The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[mr.badams]

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

With proper cooling what is the usable life of the bulb? Im using all ati's with 3 120 mm 80 cfm fans on each end of the bulbs.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

With proper cooling what is the usable life of the bulb? Im using all ati's with 3 120 mm 80 cfm fans on each end of the bulbs.

A year easy in my experience. I wouldn't go much beyond that

 

[cr reef]

Grim,

ATI power module worth the extra cost over the ATI sunpower, this is for a 60 x 25 1/2 inch tall tank, mixed, planning on the 8 bulb setup.

Thank You

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

ATI power module worth the extra cost over the ATI sunpower, this is for a 60 x 25 1/2 inch tall tank, mixed, planning on the 8 bulb setup.

Thank You

A little quieter and a little more power.

 

[TropTrea]

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 know most people would just add Royal Blue LED's. However in my eye the royal blues alone turn things too much like a bluish purple. For dawn to dusk suplemental lighting I prefer a 50/50 split between Royal Blues 457 nm and Blues 475 nm.

Four your 6 T-5 Bulbs I would go with 1 GE 6500, 1 ATI Purple Plus, and 4 ATI Blue Plus Bulbs. If were to come out too bright you could simply not use the circuit with 2 ATI Blue Plus Bulbs.

 

[Merfin70]

Grim - changing my tank from SPS to a completely clown + all bubble Tip nem tank. Currently have a Sunpower 36" 6 bulb fixture (4 blue+, 1 Purple+, 1 AB Special).

What bulb recommendation would you have for an all BTA tank?

 

[jasonmxrcr]

Thanks Grim and TropTrea, those are the type of opinions I want. Awesome!!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim - changing my tank from SPS to a completely clown + all bubble Tip nem tank. Currently have a Sunpower 36" 6 bulb fixture (4 blue+, 1 Purple+, 1 AB Special).

What bulb recommendation would you have for an all BTA tank?

Just what you have if you like it

 

[db1317]

Grim - I have a standard 75G tank w/ mixed SPS and LPS(chalices, acans, zoos). Currently have a 48" 6x54 Sunpower and want to purchase a reefbrite blue led for actinic supplementation. My current lineup is 4 Blue+, 1 KZ New Gen, and 1 Purple +. I also need to pick up new bulbs. Since the LED is going to add par as well as actinic, should I replace one of my blue+ w/ an actinic? I want to get the pop from the LED, but don't want to burn up my corals either....What t5 bulbs would you recommend if I do add the reefbrite? Thanks in advance.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim - I have a standard 75G tank w/ mixed SPS and LPS(chalices, acans, zoos). Currently have a 48" 6x54 Sunpower and want to purchase a reefbrite blue led for actinic supplementation. My current lineup is 4 Blue+, 1 KZ New Gen, and 1 Purple +. I also need to pick up new bulbs. Since the LED is going to add par as well as actinic, should I replace one of my blue+ w/ an actinic? I want to get the pop from the LED, but don't want to burn up my corals either....What t5 bulbs would you recommend if I do add the reefbrite? Thanks in advance.

Once all the lights are on actinic does almost nothig for the look. Blue PLUS actinic is what the lamp is. I'd add the LED then decide if you want to change anything.

 

[blender02]

Right now I'm running 5 ATI B+ and 1 Coral + in a 6x39 hood. I really like how blue it is but was wondering if it's ok for all my corals (all SPS). If not, should I switch one of the B+ for another coral + or a Purple +?

Thanks.

 

[King Nine]

Try it and let us know how it looks, sound good.

Well I made the jump. I tweaked the lineup because of the dusk dawn placements. Here is the line up

(A= dusk dawn, B= Main lights)

Coral Plus - A
Purple Plus - B
Blue Plus - B
Blue Plus - B
Blue Plus - A
Coral Plus - B

I love this line up so far and can't ever imagine I'll use a aquablue special again once I realized it was the culprit in washing out my coral colors. This is the closest I've come to hitting the magical Phoenix 14k MH bulb I used to run. Love Love Love it so far!! I wish my camera would take a picture of it without it looking completely blue.

 

[tonyscoots84]

hey grim what do you think about this...

just got the 8 x 24w sunpower fixture for my 60 gallon cube

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Right now I'm running 5 ATI B+ and 1 Coral + in a 6x39 hood. I really like how blue it is but was wondering if it's ok for all my corals (all SPS). If not, should I switch one of the B+ for another coral + or a Purple +?

Thanks.

Should be fine

 

[The Grim Reefer]

hey grim what do you think about this...

just got the 8 x 24w sunpower fixture for my 60 gallon cube

I'd use Coral Pluses next time in place of the aquablues but it will be fine either way.

 

[tonyscoots84]

thanks grim

 

[TropTrea]

Right now I'm running 5 ATI B+ and 1 Coral + in a 6x39 hood. I really like how blue it is but was wondering if it's ok for all my corals (all SPS). If not, should I switch one of the B+ for another coral + or a Purple +?

Thanks.

I think the key for you is the statement "I realy like how blue it is" is your deciding point. For many of us we would not be happy with a tank that blue but if your happy then that is the main point.

As far as your corals go in most cases they would be happy with just blue plus bulbs. However some do need a slight amount of green and ren light. That Coral plus bulb is provided enough of it to keep most any coral happy. However it is not producing enough for most peoples color taste.

On the other end of the spectrum when you add too many Purple Plus and Full Spectrum lights you start getting a negative return on the amount of red your pumping into the tank. It has been proven that many corals will start bleaching out from an excessive amount of red light.

 

[Gizmoh]

Hey Grim,

I have a 48g (44x16x16) tank. I am happy with the growth but not the color. Currently using 4x54w T5. Should i go to 6 or stay at 4? And what combo would you use? They are separate 2 bulb fixtures so I would be able to turn them on and off in sets of 2 (4=front 2 back 2, 6=front 2 middle 2 back 2)

Thanks in advance!

 

[jglackin]

Grim, I asked you for advice back in 2009 on some T5 bulbs for my 8x54w ATI Powermodule and here is what was recommended:

1 Fiji Purple
4 ATI Blue Plus
2 ATI Aquablue Special
1 UVL Super Actinic

Would you recommend anything different today?

p.s. Thank you very much for all of your help and advice.

 

[The Reef Pit]

Hello all, I am starting a new 90 gallons(48'' long 18'' wide) system that I want to be mostly SPS, I want to do a ATI Sunpower unit and on there web it says the 6 bulb unit is good for 110g, do you think this would be good or do I have to go to an 8 bulb unit, and for bulb's below is what I thought from what I have been reading on here. Thank you for any help.

ati blue+
ati purple +
ati aqua blue sp
ati blue+
ati blue+