The T5 Q&a Thread

[newsalt]

Got the canopy setup with the new lights. I haven't tried any combinations yet but already love the UVL Actinic White. WOW!!! Does that bring out the colors. Definitely not white.

right now I have front to back
Aquablue
Actinic White
blue +
blue +

I want to try the following which is what you originally suggested when I get a chance too.
blue +
Actinic white
blue +
blue +

And play around with the position of the Actinic white too.

Which bulb is bluer? The Actinic White or the Aquablue Special?

 

[jason2459]

Which bulb is bluer? The Actinic White or the Aquablue Special?

To my eyes the Actinic white is a pinkish color where the aquablue is a white with maybe a tint of blue in it. So, I guess I would say the aquablue. The blue+ is of course very blue. The actinic white really brought out the reds and purples that I have in my tank. Just everything looks alive with it on. Definitely not dull anymore.

 

[Jason7504]

does the order of the t5s really make a difference in a 4 bulb set up?

right now from front to back it goes like this,

blue +
blue +
indigo sun
blue +

but im gonna replace one of the blue + with a aquablue 12k because its a little too blue right now

 

[jason2459]

does the order of the t5s really make a difference in a 4 bulb set up?

right now from front to back it goes like this,

blue +
blue +
indigo sun
blue +

but im gonna replace one of the blue + with a aquablue 12k because its a little too blue right now

I'd imagine it can shift things a little at least in my tank setup. I have about a 2-3" gap between my back two bulbs and the front two bulbs where I have a row of LEDs to give some shimmer.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

I am in the process of setting up a Oceanic Illuminata Rimless 57g tank (dimensions 36x18x21) and need some advice on T5 fixtures. The tank will be a SPS/LPS mixture . Predominately SPS from mid-upper level and LPS on the sandbed. I'm having a hard time choosing between the Tek and Sunpower 36" 6x39w fixtures. Can you give me some advise on which you would recommend and a bulb combination that would produce a blue tint. In the past I've run 250w Radiums on an electronic ballast with Lumenbright refelctors.

Get the Sunpower. You can hang it above the tank without worrying about getting enough light. I'd do 4 ATI Blue Plus 1 UVL Actinic White and a ATI Aquablue.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a 150 gallon, 60*24*24, mixed reef tank with a 7" high canopy. My SPS are near the top but want to move them to the middle and bottom as well. I currently have an Ice Cap 6 bulb T5 retrofit over-driven by 2 660 ballasts. I am thinking of raising the lights from 7" off the water to maybe 15" off the water in a new canopy I am building. Is 15" off the water too high? What is the max height I should go? I also will be adding 2 more bulbs to my setup.I am doing this to have a semi-open top canopy to allow for more ventilation. My canopy is just keeping all the heat in and my chiller is constantly running to keep the tank down to 80 degrees once the lights come on.

I wouldn't go 15". In fact I wouldn't go much higher than you are right now.

 

[DetroitCrow]

Grim,
I'd like to take a min of your time and ask a question that might of been asked 10x over already, but during my searchs I didn't get the answer that fits my needs, So I hope you will help...

I'm running a 90g marineland and in it I'm using 4x VHO with an icecap 660 (2x Super Actinics and 2x Actinic whites "12k")

I'm thinking this isn't enought lighting for a mixed reef, I'd like to be able to house alot of different soft/hard corals and clams, "BUT" I do not want to use a MH, I'd like to stay with only T5's to replace my VHO's, I used MH in the past and they just heat up my living room way too much..

I like the look that I'm getting with the vho bulbs listed above (Bluish/White), but some say I should goto a 6 or maybe even 8 bulb T5 setup, I'm already planing on 2x Super Actinics and 2x 12k Whites for the new T5 setup, but if I require a 6 or even 8 bulb setup to house the livestock I listed above, what other bulbs should I use if any? I'm trying for a blueish/white look but of course I want all my corals,fish,clams color to stand out brightly..

Thanks for your time in advance!!

 

[christ102]

Get the Sunpower. You can hang it above the tank without worrying about getting enough light. I'd do 4 ATI Blue Plus 1 UVL Actinic White and a ATI Aquablue.

Grim,

Are you saying that the Tek light won't penetrate as deep, if hung? How high should either fixture be hung from the tank? The following bulb combo was recommended by reefgeek, 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 Fiji Purple, 1 ATI Aqua Blue. What are your thoughts? Any idea what it will look like/

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,
I'd like to take a min of your time and ask a question that might of been asked 10x over already, but during my searchs I didn't get the answer that fits my needs, So I hope you will help...

I'm running a 90g marineland and in it I'm using 4x VHO with an icecap 660 (2x Super Actinics and 2x Actinic whites "12k")

I'm thinking this isn't enought lighting for a mixed reef, I'd like to be able to house alot of different soft/hard corals and clams, "BUT" I do not want to use a MH, I'd like to stay with only T5's to replace my VHO's, I used MH in the past and they just heat up my living room way too much..

I like the look that I'm getting with the vho bulbs listed above (Bluish/White), but some say I should goto a 6 or maybe even 8 bulb T5 setup, I'm already planing on 2x Super Actinics and 2x 12k Whites for the new T5 setup, but if I require a 6 or even 8 bulb setup to house the livestock I listed above, what other bulbs should I use if any? I'm trying for a blueish/white look but of course I want all my corals,fish,clams color to stand out brightly..

Thanks for your time in advance!!

A 4 lamp T5 system will work with the right lamps.

You need 1 ATI Aquablue, 2 ATI Blue Plus and a UVL Actinic White.

You will get close to the same color you have now but with good reflectors (Aquactinics, Aqua Illumination or Ice Cap) you will have WAY more PAR.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

Are you saying that the Tek light won't penetrate as deep, if hung? How high should either fixture be hung from the tank? The following bulb combo was recommended by reefgeek, 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 Fiji Purple, 1 ATI Aqua Blue. What are your thoughts? Any idea what it will look like/

Either combo is fine. The Sunpower has a lot better output so you could probably hang it as much as 8 inches above the tank and be OK PAR wise.

 

[DetroitCrow]

A 4 lamp T5 system will work with the right lamps.

You need 1 ATI Aquablue, 2 ATI Blue Plus and a UVL Actinic White.

You will get close to the same color you have now but with good reflectors (Aquactinics, Aqua Illumination or Ice Cap) you will have WAY more PAR.

So a 4x T5 setup, using them bulbs will be enough light for soft/hard corals and clams?

How about layout of the bulbs?
(Front Glass)
?
?
?
?
(Back Glass)

Good setup? : http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem.aspx?idproduct=IC1511&idCartRow=17080206&isKit=0&child=IC1535

 

[newsalt]

To my eyes the Actinic white is a pinkish color where the aquablue is a white with maybe a tint of blue in it. So, I guess I would say the aquablue. The blue+ is of course very blue. The actinic white really brought out the reds and purples that I have in my tank. Just everything looks alive with it on. Definitely not dull anymore.

Just asking because I'm using the following:

BACK
ATI Blue+
Gies. Actinic+
ATI Blue+
ULV Super Actinic
ATI Blue+
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blue+
FRONT

I previously had more Aquablue Special Bulbs, but I thought that was too white. I've been thinking about swaping a row of Blue+ with some other bulb, but I don't know what.

 

[Primetime33]

Double Post

 

[Primetime33]

I wouldn't go 15". In fact I wouldn't go much higher than you are right now.

I have a 150 gallon, 60*24*24, mixed reef tank with a 7" high canopy. My SPS are near the top but want to move them to the middle and bottom as well. I currently have an Ice Cap 6 bulb T5 retrofit over-driven by 2 660 ballasts. I am thinking of raising the lights from 7" off the water to maybe 15" off the water in a new canopy I am building. Is 15" off the water too high? What is the max height I should go? I also will be adding 2 more bulbs to my setup.I am doing this to have a semi-open top canopy to allow for more ventilation. My canopy is just keeping all the heat in and my chiller is constantly running to keep the tank down to 80 degrees once the lights come on.

So if I were to add 2 more bulbs, you still wouldn't go higher than the 7" ?

 

[Fish_Freek]

Give it a shot, depends on taste.

Thanks for your response. What is the four bulb combo you reccomend most these days?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

So a 4x T5 setup, using them bulbs will be enough light for soft/hard corals and clams?

How about layout of the bulbs?
(Front Glass)
?
?
?
?
(Back Glass)

Good setup? : http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem.aspx?idproduct=IC1511&idCartRow=17080206&isKit=0&child=IC1535

Blue Plus
Actinic White
Blue Plus
Aquablue.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Just asking because I'm using the following:

BACK
ATI Blue+
Gies. Actinic+
ATI Blue+
ULV Super Actinic
ATI Blue+
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blue+
FRONT

I previously had more Aquablue Special Bulbs, but I thought that was too white. I've been thinking about swaping a row of Blue+ with some other bulb, but I don't know what.

Up front where you have the Actinic Plus you could try a UVL 75/25 or actinic white. Or the fiji purple.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

So if I were to add 2 more bulbs, you still wouldn't go higher than the 7" ?

Nope, The extra lamps aren't going to add a whole lot of punch, just make the area of high intensity larger.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks for your response. What is the four bulb combo you reccomend most these days?

For 4 lamps just what you proposed if I remember right, 2 blues, 1 Aquablue and actinic white, 75/25 or Fiji Purple.

 

[Primetime33]

Nope, The extra lamps aren't going to add a whole lot of punch, just make the area of high intensity larger.

Cool.. just wanted to double check.. Thanks Grim :thumbsup: