The T5 Q&a Thread

[landers96]

thank you

 

[Rockpile]

I currently have a 65g with a 6 bulb TEK fixture and am planning an upgrade to a 150g cube with dimensions 36x36x27. Looking for opinions on the following options:

1. get another 36" 6 bulb TEK fixture for a total of 12 bulbs (this would be cheapest)

2. get a 6 bulb powermodule or sunpower and put it back to back with my TEK fixture with the ultimate plan on getting another one in the future. Can't afford 2 PMs at this point.

3. 10bulb PM. While this might work, I kind of like the idea of having 4 bulbs for dawn/dusk vs. only 2.

new tank will be a mixed reef with a lot of LPS. My main concern is with the additional depth of 27". Thanks.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I currently have a 65g with a 6 bulb TEK fixture and am planning an upgrade to a 150g cube with dimensions 36x36x27. Looking for opinions on the following options:

1. get another 36" 6 bulb TEK fixture for a total of 12 bulbs (this would be cheapest)

2. get a 6 bulb powermodule or sunpower and put it back to back with my TEK fixture with the ultimate plan on getting another one in the future. Can't afford 2 PMs at this point.

3. 10bulb PM. While this might work, I kind of like the idea of having 4 bulbs for dawn/dusk vs. only 2.

new tank will be a mixed reef with a lot of LPS. My main concern is with the additional depth of 27". Thanks.

I wouldn't trust the Tek at 27 inches deep. I think getting a 6 lamp sunpower and a second one later on would be the best idea.

 

[Rockpile]

will do , thanks.

 

[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.

Where is the best place to buy these bulbs online? I found some 80w ATI's but only 54W UVL's, I'd like to buy them all at the same place if poss..
Also if I went to a 6 bulb setup what other two bulbs would you add? and in what spot of the line up, (Looking for a whiteish 12k look)?

(Front Glass)
Blue Plus
Actinic White
Blue Plus
Aquablue
(Back Glass)

Thanks for your time..

 

[bychance]

I'd built a green house and let nature do the job.

Ya know that was discussed.... Or cut a 100 holes in the roof...
Couldn't find a landlord eager to allow that

What I would do is order cheap T5 fixtures and keep them lower over the vats with a way to raise them up quickly to service the vats.

Why a cheap fixture?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Where is the best place to buy these bulbs online? I found some 80w ATI's but only 54W UVL's, I'd like to buy them all at the same place if poss..
Also if I went to a 6 bulb setup what other two bulbs would you add? and in what spot of the line up, (Looking for a whiteish 12k look)?

(Front Glass)
Blue Plus
Actinic White
Blue Plus
Aquablue
(Back Glass)

Thanks for your time..

Oops. Gotta go with the KZ Fiji Purple instead of AW. UVL Doesn't make 60" lamps. Reefgeek has good deals.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Ya know that was discussed.... Or cut a 100 holes in the roof...
Couldn't find a landlord eager to allow that



Why a cheap fixture?

Well If you have money to burn send some my way:bounce1:

You aren't going to get enough of a gain doing better fixtures to allow you to hang them more than maybe 15" above the tank anyway. Using the industrial style fixtures with good reflectors make more sense than paying for a nice skin and multiple switching etc..

I guess the ultimate would be to make your own using retrofit kits if you can get a deal. Depending on what you are growing I would say it will take 6 rows of 2 48" lamps to cover an 8x2 vat. As odd as it sounds I would use Aquactinics reflectors. Although they are smaller they tend to spread the light better than the wider reflectors, go figure.

Actually you might contact tom at aquactinics. You might be able to buy fixture reflectors and the frames they mount to in a fixture from him. That would make it really easy to build retrofits. Just build a aluminum frame to hang above the vats. Mount the ballasts on cross braces, mount the end frames to the rails, mount in the endcaps and reflectors and you are done.

 

[DetroitCrow]

Oops. Gotta go with the KZ Fiji Purple instead of AW. UVL Doesn't make 60" lamps. Reefgeek has good deals.

lol ok now I'm confused... :hmm4:

I'll just stick with your first post on bulbs and the order of them..:spin3:
Should I try and get 80w's or just use the 54W bulbs? (Icecap 660)

 

[Rhodes19]

It depends how long a lamp you want to use. All the good T5 lamps are T5 HO so the only T5 that ballast would run is the 24" 24 watt lamp or the Normal Output T5's which would limit you to coralife brand lamps as far as I can think of right now. As far as overdriving you just use an Ice Cap ballast to run the lamps and use fans for cooling and it doesn't effect lamp life a whole lot.

Thanks Grim!!

 

[wteran]

hello grim,
Would a 48" 8x54W Tek be to much for my 48x18x20 with softies and some LPS?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

lol ok now I'm confused... :hmm4:

I'll just stick with your first post on bulbs and the order of them..:spin3:
Should I try and get 80w's or just use the 54W bulbs? (Icecap 660)

Now I am confused. If you are using 54 watt lamps (48" long) go with my original recommendation.

 

[Kinetic]

48" x 22" x 22" SPS tank with clams on the bottom, anemone somewhere in the middle.

I'm thinking of getting a T5 only fixture, have a braceless open top tank. I don't have too many corals towards the edges, and I think I would only need to light the middle 36" of the tank. Reason I want to go 36" fixture is because I am digging the look of a smaller pendant above the tank. Would the spread lengthwise not be ideal? Would just clustering in the SPS towards the center etc. be good enough while I have a few LPS or something towards the edges?

Also for the 22" wide and 22" deep dimensions, how many t5 lamps should I go for?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

hello grim,
Would a 48" 8x54W Tek be to much for my 48x18x20 with softies and some LPS?

No, just use a couple Actinics or heavy actinic mix lamps in the mix to mellow it out a tad. I'd load them in the first couple slots and keep the lower light stuff out front on the sand.

Something like

Front
UVL Super Actinic
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus

The Super Actinic and 75/25 are lower par lamps. You should get a really cool Dusk/dawn effect with those lamps in the 4 outside slots. Overall the look should be 15 to 18K.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

48" x 22" x 22" SPS tank with clams on the bottom, anemone somewhere in the middle.

I'm thinking of getting a T5 only fixture, have a braceless open top tank. I don't have too many corals towards the edges, and I think I would only need to light the middle 36" of the tank. Reason I want to go 36" fixture is because I am digging the look of a smaller pendant above the tank. Would the spread lengthwise not be ideal? Would just clustering in the SPS towards the center etc. be good enough while I have a few LPS or something towards the edges?

Also for the 22" wide and 22" deep dimensions, how many t5 lamps should I go for?

Do a 6 lamp ATI Powermodule unless you have clams out near the front on the sand, then I would go 8. Just make sure the stuff in the last 5 inches or so at each end is low or moderate light critters. Open brains like being out from under T5's so that would be a good choice for the ends

 

[Kinetic]

Do a 6 lamp ATI Powermodule unless you have clams out near the front on the sand, then I would go 8. Just make sure the stuff in the last 5 inches or so at each end is low or moderate light critters. Open brains like being out from under T5's so that would be a good choice for the ends

Thanks for the quick response.

I'll checkout the ATI Powermodule.

I don't have any LPS yet, but this might be a good excuse for more corals on the ends.

 

[Fish_Freek]

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

Grim, do you recall the par for the ulv 75/25 bulb? I'm thinking of trying that bulb or the actinic white in the setup.

thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, do you recall the par for the ulv 75/25 bulb? I'm thinking of trying that bulb or the actinic white in the setup.

thanks

It was about half way between a Blue Plus and a Actinic as I remember. Actinic White was pretty high PAR.

 

[diablo30xp]

Hey grim i heard u were the man to ask about t5 lighting. Well my question is i have a
55g 48"length 12 1/2"width 20" high. I have a 48" odyssea t5 ho 4x54 with 2 54w odyssea actinic and 2 54w 10k daylight bulbs. I want to go with ati cuz i heard they r very good bulbs. Which ones should i get that is good for sps zoo's lps?

 

[wteran]

Grim, thank you SO much for all your help...