The T5 Q&a Thread

[pmoneyt]

Grim thanks for all your help, but i am back with another question. i have 2 sunpower 6x39W that I will be using on my 36x36x24 cube. I am going mostly SPS in this tank with a few Acans. Bulbs 2 and 5 are dust/dawn, right now I have these bulbs

5 ATI Blue+
2 GE 6500K
2 UVL 75/25
1 Actinic White

What am I missing to complete the 12 bulb combo?
What should be in the dust/dawn position?
What should be the front to back order?

I am looking for a nice blue look but will get me good results.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,
Quick and easy question. Icecap 4 bulb t-5 retro kit (660) or nova extreme pro 6x54w with SLR?

found a good deal on a T5 retro kit which I will end up adding another 660 with at least 2 more reflectors and bulbs. May be a month before that happens though.

Which would you go for?

Is this a trick question?:lolspin::eek1::lolspin:

Depends on the tank really but you are talking the difference in performance between a Civic and a Corvette here. If you want SPS and clams and the tank is over 18" tall go with the IC retro.

 

[crigsby]

On the 36" tank The T5's would probably be better. The halides only give you good intensity for 2 feet at best.

Thanks Grim!

If I go with retro in my canopy would you go with the SLR or tek retro kit? Will 6x39w be enough to keep sps near the bottom?

Thanks again

 

[The Grim Reefer]

i need to replace the light system for my 55 gal, i want to make sure that i get a good light if you could help me out i would appreciate it. it is about 1 foot wide, 2 deep and 4 long. i am thinking that i want a 4x64w T5 HO. i just want to insure that i have can have the same variety of corals as a halide.

4 lamp ATI powermodule, 4 foot 54 watt lamps version. You could keep anything in that tank with that light.

 

[gatoreefer]

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

This would look nice and be near perfect as far as looks from one side to the other. You could use the UVL 75/25 instead of the Fiji Purples to save some money. I don't think it would make a hill of beans of difference except in PAR but if you stick to mostly LPS and softies you are fine anyway,

Grim- Thanks for the quick reply. I had wanted to try Fiji purples based on what people had said anyway, so that works well. Would that setup provide enough Par for some SPS at the top eventually in my 55 gallon?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim thanks for all your help, but i am back with another question. i have 2 sunpower 6x39W that I will be using on my 36x36x24 cube. I am going mostly SPS in this tank with a few Acans. Bulbs 2 and 5 are dust/dawn, right now I have these bulbs

5 ATI Blue+
2 GE 6500K
2 UVL 75/25
1 Actinic White

What am I missing to complete the 12 bulb combo?
What should be in the dust/dawn position?
What should be the front to back order?

I am looking for a nice blue look but will get me good results.

Front
Blue Plus
75/25
Blue Plus
GE 6500K
Blue Plus
Actinic White
ATI Aquablue -- additional lamp
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
Blue Plus -- additional lamp

If you don't like the 75/25 in the dusk/dawn just swap them with the blue plus next to them.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks Grim!

If I go with retro in my canopy would you go with the SLR or tek retro kit? Will 6x39w be enough to keep sps near the bottom?

Thanks again

6x36 would be fine. Ice Cap is better because of the size of the reflectors, the Teks are too wide.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim- Thanks for the quick reply. I had wanted to try Fiji purples based on what people had said anyway, so that works well. Would that setup provide enough Par for some SPS at the top eventually in my 55 gallon?

Anywhere in the upper half of the tank should support SPS.

 

[pmoneyt]

Front
Blue Plus
75/25
Blue Plus
GE 6500K
Blue Plus
Actinic White
ATI Aquablue -- additional lamp
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
Blue Plus -- additional lamp

If you don't like the 75/25 in the dusk/dawn just swap them with the blue plus next to them.

sweet thank for all your help Grim

 

[the_blue_tuna_2]

Bulb recommendations

Bulb recommendations

Grim , I have a 36X18X24 with a 6 bulb nova fixture . It has stock bulbs in it and its time to change them . What would you recommend i put in as replacements? I have some polyps and LPS . Thanks for your help.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim , I have a 36X18X24 with a 6 bulb nova fixture . It has stock bulbs in it and its time to change them . What would you recommend i put in as replacements? I have some polyps and LPS . Thanks for your help.

4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 UVL Actinic White, 1 GE 6500K Daylight.

 

[crigsby]

6x36 would be fine. Ice Cap is better because of the size of the reflectors, the Teks are too wide.

Grim thanks again for all your help! I promise this is the last question then I am ordering my lights.

Do you thinks it's necissary to overdrive the t5's in order to keep sps and clams in my 24" tanks with lights about 5" above water surface?

What 6 bulb combination do you recommend for good growth while still having great color?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim thanks again for all your help! I promise this is the last question then I am ordering my lights.

Do you thinks it's necissary to overdrive the t5's in order to keep sps and clams in my 24" tanks with lights about 5" above water surface?

What 6 bulb combination do you recommend for good growth while still having great color?

I would overdrive at least 4 lamps for the clam.

Front
ATI Blue Plus (Standard ballast)
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus (Standard ballast)

 

[drifty]

Hi, I have a 6 bulb t5 retro kit. What is the best way to cool the lamps. Is it along the length of the bulbs or just over the endcaps? Thanks

 

[fishog]

Humm need help from grim

Humm need help from grim

After reading this thread and many others I'm still confused . I have a mixed reef in a 90G for the last year I have had good luck but not great growth or color from runing 3 uvl super actinics and 3 uvl actinic whites . So I took the plunge and bought a Ice cap 660 ballast and some new bulbs . They did make the colors pop (I'm impressed ) but might be a little to much of a purple cast for me . I installed the bulbs in this order . I would like to hear your recomendation please . Thanks in advance for the advise .

Front of tank
1 ATI Aqua Blue special
2 ATI blue plus
3 Fiji purple
4 UVL super actinic
5 Fiji purple
6 ATI blue plus
bulbs 2 and 6 are not on the 660 and overdriven . And used as dusk and dawn bulbs (love the colors) is there any way to over drive just two 48" bulbs ? Thanks for the help !

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi, I have a 6 bulb t5 retro kit. What is the best way to cool the lamps. Is it along the length of the bulbs or just over the endcaps? Thanks

At the end caps.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

After reading this thread and many others I'm still confused . I have a mixed reef in a 90G for the last year I have had good luck but not great growth or color from runing 3 uvl super actinics and 3 uvl actinic whites . So I took the plunge and bought a Ice cap 660 ballast and some new bulbs . They did make the colors pop (I'm impressed ) but might be a little to much of a purple cast for me . I installed the bulbs in this order . I would like to hear your recomendation please . Thanks in advance for the advise .

Front of tank
1 ATI Aqua Blue special
2 ATI blue plus
3 Fiji purple
4 UVL super actinic
5 Fiji purple
6 ATI blue plus
bulbs 2 and 6 are not on the 660 and overdriven . And used as dusk and dawn bulbs (love the colors) is there any way to over drive just two 48" bulbs ? Thanks for the help !

If you have another Blue Plus lamp throw it in where the Actinic is. The extra blue should wash out that tinge of purple.

 

[scunfcu]

UVL 75/25 and Actintic White

UVL 75/25 and Actintic White

I am trying for a 20K look for my sps/LPS tank. Want to use Blue PLus and UVL 75/25 or Actinic White for growth and pop on Tx5 5 bulb combination. Any suggestions?

I have 4 Blue plus and one 75/25 and one Actintic White to play with. Which combo to try?

 

[scunfcu]

Sorry, I also have ATI Aquablue in the mix of the blue plus, 75/25 and actintic white to work with.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I am trying for a 20K look for my sps/LPS tank. Want to use Blue PLus and UVL 75/25 or Actinic White for growth and pop on Tx5 5 bulb combination. Any suggestions?

I have 4 Blue plus and one 75/25 and one Actintic White to play with. Which combo to try?

Try em all and see what you like, the Blue Pluses have the most PAR so you can use all those if that is what floats your boat, the 75/25 is the only lower PAR lamp you have so you can't come up with a mix that won't give you enough.