The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grimm

Doing a lot of reading from this thread, lots of info to go through.
Here is what I'm doing...

I've purchased a 8 x 54 tek lamp. I've swaped out the ballasts for dimable ones. I drive these with an ALC module on a reefkeeper elite. Inside my hood stays cool as I have an a/c duct inside of it.
I'm looking for a lamp combination that will make my colors pop. I'm more about the color as opposed to growth. IMO growth will happen over time anyway.
Can you suggest lamps and an order to place them.

Also if you have any suggestions on diming those would be welcome too.


Keep up the awsome work

D

Can't tell you about dimming. Never saw much of a use for it with multiple channels on the ballast.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

Get a ATI Aquablue as a spare and in case you think 2 Actinic White's make the tank look purple.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

40 gallon breeder
nova extreme pro with icecap reflectors 4 bulbs not overdriven
2 blue+ 1 midday 1 aqublue special
480 1 inch below water
acro 360
frogspawn 310
purple milli 360
red milli kinda lightened 220
galaxia far right 165
clam 200
on sand bed 180
bulbs are 6 inches off water

Dunno, I mean you have what I THINK is perfect par for a mixed reef tank. Don't know how much more you got with the Mod.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, first thank you for being so willing to share your knowledge!

I recently obtained a T5 light fixture for my 75 standard. It is an 8x48 bulb, four front, four back, separated by a strip of dimmable LED moon lights down the center. I have two switches, one turns on the 3rd and 6th bulbs, the other turns on the remaining.

I have no idea what kind of bulbs are currently in it, but I figure they all need replaced at this point.

Currently I have a LOT of liverock, 3 bubbletip anemones, some mushrooms and some coral I'm not sure what it is (on piece broke when I got the rock) I'll attach a pic of the mystery coral and shrooms. Eventually I will have some mandarins, clowns and a few others. I do not have any idea what kind of corals I will wind up with in the future, so I want to keep my options open for all.

Do you have any recommendations for the best lighting arrangements for my fixture? Thank you

ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus

Those actinic white lamps should bring out the anemone colors sweet.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I'm getting the 6x80w 60" ATI SP and from reading have decided this may be the best combo:

Blue+
Blue+
AquaBlue Special
ProColor
Blue+
Blue+

I'm looking for something 14k+ that has a broad range of color pop. Anything you'd change in my lineup? Thanks!
Since I'm buying the ATI unit w/bulbs and all are 80w, I don't think I can get a UVL Actinic White. If I could, I might swap the ProColor for the Actinic White. Doesn't look like Reefgeek carries them. Would you choose the procolor over say, a KZ Fiji?

I really don't know if you would see much difference between the Pro Color and the Fiji. Either will be fine.

 

[Neoz]

Hello Grim,

I'll be purchasing a 48" ATI Powermodule with 8 bulbs for my 90 gallon tank. Its going to be a mixed Reef and 2 clams on the sand bed. Could you suggest a bulb combination for me that is just a hair on the bluer side but still has growth and pop. Thanks...

 

[beertech]

Hey Grim,
I would like your suggestions for my 6', 24" deep in wall tank. (Mixed reef, clam and Elegance on sand, SPS near top, softies all over).
I am re-doing my diy lighting set up. Currently I have spots for: 4 x 80watt t-5's and 2 x 110 watt T-12 VHO's. The bulbs I have on hand are:
T5HO: 1x Giesemann Aquablue, 1 Giesemann Actinic +.
2 spots empty, thinking of getting 1 Giesemann midday, and 1 UVL Super Actinic.

T-12 VHO: I have 2 x UVL Actinic blue and 2 x UVL Actinic white to choose from. (Both VHO's are on one ballast)

I hope this isn't too confusing, any bulb recommendations and placement suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking for nice color pop, but want to make sure I am supplying proper spectrum for adequate growth and overall health too.
Thanks,

Gord

 

[AnayaReef]

ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus

Those actinic white lamps should bring out the anemone colors sweet.

What watt should I get or does that depend on my ballasts??

Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!!
:bounce1::bounce2::bounce3::bounce1::bounce2::bounce3::bounce1::bounce2::bounce3::bounce1:

 

[The_Crabman]

Can't tell you about dimming. Never saw much of a use for it with multiple channels on the ballast.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

Get a ATI Aquablue as a spare and in case you think 2 Actinic White's make the tank look purple.

Thanks Grim

Just one more thing, My tank is a penisula style, viewable on three sides. Does this combo still hold true or would you change it?


Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hello Grim,

I'll be purchasing a 48" ATI Powermodule with 8 bulbs for my 90 gallon tank. Its going to be a mixed Reef and 2 clams on the sand bed. Could you suggest a bulb combination for me that is just a hair on the bluer side but still has growth and pop. Thanks...

Front
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue

You put 8 lamp powemodule over that tank you'll melt anything but SPS and clams. all should be fine with 6

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim,
I would like your suggestions for my 6', 24" deep in wall tank. (Mixed reef, clam and Elegance on sand, SPS near top, softies all over).
I am re-doing my diy lighting set up. Currently I have spots for: 4 x 80watt t-5's and 2 x 110 watt T-12 VHO's. The bulbs I have on hand are:
T5HO: 1x Giesemann Aquablue, 1 Giesemann Actinic +.
2 spots empty, thinking of getting 1 Giesemann midday, and 1 UVL Super Actinic.

T-12 VHO: I have 2 x UVL Actinic blue and 2 x UVL Actinic white to choose from. (Both VHO's are on one ballast)

I hope this isn't too confusing, any bulb recommendations and placement suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking for nice color pop, but want to make sure I am supplying proper spectrum for adequate growth and overall health too.
Thanks,

Gord

Use the Aquablue and Actinic Plus with a Midday and another Actinic Plus. for the VHO's I'd use the actinic blues. Place the VHO's first and last, others don't rally matter.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

What watt should I get or does that depend on my ballasts??

Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!!
:bounce1::bounce2::bounce3::bounce1::bounce2::bounce3::bounce1::bounce2::bounce3::bounce1:

Wattage is determined by the length of the lamp.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks Grim

Just one more thing, My tank is a penisula style, viewable on three sides. Does this combo still hold true or would you change it?


Thanks

Doesn't matter.

 

[Mark1]

I was hoping that I could get some feed back on my lighting set up for sps mostly Acro. tank. from front to back I have
ati blue plus
blue special
fiji purple
blue plus
blue special
blue plus
GE 6500k
blue plus
uv lighting actinic white
blue plus

I'm looking for a lot of growth and I want to bring out the colors as best as possible. my tank is (L)48"x(H)31x24. At what point(depth) is the light the most inaffective? seems like the acro's in the middle have the best color. right now the color is very bright. not much detectable blue tone.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I was hoping that I could get some feed back on my lighting set up for sps mostly Acro. tank. from front to back I have
ati blue plus
blue special
fiji purple
blue plus
blue special
blue plus
GE 6500k
blue plus
uv lighting actinic white
blue plus

I'm looking for a lot of growth and I want to bring out the colors as best as possible. my tank is (L)48"x(H)31x24. At what point(depth) is the light the most inaffective? seems like the acro's in the middle have the best color. right now the color is very bright. not much detectable blue tone.

You could pull a Aquablue or two for another blue plus if you want more blue.

 

[frofan]

Grim,

I have a 72g Bow front with a 6 bulb Nova Extreme Pro. The tank is SPS dominated. I'm looking for the best growth followed with the best color for my acros. I currently have the following setup and need to replace all of the bulbs. What do you recommend? Would you also change the bulb ordering?

BACK
ATI AquaBlue Special
ATI True Actinic
UV 75/25 14k AquaBlue
ATI Blue Plus
UV 10k AquaSun
ATI Blue Plus
FRONT

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

I have a 72g Bow front with a 6 bulb Nova Extreme Pro. The tank is SPS dominated. I'm looking for the best growth followed with the best color for my acros. I currently have the following setup and need to replace all of the bulbs. What do you recommend? Would you also change the bulb ordering?

BACK
ATI AquaBlue Special
ATI True Actinic
UV 75/25 14k AquaBlue
ATI Blue Plus
UV 10k AquaSun
ATI Blue Plus
FRONT

Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

 

[Poonaka]

Hey Grim,

you suggested this combination to someone else and I think it will work for me:

Front
1 - ATI Blue Plus
2 - UVL Actinic White
3 - ATI Aquablue
4 - ATI Blue Plus

however I'm unsure if that's the bulb order I should use. Right now rows 1 and 3 run from 9am to 5pm. Rows 2 and 4 run from 8 am to 7 pm. Should I change the bulb order? Or change the timers so rows 1 and 3 are the dusk to dawn lights?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Aquablue
Blue Plus
Actinic White
Blue Plus

 

[Poonaka]

Aquablue
Blue Plus
Actinic White
Blue Plus

Thanks Grim!

 

[scott11]

Thanks for the input, I have a few more questions- I am still playing with bulbs I have before purchasing a new set. Right now I have 5 blue+ and 3 aquablue. I like the color, but the corals seem washed out, no really pop. Will your suggestions below be better than what I am running? I guess the question is what atributes does the UVL antinic and the daylight have compared to the aquablue?


Also, what order, and how may hours would you run them. I have never used only t5 before, it has always been a supplement.
Thanks again

5 Blue Plus, 1 Aquablue, UVL Actinic White and 1 GE 6500K Daylight.