The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15504210#post15504210 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spsfarmer09
hey guys i am in the process of switching over from halides to t-5s. I have a ice capp 660 and 6 ice capp reflectors. Does it sound ok?

what bulb combo should i run for nice color and growth for sps?

Be good

I'd do 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 GE 6500K Daylight and 1 UVL Actinic White.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15504413#post15504413 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kmu
I want to do a 36x36x20 cube and would have several options

Reef Inhabitants: Ricordeas, Mushrooms, Zoas, Palys, Soft corals and LPS corals. I will probably not house SPS corals on this system.

Color temperature desired 20k Radium looks with alot of coral flourescence.

2 ATI 4x24 PM ---- 192 watts $958 usd
2 ATI 6x24 PM ---- 288 watts $1,398 usd
1 ATI 10x24 PM ---- 240 watts $1,099 usd

I inclined to go with 2 fixtures for the flexibility of dawn and dusk features. Ive seen 36" cubes been lighted with a 24" HQI + T5 fixture so the ATI PM should work on my set up.

I'd do the 1 x 10 and keep the fixture little higher to get better light spread. You don't need much intensity

Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

You may have to tweak the positions to get the Dusk/Dawn right.

 

[jck3120]

Grim,

I'm setting up a 48L x 30W x 24T tank, and was planning on running 4 ATI Blue + and 4 ATI Aquablue Specials, all overdriven on Ice Cap 660 ballasts with SLR reflectors. Do you think I will have enough light coverage over the entire width of the tank, or should I add 2 more non-overdriven bulbs to make a total of 10...I'm building a custom fixture with Ice Cap fans so can kinda customize it however I want, but don't wanna design it for 8 bulbs and find out that I need 10!

Tank contents to be transferred from my 90 include mainly SPS, a clam or two, and a few LPS and zoo's...

Thanks!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15505286#post15505286 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jck3120
Grim,

I'm setting up a 48L x 30W x 24T tank, and was planning on running 4 ATI Blue + and 4 ATI Aquablue Specials, all overdriven on Ice Cap 660 ballasts with SLR reflectors. Do you think I will have enough light coverage over the entire width of the tank, or should I add 2 more non-overdriven bulbs to make a total of 10...I'm building a custom fixture with Ice Cap fans so can kinda customize it however I want, but don't wanna design it for 8 bulbs and find out that I need 10!

Tank contents to be transferred from my 90 include mainly SPS, a clam or two, and a few LPS and zoo's...

Thanks!

I think I would add a couple regular driven lamps for Dusk/dawn. Make it the first and last lamps in the tank.

I would throw in a Actinic White or two in place of Aquablues just to expand the spectrum a little so you end up with 6 Blue Plus, 2 Aquablue and 2 Actinic White.

 

[lordmbsa]

hey grim whats up with catalina i heard the ballast arent that great im eventually changing them to ice cap ballasts

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15507080#post15507080 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lordmbsa
hey grim whats up with catalina i heard the ballast arent that great im eventually changing them to ice cap ballasts

The reflectors are crap too.

 

[lordmbsa]

couldnt put it in a nicer way lol

 

[fsugmoney]

Grim,

I have 7 bulbs over a 90 gal and was wondering how high off the water you recommend i mount the bulbs? I currently have them at about 5 inches..Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15507324#post15507324 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lordmbsa
couldnt put it in a nicer way lol

That was being nice |

I get mad as hell at the companies that just jumped on the T5 bandwagon to try to cash in without doing a decent design. Taking a chunk of aluminum and putting a couple bends in it and advertising it as German individual reflectors gives the impression its in the same class as the computer engineered reflectors Tek, Aquactinics and ATI use, Not even close.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15508024#post15508024 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fsugmoney
Grim,

I have 7 bulbs over a 90 gal and was wondering how high off the water you recommend i mount the bulbs? I currently have them at about 5 inches..Thanks

Need more details, size of tank, the lighting equipment and what you are trying to raise but assuming decent equipment on a tank not over 24" tall and properly placed mixed reef 5 inches should be great.

 

[SethSPST]

Grim,
I'm building a Oceanic 58 gallon, 36.5 x 18 x 21, and am looking at a 4 x 39w aquaillumination T-5 retro. I'll be keeping softies, LPS, and maybe a lower light sps. I'm looking for a 14-20k look on the tank, but still good par numbers. Lights will probably only be 3-4 inches off the water. Can you give me a bulb recommendation?

 

[spsfarmer09]

i talked to Sunnyx about t-5s and he said i should go 3 aquablue special and 3 ati blue. wont that look really blue?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15509842#post15509842 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SethSPST
Grim,
I'm building a Oceanic 58 gallon, 36.5 x 18 x 21, and am looking at a 4 x 39w aquaillumination T-5 retro. I'll be keeping softies, LPS, and maybe a lower light sps. I'm looking for a 14-20k look on the tank, but still good par numbers. Lights will probably only be 3-4 inches off the water. Can you give me a bulb recommendation?

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

Will have good PAR and be in the color range you are looking for.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15509889#post15509889 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spsfarmer09
i talked to Sunnyx about t-5s and he said i should go 3 aquablue special and 3 ati blue. wont that look really blue?

It isn't a strong 20K blue but it is blue, more like an over driven radium look. I have ran the 50/50 combination and hate it. You lose the brightness in the yellows and pinks don't look right either. Personal taste I suppose. I would try replacing a Aquablue with either a GE 6500K Daylight or one of the UVL lamps with the pink hue, Actinic White or Aquasun.

 

[SethSPST]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15509918#post15509918 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

Will have good PAR and be in the color range you are looking for.

Thanks Grim!

 

[spsfarmer09]

and i was thinking a fiji purple.

 

[Hammsreefbeer]

need a little help.Im switching from 400w 20k helio's to 250w XM 15000k and from PC actinic to 4 54w T5's.
Now what would you say a good actinic T5 bulb be to supplement my XM's?Would ATI blue+ be a good chose?
thanx

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15509977#post15509977 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spsfarmer09
and i was thinking a fiji purple.

Would work

 

[JR's Reef]

Grim I'm going to get the ATI Sunpower for my tank. 60Lx18Wx21T and the questions is do you think I can get by with the 48in fixture or do I need to get the 60in fixture? It will be a mixed reef with mostly SPS and LPS with some zoas in the mix. Thanks in Adavance

 

[spsfarmer09]

i just dont want it be too blue ,but still have pretyy awesome colors