The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

interesting, so i guess i will keep the blubs with highest par in those spectrums would be best. what has the best par for the green spectrum?

ATI Blue Plus, GE 6500K Daylight is good too. Has more red and yellow than blue but is has a lot in the blue green spectrum too.

 

[flapjack1439]

What bulb comes closest in color to an ATI Aquablue Special?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

What bulb comes closest in color to an ATI Aquablue Special?

Giesemann Aquablue

 

[flapjack1439]

Thanks

 

[roushracer]

Grim,

I've been running a 250w DE Phoenix 14k over my 40 breeder and want to add 2 or 4 reefgeek T5 retros to it.

What would you advise, I'm thinking 2 is enough with the halide but I want good color and "pop". I have a mixed tank, mostly zoas and LPS with a few SPS and clams.

Also what's a good bulb combo to go with the Phoenix with either a 2 or 4 bulb T5 retro addition?

Thanks!

 

[zensaiyan]

hi grim. i was wondering if you could give me an opinion on lighting my 50g. i am going with a retrofit t5 to mount into the canopy. the tank measures 36x18x17. my canopy will rest the lights about 5" from the top of the water. my current thoughts are going with a icecap retrofit 4 bulb t5 unit, with perhaps 3 blueplus and 1 aquablue. i was also considering getting an overdriven 4 bulb icecap retro unit with the same bulb combo. my thinking was that the overdriven bulbs would be a bit too much for a tank that is 17" deep. i would appreciate any comments you could make on this setup. thanks.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

I've been running a 250w DE Phoenix 14k over my 40 breeder and want to add 2 or 4 reefgeek T5 retros to it.

What would you advise, I'm thinking 2 is enough with the halide but I want good color and "pop". I have a mixed tank, mostly zoas and LPS with a few SPS and clams.

Also what's a good bulb combo to go with the Phoenix with either a 2 or 4 bulb T5 retro addition?

Thanks!

I doubt you have room for four lamps, with the reflectors you are talking 10".

I would do an ATI Blue Plus with a KZ Fiji Purple behind it. If you could do 4 I would do

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
Halide
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

hi grim. i was wondering if you could give me an opinion on lighting my 50g. i am going with a retrofit t5 to mount into the canopy. the tank measures 36x18x17. my canopy will rest the lights about 5" from the top of the water. my current thoughts are going with a icecap retrofit 4 bulb t5 unit, with perhaps 3 blueplus and 1 aquablue. i was also considering getting an overdriven 4 bulb icecap retro unit with the same bulb combo. my thinking was that the overdriven bulbs would be a bit too much for a tank that is 17" deep. i would appreciate any comments you could make on this setup. thanks.

4 lamps but instead of the Aquablue I would use a UVL Actinic White or KZ Fiji Purple. The Blue Plus/Aquablue combination looks nice but doesn't bring out pink and purple colors very well. I would not overdrive the lamps. You would be much better off putting the extra money into getting a 6 lamp retrofit instead, then run 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 Actinic White and a GE 6500K Daylight.

 

[serval]

I am pretty new at saltwater and have a tank that is now 8 months old. It's nearly time to replace the T5's already in my fixture; man that went fast.

I have a 55 gallon reef tank with a Giesemann Infiniti 1 x 250 watt MH plus 4 x T5 (some type of G-man actinics) in it now. It is fair in terms of color to my eye. The corals do grow well, though I have little to compare that with as of yet!

I run the lights like this:
T5s are all on 12.5 hours/day, from 7-7:30
MHs are on 7 hours/day

My problem: the corals don't look as bright and colorful as they do at the LFSs. I think they are using Radium SE bulbs with Lumenarcs. I would like my purples to look brighter without losing the reds and pinks if that makes sense. The greens should look green too.

I was thinking of changing to a Phoenix 14,500K 250 (note that the ballast that came with the Giesemann fixture is electronic), but what of the T5's? Grim Reefer suggested to someone with a similar setup to get this:

ATI Blue Plus x 3
UVL Actinic White x 1

Would that combo answer my needs?
Thanks so much for not making me read this entire forum. I did try, but I just couldn't get through it!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I am pretty new at saltwater and have a tank that is now 8 months old. It's nearly time to replace the T5's already in my fixture; man that went fast.

I have a 55 gallon reef tank with a Giesemann Infiniti 1 x 250 watt MH plus 4 x T5 (some type of G-man actinics) in it now. It is fair in terms of color to my eye. The corals do grow well, though I have little to compare that with as of yet!

I run the lights like this:
T5s are all on 12.5 hours/day, from 7-7:30
MHs are on 7 hours/day

My problem: the corals don't look as bright and colorful as they do at the LFSs. I think they are using Radium SE bulbs with Lumenarcs. I would like my purples to look brighter without losing the reds and pinks if that makes sense. The greens should look green too.

I was thinking of changing to a Phoenix 14,500K 250 (note that the ballast that came with the Giesemann fixture is electronic), but what of the T5's? Grim Reefer suggested to someone with a similar setup to get this:

ATI Blue Plus x 3
UVL Actinic White x 1

Would that combo answer my needs?
Thanks so much for not making me read this entire forum. I did try, but I just couldn't get through it!

The Blue Plus will help pop colors and the actinic white boosts the pink and purple colors lost when you have all blue light.

 

[zorden]

If you haven't been using them they will be fine.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple or UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
Gieseman Midday or GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue GE 6500K Daylight or Giesemann Midday
KZ Fiji Purple or UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

Not sure what brands you have available. In the 6th position I have the Aquablue and both daylight lamps listed. If you like a more white look use either the GE or Gieseman lamp. If you like a more blue look the Aquablue. For a really blue look use another Blue Plus.

Thanks Grim for the reply. The local vendors are not bringing any KZ fiji and UVL actinic white. Any other near substitutes for it? What is the difference between ATI blue plus and aquablue spezial? Vast difference?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks Grim for the reply. The local vendors are not bringing any KZ fiji and UVL actinic white. Any other near substitutes for it? What is the difference between ATI blue plus and aquablue spezial? Vast difference?

The Blue Plus is really blue, the Aquablue is a 50/50 lamp that is white with a slight blue tint.

Giesemann Aquaflora lamp might be a good replacement for the Purple lamp but only use one and substitute another ATI Aquablue for the second. Not having seen the Aquaflora I am not sure how much red it will provide, two could be too much. GE makes a 3000K Daylight lamp that would work as well, again only use one.

 

[slant77]

Im about to upgrade my 90 sps reef with a 6x54 pm to a 180 reef. I plan to buy a 8x80 pm for it just not sure which bulbs to get.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Im about to upgrade my 90 sps reef with a 6x54 pm to a 180 reef. I plan to buy a 8x80 pm for it just not sure which bulbs to get.

I would do 5 Blue Plus, I GE 6500K, 1 Fiji Purple and a ATI Aquablue.

 

[Fishboy9227]

Hey Grim.....Im looking at doing a 2 bulb 24" combo over my zoa garden aquapod......what would be the two best bulbs to achieve this? I was thinking the ATI Blue +. What should accompany it?

 

[homeboyreefer]

hey grim you recommended a ge6500k to me but i cant get that bulb in my area whats the difference between that and the giesemann midda 6k? is it worth it to get the ge shipped to me or i can get the giesemann at the store here?

 

[skippy823]

bulb ?

bulb ?

if i went with 4 blue pls 1 ge 6500k and 1 ati pro color driven with icw capa will i get good growth with my sps as well as good color by the way these are 80 watt. and will the tank look really ble with this set up

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim.....Im looking at doing a 2 bulb 24" combo over my zoa garden aquapod......what would be the two best bulbs to achieve this? I was thinking the ATI Blue +. What should accompany it?

KZ Fiji Purple

 

[The Grim Reefer]

hey grim you recommended a ge6500k to me but i cant get that bulb in my area whats the difference between that and the giesemann midda 6k? is it worth it to get the ge shipped to me or i can get the giesemann at the store here?

The Giesemann will work.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

if i went with 4 blue pls 1 ge 6500k and 1 ati pro color driven with icw capa will i get good growth with my sps as well as good color by the way these are 80 watt. and will the tank look really ble with this set up

Will be fine. It will be blue but not 20K blue but a little more than 14K blue.