The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[Faisal1976us]

Hi ,,,

My bulbs combination is :

Blue plus
aquablue
purple plus
Blue plus
aquablue
Blue plus
purple plus
Blue plus
aquablue
Blue plus

i feel it's very blue , i want less blue and brighter by replace just one or two bulbs , what did you advice me please ?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi ,,,

My bulbs combination is :

Blue plus
aquablue
purple plus
Blue plus
aquablue
Blue plus
purple plus
Blue plus
aquablue
Blue plus

i feel it's very blue , i want less blue and brighter by replace just one or two bulbs , what did you advice me please ?

Take out the center Aquablue and replace it with a GE 6500K

 

[TomNeely]

Grim, I am using the 48" six bulb ATI Sun Power over my 75 gallon standard aquarium. (SPS, LPS, and some zoa on the sand)

It is now time to replace the bulbs.

I was using:
Front
ATI Blue+
GE 6500
ATI Blue+
ATI Blue+
GE 6500
ATI Blue+

I felt it was to white for me... Reading the above post I switched out the one 6500K for an old actinic white bulb I had laying around. (like fiji purple)

Front:
ATI Blue+
old actinic white bulb
ATI Blue+
GE 6,500K
ATI Blue+
ATI Blue+

What combo could I go with that would give me a 20K pop in the corals but not be all blue? Looking for a 20K look but when I took out the whites and just ran 4 Blue+ bulbs felt it was to much....

Also on average how high should I have my bulbs off the water? (around 10" now)

Thank you for your time.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, I am using the 48" six bulb ATI Sun Power over my 75 gallon standard aquarium. (SPS, LPS, and some zoa on the sand)

It is now time to replace the bulbs.

I was using:
Front
ATI Blue+
GE 6500
ATI Blue+
ATI Blue+
GE 6500
ATI Blue+

I felt it was to white for me... Reading the above post I switched out the one 6500K for an old actinic white bulb I had laying around. (like fiji purple)

Front:
ATI Blue+
old actinic white bulb
ATI Blue+
GE 6,500K
ATI Blue+
ATI Blue+

What combo could I go with that would give me a 20K pop in the corals but not be all blue? Looking for a 20K look but when I took out the whites and just ran 4 Blue+ bulbs felt it was to much....

Also on average how high should I have my bulbs off the water? (around 10" now)

Thank you for your time.

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

4 to 6 inches off the water.

 

[bennr]

@troptrea
I replaced two of my blue specials with blue plus today......looks much better.....so now this is my setup

Blue plus
Blue plus
Blue plus dawn dusk
Blue plus
Blue special
Blue plus dawn dusk
Blue special
Blue plus

Now what is my next step? And how long should I wait? Also I am currently running my dawn to dusk lights from 1500 to 2200 ( dimm on and off for first and last hour) and then I run the other six t5s from 1700 to 2100 (dimm on and off for first and last hour). Is this enough light? Especially if I am dimming from 0 to 100 percent for the first and last hour when each set of lights first come on and go off.....thank you for all the help so far!!!

 

[96p993]

bennr how blue is that?? Do you have pics?

 

[TomNeely]

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

4 to 6 inches off the water.

Thank you!

For a four bulb fixture on my other tank should I do

Blue Plus
Purple Plus
Blue Plus
Coral Plus

for the same look as my 75

 

[TropTrea]

Thank you!

For a four bulb fixture on my other tank should I do

Blue Plus
Purple Plus
Blue Plus
Coral Plus

for the same look as my 75

It is going to look whiter because in reality you have a 3 to 1 ratio of blue to white while the 6 bulb tank has a 5 to 1 ratio. If you want to color match them swap the Coral Plus for an aqua blue on the tank with six bulbs.

 

[TropTrea]

@troptrea
I replaced two of my blue specials with blue plus today......looks much better.....so now this is my setup

Blue plus
Blue plus
Blue plus dawn dusk
Blue plus
Blue special
Blue plus dawn dusk
Blue special
Blue plus

Now what is my next step? And how long should I wait? Also I am currently running my dawn to dusk lights from 1500 to 2200 ( dimm on and off for first and last hour) and then I run the other six t5s from 1700 to 2100 (dimm on and off for first and last hour). Is this enough light? Especially if I am dimming from 0 to 100 percent for the first and last hour when each set of lights first come on and go off.....thank you for all the help so far!!!

Id say the next step would be based a lot on your personal color choice. If you want to go bluer try swapping out another Aqua Blue Special with a Purple Plus. Or if you just want to go a little brighter than swap out second from the fron Blue Plus with a Purple Plus.

Your only running your light 7 hours if I read this correctly. I think you would see much better results with growth if you had your full mid day lights on for 8 hours. since your dimming them to gradualy turn them on I would even go for 9 hours. Then with your dimming for the dawn to dusk as well I would have them on for an added 3 hours.

So we are looking at something like 1200 dawn to dusk start turning on, 1300 they are on full, 1330 the mid days start turning on 1430 the mid days are on full, 2130 the mid days start diming 2230 the mid days are completly off. 2300 the dawn to dusk start dimming 2400 the dawn to dusk are completly off. Then you have darkness from 0000 to 1200 with the exception of any outdoor light that filters into your room. ( you can adjust these time so that your darkness hits at your regular bed time. )

But don;t change your light cycle suddenly. Change it by about 1/2 hour every other week. and watch for either colal bleaching or algea growth. If you either of these back off your cycle by 1/2 hour right away.

 

[bennr]

@troptrea
Thanks again Dennis! I will start by extending out my dawn to dusk lights.....over a month I can have them on an hour more.....then I will follow suit with the others over a month period until I get the times you suggested....I like the blue look....I think I will change 1 blue special out for a purple.....how long till I do this? And what spot in the fixture should I have the purple?

 

[lilredwuck]

Ok Grim, God of T-5 lighting (Pun inteded, lol) You have been asked a million times, but I have a little different situation. I was currently using
(2) GLO 2x39 fixtures
(1) Coralife 2x39 fixture
I was running the Coralife in back using the legs, the GLO fixtures had no legs and sat right above the water.
I was using ATI bulbs like this I THINK.

Back
Purple
Blue+
Blue+
Aquaspecial
Blue+
Aquaspecial
Front

I upgraded to a Current 6x39 watt light, taking out the current bulbs, and putting the ATI bulbs I was using in them. I broke an Aquaspecial last night on accident. Had to replace with a Current 10k bulb. I found out that the dawndusk lights are #1 and #5.
It's a mixed reef tank, lights were running 8 hours a day, with no dawn/dusk effect just on from 9-5. This light will take up less room, and sit higher than some of the previous lights.
As of right now since my lights turn on in 15 minutes, I should be ok with running them on their normal cycle for now right? I switched the bulbs around as well, my tank is stacked. Softs up front, LPS in middle and SPS up top back.

My bulb setup as of now since I need the light back on there is the same ATI bulbs from the other lights, minus a broke Aquablue special

Front
Blue+
Blue+
Purple+
AquaBlue Special
Blue+
Current 10kk bulb
Back

I really need a bulb change as well, what do you suggest in the future?

FRONT
Blue+
Blue+
Purple+
AquaSun
Blue+
Blue+


That sound good or would you suggest different? Also how shall I add the dusk dawn effect without shocking corals, etc. Lighting schedule ok, or should I change it? Opinions? THANKS!!! Got to get these lights on real quick!

 

[lilredwuck]

Hmmm this may not work so great. This is my viewing angle from my chair. Not sure what to do now. Fans are loud too.

 

[TomNeely]

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

4 to 6 inches off the water.

So, put the two blue+ in the back right? So it would be:

(FRONT)
Blue Plus
Purple Plus
Blue Plus
Coral Plus
Blue Plus
Blue Plus
(BACK)

 

[TomNeely]

Hmmm this may not work so great. This is my viewing angle from my chair. Not sure what to do now. Fans are loud too.

What if you take some black acrylic and create a wall above the rim of the tank to block the light.

 

[lilredwuck]

I'll probably make something out of wood, since I have it laying around and it'll match the stand. Either that or take the legs off of it. I still have room to add back one of my lights I took off. I liked having the lights directly on the water, except for the corrosion, etc. Doesn't seem as bright but could just be me?

 

[DiscusHeckel]

Ge 6500k 39w

Ge 6500k 39w

I can't believe it. 39W version of this bulb is not available in the UK. I looked at three non-branded alternatives, Sylvania, Osram and Philips. They seem to have lower lux value compared to GE.

Can you please recommend me a 6500K bulb brand as a direct substitute for GE 6500K?

Thank you.

 

[RN.......]

I've got a 4 ft t5ho Catalina aquarium fixture, great fixture but it's only 3 bulbs. Currently the bulbs are Ati actinic, Ati blue plus, and a giesemann actinic plus. I also have an Ati aquablue special, a 10000K and a 6500k bulbs.

Which combination should I go with for best growth and color? Thanks-Ryan

Edit-the tank is a 60 gallon, 24" tall, mostly lps, with a few sps as well.

 

[rtparty]

I've got a 4 ft t5ho Catalina aquarium fixture, great fixture but it's only 3 bulbs. Currently the bulbs are Ati actinic, Ati blue plus, and a giesemann actinic plus. I also have an Ati aquablue special, a 10000K and a 6500k bulbs.

Which combination should I go with for best growth and color? Thanks-Ryan

Edit-the tank is a 60 gallon, 24" tall, mostly lps, with a few sps as well.

ATI blue plus, gmann actinic plus and the 6500k

 

[rtparty]

I can't believe it. 39W version of this bulb is not available in the UK. I looked at three non-branded alternatives, Sylvania, Osram and Philips. They seem to have lower lux value compared to GE.

Can you please recommend me a 6500K bulb brand as a direct substitute for GE 6500K?

Thank you.

Geisemann midday

 

[RN.......]

ATI blue plus, gmann actinic plus and the 6500k

Thank you, I ran just the 6500k for about 15 minutes by itself, my ricordeas went nuts and opened up bigger than I've ever seen them, and my zoas and gsp got ****ed and closed up. Hopefully everyone adjust, I really like the color of the tank now.