The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[The Grim Reefer]

I already have LPS and they are doing well. With that set-up I'm basically using 1 daylight bulb and three supplemental bulbs. I need enough light to support the growth of my LPS. Would those lights be adequate for LPS? It's a 55 gallon and I have a Red Lobo and Orange Blast Acan on the bottom, a hammer and frogspawn mid level...shouldn't I switch up one of those Blue Plus for an Aquablue or another Actinic white?

Thanks for your help.

Blue Plus has more PAR than either of those other lamps.

Brains and Acans don't like a lot of light, clams and SPS do. You could do this

Front
Super Actinic
Blue Plus
Actinic White
Blue Plus

Now you are placing a lower PAR lamp up front over the brains which they will like but it dose mean you need to keep any clams you put in the tank back on the rocks so they get the direct light from the higher PAR lamps. They don't have to be high on the rocks, just below those good lamps.

 

[catfisher]

Blue Plus has more PAR than either of those other lamps.

Brains and Acans don't like a lot of light, clams and SPS do. You could do this

Front
Super Actinic
Blue Plus
Actinic White
Blue Plus

Now you are placing a lower PAR lamp up front over the brains which they will like but it dose mean you need to keep any clams you put in the tank back on the rocks so they get the direct light from the higher PAR lamps. They don't have to be high on the rocks, just below those good lamps.

Thank you so much!

 

[drwilliams.52]

I'm needing to replace the bulbs on my 8x54w Sunpower. I have a pretty even mix of lps and sps with a couple rbta's in a 5ft x 2ft x 2ft tank. I'd prefer a 14-20k look. What bulbs would you suggest.

 

[krzyphsygy]

Hi Grim, I hear your the person to talk to about t-5's. If you could please take a look at my question I would be grateful, as I do not have any eperience with these bulbs.
I have a "Current" fixture 2x250watt 13k Geissman HQI's and " Current" 4 54watt t-5s. 2 of the t5's are actinic 420 and the other two are 460 actinic.
I am going to be keep mostly SPS corals. I like a real strong blue look in the tank. But dont want to sacrifice par. Kinda strong 20k feel, really blue. The t5s I have now, seem like they have a light color to them as I used to have 10k hqis and the 10k was super strong and a real green look in the tank. I hated that.

What colors would you suggest? I will have many different colored corals in the tank and just want the SPS corals to pop. Thanks

 

[Ruggerkc]

I had 3 giesmann actinc+ and 3 midday. I swithched a midday with a giesmann aquablue+. You were right, I need more help. What would you do with this mess. Fixtrure is a solar flare.

Thanks so much for what you do!

 

[bellis31]

I have a 4 bulb T5 lamp 4x39watt 36" setup.. from what I have been reading I was wondering if this was the best setup for PAR and color on a mixed coral tank? (I have no corals yet..new tank)40 breeder... 16" tall

Front
ATI Blue +
ATI Purple +
ATI Blue +
KZ new gen ?? or ATI Blue +
Back

and is this order right?

Thanks!

 

[Mcagigas]

Hello Grim,

I am about to replace the lamps on my AquaticLife T5 HO 6-Lamp Light Fixture. I am looking to bring out the best colors (pink, purple, blues, green) on my SPS tank and also get some growth going. I was told to either use ATI or Giesemann Powerchrome lamps. Would you provide advice on which lamps and arrangements to go with.

Thank you

____________________________________________
AquaticLife T5 HO 6-Lamp Light Fixture 48" 54W
120 GL SPS, some LPS Reef Tank

 

[FranktheTankTx]

Grim -

Let's hypothetically say that I purchased (3) AI Sol Blue to go over 115g (48lx30wx18h)... What (2) T5 bulbs would you suggest to add a little pop to the pink/reds that the AI doesn't bring out as well due to it's blue/white limitations?

Thinking about ATI Purple Plus... But two? Or throw an ATI Actinic on the back & Purple + on the front?

Thanks for your help!!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I'm needing to replace the bulbs on my 8x54w Sunpower. I have a pretty even mix of lps and sps with a couple rbta's in a 5ft x 2ft x 2ft tank. I'd prefer a 14-20k look. What bulbs would you suggest.

5 Blue Plus 2 Purple Plus and a GE6500K

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim, I hear your the person to talk to about t-5's. If you could please take a look at my question I would be grateful, as I do not have any eperience with these bulbs.
I have a "Current" fixture 2x250watt 13k Geissman HQI's and " Current" 4 54watt t-5s. 2 of the t5's are actinic 420 and the other two are 460 actinic.
I am going to be keep mostly SPS corals. I like a real strong blue look in the tank. But dont want to sacrifice par. Kinda strong 20k feel, really blue. The t5s I have now, seem like they have a light color to them as I used to have 10k hqis and the 10k was super strong and a real green look in the tank. I hated that.

What colors would you suggest? I will have many different colored corals in the tank and just want the SPS corals to pop. Thanks

With the 13K Halides go with 4 ATI Blue Plus lamps. Good Color and a lot of additional PAR.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I had 3 giesmann actinc+ and 3 midday. I swithched a midday with a giesmann aquablue+. You were right, I need more help. What would you do with this mess. Fixtrure is a solar flare.

Thanks so much for what you do!

Get it to 4 Actinic Plus or ATI Blue Plus (or Combination of the two) an ATI Purple Plus and the Midday. If you don't want to buy new lamps 2 Midday with 4 of the Plus lamps would look OK

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a 4 bulb T5 lamp 4x39watt 36" setup.. from what I have been reading I was wondering if this was the best setup for PAR and color on a mixed coral tank? (I have no corals yet..new tank)40 breeder... 16" tall

Front
ATI Blue +
ATI Purple +
ATI Blue +
KZ new gen ?? or ATI Blue +
Back

and is this order right?

Thanks!

Either will be fine. The 3rd Blue Plus will make it a more 20K look.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hello Grim,

I am about to replace the lamps on my AquaticLife T5 HO 6-Lamp Light Fixture. I am looking to bring out the best colors (pink, purple, blues, green) on my SPS tank and also get some growth going. I was told to either use ATI or Giesemann Powerchrome lamps. Would you provide advice on which lamps and arrangements to go with.

Thank you

____________________________________________
AquaticLife T5 HO 6-Lamp Light Fixture 48" 54W
120 GL SPS, some LPS Reef Tank

Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Purple Plus
GE 6500K
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim -

Let's hypothetically say that I purchased (3) AI Sol Blue to go over 115g (48lx30wx18h)... What (2) T5 bulbs would you suggest to add a little pop to the pink/reds that the AI doesn't bring out as well due to it's blue/white limitations?

Thinking about ATI Purple Plus... But two? Or throw an ATI Actinic on the back & Purple + on the front?

Thanks for your help!!

Actinic up front and Purple plus behind.

You have learned well grasshopper.

 

[A. Grandis]

Hey Grim, every year I come to this thread to talk about the new bulbs for my 6 bulb ATI PM.

This is what I've got today:
FRONT
ATI Aquablue special
Aquamedic Reef Blue
ATI Blue Plus
Aquamedic Reef White
Aquamedic Reef Blue
ATI Blue Plus

I had the Aquamedic bulbs and used them last year, but won't keep that schedule.
The Aquamedic Reef White makes the tank look a little too yellow.
I want a blue/white balance at this time.

Ok, time to change again and I've got 3 different schedules to choose from for my zoa tank:

#1:
FRONT
ATI Aquablue special
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Purple Plus or UVL 75/25 aquablue
ATI Aquablue special
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus

#2:
FRONT
Actinic white
UVL Super actinic
ATI Blue plus
GE 6500K
UVL Super actinic
ATI Blue Plus.

#3
FRONT
UVL Indigo Sun
UVL Super actinic
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Indigo Sun
UVL Super actinic
ATI Blue Plus

Bulb #2 and bulb # 5 (from the front) are the ones for the early morning/ late evening effects.

Please let me know what you think.
Looking for a cleaner white end.
Thanks.

Grandis.

 

[A. Grandis]

Hello again Grim:

Do you have any list of the PAR for most of the bulbs we see listed in this thread?
That would great to see a simple comparison of them.
Thanks again!

Grandis.

 

[jonnybravo22]

Probably tired of answering this, but it seems you're still actively helping people out here so i'll take a shot:

Getting a giesemann infiniti 1 x 250W MH + 4x 24W T5 fixture. Thinking of the Phoenix 14K MH and not sure on the four T5s.

Suggestions?

Was considering maybe:

1 ATI Blue Plus
1 454 UVL Actinic
1 KZ Fiji Purple
1 Giesmann AquaPink

(but you guys might throw up on that. please let me know)

 

[pwoller]

Probably tired of answering this, but it seems you're still actively helping people out here so i'll take a shot:

Getting a giesemann infiniti 1 x 250W MH + 4x 24W T5 fixture. Thinking of the Phoenix 14K MH and not sure on the four T5s.

Suggestions?

Was considering maybe:

1 ATI Blue Plus
1 454 UVL Actinic
1 KZ Fiji Purple
1 Giesmann AquaPink

(but you guys might throw up on that. please let me know)

I'd run 4 blue plus.

 

[jonnybravo22]

I'd run 4 blue plus.

rationale please? thnx

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim, every year I come to this thread to talk about the new bulbs for my 6 bulb ATI PM.

This is what I've got today:
FRONT
ATI Aquablue special
Aquamedic Reef Blue
ATI Blue Plus
Aquamedic Reef White
Aquamedic Reef Blue
ATI Blue Plus

I had the Aquamedic bulbs and used them last year, but won't keep that schedule.
The Aquamedic Reef White makes the tank look a little too yellow.
I want a blue/white balance at this time.

Ok, time to change again and I've got 3 different schedules to choose from for my zoa tank:

#1:
FRONT
ATI Aquablue special
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Purple Plus or UVL 75/25 aquablue
ATI Aquablue special
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus

#2:
FRONT
Actinic white
UVL Super actinic
ATI Blue plus
GE 6500K
UVL Super actinic
ATI Blue Plus.

#3
FRONT
UVL Indigo Sun
UVL Super actinic
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Indigo Sun
UVL Super actinic
ATI Blue Plus

Bulb #2 and bulb # 5 (from the front) are the ones for the early morning/ late evening effects.

Please let me know what you think.
Looking for a cleaner white end.
Thanks.

Grandis.

I'd do 4 Blue Plus 1 Purple Plus and a ATI Aquablue. The Blue Pluses have all the actinic you need, You could use one in a dusk/dawn position, that's their best use cause once all the lights are on you really can't tell there's one in there.