The T5 Q&a Thread - split

Swip said:
How high should I hang a 6x24w Sunpower above a 13 inch deep tank for SPS?
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Minimum would be about 8 inches normally, but you can adapt the corals and all to as much as you want without problems. You need to make sure water splashes won't reach the fixture.

Grandis.
 
Nanook said:
BTW, thanks for answering:D
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No problem!
There is a vast opportunity for T5 combinations, so to answer a question like that is really difficult.
I would suggest you to go to your LFS and take a look at those ATI Coral + and make sure you like them. They will give what your corals need, but you need to make sure you'll like the look.
KZ generation is another great "white" bulb.
Good luck!

Grandis.
 
A. Grandis said:
Yeah, there is no bulb just like the UVL 75-25.
The UVL Actinic White is a little similar, I would think.
The KZ New generation is a great bulb.
Also the ATI Coral Plus is great!!! I personally prefer the KZ new gen.

I would try this first:

Front
Blue Plus
KZ New Generation
Blue Plus
Aquablue Special
Rear

Hope you can find the solution.

Grandis.
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Thanks for the input. I ordered one KZ and one coral +. We'll see which combo I like better.

Jason
 
Michigan Mike said:
If you want a little more blue look you can try a coral plus instead Aquablue Special. Blue plus for a deep water look with lots of flourescence, like my avatar(3 blue & 1 purple).

Yes a year is overdue if they aren't being cooled. A year is about right for bulbs that are cooled.
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Thanks Mike! The reason I ask is because I have an overwhelming Derbesia hair algae prob right now, and I still can't locate the culprit. With these new bulbs tho I'm trying to move from the current 10k look to more of a 12-15K look. however what I'm reading about green algae's light absorption is weird also: people talk about it being in the red portion of the spectrum 600+ but what I'm reading is telling that its also around 430 nm - not far from the peak of the Coral+, blue+ and AB special bulbs. so the bulbs i'm trying to buy to help avoid the algae prob and still have the desired color and fluorescence I want, don't seem to help the problem.

So my ? is, what bulbs would be a good setup for a 12-15k look, but still help me with this overwhelming problem I have on my hands?! (been fighting this algae for 6 months or more:headwally: ) Thanks again
 
nichthyes said:
Thanks Mike! The reason I ask is because I have an overwhelming Derbesia hair algae prob right now, and I still can't locate the culprit. With these new bulbs tho I'm trying to move from the current 10k look to more of a 12-15K look. however what I'm reading about green algae's light absorption is weird also: people talk about it being in the red portion of the spectrum 600+ but what I'm reading is telling that its also around 430 nm - not far from the peak of the Coral+, blue+ and AB special bulbs. so the bulbs i'm trying to buy to help avoid the algae prob and still have the desired color and fluorescence I want, don't seem to help the problem.

So my ? is, what bulbs would be a good setup for a 12-15k look, but still help me with this overwhelming problem I have on my hands?! (been fighting this algae for 6 months or more:headwally: ) Thanks again
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Trading the aquablue special for a KZ new gen sounds about right. It doesn't have as much 625nm red as the coral plus.i believe.
Do you like the purple bulb? Maybe 3 blue & a white bulb?

There are usually more factors involved in algae issues, than just lighting. I would try peroxide or other means of eradication like lowering phosphates.
 
Michigan Mike said:
Trading the aquablue special for a KZ new gen sounds about right. It doesn't have as much 625nm red as the coral plus.i believe.
Do you like the purple bulb? Maybe 3 blue & a white bulb?

There are usually more factors involved in algae issues, than just lighting. I would try peroxide or other means of eradication like lowering phosphates.
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Like I said I'm looking for the culprit - got a new skimmer, using phosphate absorption media(no reactor tho), amping up my CUC, swithed RO/DI water suppliers, switching salts, and in the process of looking for new bulbs. What's involved in peroxide treatment? haven't read anything about that anywhere

I'm not partial to the purple bulb at all, in fact I'd like to steer away from it bc of the red peak. so you think the KZ new gen and 3 blue +? would that look ok?
 
nichthyes said:
Like I said I'm looking for the culprit - got a new skimmer, using phosphate absorption media(no reactor tho), amping up my CUC, swithed RO/DI water suppliers, switching salts, and in the process of looking for new bulbs. What's involved in peroxide treatment? haven't read anything about that anywhere

I'm not partial to the purple bulb at all, in fact I'd like to steer away from it bc of the red peak. so you think the KZ new gen and 3 blue +? would that look ok?
Click to expand...

There's a ton of peroxide treatments if you search for it.

I use 3 blue & 1 KZ purple. I would think 3 blue & new gen/coral plus should be fine, if you like the look is another thing.
 
nichthyes said:
Like I said I'm looking for the culprit - got a new skimmer, using phosphate absorption media(no reactor tho), amping up my CUC, swithed RO/DI water suppliers, switching salts, and in the process of looking for new bulbs. What's involved in peroxide treatment? haven't read anything about that anywhere?
Click to expand...

My first question is how old is the tank? And secondly what do your water tests tell you? Nitrates, Nitrites, Amonia, Phosphates, ALK, and Calcium.

As far as the peroxide treatment goes you need to know what your doing. Peroxide breaks down the cell walls of many organism including algea. While it will kill the bad algea slightly excessive dosing will also kill the algea inside the corals that they depend upon for growth.

nichthyes said:
I'm not partial to the purple bulb at all, in fact I'd like to steer away from it bc of the red peak. so you think the KZ new gen and 3 blue +? would that look ok?
Click to expand...

I'm very sensative to excessive red in my tanks. But it is the balance that is important for visual effects. Excessive red has been proven bad in several ways like promoting cyno bacteria and bleaching corals. But that is only in excess. One a six bulb fixture one purple plus is not excess or in an 8 bulb fixture 2 is an excess. With a 4 Bulb fixture one coral plus would be my recomendation with 3 blue plus or 2 blue plus and a aqua blue special.
 
Hello, this may not be appropriate for this thread, but wanted to see if you could provide some guidance before starting a thread.

I have a 2x150w MH and 4x54w T5 combo fixture. The MH bulbs are an unknown brand and say they are 20k, but appear whiter to me than a 20k should. The T5s are all an unknown brand and just labeled as blue.

I was hoping to get a better idea of what to replace the T5s with to really get my corals to fluoresce. Didn't know if I should add some sort of purple to the mix or a better blue combination.

Thanks for your help in advance!
 
For the MH part you will need to know which kind of ballast you are running. Bulbs compliment the ballast.
For my T-5's I went with 2 ATI Blue Plus and 1 coral plus and 1 purple plus I also have two 150 watt phoenix bulbs because I have a magnetic ballast.
 
moondoggy4 said:
For the MH part you will need to know which kind of ballast you are running. Bulbs compliment the ballast.
For my T-5's I went with 2 ATI Blue Plus and 1 coral plus and 1 purple plus I also have two 150 watt phoenix bulbs because I have a magnetic ballast.
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Phoenix bulbs are supposed to be run on magnetic ballasts? I though radiums were best on the m80?ive been running phoenix bulbs on digital ballasts for years. Learn something new everyday .. Oh well they work lol
 
moondoggy4 said:
For the MH part you will need to know which kind of ballast you are running. Bulbs compliment the ballast.
For my T-5's I went with 2 ATI Blue Plus and 1 coral plus and 1 purple plus I also have two 150 watt phoenix bulbs because I have a magnetic ballast.
Click to expand...

Thanks!

I have two 150w Fishneedit fixtures which state on the website are electronic ballasts. I will be the first to admit I don't know much about them at all, or MH lights in general.

What would you recommend with the electronic ballasts?
 
Looks like I've been called on the carpet LOL

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/sj/ 3/4 down see the graph for some reason it does not show the Phoenix bulb in the 150 watt comparison but it does show both the Phoenix and radium bulbs in the 250 DE section, and in the article it states to match the ballast with the bulb. I will see if I can find my other bookmark on this subject because I was trying to find the same answer.
I just purchased a Maristar II and I just ordered some bulbs I will have either 3 o 4 ATI blues plus or 3 with I coral plus or purple plus do sure.
I will order two Aqua Medic M80 ballast i believe, and run either Phoenix or Radium DE bulbs.
My Giesemann Infinity 150 DE with 4 24 watt T-5's have a 150 watt magnetic ballast from Giesemann and I have already purchased a couple of phoenix bulbs and a couple of Elos bulbs for this light, my 40 breeder is not up and running I will try to set it up over my 120 for pictures.
 
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