The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[TropTrea]

Anyone know if there is a picture available of all the t5 bulbs and their actual color while turned on? I thinking a t5 fixture turned on its back and each bulb being labelled..

No I would not trust any picture like that either. Film and digital sensors are tuned to a specifice color temperature to give a pure neutral color (gray/white) If the bulb is a lower color temp that the sensor in the camera it will loook reder, if it is a higher color temp it will look bluer. Most moderen digital camera try to adjust the color teperature to a neutral for what ever it sees as a light source. The results could be very misleading.

 

[rogergolf66]

Don't put the corals on the ends of the tank and you should have enough light for the highest demanding corals even. Also the higher in the tank the corals are the more light they will get.

As far as bulb selection with the ATI BLue Plus.
From there it is a mater of Personal Preference
2 Purple Plus and 1 GE 6500 for the brightest
1 purple plus and 1 Aqua Blue Special for a little bluer look.
3 Coral Plus for even bluer
Then less Coral Plus if you like it even bluer.
But the rest of the bulbs should be all Blue Plus.

Why not
2 coral plus
1 purple plus
5 blue plus

I have same fixture thats what I was thinking. Is there a reason u wouldnt recommend that option?

 

[cFloor]

I'm considering switching from a MH (radiums) /T5 combo to all T5s. I have a 36x36x20 inch cube with all SPS. I'm considering the ATI power module 10x39w. Would this be enough spread for a 36" tank or should I consider 2 6x39watt fixtures? thank you. I haven't even begun thinking about bulb combos quite yet.

 

[rtparty]

ATI LED Powermodule all the way. 8x39w with 2 LED clusters.

 

[sahin]

I'm considering switching from a MH (radiums) /T5 combo to all T5s. I have a 36x36x20 inch cube with all SPS. I'm considering the ATI power module 10x39w. Would this be enough spread for a 36" tank or should I consider 2 6x39watt fixtures? thank you. I haven't even begun thinking about bulb combos quite yet.

Can I ask why you want to switch from Radium + T5 combo to all T5? I love T5, but the gold standard for SPS lighting IMO will always be Radium + T5 (or VHO).

In any event, if you can afford the ATI LED Powermodule, I'd get that as Ryan has indicated, or get the 10x39watt.

I'd be inclined to try and get the LED Powermodule. The pop from the Royal Blue LED's is amazing.

 

[TropTrea]

Why not
2 coral plus
1 purple plus
5 blue plus

I have same fixture thats what I was thinking. Is there a reason u wouldnt recommend that option?

If you have the coral plus bulbs as your only fuller spectrum bulb they do not need a boast in the Red light that the Purple plus gives. When you do not have a lot of full spectrum light it does not take a lot of red light to start creating a more pinkish glow to the tank.

If Jack and Johny both had 4 bulb fixtures and Jack set it up with 4 Coal Plus Bulbs and Johnny set it up with 2 Blue Plus, one purple plus, and 1 Aqua Blue special they would have almost identical lighting.

Yes some people run this combination and even 2 purples and 2 corals with 2 Blues but in the long run it is what fancies your eye. But a cautiuon stiull stands that some corals do not like a lot of red light.

 

[TropTrea]

Can I ask why you want to switch from Radium + T5 combo to all T5? I love T5, but the gold standard for SPS lighting IMO will always be Radium + T5 (or VHO).

In any event, if you can afford the ATI LED Powermodule, I'd get that as Ryan has indicated, or get the 10x39watt.

I'd be inclined to try and get the LED Powermodule. The pop from the Royal Blue LED's is amazing.

Going back a few years (8) I switched from MH's and VHO's to all T-5's. I imediatly fell in love the T-5 lights no more harsh shadows the tank was brighter and electric usage dropped to 2/3 for lighting.

But about 2 1/2 years ago I decided to add LED moon lights. This rapidly came to a matter of adding more and more LED's. LED's are much more cost effecient and if you like florescense in your corals nothing else comes close.

I believe the gold or should I say platinium standard for corals should be a LED and T-5 combination. What I have found works ideal on a 90 gallon tank is 108 Watts of T-5 lighting and 150 Watts of LED's. Thaty is a total of 258 Watts of light which is better than a 8 bulb T-5 fixture running 432 Watts.

But be cautious all LED's are not equal. And the color selectionj is critical for your you want.

 

[FranktheTankTx]

TropTrea & Ryan -
Have you a link or experience retro fitting a few moonlights on a Sunpower in a 'pleasing to the eye' method?

 

[wcharon]

I am in the same boat and will like to upgrade my Sunpower but canno't afford the new Led Powermodule at this moment and was thinking in a Blue Reefbrite, not sure if a Tech or XHO model.

Any advise of the experts will also be appreciated....

TropTrea & Ryan -
Have you a link or experience retro fitting a few moonlights on a Sunpower in a 'pleasing to the eye' method?

 

[FranktheTankTx]

I just purchased a Sunpower because I couldn't justify an extra $1300 for the Powermodule LED. Once I get the Sunpower I'll be able to work something out that looks clean.

 

[wcharon]

I found that somebody already attached a ReefBrite Led to a Sunpower but i canno't see a pic of the tank colors to see how i changes the Sunpower look.

Here's the pic...

 

[cFloor]

Can I ask why you want to switch from Radium + T5 combo to all T5? I love T5, but the gold standard for SPS lighting IMO will always be Radium + T5 (or VHO).

In any event, if you can afford the ATI LED Powermodule, I'd get that as Ryan has indicated, or get the 10x39watt.

I'd be inclined to try and get the LED Powermodule. The pop from the Royal Blue LED's is amazing.

thank you for your input sahin. I'm considering doing this for a few reasons, although I have not made up my mind yet. First, it's somewhat difficult to light my 36x36 inch cube with 1 halide and two T5s running on each side. I think the powermodule would look much cleaner above my tank, and my electrical will fall by a good amount. I'm just doing the research at the moment. I'm wondering if the 10x39watt unit will get better coverage than my existing setup.

 

[sahin]

thank you for your input sahin. I'm considering doing this for a few reasons, although I have not made up my mind yet. First, it's somewhat difficult to light my 36x36 inch cube with 1 halide and two T5s running on each side. I think the powermodule would look much cleaner above my tank, and my electrical will fall by a good amount. I'm just doing the research at the moment. I'm wondering if the 10x39watt unit will get better coverage than my existing setup.

The 10x39 will most certainly cover your 36x36 tank.

 

[TropTrea]

TropTrea & Ryan -
Have you a link or experience retro fitting a few moonlights on a Sunpower in a 'pleasing to the eye' method?

I have not done moonlights as an add on to any comercial fixture. However I started playing with LED's by adding them as moon lights. The big problem using 3 watt LED's is even when you turn them down by running them at 350ma which is even under 1 Watt they can still be to bright, in many people mind for moon lights.

There is also some debate as to should moon lights be blue or should they be white. The moon reflects white but with whiite moonlights there is very little florescense showing. But with Royal Blue moon lights the florescense pops against a near black background.

For the moonlights I have done they are canopy mounted out of sight. On a 120 Gallon tank I'm using 4 Royal Blues, 2 Near UV's, and 2 True Blues. To get them dim I used an PLF-16D Meanwell driver with a 32K Ohm resistor that is dimmable and I'm running the LED's at 150ma which comes out to a total of of 3.5 Watts for all three of them. Unfortunatly there are no smaller meanwell drivers whioch can be tuned to below 350ma.

 

[TropTrea]

I just purchased a Sunpower because I couldn't justify an extra $1300 for the Powermodule LED. Once I get the Sunpower I'll be able to work something out that looks clean.

I will agree with you on that. The Powermodule sounds like a fantastic light but you have to put a line on your budget someplace. In my mind they are overly priced like a Roles Royce compared to a Chevy or Ford Pick up.

 

[FranktheTankTx]

Ya. Agree on 3w led being too powerful for moonlights. Wouldn't a few 1w led be better?

I got the Sunpower in today... there is really no room for a mounted star or two. This may be a moonless set up. R2 Solutions may be only option. I guess I could order one & see what it looks like.

 

[Dapg8gt]

I found that somebody already attached a ReefBrite Led to a Sunpower but i canno't see a pic of the tank colors to see how i changes the Sunpower look.

Here's the pic...

This is what I want to do as I have a 36" sun power on a 48" 105g..its only a 6 bulb and it's Def enough light for what's under it but the sides while bright to the eye I can tell that it's a no acro zone =).. Me personally am running out of prime space but have more on the sides..

I'm thinking of adding 2 buildmyled fixtures 14k 48" across the front and back to make up for the loss.. I'm just not sold on how it will look hanging off the sides without a canopy.. I've seen a few pics of them but I can't tell if I will like it.. Do the led/t5 guru's think it will be worth it to add the extra 6" of leds angled in with 90 degree lenses? I know it will build across the tank higher par and I will be able to control them thru the reef angel and give my bases some direct light but is it enough for a few full on colonies? I'm debating on that or just tossing 2 Kessils on it but the price point on the Kessils will be a ways off and not sure how that's gonna do it either with 2 150's..any help or recommendations appreciated. Thanks..

On a side note in my 6 bulb I've been messing around with the colors and initially I like the 4 b+ and 2 c+ now I find it kinda drab.. I added 1 actinic in place of the c+ in the back and it's OK but I know I need the par.. Call me crazy but I think I like the ge and p+ better.. Am I getting enough red with 1 p+ in the #5 slot? Seems like I can see the purple/red enhanced a lot behind my rocks where I believe the others are getting partially blocked .. So I'm down for a recommendation on a 14-16k look. Now it's
Front
B+
B+
C+
B+
True act.
B+

It's a little difficult for me to get the other bulbs in there not either being directly in the middle or being on the edges.. Think I'm just going to go back to the ge and 1 p+ as I believe that's gonna give me the par (needed sps dominant and growing fast) and I'm kinda accustomed to the temperature.. Think I'm kinda stuck till I add the leds honestly..

Whoa rant over lol.. Don't blame anybody if they can't follow that lol..

 

[sahin]

TropTrea & Ryan -
Have you a link or experience retro fitting a few moonlights on a Sunpower in a 'pleasing to the eye' method?

I am in the same boat and will like to upgrade my Sunpower but canno't afford the new Led Powermodule at this moment and was thinking in a Blue Reefbrite, not sure if a Tech or XHO model.

Any advise of the experts will also be appreciated....

Guys, this is the mod I did to my ATI Sunpower. LED's were installed inside the unit. Acrylic sheet goes back on. Cooling all internal. Just had extra wires coming out one side. I could have done the wiring a bit better and more tidy by coming out somewhere else, but I was in a hurry to run the lights. But the light itself, from the outside you couldnt tell any difference.

Here is a shot with 24x3watt Cree and 4 x LED Moonlights.

I now have an 8x24watt LED Powermodule.

 

[wcharon]

Sahin... this is GREAT for somebody with this kind of expertise..

As you have experienced with yours i have to ask:

1. How did you like the change of the Sunpower without and with the Leds?
2. Do you think the adition of 1 Blue Reefbrite in the front of the Sunpower be an big advantage ?

Thanks.

Guys, this is the mod I did to my ATI Sunpower. LED's were installed inside the unit. Acrylic sheet goes back on. Cooling all internal. Just had extra wires coming out one side. I could have done the wiring a bit better and more tidy by coming out somewhere else, but I was in a hurry to run the lights. But the light itself, from the outside you couldnt tell any difference.

Here is a shot with 24x3watt Cree and 4 x LED Moonlights.

I now have an 8x24watt LED Powermodule.

 

[sahin]

Sahin... this is GREAT for somebody with this kind of expertise..

As you have experienced with yours i have to ask:

1. How did you like the change of the Sunpower without and with the Leds?
2. Do you think the adition of 1 Blue Reefbrite in the front of the Sunpower be an big advantage ?

Thanks.

1. I preferred the Sunpower with the LED's. Royal Blue LED's provide an effect like no other lighting. I therefore had the "best of both worlds" - the pop from the Royal Blue LED's and the proven SPS colouring ability of ATI T5's. I also had the ability to have a nice POPPING sunrise/sundown effect.

2. A Royal Blue Reefbrite in front of your Supower will CERTAINLY make a difference. It will help "pop" colours. And with the T5's off, your corals - especially the LPS and softies will GLOW! :lolspin:

Here is an example right on this forum: Rehype is using 6x24w Sunpower with 2xReefbrites:
http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/129-tank-of-the-month

Some photos from that article:

You can even buy DIY LED kits and pay a lot less if you use a canopy or you can construct a simple plastic shield to cover your light such as this (if you dont have canopy) Mark done a brilliant job here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2284841&page=5

Photos of the cover from the above link:

And another shot:

One way or another, you can do this. DIY the LED's on Aluminium C-channels and then construct some sort of cover to keep it all looking neat.

Or else just buy the Reefbrites for a cleaner look.

Hope this helps.