The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[sweeper7]

how can I take pictures btw of close ups or videos so colors show betteR? my blue lights completely take out the coloration of some stuff or quality of the video.

for example, look how blue it is but in person it is no where near this blue.

http://youtu.be/og8sujpiHGo

or

 

[The Grim Reefer]

how can I take pictures btw of close ups or videos so colors show betteR? my blue lights completely take out the coloration of some stuff or quality of the video.

for example, look how blue it is but in person it is no where near this blue.

http://youtu.be/og8sujpiHGo

or

UV filter. The CCD of digital cameras and records read UV light as blue.

 

[sweeper7]

I'm using an iPhone 5.. Idint think there is a UV filter for it. Any other go around maybe?

 

[zachfishman]

Your tank shouldn't be flooded with UV light, but a lot of the deep blue /near UV spectrum could be misinterpreted by a phone camera. Your best bet is to find a camera app that incorporates a white balance function such as "Pro Camera".

 

[alex piraeus]

Hello grim,what bulb selection do you suggest for an sps dominated tank..?I run an DIY t5 fixture consist of 13 T5
6 Ati blue plus
4 Ati aqua blue special
3 Ati purple plus
I would like to give a try and to ati coral plus..
Hera are some pics

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hello grim,what bulb selection do you suggest for an sps dominated tank..?I run an DIY t5 fixture consist of 13 T5
6 Ati blue plus
4 Ati aqua blue special
3 Ati purple plus
I would like to give a try and to ati coral plus..
Hera are some pics

Nice fishbowl.

Id add one more Blue Plus in place of one of the Aquablues then replace the other 3 Aquablues with the coral plus lamps.

 

[mandarin_goby]

wow, is that a stunning tank! I think it looks perfect as is, wow. Can it get any better?

 

[jcgautreaux]

Hey grim
I have a tek 6 bulb fixture over my 40 breeder
Bulbs are
Blue+
Blue+
Purple+
Coral+
Blue+
Blue+

It's mainly an sps tank but some lps how high should I put the light above the tank and what kin of light cycle, thanks

 

[Michigan Mike]

wow, is that a stunning tank! I think it looks perfect as is, wow. Can it get any better?

All those bulbs and not one ge6500?

That is a sweet tank and with all the green colors in it a ge6500 would be great in there.

I just picked up that same green monti with the purple rim, lol! In the rear right of tank.

 

[E.intheC]

I know this might sound odd, but I'm looking to reduce the PAR a bit. I am going with a six bulb ATI sunpower (not sure if I'm going dimmable or not yet.. Any thoughts on this also??)

Normally I'd go with the following: (front to back)

Blue +
Purple +
Blue +
Blue +
Aqua blue special
Blue +

How about some lower PAR alternatives? Thanks!

 

[1mbrews8]

Hey Grim! It is time to replace (past time actually ) my t5s and I am considering going LED, but still might do t5s one more go around. I have a 3 660s overdriving everything. One drives back 3 bulbs, one front 3 bulbs, and the last drives 2 middle bulbs for 8 60" t5s.

Currently, from back to front, I have:

Fiji Purple
Blue +
Blue +
GE 6500k
Aquablue special
Blue +
Fiji Purple
Blue +

It looks ok, but I might even like it a bit more Blue (even when i have the middle off and only the front or back, it still is not really that blue?).

What would you change/recommend? I have a mixture of lps, sps, etc.. I have actually had the canopy propped up because when I had it down at first, a lot of my chalices bleached due to the light being too strong? Thank you!

Mike

 

[SneekaPeek]

I know this might sound odd, but I'm looking to reduce the PAR a bit. I am going with a six bulb ATI sunpower (not sure if I'm going dimmable or not yet.. Any thoughts on this also??)

Normally I'd go with the following: (front to back)

Blue +
Purple +
Blue +
Blue +
Aqua blue special
Blue +

How about some lower PAR alternatives? Thanks!

go with cheaper bulbs like wavepoint. They do not have nearly as close of par compared to the ati bulbs.

 

[Michigan Mike]

So what's up with those wave point bulbs? Someone should do some PAR testing on them...ahem.

 

[SneekaPeek]

So what's up with those wave point bulbs? Someone should do some PAR testing on them...ahem.

I will as soon as I get my hands on a par meter. I got brand new wavepoint bulbs as well!
my lfs carrys them all and I like them, however I physicaly can see better crisper colors with the ati blues compared to the wavepoint blues. The wavepoint bulbs seem to have similar spectrums and light output with current usa. just my 2 cents. for the money you cant beat a $14 bulb and get great growth and color.

 

[Michigan Mike]

That would be mighty fine of you!

 

[stevedola]

does anyone know how much a typical ATI bulb reduces its par after 6mths

 

[Mavrk]

I am currently running 2 blue+, 1 Aquablue Special, and 1 Fiji Purple.

I was thinking of changing to 2 Blue+, 1 Purple+, and 1 ATI Coral+

Would that be a good combination? What order would they go in? I want to make sure that my RBTA pops, as well as my GBTA (which has neon green tips). Also, I have a flame angel and emperor angel that I'd really like bringing out their colors, but I imagine if my anemones brighten, so should the fish.

My other thought was to drop the purple+ and add another blue+ or perhaps an actinic (is UVL super actinic still the way to go on that?), but I remember running 3 blue+ and a 10000k that seemed to be missing something.

Thanks.

 

[Michigan Mike]

does anyone know how much a typical ATI bulb reduces its par after 6mths

It depends. A properly cooled bulb on the cold spot of the bulbs will lose somewhere around 7% I think @ 6 months. Last I remember they do not lose much more than 10% at the 9 month mark. They lose most of the juice in the first few months then level off and are pretty stable round the 6-9 month mark.
Someone else will know more but I think that is pretty close.

Uncooled bulbs will not last near as long as actively cooled bulbs.

 

[Michigan Mike]

Coral plus is good. Ge6500 is good too( it should have better growth and will make your GBTA colors pop more ) and its cheaper. Good backup bulb if you never tried it, but your tank won't be quite as blue as it is now.

If your fixture has bulbs 1/3 on a switch and 2/4 on the other, try (back to front)
(#1)
Purple
Blue
Coral
Blue
you can try the exact opposite of this too, with the purple in front instead of back(#2) this is how I started at first . or try...(Back2font)
#3
Coral
Blue
Purple
Blue
I'm using this now on my sunpower( except I'm using the ge6500 instead of coral plus)
If your light uses bulbs 1/4 on a switch and 2/3 on the other try (back to front)
Blue
Coral
Purple
Blue
It's important to try different ways as your corals are different and in different spots so one combo may not be the best for you. I use my ge6500 in the rear , right over my sps.
I'd start with #2

 

[Mavrk]

Coral plus is good. Ge6500 is good too( it should have better growth and will make your GBTA colors pop more ) and its cheaper. Good backup bulb if you never tried it, but your tank won't be quite as blue as it is now.

If your fixture has bulbs 1/3 on a switch and 2/4 on the other, try (back to front)
(#1)
Purple
Blue
Coral
Blue
you can try the exact opposite of this too, with the purple in front instead of back(#2) this is how I started at first . or try...(Back2font)
#3
Coral
Blue
Purple
Blue
I'm using this now on my sunpower( except I'm using the ge6500 instead of coral plus)
If your light uses bulbs 1/4 on a switch and 2/3 on the other try (back to front)
Blue
Coral
Purple
Blue
It's important to try different ways as your corals are different and in different spots so one combo may not be the best for you. I use my ge6500 in the rear , right over my sps.
I'd start with #2

Thanks. I remember looking into the GE6500 when I was thinking of getting a 6 bulb light for my 40b. I can't say that my tank is very blue at all, but my bulbs are a year old and I am sure it has lost some blue. I am afraid the GE would not be blue enough, but maybe I should grab one anyway along with an actinic (although no par for that). I don't have any coral in that tank anymore, just the anemones. My current setup is basically your #3
FRONT
B+
FP
B+
AB
BACK

I should play with the order a bit, but I never seem to do that. I should also change around the power so that the switch is not 1/2 and 3/4.