The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

i read your postings, and selected my bulbs from your recommendations for my new t-5 lighting system and bought my new bulbs from reefgeek.front: blue plus-fiji purple-aqua blue-blue plus. my tank is amazing and popping with colors i haven't seen in a while. my buddy boxer turned me on to you after i commented on his t-5 setup that you picked out for him. i told the people at reefgeek they should be giving you freebies after all the business you send their way. i also want to ask a question about my 92 gallon i have 2- 250 watt phoenix metal halides and it is blue but doesn't pop at all like my 55 gallon. i can add 2- 24 inch t-5's up the middle. do you think that would make much difference in helping my corals to pop? thanks for any help.

How old are the halides? I don't know how much 2 24 watt lamps are going to do with 2 halides but they would give you a nice dusk dawn so it's worth a shot.

 

[luchie]

the phoenix bulbs are about 4 months old. i might be able to fit 4 t-5 bulbs into the canopy. any advice on configuration?

 

[disaster999]

my next tank is going to be 40x20x30 with water level at around 24". at first i wanted to use 2X250w MH to light the tank, but decided to use T5HO for the lower energy consumption.

i plan on keeping a mixed reef, SPS near top and LPS and softies down bottom. due to the size constraint and whats available locally to me, i can only fit 7 39W T5HO bulbs with icecap reflectors. would that be enough light for my tank?

also what would my bulb config be if im using 7 bulbs?

what im thinking is:

ATI blue +
ATI blue special
ATI blue +
KZ fiji purple
ATI blue +
ATI blue special
ATI blue +

thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

the phoenix bulbs are about 4 months old. i might be able to fit 4 t-5 bulbs into the canopy. any advice on configuration?

If you can do 4 lamps do 3 ATI Blue Plus and a UVL 75/25

 

[The Grim Reefer]

my next tank is going to be 40x20x30 with water level at around 24". at first i wanted to use 2X250w MH to light the tank, but decided to use T5HO for the lower energy consumption.

i plan on keeping a mixed reef, SPS near top and LPS and softies down bottom. due to the size constraint and whats available locally to me, i can only fit 7 39W T5HO bulbs with icecap reflectors. would that be enough light for my tank?

also what would my bulb config be if im using 7 bulbs?

what im thinking is:

ATI blue +
ATI blue special
ATI blue +
KZ fiji purple
ATI blue +
ATI blue special
ATI blue +

thanks

That will be fine. I might think about overdriving the 2 Aquablues and the fiji purple on a Ice Cap 660 ballast just to give you a little extra mojo.

 

[luchie]

great thanks. keep up the awesome job.

 

[disaster999]

That will be fine. I might think about overdriving the 2 Aquablues and the fiji purple on a Ice Cap 660 ballast just to give you a little extra mojo.

thanks grim. i guess ill see if i can get by without overdriving it. i can always replace the ballasts with the 660 later.

 

[peiloy3196]

Hey Grim,
At the moment I have two 250W DE Reeflux 10,000 bulbs over my 125G. I suppliment with 2X54W T5,s and I am using the TRU actinics. I don't have the pop that I want at the moment. I was thinking of adding another 2X54W fixture but I am not sure what color combination to go with. I am keeping SPS, LPS and Zoas. These are what I was thinking:

1) Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
Halide
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus

2) Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
Halide
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus

3) Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
Halide
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

4) Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
Halide
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

Which do you think is the best combination?

Thanks for the help.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim,
At the moment I have two 250W DE Reeflux 10,000 bulbs over my 125G. I suppliment with 2X54W T5,s and I am using the TRU actinics. I don't have the pop that I want at the moment. I was thinking of adding another 2X54W fixture but I am not sure what color combination to go with. I am keeping SPS, LPS and Zoas. These are what I was thinking:

1) Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
Halide
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus

2) Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
Halide
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus

3) Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
Halide
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

4) Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
Halide
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

Which do you think is the best combination?

Thanks for the help.

2 or 4. If you want a more blue look 4, slightly more blue 2.

 

[peiloy3196]

Thanks for the response Grim.
Just a little confused though. Which one is more blue 2 or 4?
Also what are the differences between the acintic white and the 75/25?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks for the response Grim.
Just a little confused though. Which one is more blue 2 or 4?
Also what are the differences between the acintic white and the 75/25?

4 is most blue. The 75/25 is more subtle than the AW. The AW is more pink so if you really like to have pink and purple colors pop, and don't mind a bit of a purple tint to the light use it instead of the 75/25.

 

[peiloy3196]

Thanks for the help Grim!!!!:rollface:

 

[steve bridgend]

hi grim i have a load of questions for you im changing over to a sunpower 6x80watt from 3 250watt halides i already have 2 54watt t5s so could use this for actnic or colour pro will 6 aqua blues in the sunpower have a simmilar intensity to the halides the tank is a 6x2x2 will clams be ok on the bottom i say i want 6 aquablues because i dont want to lose to much intensity also if you run an actnic and a colour pro wont they just counteract each other i may latter add a further 4x80watt sunpower do you think there is any point in this

 

[steve bridgend]

also does the power module kick out more par than the sunpower

 

[Charlie Davidson]

Suggested combo for 8 bulb tek fixture
This will be mounted 16-18" over a sps/acanlord (mixed colors) 12" deep X 48" rimless.
If you think I could ge away with 6 bulb, but would rather do more than too little.

(It has 2-250w radiums over it now) ( old timer looking at confounded new stuff )

 

[Charlie Davidson]

Does Sunlight Sunblaze have descent reflectors?

 

[christ102]

Grim,

Can you recommend the front to back order for the following 6 bulb Sunpower fixture?

4 ATI Blue Plus
1 Fiji Purple
1 ATI Aqua Blue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

hi grim i have a load of questions for you im changing over to a sunpower 6x80watt from 3 250watt halides i already have 2 54watt t5s so could use this for actnic or colour pro will 6 aqua blues in the sunpower have a simmilar intensity to the halides the tank is a 6x2x2 will clams be ok on the bottom i say i want 6 aquablues because i dont want to lose to much intensity also if you run an actnic and a colour pro wont they just counteract each other i may latter add a further 4x80watt sunpower do you think there is any point in this

The Blue Plus and Aquablue are very close in output. I would run 2 Blue Plus with a Fiji Purple which is also pretty decent on PAR with 3 Aqua Blues. Then add a couple other blue plus in the 54 watt unit. Clams will be fine as long as the light it directly above them. If you push the fixture to the rear and the clams are up front they wont get much light.

The Power Module does kick out a little more PAR BUT, If you could afford it get a 6 lamp and 4 lamp Sunpower instead of just a 6 lamp Powermodule. Having the wider area of light will do you more good with clams than having a thinner area of higher intensity.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Suggested combo for 8 bulb tek fixture
This will be mounted 16-18" over a sps/acanlord (mixed colors) 12" deep X 48" rimless.
If you think I could ge away with 6 bulb, but would rather do more than too little.

(It has 2-250w radiums over it now) ( old timer looking at confounded new stuff )

Stick with the Tek. 4 will work if its a 12" deep tank front to back. 48x12x16~18 tall?

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

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

Can you recommend the front to back order for the following 6 bulb Sunpower fixture?

4 ATI Blue Plus
1 Fiji Purple
1 ATI Aqua Blue

Front
Blue Plus
Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
Aquablue
Blue Plus
Blue Plus