strengths.

Grim, I got all four of my bulbs now. Would you put the Blue Plus and Purple Plus in the front and the other two Blue Plus in the back or vice versa ?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, I got all four of my bulbs now. Would you put the Blue Plus and Purple Plus in the front and the other two Blue Plus in the back or vice versa ?

Yep. in front

 

[andyrm66]

8 Bulb ATI

8 Bulb ATI

Picked up a 24x8 ATI PM. Its over my 36x36x18, I haven't pulled bulbs, but it appears the 2 "bluest" bulbs are Blue Plus, then a Purple Plus perhaps, and 5 Aqua Blue Sepecial.
So front to back
AB
Purple Plus
B+
AB
AB
B+
AB
AB

The look isn't bad, little white/slightly pink. Can I get more pop/florescence maybe a tad more blue? Dont want full 20+ deep blue look.

The greens and pinks look great when the B+ only are on, but everything seems a little dull when all lights are one.
What do you think I should buy and try to see what I like. I'd like to order a few bulbs and try some different combos but don't know where to start. I had dual 14k 150watt phoenix HQI and liked the look, though it lacked pop too.

 

[vietnam]

quick question grim, i have my bulb selection based off your site/guideline. my fixture can run two strings when it comes to powering the bulbs on and off. I can run 4 bulbs first (3 blues plus and purple plus) and then 2 bulbs (aquablues special) as the main. what do you think about this? each set is an hour apart from each other.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Picked up a 24x8 ATI PM. Its over my 36x36x18, I haven't pulled bulbs, but it appears the 2 "bluest" bulbs are Blue Plus, then a Purple Plus perhaps, and 5 Aqua Blue Sepecial.
So front to back
AB
Purple Plus
B+
AB
AB
B+
AB
AB

The look isn't bad, little white/slightly pink. Can I get more pop/florescence maybe a tad more blue? Dont want full 20+ deep blue look.

The greens and pinks look great when the B+ only are on, but everything seems a little dull when all lights are one.
What do you think I should buy and try to see what I like. I'd like to order a few bulbs and try some different combos but don't know where to start. I had dual 14k 150watt phoenix HQI and liked the look, though it lacked pop too.

Replace the front ad 2 rear Aquablues with Blue Pluses

 

[The Grim Reefer]

quick question grim, i have my bulb selection based off your site/guideline. my fixture can run two strings when it comes to powering the bulbs on and off. I can run 4 bulbs first (3 blues plus and purple plus) and then 2 bulbs (aquablues special) as the main. what do you think about this? each set is an hour apart from each other.

Change it so you have 2 blue plus or a blue plus and purple plus on the 2 lamp circuit as your dusk/dawn and use the 4 lamp circuit as your daylight.

 

[jcolley]

Have a 72" 12x39 Nova Extreme Pro on a 220gal 72x24x18. Fixture is hanging so, can be lowered all the way down to the tank trim if need be. Sort of asking the question backwards, but just replaced all the bulbs from the stock crap to:

8 Blue Plus
2 Purple Plus
2 GE 6500K

So, now with decent lighting, looking for to start stocking tank with more than fish.

What to place and where? SPS,LPS, softies, and clams?

 

[Koala226]

I'd hate to make my first post on here a question, but I've been going back and forth in my head for about two weeks now on which bulbs to get for my 36" fixture. The current tank I'm setting up will be a mixed reef. Wondering a few things, I had a combination in my head and I want the tank to be blue but not extremely blue. I had two bulb configurations I was throwing around in my head, and wondered if anyone can throw out some ideas to me or pointers?

The first config is:
1 ATI coral+
1 ATI Purple +
1 ATI blue +
1 ATI aquablue special

My concern with this one is that the coral with the blue special might be too much white, and the purple/red from the coral plus and purple plus might be too.. well purple.

My other config was one I saw in a video that was decent which is:

1 ATI Aquablue special
2 ATI Blue+
1 ATI Purple+

This.. seemed good, although I'm not entirely sure if it's too blue or not.

Heres the video I used as a reference for the second config:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndE__TrE9wU

At the moment I'm leaning toward my original config that I had came up with because I do like a blue look but not too blue

 

[lxeroxl]

Would 4x54 driven by icecaps be enough light to do mixed reef with some sps in a 90gallon(48x18x30) or should I go with 6?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Have a 72" 12x39 Nova Extreme Pro on a 220gal 72x24x18. Fixture is hanging so, can be lowered all the way down to the tank trim if need be. Sort of asking the question backwards, but just replaced all the bulbs from the stock crap to:

8 Blue Plus
2 Purple Plus
2 GE 6500K

So, now with decent lighting, looking for to start stocking tank with more than fish.

What to place and where? SPS,LPS, softies, and clams?

Forget clams unless you want to place them on the rocks. SPS on top of the rocks.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I'd hate to make my first post on here a question, but I've been going back and forth in my head for about two weeks now on which bulbs to get for my 36" fixture. The current tank I'm setting up will be a mixed reef. Wondering a few things, I had a combination in my head and I want the tank to be blue but not extremely blue. I had two bulb configurations I was throwing around in my head, and wondered if anyone can throw out some ideas to me or pointers?

The first config is:
1 ATI coral+
1 ATI Purple +
1 ATI blue +
1 ATI aquablue special

My concern with this one is that the coral with the blue special might be too much white, and the purple/red from the coral plus and purple plus might be too.. well purple.

My other config was one I saw in a video that was decent which is:

1 ATI Aquablue special
2 ATI Blue+
1 ATI Purple+

This.. seemed good, although I'm not entirely sure if it's too blue or not.

Heres the video I used as a reference for the second config:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndE__TrE9wU

At the moment I'm leaning toward my original config that I had came up with because I do like a blue look but not too blue

Go with your second choice, the lower list.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Would 4x54 driven by icecaps be enough light to do mixed reef with some sps in a 90gallon(48x18x30) or should I go with 6?

6 lamps and unless you want to change lamps every 6 months you are better off not using the ice cap ballasts, they kill the lamps pretty quick.

 

[lxeroxl]

Thanks for the advice and quick reply. But I already own the icecaps and will just replace them every 6months.

 

[TropTrea]

Picked up a 24x8 ATI PM. Its over my 36x36x18, I haven't pulled bulbs, but it appears the 2 "bluest" bulbs are Blue Plus, then a Purple Plus perhaps, and 5 Aqua Blue Sepecial.
So front to back
AB
Purple Plus
B+
AB
AB
B+
AB
AB

The look isn't bad, little white/slightly pink. Can I get more pop/florescence maybe a tad more blue? Dont want full 20+ deep blue look.

The greens and pinks look great when the B+ only are on, but everything seems a little dull when all lights are one.
What do you think I should buy and try to see what I like. I'd like to order a few bulbs and try some different combos but don't know where to start. I had dual 14k 150watt phoenix HQI and liked the look, though it lacked pop too.

Start with replacing the Aqua Blue Specials one at a time with Blue Plus bulbs. This will slowly make it slightly more blue with each swap. From ersonal tast you will need to decide for yourself how many Aqua Blue Specials you want.

As far as the pink tint if you want to reduce it then replace one of the aqua blue specials with a GE 6,500K. The GE bulb has a strong yellow which will balance out some of the red.

 

[jb61264]

Hey Grim, I use a configuration in my TEK 6 bulb T5 fixture that you recommended a couple years back.

4 ATI Blue Plus
1 GE 6500K
1 UVL Actinic White

I noticed that you don't really recommend the UVL bulb anymore and have suggested the ATI Coral Plus as well....is the ATI Coral Plus a better bulb than the UVL? Would you suggest I change anything?...I get excellent SPS growth with my current configuration and like the overall color of the tank with that configuration.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim, I use a configuration in my TEK 6 bulb T5 fixture that you recommended a couple years back.

4 ATI Blue Plus
1 GE 6500K
1 UVL Actinic White

I noticed that you don't really recommend the UVL bulb anymore and have suggested the ATI Coral Plus as well....is the ATI Coral Plus a better bulb than the UVL? Would you suggest I change anything?...I get excellent SPS growth with my current configuration and like the overall color of the tank with that configuration.

yeah. use the coral plus instead of the uvl.

 

[DownwardDawg]

6 lamps and unless you want to change lamps every 6 months you are better off not using the ice cap ballasts, they kill the lamps pretty quick.

What is the reccomended ballast for T5's now?
I have a 125 gal tank, 72"x18"x22". I plan on running three 250watt Radiums. What T5 bulbs would you reccomend for sunrise/sunset and also as supplementation to the radiums?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

What is the reccomended ballast for T5's now?
I have a 125 gal tank, 72"x18"x22". I plan on running three 250watt Radiums. What T5 bulbs would you reccomend for sunrise/sunset and also as supplementation to the radiums?

If you use the 80 watt 60" T5's the Ice Cap ballasts are fine.

 

[DownwardDawg]

If you use the 80 watt 60" T5's the Ice Cap ballasts are fine.

Hmmmm. I hadn't thought of using those. I was thinking of using 4 of the 39watt (36"). Would the 60" bulbs give me full coverage on a 72" tank considering these are just for supplemental lighting and sunrise/sunset?

 

[footballcs12]

Looking for a recommendation on a 48" fixture with 3 light modes that wont overheat my bedroom. Trying to stay under $400 if possible. Any suggestions?