The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a 6 bulb individual reflector setup on a 120G mixed reef and I am getting ready to change bulbs and deciding if I should replace the whole setup.

Q1. Are the ATI or other self contained fixtures better than a canopy with individual reflector retrofit kits as far as PAR?

Q2. My bulbs are 7-8" off the water, sounds like they should be lowered to 4-5"?

For a retro the height is about right. With an ATI fixture you could bring in down which will give a nice boost in par plus the better cooling in the fixture will produce more light anyway so it will be a pretty good boost going with even a Sunpower.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Not saying ATI fixtures dont adequately light an aquarium, but to say they are better than any other well designed fixture or retro is an opinion at best. Some state they have superior reflectors? How are you determining this? (Specular Reflectivity,Diffuse Reflection or Total Reflection Index) Where are these values documented on ATI fixture's that shows they outperform all others?
Short of said documentation; please just state you like your ATI fixture and leave it at that.

PAR meter at the sandbed of a actual aquarium says they produce the most light. I've tested them against Aquactinics, Tek, Nova Pro, Sfigiloi and Fauna Marin. Not sure what else you are looking for. Sfigiloi look nice but the 6x54 I tested while having a nice case was poorly designed and put out less light than a Tek. High end units from them might be nice but for the price I'd want to see PAR numbers before dropping the coin on one. There are several threads scattered around RC with PAR numbers from ATI fixtures in actual tanks.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

You quote my post stating I make no argument regarding to PAR output and then ask if PAR is factual enough for me?
I guess my point is beyond your comprehension so I'll move on; but to state that no T5 fixture compares to ATI due to their superior reflectors is puzzling. Furthermore, to lead people to believe you must spend hard earned money($500 to $1250) on an ATI fixture in order to achieve PAR values equal to ATI is incorrect.


Enough said.

If you have the skills to build a cooling system for a retro and can come up with a reflector as good as the ATI there is no reason why you couldn't. I've yet to test a fixture that will match them but as I said before, never tested one of the newer Sfigilois. I know they previously used fans blowing in the end for cooling and that just doesn't work as well. Perhaps they have changed that?

 

[Pro X]

Finally someone that understands my question regarding reflectors. I'm currently working on roll form tooling to form reflectors out of various Anolux materials. Some materials dont allow use of roll forming methods but preliminary braking and stamping issues appear to inhibit their use.

If you have the skills to build a cooling system for a retro and can come up with a reflector as good as the ATI there is no reason why you couldn't. I've yet to test a fixture that will match them but as I said before, never tested one of the newer Sfigilois. I know they previously used fans blowing in the end for cooling and that just doesn't work as well. Perhaps they have changed that?

 

[Pro X]

Preliminary tests show thermal variance over the length of bulbs exceeding 15 9/16" (UVL 18" T5) to be prohibitive when pushing air from end regardless of reflector standoff.

I know they previously used fans blowing in the end for cooling and that just doesn't work as well. Perhaps they have changed that?

 

[dfixallman]

Its time to change bulbs in my 90gal. It has 4 T5's and 3 VHO's. Where can I get a good deal? Bulb color sugestions? Currently =

1st - 54w Acinic + Giasemann.
2nd - 54w Aqua Blue +
3rd - 54w Aqua blue +
4th - Super Acinic VHO
5th - Acinic White VHO
6th - Super Acinic VHO
7th - 54W Acinic +

What comination would get the most coral growth ? and Bluer? Brand?

Thanks for all your help
Dennis

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Preliminary tests show thermal variance over the length of bulbs exceeding 15 9/16" (UVL 18" T5) to be prohibitive when pushing air from end regardless of reflector standoff.

With shorter lamps I suspect the cooling is even more critical. Even a slight amount of air passing over the middle part of the longer lamps kills the output. having the air isolated at the ends is hard to do on a retro.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

I found this thread very helpful in figuring out my T5HO lighting a few months ago. Now designing a DIY LED fixture for a 120 (2x2x4) is there a similar thread to this one for LED lighting?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Its time to change bulbs in my 90gal. It has 4 T5's and 3 VHO's. Where can I get a good deal? Bulb color sugestions? Currently =

1st - 54w Acinic + Giasemann.
2nd - 54w Aqua Blue +
3rd - 54w Aqua blue +
4th - Super Acinic VHO
5th - Acinic White VHO
6th - Super Acinic VHO
7th - 54W Acinic +

What comination would get the most coral growth ? and Bluer? Brand?

Thanks for all your help
Dennis

1st - ATI Blue Plus
2nd -ATI Blue Plus
3rd - GE 600K Daylight
4th - Super Acinic VHO
5th - Acinic White VHO
6th - Super Acinic VHO
7th - ATI Blue Plus

If you can't get ATI Lamps use Gmann Actinic Plus in place of Blue Plus and Midday in place of the GE if you can't get that.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I found this thread very helpful in figuring out my T5HO lighting a few months ago. Now designing a DIY LED fixture for a 120 (2x2x4) is there a similar thread to this one for LED lighting?

Check out the DIY section, DIY LED's the write up is a good thread.

 

[HighlandReef]

Hi all, wanted to ask what would it take to run t5 over a aga 210, the tank is 72x24x29" tall
Is the tank too deep for t5's?
How many t5's would you need on each side of the tank if say I went with 36" t5 bulbs?
6,7,8 bulbs across the top per side?
Thanks in advance!

Forgot... Sps on top and lps on bottom half

 

[AugustWest]

Ok. 30"x30"x18"H Cube. SPS mid to high in tank and LPS on bottom. 6x24W or 8x24 W Sunpower? Bulbs for best color. I like it a litttle on the blue side.

Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi all, wanted to ask what would it take to run t5 over a aga 210, the tank is 72x24x29" tall
Is the tank too deep for t5's?
How many t5's would you need on each side of the tank if say I went with 36" t5 bulbs?
6,7,8 bulbs across the top per side?
Thanks in advance!

Forgot... Sps on top and lps on bottom half

You could do it with 8 80 watt lamps which are 30" long or 8 rows of 2x39 watt lamps. Just depends whether or not you are willing to leave the last 8 inches or so on either end for low light critters.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Ok. 30"x30"x18"H Cube. SPS mid to high in tank and LPS on bottom. 6x24W or 8x24 W Sunpower? Bulbs for best color. I like it a litttle on the blue side.

Thanks

8x24

For lamps get 6 ATI Blue Plus, 2 ATI Purple Plus and 1 GE 6500K Daylight as a spare and to play. The Blue Pluses and purple Pluses will give a 20K look but the purple will bring some warmth into the look. Adding in the GE will bring it back toward 14K.

 

[AugustWest]

8x24

For lamps get 6 ATI Blue Plus, 2 ATI Purple Plus and 1 GE 6500K Daylight as a spare and to play. The Blue Pluses and purple Pluses will give a 20K look but the purple will bring some warmth into the look. Adding in the GE will bring it back toward 14K.

I actually had just placed my order before I got your recommendation. I went with the Sunpower 8x24

5 ATI Blue Plus
1 Purple Plus
1 GE 6500K
1 UVL Actinic White

Pretty close to what you said just not quite as blue?

Thanks for the Help !

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I actually had just placed my order before I got your recommendation. I went with the Sunpower 8x24

5 ATI Blue Plus
1 Purple Plus
1 GE 6500K
1 UVL Actinic White

Pretty close to what you said just not quite as blue?

Thanks for the Help !

Yeah, if you don't like it pull the GE for another blue.

 

[mike810]

Hey guys, I have an 18" high tank. Lit by a ATI PM 8x39. bulb combo from front to back:

blue+
blue+
blue+
Blue special
fiji purple
blue+
blue+
blue+

I love how my tank looks when its just the 2 blue+ on for dawn/dusk. When all the bulbs are on, it still looks nice to me. But I have noticed that all my z&p, acans, montis and and my war coral looks really pale.

My war coral is sitting on this rock, the top of the war coral looks really pale but when I turned it around and looked at the otherside of the rock I couldn't see before. The color on the war coral was a nice deep red. Which leads me to believe I have wayyyy too much light causing my corals to look pale..

My bulbs are 10 months old and needs to be replaced. What bulb combos can you guys recommend that will reduce the intensity of the light but give me a blue color and maybe even some more pop to the colors. I think I can do with maybe 4-5 blue+ this time and the rest for color pop. Maybe even 4 blue+ and a daylight bulb for growth?

TIA

 

[JARJOZ]

You'll need 3 ballasts that will drive one lamp and 3 two lamp ballasts to pull this off

Front
Blue Plus ballast 5
GE 6500K Daylight ballast 1
Purple Plus ballast 5
Blue Plus Ballast 4
GE 6500K Daylight Ballast 2
Blue Plus ballast 4
Blue Plus ballast 6
Purple Plus ballast 3
Blue Plus ballast 6

10am ballast 4 on (blue
11am ballast 5 on (Blue with a slight purple tint
11:30am ballast 6 on (brighter blue
12pm ballast 1 on (Whiter
1pm ballast 2 on (more white
2pm ballast 3 on (slightly more white
5pm ballast 1 off (less white
6pm ballast 2 off (blue with more purple in it
7PM ballast 5 off (less purple
8pm ballast 3 off (nuthin but blue
9pm ballast 4 off
10pm ballast 6 off

You can tweak with the times but the order should give you some cool looks.

Many Thanks !!!!!!! for your help.

 

[NyReefNoob]

Hey guys, I have an 18" high tank. Lit by a ATI PM 8x39. bulb combo from front to back:

blue+
blue+
blue+
Blue special
fiji purple
blue+
blue+
blue+

i have the same fixture amd run
blue +
blue special
kz fiji purple
blue +
blue special
blue +
blue special
blue +
i get around a 14-16k look, didnt want to blue of a look my sps love it and my clam is on the sand on a 22" tall tank with light 6" off the water

 

[dfixallman]

Thats what Ill Get

Thats what Ill Get

1st - ATI Blue Plus
2nd -ATI Blue Plus
3rd - GE 600K Daylight
4th - Super Acinic VHO
5th - Acinic White VHO
6th - Super Acinic VHO
7th - ATI Blue Plus

If you can't get ATI Lamps use Gmann Actinic Plus in place of Blue Plus and Midday in place of the GE if you can't get that.

Thank you so Much ! Dennis