The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Quote:
Originally Posted by ngn8dogg
Quote:
Originally Posted by SPStoney
Looking for new bulbs and was wondering what combo would put out the best look.

aquablue
blue plus
actinic white or fiji
blue plus
blue plus

or

blue plus
fiji or actinic white
ge
blue plys
blue plus



Ok cool thanks for the advice. What would you think would work best, the fiji or AW. thanks for all the help!



Thanks for the help. Is the order I listed the bulbs the right way they should be placed?

Blues in 2 and 4, Fiji in the middle and try the Aquablue in 1 and 5 and go with what you like best

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Just the end with the label? or both ends?

Just the label ends.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

8x48 ATI PM on an aqaurium 60x30x20?

I estimate with fixture centered on the aquarium this leaves approx 6" around the perimeter that would not be directly under the fixture. I have no plans to place anything requiring high PAR out at the edges and it would just be sandbed and fish swimming room.

I guess I am just wondering if there would be too much shadow or light transition out towards the glass and look odd. Guidance here or anyone that can share FTS of a tank with a similarly smaller fixture over a larger tank would be great.

Reason I'm doing this and not buy the 60" fixture is I have about a year to go with a standard 75 gallon before moving to the custom size.

Should be good. I used a 48" fixture on my 60" tank and you really couldn't tell it didn't reach the ends unless you sat it right on the tank, which I did and it still was barely noticeable.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, I went with your suggestion of:
(4) 454
(1) Indigo Sun
(1) Actinic White

This is going into a NEP over my 75g mixed reef with clams and a BTA. In what order should I place the bulbs?

Also, I thought I remember reading in a previous thread that the 454's were about the same in look as the Blue Plus -- just a bit lower in PAR values, correct? This is of course in a semi-reflected fixture like the NEP, and using the NON-internal reflected bulbs

Front
454
Actinic white
454
Indigo
454
454

Yeah, I would have used ATI lamps, you need all the PAR you can get out of your lamps. You should probably spot feed the clam once in a while just to make sure it does well.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Ok so I am going to have to use those bulbs until my blue pluses come in what order should I put them in and how should my intervals for the light to be on?

Front
Actinic
Actinic White
Aquasun
Actinic White
Aquasun
Actinic

 

[BlueOnTwo]

I have a 72g bowfront tank, 4x48" T5 with 3 individual reflectors - front bulb has no reflectors.

Im not sure the model of the bulbs now but I have 1 blue, 1 purple, 2 white.

What do you suggest brand/model light bulbs I should get? What order should they be in? I am keeping everything but SPS. Thanks alot.

 

[ngn8dogg]

Blues in 2 and 4, Fiji in the middle and try the Aquablue in 1 and 5 and go with what you like best

I didn't get the aquablue though. I got
3 blue plus
ge 6500
and fiji.
would I still put the ge in 1 and 5?

 

[Bluetangclan]

OK, I got 4 ATI actinics for my Nova Extreme Pro plus the other two recommended. Problem, do ATI draw more current than whatever comes stock in the Nova? Putting them into the 4 bulb circuit in the 2nd and third slots I can only get one to come on if I put it in by itself. If I put the other in, neither works. If I put the old stock bulbs back then they both come on no problem.
So whats the deal with the ATIs?

 

[Boundless]

Would a 4X 54 watt work for a 25in tall tank that is going to be mostly with LPS, SPS, toadstool, GBTA and a clam at the bottom?

 

[sbwood007]

I have a 20 long (30") Frag tank and I am about to order a 36" 4x39W SunPower T5 High-Output Fixture or should I get the 24" 4x24W SunPower T5? I want to prop zoa's LPS and maybe some SPS. I am concerned the 24" might not have enough coverage. After reading some of this thread I am thinking about using 3 ATI Blue Plus and 1 UVL actinc white. Any advice would be welcome..

 

[alexsreef]

Front
Actinic
Actinic White
Aquasun
Actinic White
Aquasun
Actinic

Thanks again grim. How long should I have the lights on?

 

[cdamiano]

I currently have 250W 10K reeflux halides with 1 ATI Blue + in front and 1 in the rear. The T5's are running off an Icecap 660 ballast. I am considering adding another T5 to the mix. What 3 bulb combination would you recommend that would help the colors pop when the halides are off and supplement nicely when they are on?

 

[ChuckG]

Should be good. I used a 48" fixture on my 60" tank and you really couldn't tell it didn't reach the ends unless you sat it right on the tank, which I did and it still was barely noticeable.

Thx Grim!

 

[nanokeeper]

T5's with Par38 Spotlights over a 90 gallon

T5's with Par38 Spotlights over a 90 gallon

Hi Grim - You seem to be extremely knowledgeable and helpful here so I thought I would pose this question to you.

I'm considering setting up a 48" four bulb T5 retro overdriven by an Icecap 660 with two of the Nanocustoms Par38 20K spotlights aimed at two rock structures for shimmer on a 90 gallon. Any thoughts on whether this is enough light for a 90 gallon future SPS dominant tank? Or should I do a 6 bulb T5 retro and not worry about the shimmer? I really want to keep the shimmer that MH's have and the Par38 spotlights do provide that very well with amazing color. I recently bought one just for testing.

Here's a link to the Par38 Spotlights --> http://www.nanocustoms.com/product_i...lrrhhj6avuiip0

I currently have two 454 T5's on an Icecap 430 and a 250 HQI Phoenix. I'd really like to get away from MH due to the heat. I already have the Icecap 660 and just need more reflectors, endcaps, and bulbs to setup 6 T5's.

Thanks for the help.

Pete

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a 72g bowfront tank, 4x48" T5 with 3 individual reflectors - front bulb has no reflectors.

Im not sure the model of the bulbs now but I have 1 blue, 1 purple, 2 white.

What do you suggest brand/model light bulbs I should get? What order should they be in? I am keeping everything but SPS. Thanks alot.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic WHite
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I didn't get the aquablue though. I got
3 blue plus
ge 6500
and fiji.
would I still put the ge in 1 and 5?

Front
Blue Plus
Fiji
Blue Plus
GE
Blue Plus

Use the 3 Blue Plus for Dusk/dawn, you could try the fiji in the center just for giggles to see if you like it.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

OK, I got 4 ATI actinics for my Nova Extreme Pro plus the other two recommended. Problem, do ATI draw more current than whatever comes stock in the Nova? Putting them into the 4 bulb circuit in the 2nd and third slots I can only get one to come on if I put it in by itself. If I put the other in, neither works. If I put the old stock bulbs back then they both come on no problem.
So whats the deal with the ATIs?

ATI draw the same amount as all the other T5's. Interesting issue. I am REALLY not a fan of cheap ballast like the Nova uses but I've never heard of one not being able to fire an ATI lamps. Try putting each lamp into the single slot to see if they fire individually. Only other thing I could think of would be to find someone else with a T5 fixture and try them in it just to see, could be a bad batch of lamps.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Would a 4X 54 watt work for a 25in tall tank that is going to be mostly with LPS, SPS, toadstool, GBTA and a clam at the bottom?

Depends on how deep front to back the tank is. 4 lamps is fine for 12 inches, 6 for 18, 8 for 24.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a 20 long (30") Frag tank and I am about to order a 36" 4x39W SunPower T5 High-Output Fixture or should I get the 24" 4x24W SunPower T5? I want to prop zoa's LPS and maybe some SPS. I am concerned the 24" might not have enough coverage. After reading some of this thread I am thinking about using 3 ATI Blue Plus and 1 UVL actinc white. Any advice would be welcome..

Just mount the fixture about 8 inches above the tank so the light can spread better. Be plenty.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks again grim. How long should I have the lights on?

Dusk/dawn 10 to 12 hours and the other 6 to 8