The T5 Q&a Thread - split

mbg75 said:
Was reading thru an older thread that talked about temps and bulb life.
I run a Tek elite 6x54 and checked bulb temps today. Mine seem to run hot even with the fans.
Can I change the power supply to get more out of my fans? Currently have a 12v 0.5a power supply
Click to expand...

No.
 
Grim, I have a geisemann infinity MH fixture that I'd like to put 4 Ati blue plus bulbs in. This fixture uses passive cooling instead of active. Do you think I would be losing significant PAR on the T5s from heat? I thought about pointing a fan at the fixture but worry about cooling the bulbs too much... resulting in loss of PAR again. Any thoughts?

Thank you!
 
RebelReef said:
Grim, I have a geisemann infinity MH fixture that I'd like to put 4 Ati blue plus bulbs in. This fixture uses passive cooling instead of active. Do you think I would be losing significant PAR on the T5s from heat? I thought about pointing a fan at the fixture but worry about cooling the bulbs too much... resulting in loss of PAR again. Any thoughts?

Thank you!
Click to expand...

Small fan blowing at the endcaps on one side is all you need.
 
48 inch Current USA 6x54W Nova Extreme Pro T5HO

Would this be adequate for a standard 90g (48x18x24)?

I currently have DIY LEDs that I don't like, but don't want to spend $1500 to get better LEDs at this point. I can pick up a used fixture like this for reasonable price and then get some good quality bulbs.

Thanks.
 
nichthyes said:
what color temp am I looking at with this setup:

GE 6500K
Aquablue Special
Purple Plus
Blue Plus
Click to expand...

Probably just a hair over the 10,000K effect. You have a 3 bulbs producing white and only one that is putting out all blue light. Adding another Blue Plus in place of either the GE or Aqua Blue will cause a big change for you. Thy one than other and settle on the one you like best.
 
mess7777 said:
48 inch Current USA 6x54W Nova Extreme Pro T5HO

Would this be adequate for a standard 90g (48x18x24)?

I currently have DIY LEDs that I don't like, but don't want to spend $1500 to get better LEDs at this point. I can pick up a used fixture like this for reasonable price and then get some good quality bulbs.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Be OK as log as you aren't trying clams or a lot of SPS
 
mess7777 said:
48 inch Current USA 6x54W Nova Extreme Pro T5HO

Would this be adequate for a standard 90g (48x18x24)?

I currently have DIY LEDs that I don't like, but don't want to spend $1500 to get better LEDs at this point. I can pick up a used fixture like this for reasonable price and then get some good quality bulbs.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

What don't you like about your LED's. One of the big benifits of DIY LED's is they are so easy to modify to your own personal taste.

As far as the Nova fixture it would be boarderline for SPS corals but okay for the more moderate light requiring corals. Now if it was a 6 bulb ATI the better reflectore would put you in a much better situation.
 
What is the best combo for a 20gal long tank (4x 24W) with mushrooms, zoabthids and RBTA?
Was thinking of 2 ATI blue+, 1 ATI purple+ and 1 ATI coral+.

thanks!
 
TropTrea said:
What don't you like about your LED's. One of the big benifits of DIY LED's is they are so easy to modify to your own personal taste.

As far as the Nova fixture it would be boarderline for SPS corals but okay for the more moderate light requiring corals. Now if it was a 6 bulb ATI the better reflectore would put you in a much better situation.
Click to expand...

I don't like the way they are built (6 heads of 7 - 3watt lights each). They sit on a stand that is only about 6-8 inches wide. I don't get a good spread. The colors are a mix of white/warm white and blue. The colors are ok but they don't pop like I would like. Do to the way they are built and the fact that they are not the colors I like, it's pretty much a start from scratch situation. I also don't like the manual dimmable box that came with them. I can't tell if they are too bright or not bright enough, since they are locally "home-made" I don't have the ability to compare other peoples' tanks with the same fixtures.

Thanks for the advice, based on what you tell me the Nova won't but it. I want to be able to put anything anywhere, so I will need to hold out for a better T5 (ATI) or a new LED setup.
 
Thanks grim, I am really thinking about led actinic supplements with an ati dimmible fixture. Any suggestions on t5 bulbs? If the six bulbs are too much I could only run the four. By the way this is a 75 gallon sps tank. Thanks
 
I can't wait for my new Coral +'s to arrive. I didn't realize how much the Aquablue specials washed out the some of the coral. My very vibrant ricordias are dull under that bulb. I didn't notice it as much when they were on in the midst of all the other bulbs. But I tried using one of them and a blue plus as dusk dawn set yesterday and noticed how dull those rics were. Yuk! The fish look fantastic this way though and the Frogspawn and Torches seem to be fine as well.
 
The Grim Reefer said:
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.
Click to expand...
Grim, are icecap ballast bad for all t5's or could I get away with running the 80w bulbs on them? atm i'm running five 80w bulbs on a 660 and a 430, I am about to upgrade lighting and was aiming for a 8x80w power module clone using the ati reflectors from reefgeek and adding another 660 ballast. would this be a good or bad idea?
 
jasonmxrcr said:
Thanks grim, I am really thinking about led actinic supplements with an ati dimmible fixture. Any suggestions on t5 bulbs? If the six bulbs are too much I could only run the four. By the way this is a 75 gallon sps tank. Thanks
Click to expand...

If you are using good LED's then 4 T5's. Personally I'd use 3 Rows of Royal Blue LED's with 2 rows of retro T5's. a Purple Plus and Aquablue as your daylight pair.
 
mr.badams said:
Grim, are icecap ballast bad for all t5's or could I get away with running the 80w bulbs on them? atm i'm running five 80w bulbs on a 660 and a 430, I am about to upgrade lighting and was aiming for a 8x80w power module clone using the ati reflectors from reefgeek and adding another 660 ballast. would this be a good or bad idea?
Click to expand...

I had good luck with the IC ballasts on the 5 foot lamps. Just make sure you get the cooling right.
 
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