The T5 Q&a Thread

[Taqpol]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15437959#post15437959 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PGUY1
First, I would like to thank Grim for all of his advice. This is a great thread. After going through this thread front to back 3 or 4 times I decided to call Reefgeek and order Aquaillumination retrofits for my Oceanic 120 mounted in the Oceanic canopy with a mixture of bulbs Grim had previously suggested. I am very pleased with the blue-white color I'm getting. I also mounted two 80mm Orion fans on the back of the canopy blowing inward down each row of endcaps. The only problem I"m having is with the fan noise. It is mostly a whirring noise like I'm hearing the bearings in the fans. Is there a quieter fan out there? The wife is wearing me out about the noise. You can hear it over the water going down the overflows. Also, I mounted the ballasts inside the cabinet. Would this cause a heat issue with the water in the sump? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Phil

I would by fans from an online computer store that are marketed as silent. Any of them under 20 dBa you pretty much can't hear unless you stick your hear up to them.

 

[MichaelBrock]

I'm still in the planning stages of my first reef tank It will be a 180 (6x2x2) and I'm going to go with a 8x80w T5 retrofit. I'm not currently planning on overdriving. Not knowing any better, I'll be shooting for a "mixed reef" (aka. I'll try anything).

I have found quite a few suggestions for what bulbs to use but they all include actinic bulbs and it is my understanding that it is the light from these bulbs that gives many corals that day-glo fluorescence. To each his own of course but I'm not personally a fan of the look; to my eyes it makes the corals look artificial.

Can you suggest a good set of bulbs in this set-up that minimizes the day-glo look? Is it even possible to get a colorful display without having the fluorescence to at least some degree?

On a slightly related note I thought I would try to maximize the passive cooling of the hood by mounting the endcaps to an aluminum frame and put a mesh top on hood to provide for air flow. I was planning on using fans regardless but would I be better off with a solid top instead of the mesh to improve the flow around the endcaps?

Thanks for this great thread!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Vent idea sounds good. The reason the actinics give that look is they provide very little visible light.When mixed with other lamps they can be nice but I prefer the blue lamps.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Pro Color
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

If you get the retro kits from reefgeek you will be overdriving the lamps but not by much. The Ice Cap ballasts end up being cheaper than the 80 watt T5 ballast. That mox of lamps will not look as blue as you might think going by the lamp names. Grab a spare ATI Aquablue lamp just in case you want a little brighter look. What I listed should be 15K or so. You should have a spare lamp on hand just in case and the Aquablue is a reasonable replacement for any of your other lamps.

 

[One4all]

Hi Grim,
I would like to ask you that I want to upgrade stock light from my 24g nano cube DX (PC) to T5.
But I don't know which light fixture and bulbs that I need.
I see some on online store and read some articles about T5 light

I am interesting in Tek and Nova Extreme Pro, Wave point. I would like to choose 24" instead of 20" because I can have more choice to replace the bulbs later.

The reason I choose these because:

All of these are good price and I just want to use a legs on my top of my tank. I can not hang them.

Tek have a good reputation and they sell legs separately. But I don't know their legs can adjustable to fit my top

Nova extreme Pro is also good reputation but I heard that the fans is noisy.

Wave point T5 have adjustable leg to fit any tank. But I don't know it is a good fixture or not because i don't see much people use that

Aquarium Measures 18" (L) x 19.6" (W) x 19.7" (H).

Please help me to have a best choice or some other advice for other fixtures and how to mount them on my nano

Thank you very much for helping

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15440071#post15440071 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by One4all
Hi Grim,
I would like to ask you that I want to upgrade stock light from my 24g nano cube DX (PC) to T5.
But I don't know which light fixture and bulbs that I need.
I see some on online store and read some articles about T5 light

I am interesting in Tek and Nova Extreme Pro, Wave point. I would like to choose 24" instead of 20" because I can have more choice to replace the bulbs later.

The reason I choose these because:

All of these are good price and I just want to use a legs on my top of my tank. I can not hang them.

Tek have a good reputation and they sell legs separately. But I don't know their legs can adjustable to fit my top

Nova extreme Pro is also good reputation but I heard that the fans is noisy.

Wave point T5 have adjustable leg to fit any tank. But I don't know it is a good fixture or not because i don't see much people use that

Aquarium Measures 18" (L) x 19.6" (W) x 19.7" (H).

Please help me to have a best choice or some other advice for other fixtures and how to mount them on my nano

Thank you very much for helping

I'd do the tek unless you plan to sit the fixture right on the tank. Because the Tek doesn't have a fan putting a splash shield on it murders the output. I would probably go with the Nova Pro or drop the coin for an ATI Sunpower.

 

[One4all]

ATI are cost so much for me
I want the fixture mount on the edge of the tank.
I think Nova Pro is good.
Should I use the bulbs that come with the fixture or I have to change them to have a good pattern and color

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I'd change them out pretty quick. Probably go 3 Blue Plus and a actinbic white with a ATI Aquablue as a spare or to swap out a BP with if you want a brighter look.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

If the pro is 6 lamps add a GE daylight and another Blue Plus to the mix i listed

 

[mermin]

Grim,
You sir are a vat of t5 knowledge! Anyways, I am thinking about adding 2x24 t5 retrofit to my 29gal to replace a 175watt halide. I am running a 175watt halide w/15k xm with 2x24in VHO actinics. But my ballast just died and I am exploring options. I think ill keep the vho's for actinics and the t5's at 12k or something. I currently have sps in the top half. I was looking at the 2x24 tek retro. What retro would you go with and bulb combo?
Thanks
Mike

 

[ksed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15437728#post15437728 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
The PAR of the lower K halides is what gets the growth. T5 Blue lamps have as much or more PAR as the daylights.

Grim

Please help me understand why is it that the blue bulbs of t-5 have same par as daylight but MH do not or have a hard time getting higher par out of the blue bulbs.

Also what do you think of the Giesemann Matrix fixture?

Thanks

Kevin

 

[818reefer]

Grim

Is it true if you run 24 inch t5's off of icecap 660s the bulb will pop due to them being overdriven.

Thanks in advance.....

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15440578#post15440578 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mermin
Grim,
You sir are a vat of t5 knowledge! Anyways, I am thinking about adding 2x24 t5 retrofit to my 29gal to replace a 175watt halide. I am running a 175watt halide w/15k xm with 2x24in VHO actinics. But my ballast just died and I am exploring options. I think ill keep the vho's for actinics and the t5's at 12k or something. I currently have sps in the top half. I was looking at the 2x24 tek retro. What retro would you go with and bulb combo?
Thanks
Mike

Tek retro with a GE 6500K Daylight and a ATI Blue Plus. Should be about the same color as the XM lamp and given the crappy PAR the 15K XM had I wouldn't be surprised if you get as good growth with the T5's

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15440588#post15440588 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ksed

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15437728#post15437728 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
The PAR of the lower K halides is what gets the growth. T5 Blue lamps have as much or more PAR as the daylights.

Grim

Please help me understand why is it that the blue bulbs of t-5 have same par as daylight but MH do not or have a hard time getting higher par out of the blue bulbs.

Also what do you think of the Giesemann Matrix fixture?

Thanks

Kevin

Metal halide and Fluorescent lights don't work the same way but their basic operation is nearly identical. Force electrons through a gas causing the creation of Ultra Violet light. Halides get their color from interactions with heavy metals (Rock On Dude!) in the gas. The fluorescent light use a phosphor coating on the lamp tube that is excited by the UV light and in turn emits light in a different spectrum. I have never researched it but my guess is the material responsible for emitting blue light in a halide requires more UV stimulation so the end result is less PAR.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15440754#post15440754 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 818reefer
Grim

Is it true if you run 24 inch t5's off of icecap 660s the bulb will pop due to them being overdriven.

Thanks in advance.....

They will if you don't run fans to cool the lamp ends. They tend to crack under the reflector clips.

 

[ReefDreams]

Hi Grim & everyone else,

I'm choosing a lighting system for my 27g reef setup (mostly soft corals, lps, zoa, etc)

The tank is 20"L, 20"W, 16"H

The only light I found so far that would match this would be the
Nova Extreme Pro T5 from current USA, it comes with 6x18W bulbs... 20 inch long fixture

It includes 3 x 18 W 10k and 3x 460 NM

What do you think ? You have any other suggestions ? Should I order any other bulbs ? Is finding 20 inch (18W) bulbs hard ?

 

[CPreefer]

Hey Grim, I need some advice.

I have a 75g tank that has been up and running for 8 months. My lighting is an 8 x 54w T5 Current USA Nova Extreme without the individual reflectors. I want to start adding coral to my tank. I would like to be able to grow all corals (softies, SPS, LPS, and clams). I want my tank to be colorful and not washed out. What bulb configuration would you recommend for me to use for my needs? Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[mnml]

Hi Grim,

Getting ready to order a ATI PM 8x54 and wanted to get your advice on bulb selection. The PM will hang about 6" over a tank that is 48" long x 30" wide (front to back) x 20" high. Mostly SPS/clams with a few acans on the sand bed.

Thank you for all that you do in helping us with our T5 questions!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15443349#post15443349 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefDreams
Hi Grim & everyone else,

I'm choosing a lighting system for my 27g reef setup (mostly soft corals, lps, zoa, etc)

The tank is 20"L, 20"W, 16"H

The only light I found so far that would match this would be the
Nova Extreme Pro T5 from current USA, it comes with 6x18W bulbs... 20 inch long fixture

It includes 3 x 18 W 10k and 3x 460 NM

What do you think ? You have any other suggestions ? Should I order any other bulbs ? Is finding 20 inch (18W) bulbs hard ?

As far as I know current is the only one with that length lamp. Unless you get a 24" fixture and let it hang over the ends you are pretty much stuck with the current

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15443596#post15443596 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CPreefer
Hey Grim, I need some advice.

I have a 75g tank that has been up and running for 8 months. My lighting is an 8 x 54w T5 Current USA Nova Extreme without the individual reflectors. I want to start adding coral to my tank. I would like to be able to grow all corals (softies, SPS, LPS, and clams). I want my tank to be colorful and not washed out. What bulb configuration would you recommend for me to use for my needs? Thanks for any help you can give me.

A new fixture :lol:

I just kill me!

Don't try high light clams unless they are up on the rocks. Same rules for SPS

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15443799#post15443799 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mnml
Hi Grim,

Getting ready to order a ATI PM 8x54 and wanted to get your advice on bulb selection. The PM will hang about 6" over a tank that is 48" long x 30" wide (front to back) x 20" high. Mostly SPS/clams with a few acans on the sand bed.

Thank you for all that you do in helping us with our T5 questions!

Front
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus

Assuming 3 and 6 are dusk/dawn