The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15686067#post15686067 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kamao
What bulb combo is best for 2x24w?

Thats what i have for now. Might add another 2x24w so that it will be 4x24w. Im going to keep mostly zoas and some shrooms. I want a combo that makes the color pop.

ATI Blue Plus and KZ Fiji Purple

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15686665#post15686665 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Hawkdl2
I have a 30"x30"x24" cube that will be lit with a SE MH 10K XM or 20K radium off a Galaxy ballast and housed in a Lumenmax Elite. I am leaning towards the XM 10K. I plan to supplement, if necessary, with 4 x 24" T5 lamps overdriven off an IC 660. Given I will be trying two different MH bulbs with fairly different coloration, do you have a suggestion for T5 bulbs to either specifically complement one or the other MH, or some that might be useful as testers to try with either. I happen to have two brand new Aquablue Plus bulbs already. I am not adverse to trying the new IC lamps. MH choices notwithstanding, I am not a huge fan of blue tanks. The tank is not yet up so I don't know how my current choices will look.

Thanks for any suggestions.


I should add sorry if this has recently been asked.

You shouldn't overdrive for supplementing a 10K, you want it blue so I would run 4 ATI Blue Plus, For a 20K do 2 Blue Plus and 2 UVL 75/25s

 

[Hawkdl2]

Thanks. I'll use my spare workhorse and drive them normally.

 

[mmopinc]

Hey Grim,
I got a couple of the new UVL 454 bulbs from a friend of mine and wanted to know if you think they might be good substitute for a couple of the bulbs you recommended before. Here is the post along with your first reply:

quote:
Originally posted by mmopinc
Hey Grim,
I just set up a new tank and would like to get your advice.
My tank is 48"w x 48"d x 15"tall. I have two sunlight supply sun blaze fixtures that are 10" wide and are for 4-48" bulbs each and I positioned the first one nine inches back from the front of the tank, then a 10" space, and then the second fixture with nine inches to the back of the tank. I also put in two 175w halides in the center space to give it a few hours of mid day sun. I am mostly keeping SPS. My questions are:

1. What kind of bulbs would you recommend and can you tell me in what order to place them?

2. Do you think the halides are a good idea?

3. How high from the top of the water should the bulbs be?

I originally thought about using all ATI Blue+ and Aquablue Specials like Machado but I'd like to know what you recommend. I am mainly wanting to get color out of the corals.
Thanks for your time


Front
ATI Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
Halide
Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
Aquablue

Halides are a good idea.

I'd keep the T5 6" off the water or so.

If you recommend not using the 454's thats fine with me.
Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15687695#post15687695 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mmopinc
Hey Grim,
I got a couple of the new UVL 454 bulbs from a friend of mine and wanted to know if you think they might be good substitute for a couple of the bulbs you recommended before. Here is the post along with your first reply:

quote:
Originally posted by mmopinc
Hey Grim,
I just set up a new tank and would like to get your advice.
My tank is 48"w x 48"d x 15"tall. I have two sunlight supply sun blaze fixtures that are 10" wide and are for 4-48" bulbs each and I positioned the first one nine inches back from the front of the tank, then a 10" space, and then the second fixture with nine inches to the back of the tank. I also put in two 175w halides in the center space to give it a few hours of mid day sun. I am mostly keeping SPS. My questions are:

1. What kind of bulbs would you recommend and can you tell me in what order to place them?

2. Do you think the halides are a good idea?

3. How high from the top of the water should the bulbs be?

I originally thought about using all ATI Blue+ and Aquablue Specials like Machado but I'd like to know what you recommend. I am mainly wanting to get color out of the corals.
Thanks for your time


Front
ATI Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
Halide
Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
Aquablue

Halides are a good idea.

I'd keep the T5 6" off the water or so.

If you recommend not using the 454's thats fine with me.
Thanks

You could use them in place of the Blue Plus, they look about the same but with not as much PAR.

 

[Snakebyt]

Sorry if this has been covered before, i have been out of the hobby for a couple of years and just getting back into it with a 40 breeder and wanting to try T5 on this tank

I have read some of this thread and your recommendations for bulbs, I have noticed that there is ALOT of blue plus and aquablue and not much white. Is this just in the name of the bulbs? or does the tank have a really blue look with all these "blue" bulbs?

Please excuse my ignorance on this subject and i am in no way doubting or putting down your experience and expertise in this area, just trying to get a better understanding of the subject as a whole

 

[cedricb]

Hey grim

I am using an icecap 660 ballast over a 20L with from the front to back:

1 454 nm UV-L
1 aquasun UV-L
1 Super actinic UV-L
1 75/25 UV-L

I have two question:
Any idea about the PAR value for the 454 nm from UV-L? What do you think about it compared to an ATI bleu plus?

and second question what would you change to give it a closer to 20K look? Using UV-L lights if possible.

thanks a lot

cedric

 

[Aqua Keepers]

What do you all think about using a TX5 over a 48Lx24Wx20H tank for SPS?
I already own the fixture, and am trying to plan my next tank dims.

 

[Tank2379]

Hey Grim I have this combo that I decided to go with just wanted your input if it will give me some decent SPS LPS and Clam growth

front to back
1 Twilight Ice Cap
1 Midwater Ice cap
1 ati blue +
1 actinic Ice cap
1 ati blue +
1 ati aqua Blue special

Do have the Par reading for the Ice Cap bulbs?

 

[slant77]

I currently have a 90 gallon mostly sps run by a 6x54 powermodule which looks great. I have a 72X24X24 with 4inch euro brace on the way and would like to keep with the powermodule thinking 8 bulbs. Im cant seem to chose between to 2-39 wich i like but tight on the budget. or a 8x60 which some people seem to do but dont show how it looks. thanks all

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15688485#post15688485 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Snakebyt
Sorry if this has been covered before, i have been out of the hobby for a couple of years and just getting back into it with a 40 breeder and wanting to try T5 on this tank

I have read some of this thread and your recommendations for bulbs, I have noticed that there is ALOT of blue plus and aquablue and not much white. Is this just in the name of the bulbs? or does the tank have a really blue look with all these "blue" bulbs?

Please excuse my ignorance on this subject and i am in no way doubting or putting down your experience and expertise in this area, just trying to get a better understanding of the subject as a whole

The blue lamps bring out the colors way better and have great PAR. in a 6 lamp mix if you had 4 blue plus, 1 Aquablue which is a more white lamp and a GE daylight which is ivory/white you will end up with a 14K ish look, sorta like a 10K halide with a LOT of actinics

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15689065#post15689065 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Aqua Keepers
What do you all think about using a TX5 over a 48Lx24Wx20H tank for SPS?
I already own the fixture, and am trying to plan my next tank dims.

If you concentrate the SPS under the fixture you will be fine.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15688656#post15688656 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cedricb
Hey grim

I am using an icecap 660 ballast over a 20L with from the front to back:

1 454 nm UV-L
1 aquasun UV-L
1 Super actinic UV-L
1 75/25 UV-L

I have two question:
Any idea about the PAR value for the 454 nm from UV-L? What do you think about it compared to an ATI bleu plus?

and second question what would you change to give it a closer to 20K look? Using UV-L lights if possible.

thanks a lot

cedric

PAR isn't an issue with your setup so I wouldn't worry about that. Pull the Aquasun for another 454 and you should get what you are looking for.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15689183#post15689183 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tank2379
Hey Grim I have this combo that I decided to go with just wanted your input if it will give me some decent SPS LPS and Clam growth

front to back
1 Twilight Ice Cap
1 Midwater Ice cap
1 ati blue +
1 actinic Ice cap
1 ati blue +
1 ati aqua Blue special

Do have the Par reading for the Ice Cap bulbs?

Ice Caps are the same as the UVL, just have a little beefier electrodes.

I would swap the positions of your last two lamps if it doesn't mess up the dusk dawn setting, in either case I would move the Aquablue out from the edge.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15689290#post15689290 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by slant77
I currently have a 90 gallon mostly sps run by a 6x54 powermodule which looks great. I have a 72X24X24 with 4inch euro brace on the way and would like to keep with the powermodule thinking 8 bulbs. Im cant seem to chose between to 2-39 wich i like but tight on the budget. or a 8x60 which some people seem to do but dont show how it looks. thanks all

I would use the 80 watt unit. I assume it looks just like the shorter versions.

 

[Snakebyt]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15689659#post15689659 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
The blue lamps bring out the colors way better and have great PAR. in a 6 lamp mix if you had 4 blue plus, 1 Aquablue which is a more white lamp and a GE daylight which is ivory/white you will end up with a 14K ish look, sorta like a 10K halide with a LOT of actinics

thanks for the info

 

[jcgso]

I just replaced two old 10KS with ATI Plue Plus bulbs. It is much bluer, more like a 14 K Reeflux look. Have I lost much par doing this. It's in a 10 bulb fixture over a 120G.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15690152#post15690152 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jcgso
I just replaced two old 10KS with ATI Plue Plus bulbs. It is much bluer, more like a 14 K Reeflux look. Have I lost much par doing this. It's in a 10 bulb fixture over a 120G.

The Blue Plus is among the highest output T5 lamps out there so you might have added PAR.

 

[Patterson117]

Recently obtained a Tek Fixture 6 x 39W that came with the following eleven bulbs. I have a 46g bowfront, with mostly colorful LPS, and I would like to start adding monti's to the mix (sunset, purple haze, etc.). Out of the current available bulbs, what order would you put the current bulbs in this fixture, and what bulbs would you eventually replace and with what.

UV Super Actinic (2)
ATI Midday 6K (1)
ATI Pro Color (1)
ATI Blue Plus (2)
UV Aqua Sun (2)
ATI Aqua Blue Special (2)
Geissman Midday 6K (1)

Thanks for your time, look forward to learning from you guys.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15691349#post15691349 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Patterson117
Recently obtained a Tek Fixture 6 x 39W that came with the following eleven bulbs. I have a 46g bowfront, with mostly colorful LPS, and I would like to start adding monti's to the mix (sunset, purple haze, etc.). Out of the current available bulbs, what order would you put the current bulbs in this fixture, and what bulbs would you eventually replace and with what.

UV Super Actinic (2)
ATI Midday 6K (1)
ATI Pro Color (1)
ATI Blue Plus (2)
UV Aqua Sun (2)
ATI Aqua Blue Special (2)
Geissman Midday 6K (1)

Thanks for your time, look forward to learning from you guys.

Front
Blue Plus
Actinic
Aquasun
Actinic
Aquablue
Blue Plus

Next time get 4 Blue Plus, UVL Actinic White and GE6500K Daylight