The T5 Q&a Thread

[jterrell]

Grim,

Looks busy for you this evening! Thanks in advance for any advice you might have for me. I'm wanting to build a 36x24x24 mixed coral tank. Being new to SPS I'm wanting to know if t5 lighting is enough. The fixture I'm looking at is the Current Nova Extreme Pro. I also am looking at the Outer Orbit. I'm not crazy about the idea of MH but I want to make sure I don't have to upgrade later.

 

[isawill]

Grim,

Would it be worth it to have 2 80W T5(1 in front, 1 in back) of 2 250MH about 10" above the water surface, or would the T5 be washed out that far up?
Would I still get the color pop out benefit from the T5?
Tanks
Isa

 

[biecacka]

question, i have always been a MH guy just because it was the best option out there or so i was told.i currently run MH on my 220 tall but in a few months i plan on switching to a 240 cube. 48x48x24, rimless
probably go with the a hanging light figture, was looking at halide t5 combo, but would also consider t5 only. tank will be softy tank with a few lps here or there. will t5 work and fixture suggestions please
corey

 

[redfishsc]

biecacka, for the corals you are growing in that tank, I'd lean toward a dual 250 MH pendant in the middle, flanked by two 2X54w T5's. You could still grow some nice clams and stuff with this, especially directly under the halides.

If you went with all T5s, get a bunch of 48", 54w retro kits and spread them out a little. For softies and LPS, 6 should do you fine but the light might look dim. 8 would be real nice, gives you two every foot... and LOTS of bulb configurations.

I would not use IceCap ballasts in this situation, you dont need to overdrive them for softies/LPS, even at 24" deep. I am growing LPS at 20" deep right now under a very cheezy 4X24 that doesn't even have parabolic reflectors. Just one big crappy one.... LPS are happy as can be.


Definitely look at something like the retro kits you can get from reefgeek for this.

 

[dickenscd]

Please Post A Picture of Your Tank

Please Post A Picture of Your Tank

at the following thread if you have a tank with LED lighting.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1639666


James

 

[jennmac415]

you did see that this thread is about T5 lighting right? You could make a separate post to see LED tanks.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15632241#post15632241 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dubin
I'm running 3 250w 20k Radiums about 10" off the water and I wanted to get 2 80w actinic T5s, one for the front and one for the back. What's a really nice actinic bulb, and is it worth it to "overdrive" them?

It is a little cheaper to get an Ice Cap ballast for 80 watt lamps so you end up overdriving them some. I like the combination of a blue lamp (ATI Blue Plus or G-Mann Actinic Pus etc.) and one Actinic lamp. Giesemann and ATI Actinics are both fine, the ATI is a little more blue.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15632248#post15632248 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by zachtos
Is it safe to say that a well designed T5 system will be equivalent to your average 250W MH setup?

I get 300-500 PAR in most 12-6" depths but never could get SPS to really grow deeper then that, and I can barely keep my SPS color up on many of my SPS polyps regardless (great water quality and INSANE flow)

I am thinking of scrapping my T5 assembly for a 400W MH setup as this seems to beat out even the best T5 setups? Is this a safe assumption?

Yeah, pretty much. If you use good halide reflectors and 10 to 14K lamps the 250's will beat out most T5's but if you run more blue lamps, like a 20K the T5's will probably win out.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15632496#post15632496 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PRDubois
How do you know when to replace? Wait for a black spot on the side like a normal floresent?

Watch your corals color and growth. If you havea taller tank full of acros then you will probably want to think about new lamps by 10 months.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15632975#post15632975 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by d2mini
What size hanging HO T5 fixture (length of bulbs and how many) would you use over a 36" x 36" x 24"tall rimless cube?

I would do 8 lamps, 24 watt lamps if you can find one, not sure if the ATI Powermodul comes in a 8x24 but I think they do. Mount that bad boy about 8" above the rim and it should look sweet.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Re: 225 gallon lighting

Re: 225 gallon lighting

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15633564#post15633564 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jorgy27
Grim,
First of all let me say that your efforts in helping people like me are greatly appreciated by me and im sure everyone who has read this thread feels the same way. I have learned a lot from reading this thread already and continue to learn more and more everyday.
I am in the process of setting up my 225 gallon tank (72x24x30). I have been fortunate enough that a friend of mine gave me a sunlight supply new wave 48" 8 bulb t5 fixture. First of all i started researching the light a little and i see that it is not made for use on an aquarium. I also figured out that it is an 8 x 54 watt light that advertises that it is max cooling due to a slotted and louvered exterior. Also, it is 120v 4amp 432watt 60hz. My question is can i use this light for my tank and what other supplemental lighting would i want to use (mh, led, etc.). I plan on keeping soft corals to start and eventually want to get into lps and sps. basically i want to set this system up to allow me to do basically anything i want to do in the future.
If i can use this light what type of bulbs and which configuration would be ideal for me. I plan on having a 5-6 inch dsb if that helps at all with the 30" depth of my tank.

Again i thank you for all of your time and efforts and any help you have for me is greatly appreciated.

You could use that fixture to get you started with softies but down the road you need to be looking at either a 8x80 watt Fixture (ATI Powermodule) or Ica Cap retro for T5's or a 250 or 400 watt halide setup with 3 lamps.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15634492#post15634492 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by biecacka
question, i have always been a MH guy just because it was the best option out there or so i was told.i currently run MH on my 220 tall but in a few months i plan on switching to a 240 cube. 48x48x24, rimless
probably go with the a hanging light figture, was looking at halide t5 combo, but would also consider t5 only. tank will be softy tank with a few lps here or there. will t5 work and fixture suggestions please
corey

You could hang a couple of 6x54 watt fixtures over the tank and be fine. Tek or ATI Sunpower. I believe Fauna Marin makes a 12 lamp T5 fixture but it is pricey. ATI makes a 10 lamp Powermodule too but they are spendy.

 

[atwinparadox2]

Grim,

I have always used MH's on my tanks, and I recently picked up a 75gallon. I want to do T5 on this one and I need some expert advice. Should I go retro? Should I buy a fixture. I want to transfer everything from my 45ish cube to the 75. I had a MH on that and kept everything from softies to SPS. No acro's and I will not keep acro's in this tank either.

Can i go with something like this? Or should I have 6 bulbs?

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewI...&idProduct=IC1635&IdCategory=FILTRTRFT5&tab=0

Thanks in advance as always!

Craig-

 

[d2mini]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15635777#post15635777 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I would do 8 lamps, 24 watt lamps if you can find one, not sure if the ATI Powermodul comes in a 8x24 but I think they do. Mount that bad boy about 8" above the rim and it should look sweet.

Actually, according to reefgeek they do!
I see they also carry a 10 bulb model. Would you still go with the 8 for a 36x36x24 cube?

Thanks!

 

[chris88]

Hey Grim,

I know you answered this question before but I can't find where you wrote it at. I am wondering if keeping on the acrylic shield for the nova extreme pro increase or decreases par? Without the shield it seems slightly brighter, but I remember you saying it helped with cooling and somehow increased par.

Thanks in advance!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15636354#post15636354 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by atwinparadox2
Grim,

I have always used MH's on my tanks, and I recently picked up a 75gallon. I want to do T5 on this one and I need some expert advice. Should I go retro? Should I buy a fixture. I want to transfer everything from my 45ish cube to the 75. I had a MH on that and kept everything from softies to SPS. No acro's and I will not keep acro's in this tank either.

Can i go with something like this? Or should I have 6 bulbs?

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewI...&idProduct=IC1635&IdCategory=FILTRTRFT5&tab=0

Thanks in advance as always!

Craig-

If you aren't doing acros you really don't need to overdrive. Check out reefgeeks Ice Cap retros with standard T5 ballasts.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15636388#post15636388 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by d2mini
Actually, according to reefgeek they do!
I see they also carry a 10 bulb model. Would you still go with the 8 for a 36x36x24 cube?

Thanks!

Go with whatever would be the closest to a square fixture. That would look really good over a cube.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15636472#post15636472 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chris88
Hey Grim,

I know you answered this question before but I can't find where you wrote it at. I am wondering if keeping on the acrylic shield for the nova extreme pro increase or decreases par? Without the shield it seems slightly brighter, but I remember you saying it helped with cooling and somehow increased par.

Thanks in advance!

Unless the shield is dirty or stained it will end up costing you PAR because of the loss of cooling if you remove it.

 

[atwinparadox2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15636605#post15636605 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
If you aren't doing acros you really don't need to overdrive. Check out reefgeeks Ice Cap retros with standard T5 ballasts.

Thanks, how many bulbs and wattage do you suggest?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15636683#post15636683 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by atwinparadox2
Thanks, how many bulbs and wattage do you suggest?

4 or 6 54 watt lamps.