The T5 Q&a Thread

[Koolio]

4x54 need color pop

4x54 need color pop

hey Grim Reefer. Fantastic thread!

question on color pop...

55 long w/ nova 4x54.
AquaticLife (AL) Actinic
AL 10K
AL Actinic
AL 10K

mixed reef w/ lots of greens, some yellow, some red(ish), and new blue shroom. dersia thriving on the sand, birds nest and monti thriving mid column. soon to add Rose BT nem mid column.

question.
? - until i added the blue mushroom 3/4 up in the column, front did I notice that my light was off. blue shroom looks brown. others have commented that colors look drab. how to pop all colors especially the blue?

ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

or

ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

? I've notice lately you've been recommending Fiji Purple more than UVL Actinic White. And I've checked out the lamp pics post. What is the big difference between the above? Fiji going to pop the reds more?

Lastly question
? going to eventually upsize tank to either 48x19x19 or 48x19x24 and thinking about light needs for the future, given the height diff between the 55/75 and 90 what light fixture is going to support current setup and possibly 75 or 90 gal? Nova Pro 6 bulb or tek 4 bulb...without burning existing coral.

thanks man!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, Based upon your input, I set up my 150 gallon mixed tank last year using only 3 80watt overdriven T5 bulbs with icecap reflectors: 1 GE and 2 ATI Blue Plus lamps. Everything (softies, LPS, SPS and RBTAs) is growing wonderfully. My only complaint is that I do not have any Actinic "pop". I understand that it is hard to get exactly what I want with only 3 bulbs, but do you think I would be able to get more actinic without loosing my PAR if I changed bulbs a bit?

Thanks for all of your help!

You could try a KZ Fiji Purple in place of the GE. It has some actinic to it and is more subtle so it might give a little extra zing

 

[The Grim Reefer]

hey Grim Reefer. Fantastic thread!

question on color pop...

55 long w/ nova 4x54.
AquaticLife (AL) Actinic
AL 10K
AL Actinic
AL 10K

mixed reef w/ lots of greens, some yellow, some red(ish), and new blue shroom. dersia thriving on the sand, birds nest and monti thriving mid column. soon to add Rose BT nem mid column.

question.
? - until i added the blue mushroom 3/4 up in the column, front did I notice that my light was off. blue shroom looks brown. others have commented that colors look drab. how to pop all colors especially the blue?

ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

or

ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

? I've notice lately you've been recommending Fiji Purple more than UVL Actinic White. And I've checked out the lamp pics post. What is the big difference between the above? Fiji going to pop the reds more?

Lastly question
? going to eventually upsize tank to either 48x19x19 or 48x19x24 and thinking about light needs for the future, given the height diff between the 55/75 and 90 what light fixture is going to support current setup and possibly 75 or 90 gal? Nova Pro 6 bulb or tek 4 bulb...without burning existing coral.

thanks man!

6 lamp Tek once you upgrade tanks.

The mix with the fiji will look a little more blue/less pink than you would see with the Actinic White. With 4 lamps I personally would go with the fiju.

 

[nj_evoIXgsr]

question for the T5 guru's?

6 bulb tek light (not elite) would it be too much for a 12high tank some sps (probably around 10 frags to start) but will mainly consist of zoas, acans, hammers, frogspawn, rics, yumas.

other info:

tank 48 x 18 x 12
looking at a 6 bulb tek light 48 6x54 - raise the height.
or is the 4bulb sufficient - lower the height

 

[MedicBMC]

Similar question to nj_evoIXgsr

I have a 48x18x21 and want to run a sunlightsupply tek 6x54w fixture (that's the biggest that will fit in my canopy).I'm going to have SPS up high in the tank and LPS, softies, etc lower. I'm trying to decide between the elite and the regular, but want to know....Is it worth the price difference to go with the elite or will the regular fixture put out enough to sustain appropriate lighting for sps?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

question for the T5 guru's?

6 bulb tek light (not elite) would it be too much for a 12high tank some sps (probably around 10 frags to start) but will mainly consist of zoas, acans, hammers, frogspawn, rics, yumas.

other info:

tank 48 x 18 x 12
looking at a 6 bulb tek light 48 6x54 - raise the height.
or is the 4bulb sufficient - lower the height

6 lamp higher or even through a couple actinics in the mix to throttle it back

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Similar question to nj_evoIXgsr

I have a 48x21x18 and want to run a sunlightsupply tek 6x54w fixture (that's the biggest that will fit in my canopy).I'm going to have SPS up high in the tank and LPS, softies, etc lower. I'm trying to decide between the elite and the regular, but want to know....Is it worth the price difference to go with the elite or will the regular fixture put out enough to sustain appropriate lighting for sps?

Might opt for the elite if its going to be in a canopy. I guess you could add a couple fans blowing fresh air into the canopy and be ok with the standard model.

 

[nj_evoIXgsr]

thanks for the response Grim - bought the 6bulb.

 

[BR12349]

I have a 8x54 Nova Fixture. I want my colors to pop more. I have mostly geismann bulbs for dusk I have 1 460 , 1 blue plus, 2 atinic plus and for daylight I have UVL 75/25, 3 aqua blue plus. I have 1 more aqua blue plus, 1 uvl aquasun,1 fiji purple, and 1 midday as extra bulbs. Can you think of a combo that would be better using these bulbs?

 

[M88A2]

so im getting new bulbs for my nano and a 55g i'm building but i wanted to see what you guys think about this combo first. both are 4 bulb fixtures

ati blue+
uvl super actinic
kz fiji purp
ati blue+

Think this will be good for my 55 and 29. i'd like to keep mixed corals maybe even a clam in the 55?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a 8x54 Nova Fixture. I want my colors to pop more. I have mostly geismann bulbs for dusk I have 1 460 , 1 blue plus, 2 atinic plus and for daylight I have UVL 75/25, 3 aqua blue plus. I have 1 more aqua blue plus, 1 uvl aquasun,1 fiji purple, and 1 midday as extra bulbs. Can you think of a combo that would be better using these bulbs?

Pull an Aquablue for a Fiji purple and see if that helps. Then if you still aren't happy I would add another blue plus.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

so im getting new bulbs for my nano and a 55g i'm building but i wanted to see what you guys think about this combo first. both are 4 bulb fixtures

ati blue+
uvl super actinic
kz fiji purp
ati blue+

Think this will be good for my 55 and 29. i'd like to keep mixed corals maybe even a clam in the 55?

What kind of fixture? The look should be nice but you said the clam word so unless it's one of the ATI's I would proably use an ATI Aquablue or for a more Blue look Blue Plus in place of the actinic.

 

[MyBoxOfWater]

Hi Grim,

My lfs can get Giesemann & UVL lamps.

I have the Orbit Extreme Pro w/ 6-54w lamps.

This is what I have planed for the 33 long. It is only 12" deep.

BACK
UVL Super Actinic
UVL 454
UVL 72.25
UVL Aqua Sun
UVL 454
UVL Super Actinic

Is this a good choice of lamps for a shallow frag tank for Zoas?

 

[rtparty]

Hi Grim,

My lfs can get Giesemann & UVL lamps.

I have the Orbit Extreme Pro w/ 6-54w lamps.

This is what I have planed for the 33 long. It is only 12" deep.

BACK
UVL Super Actinic
UVL 454
UVL 72.25
UVL Aqua Sun
UVL 454
UVL Super Actinic

Is this a good choice of lamps for a shallow frag tank for Zoas?

I would pull the 75.25 for another 454. You will get plenty of red from Aquasun and plenty of actinic from the 454's and Super Actinics.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim,

My lfs can get Giesemann & UVL lamps.

I have the Orbit Extreme Pro w/ 6-54w lamps.

This is what I have planed for the 33 long. It is only 12" deep.

BACK
UVL Super Actinic
UVL 454
UVL 72.25
UVL Aqua Sun
UVL 454
UVL Super Actinic

Is this a good choice of lamps for a shallow frag tank for Zoas?

Move the 75/25 up a space so the 454 is between it and the Aquasun maybe but other than that would be fine.

 

[MyBoxOfWater]

Thanks!

 

[greenidguy]

this has truely turned into an encyclopedia of t5 knowledge!! i dont think there will ever be a longer thread. here is my contribution. im going back to fw and im thinking planted discus tank. i have a 30'' cube and i was going to pick up a 24'' 4 bulb aquatic life fixture. i need some bulb combo suggestions. i know this is reefcentral, but there isnt going to be a better group of people to ask. my idea is this.

giese ab+
giese midday
giese aquaflora
geise midday, uv actinic white, uv 75/25? i dunno

is the aquaflora similar to a colormax or indigo sun?

for obvious reasons, i dont want it to look like a reef, but i want to see whats going on in there too. i also dont want it overly blue, red or yellow. i want to try to get it as balanced as i can. that being said, im sure that it will look very "10k"ish. you let me know what you think.

thanks again and you guys rock!

 

[jh2pizza]

Due to change my bulbs. Any latest test on the par output of the different bulbs?

 

[kc350twin]

Grim or others.

I am getting some "buzzing" out of two of the ballast's in my power module. Almost sounds like sizzling bacon. Is this normal? I tried wiggling and pushing in the wires at the ballast but no luck. It doesn't do it on initial start but after it warms a bit.

Hope you guys don't mind me asking here. I posted in another thread but not much action there.

Kc3

 

[The Grim Reefer]

this has truely turned into an encyclopedia of t5 knowledge!! i dont think there will ever be a longer thread. here is my contribution. im going back to fw and im thinking planted discus tank. i have a 30'' cube and i was going to pick up a 24'' 4 bulb aquatic life fixture. i need some bulb combo suggestions. i know this is reefcentral, but there isnt going to be a better group of people to ask. my idea is this.

giese ab+
giese midday
giese aquaflora
geise midday, uv actinic white, uv 75/25? i dunno

is the aquaflora similar to a colormax or indigo sun?

for obvious reasons, i dont want it to look like a reef, but i want to see whats going on in there too. i also dont want it overly blue, red or yellow. i want to try to get it as balanced as i can. that being said, im sure that it will look very "10k"ish. you let me know what you think.

thanks again and you guys rock!

Aquaflora will be kinda pink from what I understand. I would do one of those with the Midday and a couple aquablues. I would think it is going to be close to natural sunlight with some nice pop from the actinic in the aquablues.