The T5 Q&a Thread - split

BabyGirl143 said:
Hello Everyone I am new to the site and looking for a lil help with my lighting. I have set up a 26 gallon bowfront tank. 24"wide 18"tall. I went to the local store and told them exactly what i planned to put in the tank and they sold me this: Solarmax High Efficiency Double T5 lighting system. it has 1 10k daylight lamp and 1 actinic-03 lamp each is 14 watts each one has its own swith but it is on 1 cord. it also has 4 moonlight leds that are always on. Dont know if this makes a difference or not but it says it has parabolic light amplifying reflectors. I plan to put soft corals in my tank and need to know if this is good enough. I want my corals to be colorful and bright so would like to know if this will work or if i should add to it. Keep in mind this is a small tank so only room for one more light fixture if i remove the lid it came with and use those eggcrates over the top instead. Also would like to know how how long i should leave the lights on. I have been turning the actinic light on at 9 am and then turning on the white light at 11 and then back off at 6pm leaving the actinic on til 8 pm and of course the leds are always on. Any help and a lil explanation would be nice. Would like to know as much as i can before i start adding corals. The tank is cycling now and i have a lil time to research and learn. Thanks for any help you can give.
Click to expand...

I'd look for different lighting. If you have DIY skills you could add some 3 watt cree led's and end up with a good system but you are going to be limited to moderate light softies with what you have now.
 
Grim, want to be clear with your suggestion.

ATI Blue Plus replace with Coral Plus
ATI Blue Plus replace with Coral Plus
ATI Purple Plus Keep this bulb
GE 6500K replace with aqua-blue
Blue Plus replace with Coral Plus
Blue Plus replace with Coral Plus

Is that correct
 
Mcagigas said:
Grim, want to be clear with your suggestion.

ATI Blue Plus replace with Coral Plus
ATI Blue Plus replace with Coral Plus
ATI Purple Plus Keep this bulb
GE 6500K replace with aqua-blue
Blue Plus replace with Coral Plus
Blue Plus replace with Coral Plus

Is that correct
Click to expand...

WRONG!

You could try replacing ONLY the GE with any of those lamps, not all of them.
 
First off thank you Grimm and others that have kept these threads going and helping all that you have. Hats off to you!!

I have a question about lighting my 125 gallon 6 foot.

I have a 60'' Tek 80watt x 4 along with a 72'' Reefbrite.

I am running
2xATI Blue Plus
1 KZ New Generation
1 Geisemann Aqua Blue

Even with the Reefbrite I dont think I am getting enough flourescence as I would like.
I am wondering about adding a ATI Purple in place of the Geisemann Aqua Blue.

What do you think?

Also I keep mostly softies (zoas) and some basic LPS (frogspawn, torch) but would like to keep acans and a few sps up high on the rock.

What are your opinions and what order and bulb changes would you recommend.
 
funkoptimus said:
First off thank you Grimm and others that have kept these threads going and helping all that you have. Hats off to you!!

I have a question about lighting my 125 gallon 6 foot.

I have a 60'' Tek 80watt x 4 along with a 72'' Reefbrite.

I am running
2xATI Blue Plus
1 KZ New Generation
1 Geisemann Aqua Blue

Even with the Reefbrite I dont think I am getting enough flourescence as I would like.
I am wondering about adding a ATI Purple in place of the Geisemann Aqua Blue.

What do you think?

Also I keep mostly softies (zoas) and some basic LPS (frogspawn, torch) but would like to keep acans and a few sps up high on the rock.

What are your opinions and what order and bulb changes would you recommend.
Click to expand...

I'd change the Aquablue for a Coral Plus and see if that does it. If not then change the New Gen for another Blue Plus. Should be good for acans
 
The Grim Reefer said:
I'd look for different lighting. If you have DIY skills you could add some 3 watt cree led's and end up with a good system but you are going to be limited to moderate light softies with what you have now.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the help i will definately check into it as my brother is good at that sort of stuff. Can you be more specific as to the color of lighting i need to add to what i have. And possibly the site where i can find this type of stuff. Thanks
 
The Grim Reefer said:
I'd change the Aquablue for a Coral Plus and see if that does it. If not then change the New Gen for another Blue Plus. Should be good for acans
Click to expand...

I maybe mistaken but isnt the Coral Plus real similar to the New Gen?

Also what order you think?

I have the Reefbrite (all blue) up front.

Are you thinking

Reefbrite
Blue+
Coral Plus
New Gen
Blue+

option #2

Reefbrite
Blue+
AquaBlue
Blue+
Blue+

or?

Also opinions on light schedule?

Thanx so much!!
 
BabyGirl143 said:
Thanks for the help i will definately check into it as my brother is good at that sort of stuff. Can you be more specific as to the color of lighting i need to add to what i have. And possibly the site where i can find this type of stuff. Thanks
Click to expand...

One of these installed to as close to the center of your hood as possible

http://www.rapidled.com/12-led-actinic-supplement-kit/

Check out the DIY section there's a ton of build threads there. It says actinic but it's royal blue which have good PAR and pop corals nice. You probably would want to take out the actinic T5 and put in another daylight or better yet a pink lamp if they are available for that unit.
 
funkoptimus said:
I maybe mistaken but isnt the Coral Plus real similar to the New Gen?

Also what order you think?

I have the Reefbrite (all blue) up front.

Are you thinking

Reefbrite
Blue+
Coral Plus
New Gen
Blue+

option #2

Reefbrite
Blue+
AquaBlue
Blue+
Blue+

or?

Also opinions on light schedule?

Thanx so much!!
Click to expand...

Coral Plus supposedly has more red in it but might not be enough to mess with. Ultimately 3 Blue Plus and a Purple Plus will give you the most pop but its going to be really blue.
 
The Grim Reefer said:
Coral Plus supposedly has more red in it but might not be enough to mess with. Ultimately 3 Blue Plus and a Purple Plus will give you the most pop but its going to be really blue.
Click to expand...


Thank you sir.

Yes I think 3 blue and purple would be too blue for my taste.

Maybe I will try this as I have a Purple that a friend gave me that is new. Unless you think it would be bad.

Reefbrite
blue+
Purple
New Generation or Aqua Blue
Blue +

If not I think I will try the
Reefbrite
Blue+
Coral Plus
Blue+
Blue+
 
I know everyone loves ATI, including me but I was wondering what everyone thought about wavepoint bulbs. I know they are probably not as good as the others but does anyone have any experience with them?
 
jgraz said:
Hey Grim,

Well im in the home stretch of my build and I need to consider which bulbs I'm gonna be getting. The fixture is a 48'x8 bulb tek. Tank is a 90gal RR. Planning on LPS, SPS, Clams(higher up). I came across this combo on a site by you(I think).
8 lamp Tek or Nova Extreme

Blue
Blue
ATI Purple Plus
Blue
GE Daylight
Aquablue
Blue
Blue
For a more blue look replace the Aquablue with a blue, less blue replace the blue in slot 4 with a Aquablue. You could also try the Actinic White in slot 2 which is one of the 4 dusk/dawn lamps, it adds a purple hue to the look.

Does this still hold water or is there a new combo that you would suggest. Thanks in advance
John
Click to expand...


Any Thoughts
 
What combo would you guys go with on a 6 bulb I have these bulbs avalible
4 bulb +
2 coral +
Purple +
Aqua special
True Actinic 03
 
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