The T5 Q&a Thread

[phenom5]

Hey Grim.

Going to hit you up for yet another combo suggestion.

6x54 setup. I'm looking for something with more of a blue look (20K or a little less) with good PAR. 75g mixed reef with a good amount of SPS.

I'm debating...

ATI Blue+
ATI AquaBlue
ATI Blue+
ATI AquaBlue
ATI Actinic 03
ATI Blue+

or

ATI Blue+
ATI AquaBlue
ATI Blue+
ATI AquaBlue
ATI Blue+
ATI Blue+

or

ATI Blue+
ATI AquaBlue
ATI Blue+
ATI AquaBlue
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue+

I'm not sure if the Actinic 03 is worth it or needed. And I'm not sure if the 4 Blue+ & 2 AquaBlues will be...well too blue, so I was thinking about adding in the KZ. I've never used the KZ so I'm not too familiar with the color/ look.

Thoughts?

Thanks. :thumbsup:

 

[berger9953]

Yeah, I would dump the stock lamps pretty quick, within a few months or so.

Sweet, thanks Grim, Reefing will be so much better now!! ANd not sure how to spell it, but once I change, should I go with Geisaminne or ATI? Sorry if those are wrong.

 

[phenom5]

Did some more digging further back in this thread, and I think I found my answer.

Just ordered

ATI Blue+
ATI AquaBlue
ATI Blue+
ATI AquaBlue
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue+

Which should give me a 20K-ish look. Should be a good starting point.

This thread is a gold mine of info, but it can be information overload.

 

[gts1218]

Grim

I know this is probably already been asked but i did search first believe me.

I have a 72" Aquatic Life T5 HO fixture with 8 bulbs. 4 36" for Dawn/Dusk(actinic) and 4 36" for day. Setup is like this

from front to back

Left Right
d/d d/d
day day
d/d d/d
day day

could you suggest a good bulb config for growth and color, I was looking at ATI,UVL and GE. But would take any suggestion you have. Thanks in advance.

 

[thebanker]

Hey Grim or rtparty - I know Giesemann bulbs aren't the best when compared to ATI or KZ, but if I'm going to be near a shop tonight that sells them, what are the best Giesemanns?

Looking to replace a CurrentUSA 460 and CurrentUSA 10k. I can go more purple or violet. I love the look of the my bulb combo now:

Current 460 (want to replace)
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blue Plus
Current 10k (want to replace)

Should I just forget Giesemann?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim.

Going to hit you up for yet another combo suggestion.

6x54 setup. I'm looking for something with more of a blue look (20K or a little less) with good PAR. 75g mixed reef with a good amount of SPS.

I'm debating...

ATI Blue+
ATI AquaBlue
ATI Blue+
ATI AquaBlue
ATI Actinic 03
ATI Blue+

or

ATI Blue+
ATI AquaBlue
ATI Blue+
ATI AquaBlue
ATI Blue+
ATI Blue+

or

ATI Blue+
ATI AquaBlue
ATI Blue+
ATI AquaBlue
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue+

I'm not sure if the Actinic 03 is worth it or needed. And I'm not sure if the 4 Blue+ & 2 AquaBlues will be...well too blue, so I was thinking about adding in the KZ. I've never used the KZ so I'm not too familiar with the color/ look.

Thoughts?

Thanks. :thumbsup:

Try 4 Blue Plus, 1 KZ Fiji Purple and a ATI Aquablue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

sweet, thanks grim, reefing will be so much better now!! And not sure how to spell it, but once i change, should i go with geisaminne or ati? Sorry if those are wrong.

ati

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim

I know this is probably already been asked but i did search first believe me.

I have a 72" Aquatic Life T5 HO fixture with 8 bulbs. 4 36" for Dawn/Dusk(actinic) and 4 36" for day. Setup is like this

from front to back

Left Right
d/d d/d
day day
d/d d/d
day day

could you suggest a good bulb config for growth and color, I was looking at ATI,UVL and GE. But would take any suggestion you have. Thanks in advance.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue

 

[philtheso]

Hi, I bought a 36" t5 retrofit kit to supplement my MHs but they dont quite fit inside my corner canopy. I was wondering if the ballasts, endcaps, etc will all work on a 24" inch bulb if I just buy shorter reflectors. Thanks in advance!

 

[gts1218]

Thank you very much for the quick response.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi, I bought a 36" t5 retrofit kit to supplement my MHs but they dont quite fit inside my corner canopy. I was wondering if the ballasts, endcaps, etc will all work on a 24" inch bulb if I just buy shorter reflectors. Thanks in advance!

Yep, ballasts for 24 and 39 watt lamps are the same.

 

[gts1218]

Front
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue

Grim

Thanks, just a quick question, I see ati aquablue "Special" I. Suppose that's the same as aquablue? Thanks just making sure.

 

[gasbatalla]

How do you guys clean the reflectors? With what?

 

[philtheso]

Thanks! You just saved me a load of money

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim

Thanks, just a quick question, I see ati aquablue "Special" I. Suppose that's the same as aquablue? Thanks just making sure.

yep

 

[The Grim Reefer]

How do you guys clean the reflectors? With what?

Water, maybe vinegar if they are real nasty

 

[trilinearmipmap]

OK I am upgrading the lighting on my 120 gallon tank as it transitions from a mixed reef with easy SPS to an all-SPS reef. I have had an 8-bulb T5 Tek-light ever since I started the tank 5 or 6 years ago, it has done its job and now I need more light output.

I was 50/50 between getting an 8 bulb 48" Powermodule, or going with an Aquaillumination LED setup for over twice the price. Then someone fairly local advertised a 10-bulb 48" Powermodule, used for less than a year, for about half the price of a new fixture.

My question is, is this 10-bulb fixture overkill for my tank? I'd like to keep SPS from top to bottom, but I don't want to bleach out the SPS and I'm afraid the 10-bulb Powermodule would be too much light. The tank dimensions are 48" x 24" x 24". I would prefer an 8-bulb Powermodule but it is hard to pass up such a good deal when it comes along.

 

[TonyV]

Grim - any thoughts or comments on the Hamilton Fiji Sun fixtures? Looking for a new 24" fixture to replace my AquaticLife T5/HO and had it nailed down to either a ATI Sunpower or a Tek but then this one popped up in my search. Uses WH ballast apparently. Current fixture just isn't cutting it in my mind.

 

[berger9953]

Thank you for all of your awesome help Grim!

 

[rtparty]

Grim - any thoughts or comments on the Hamilton Fiji Sun fixtures? Looking for a new 24" fixture to replace my AquaticLife T5/HO and had it nailed down to either a ATI Sunpower or a Tek but then this one popped up in my search. Uses WH ballast apparently. Current fixture just isn't cutting it in my mind.

I will preface this by saying that I have never seen numbers on the Hamilton.

I wouldn't even hesitate one second to get the Sunpower. I owned one Hamilton fixture and it lasted 3 months on my tank before I had enough. Poorly built, crappy bulb and just overall not a good fixture. It was a clamp on MH fixture for my nano.

I helped a LFS out for a few months and they use a lot of Hamilton stuff. The reflectors suck, to be honest and I wasn't impressed by a single thing I ever saw come from Hamilton. If they really do use WH ballasts, they won't come close to staying up with a Sunpower and with the reflectors I have seen, Tek has them beat by a mile too.

The price may look good but stay with your Aquatic Life if you are planning the Hamilton.