The T5 Q&a Thread

[CBehr]

Overdriving on an 8" deep tank is not the greatest of ideas IMO. You will more than likely fry everything that goes in there unless the lights are like 20 inches away. JMO though

I would use the Ice Cap's over the Teks.

So I could either raise to 20" or probably better yet swap out the 660 for a couple workhorse ballasts so I'm not wasting so much electricity?

 

[rtparty]

So I could either raise to 20" or probably better yet swap out the 660 for a couple workhorse ballasts so I'm not wasting so much electricity?

No don't use the Workhorse stuff on T5 unless you have to. You could sell the IC 660 pretty easy and make enough to get some Spec T5 ballasts from Reefgeek.

That is the route I would go.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

What if I swapped one of the ATI Blue Plus bulbs to a KZ Fiji Purple? Would that bring out more color and if so where should I put it? The reason I ask is all of my friends are hyping this bulb saying I should add one.

No, the actinic white is going to give you the reds. If you want to use the KZ lamp put it in place of the Actinic White then use a GE 6500K daylight instead of the Aquablue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

I havent seen many questions asked about fixtures them self. Are you familiar with the various fixtures out there?

I was told by a LFS that CurrentUSA's fixtures have had NUMEROUS problems recently. Is this true? Or, is it the possiblity that the LFS lost a vendor (i know you dont know that one).

I am looking at a 60" Current USA Outer Orbit 2x150w 10k HQI-MH, 4x54w T5 HO and 18 Lunar lights.

Ideas??

TY
Jason

I haven't really heard anything. I would try throwing up a thread asking about problems with them and see if you get any responses. People to tend to be shy when it comes to telling about their bad experiences with a product.

 

[CBehr]

No don't use the Workhorse stuff on T5 unless you have to. You could sell the IC 660 pretty easy and make enough to get some Spec T5 ballasts from Reefgeek.

That is the route I would go.

I only see Accustart Triad ballasts, is that what you mean? Might just get three more of the aqua illumination reflectors and sell my tek and iceaps.

 

[rtparty]

I only see Accustart Triad ballasts, is that what you mean? Might just get three more of the aqua illumination reflectors and sell my tek and iceaps.

Those are them. I would recommend the AI reflectors. Better material and better performance.

 

[Dooly]

how would this look front to back?

actinic+
uvl actinic white
actinic+
uvl actinic white
actinic+
kz fiji purple
actinic+
actinic+

would that work out?

 

[rodcpierce]

Grim,

I havent seen many questions asked about fixtures them self. Are you familiar with the various fixtures out there?

I was told by a LFS that CurrentUSA's fixtures have had NUMEROUS problems recently. Is this true? Or, is it the possiblity that the LFS lost a vendor (i know you dont know that one).

I am looking at a 60" Current USA Outer Orbit 2x150w 10k HQI-MH, 4x54w T5 HO and 18 Lunar lights.

Ideas??

TY
Jason

just sent you a PM

 

[wampuscat]

Has anyone used these bulbs yet?

Korallen Zucht's KZ super blue and the new generation 14000k.

 

[King Nine]

King, Ide go with a 6 bulb unit, as an 8 bulb unit on a 125 will just basically be wasting the outer bulbs, as it will be projecting more onto the floor then into the tank. The above picture that grim posted is a 60 inch light on a 72 inch tank. I wouldnt worry about the outer 5 inches on each side. It wont be as dark as the picture above, as the camera makes the ends look darker then they actually are. Just dont place high light corals on the outer edges of the tank in that 5 inch area on each side. I just purchased the 6x80 TEK 60" fixture for my 125. Im confident along with grims advise that it will light the tank just perfect.

Where are you getting it from? You and Grim have mentioned the TEK but when I go to the shopping sites that is not a brand. Grim also mentioned the ATI Sunpower 6x80 but I can't find a "Sunpower" . I keep finding things like sunblaze and sunfire. I'm sure I'm just being lame but man this is confusing!

 

[rtparty]

Where are you getting it from? You and Grim have mentioned the TEK but when I go to the shopping sites that is not a brand. Grim also mentioned the ATI Sunpower 6x80 but I can't find a "Sunpower" . I keep finding things like sunblaze and sunfire. I'm sure I'm just being lame but man this is confusing!

Go check out Reefgeek for all of those.

 

[gavij012379]

I have a 34 G solana that I am using 20" Current USA Nova extreme pro fixture. This light is great and I see good growth in my corals.
But I am disappointed that it's not blue enough for my taste. Does anyone have any suggestions as how to get more blue in my system. I am thinking about replacing one of the daylight bulbs with 460 nm bulbs ( 2 bad they don't have 420 nm). I should have gone with 24" fixture but hadn't thought about this earlier.
I tried using Icecap LED to add more blue but with the daylight on, it's no good. It is an awesome moonlight though. The colors really pop up at night.

 

[King Nine]

Go check out Reefgeek for all of those.

On my way now. Thanks.

 

[drparker]

Just got my ATI Sun power 6x54. Is it supposed to have vents in one of the end plates like the pics I've seen or is that only the PM? Both of my end plates are solid and the air is venting from the gap between the acrylic cover and the end.

Also I broke a blue plus bulb and all I could find locally was a crappy Coralife actinic. What order should I have the bulbs in front to back? I've got

2 Blue+, 2 AquaBlue, 1 KZ Fiji Purple, 1 Coralife actinic.

 

[Syris1377]

Ok I have decided to get the 6x39 ATI Sunpower to put over my 40b and am looking at the following bulb combo...
Front-
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue +
Fiji Purple
Blue +
ATI Aquablue
UVL Super Actinic

Im looking for the nice 20k look for my tank as I will mainly house zoanthids and a sps here and there... What do you think? I want my corals to pop!

 

[rodcpierce]

king, its actually sunlight supply TEK

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Just got my ATI Sun power 6x54. Is it supposed to have vents in one of the end plates like the pics I've seen or is that only the PM? Both of my end plates are solid and the air is venting from the gap between the acrylic cover and the end.

Also I broke a blue plus bulb and all I could find locally was a crappy Coralife actinic. What order should I have the bulbs in front to back? I've got

2 Blue+, 2 AquaBlue, 1 KZ Fiji Purple, 1 Coralife actinic.

Yes on the venting between the shield and fixture.

Front
ATI Aquablue
Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
Actinic
Aquablue

 

[GrimReefer82]

No, the actinic white is going to give you the reds. If you want to use the KZ lamp put it in place of the Actinic White then use a GE 6500K daylight instead of the Aquablue

So something like this?

Front

ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus

or like this?

ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Aquablue Special
GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

 

[King Nine]

king, its actually sunlight supply TEK

Thanks, I feel like a newbie all over again lol. I have another questions that has probably been asked a million times but what about the T5 fixtures on ebay? $500 for this:72'' Aquarium Light T5 HO 6X 80 + bulbs Reef NEW+ bulbs + 8 1w LED, seems like a decent deal on the surface. If I had to guess it is the ballasts that are the problem if there is one seeing as that is what I've found in the past.

 

[rodcpierce]

that fixture is made by workhorse. The ballast is OK but im not to sold on the reflectors. Im assuming that is where you would lose a good amount of output compared to the ATI or TEK units.