The T5 Q&a Thread

[Acey1011]

Hey Grim could really use your help. I have a 4/54w t5 light fixture for my 75 gallon(48x18x21) with some soft and lps corals. would like to venture into sps so what kind of bulb combination would you recommend for sps as well as lps and soft corals?

 

[DialHammer]

Hey Grim I have standard 90gal (48x18x24) 23'' to sandbed w/ 4/54w odysea fixture. Do I need more light to support SPS, LPS, Clams, and Anemones? If so what would you recommend? Thinking about upgrading to a 6/54w DIY setup

 

[rtparty]

Hey Grim could really use your help. I have a 4/54w t5 light fixture for my 75 gallon(48x18x21) with some soft and lps corals. would like to venture into sps so what kind of bulb combination would you recommend for sps as well as lps and soft corals?

ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

 

[Acey1011]

ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

i have timers for each 1 and with the bulbs i have now the blues are on in the morning and night by themselves and all are on during the day so how would i set the 1s that you just told me up?

 

[rtparty]

Make sure the Blue Plus bulbs are on the same switch. I can't remember the firing order on your fixture.

You might have to try this:

ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue

 

[rtparty]

Hey Grim I have standard 90gal (48x18x24) 23'' to sandbed w/ 4/54w odysea fixture. Do I need more light to support SPS, LPS, Clams, and Anemones? If so what would you recommend?

Look into a 6 bulb Tek at the minimum. I would look into the ATI sunpower if it is in your budget.

If changing fixtures isn't in your budget then some good bulbs will help. You will have to keep the high light stuff high on the rocks and directly under the bulbs. Clams are probably out of the question.

For 4 bulbs: 2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Aquablue and 1 KZ Fiji Purple looks good.

 

[Acey1011]

Make sure the Blue Plus bulbs are on the same switch. I can't remember the firing order on your fixture.

You might have to try this:

ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue

the order on my fixture from front to back is 700+ 420/460 700+ 420/460 the 420/460 are my morning and night blues so if that helps with what i would need for the new order

 

[rtparty]

the order on my fixture from front to back is 700+ 420/460 700+ 420/460 the 420/460 are my morning and night blues so if that helps with what i would need for the new order

Just make sure the Blue Plus bulbs are on the same switch. Looks to me that bulbs 1 and 3 are on the same switch and 2 and 4 are on the other switch. If that is the case then go with the second order I provided.

 

[Acey1011]

Just make sure the Blue Plus bulbs are on the same switch. Looks to me that bulbs 1 and 3 are on the same switch and 2 and 4 are on the other switch. If that is the case then go with the second order I provided.

thanks for the help! this lighting would be enough for sps corals in the tank?

 

[rtparty]

If you are serious about SPS then a new fixture is what you need but for now SPS should be fine as long as you keep them up on the rocks and under the bulbs. Just don't try anything too crazy.

 

[DialHammer]

Look into a 6 bulb Tek at the minimum. I would look into the ATI sunpower if it is in your budget.

If changing fixtures isn't in your budget then some good bulbs will help. You will have to keep the high light stuff high on the rocks and directly under the bulbs. Clams are probably out of the question.

For 4 bulbs: 2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Aquablue and 1 KZ Fiji Purple looks good.

Thanks, I will look into 6 bulb system. thinking of seting it up with
front
ATI blueplus
UVL actinic white
bule plus
ge daylight
blus plus
blue plus

would clams still be out of the picture with 6/54w bulbs?

 

[rtparty]

Thanks, I will look into 6 bulb system. thinking of seting it up with
front
ATI blueplus
UVL actinic white
bule plus
ge daylight
blus plus
blue plus

would clams still be out of the picture with 6/54w bulbs?

With those bulbs and a good fixture you should be set. If you really want clams down on the sandbed then the Sunpower is where I would look.

 

[DialHammer]

Thanks Ryan

 

[Acey1011]

If you are serious about SPS then a new fixture is what you need but for now SPS should be fine as long as you keep them up on the rocks and under the bulbs. Just don't try anything too crazy.

ya im just thinking a couple of smaller 1s until my funds are up enough to get a bigger fixture. so if i understand you correctly (2) ati blue plus on the same switch then the fiji purple and aquablue on the other switch?

 

[sean A.]

Hey Grim I am going with the Tek 8x54w fixture. What bulbs should I get. I am going to have a mixed reef so I definately would like the Fiji purple to bring out all teh colors the other bulbs don't bring out.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim I am going with the Tek 8x54w fixture. What bulbs should I get. I am going to have a mixed reed so I definately would like the Fiji purple to bring out all teh colors the other bulbs don't bring out.

Patience grasshopper

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

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thank you Grim for your help. Another question - since the Sundial has two timers - one for actinics and one for brights would your recommendation for bulb arrangement be the same or does it matter. I forgot to mention how the timers were set up.

Front
Blue Plus
Super Actinic
GE 6500K
Blue Plus

Place them so you get 2 blue plus on one timer or a blue plus and actinic. Don't use the GE in the first or last slot.

 

[sean A.]

Hey Grim I was originally going to go with the Tek 8x54w 48 inch fixture but would these other two fixtures be better for my tank. I would need two of them. i have a 240g 8x2x2 tank. Would like SPS towards the top of the tank with LPS on the bottom. The two fixtures are

ATI Sunpower 6x54w
Aquactinics Constellation 7x54w

What fixture will be better for me?

 

[rtparty]

Hey Grim I was originally going to go with the Tek 8x54w 48 inch fixture but would these other two fixtures be better for my tank. I would need two of them. i have a 240g 8x2x2 tank. Would like SPS towards the top of the tank with LPS on the bottom. The two fixtures are

ATI Sunpower 6x54w
Aquactinics Constellation 7x54w

What fixture will be better for me?

Either of those two are better than the Tek. I would say flip a coin LOL

 

[rcorbitt]

Grim,

I want to upgrade the lighting in my 90 gal tank so I can keep a wide variety of SPS, LPS, softies, and a clam or two.

Currently I have 4 54W T5HO retro using Tek 5 reflectors. I'm buying two more ballasts, so I'll have 4 total. I think this will work best to allow me to use timers to control the lights based on the lamps.

Could you recommend reflectors for the new lamps?

Also a previous poster got your recommendation:

Patience grasshopper

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

Will this work for me too? With this configuration, will the tank look closer to 20K blue or 14K blue/white?

Thanks!