The T5 Q&a Thread

[steve bridgend]

thats not good my brace bars have deseigned around 3 x250watt mh but with t5 im going to lose quite a bit i hope they aint too wide the tank hasnt been built yet

 

[m_wonnacott]

I am looking at going with the tek light 4bulb T5 fixture the tank will be softies deminated withzoas, rics , toadstood and mushrooms. The tank is a 75 gal starfire. What would be the best bulb combo for good growth and color

 

[carnut]

middle wash out

middle wash out

Hi Grim, Attached is a picture as you can see the t5 wash out the halides.
Running xm 20 k on each end. T5 are 4 aquablue + and 4 actinic + all geismann. Any suggestions please. I would like much more blue and more pop. Too white and washed right now.

 

[carnut]

washed out

washed out

double post sorry

 

[The Grim Reefer]

If they are only a few inches wide it aint no thing, the light from the sides will bleed over so you don't lose much.,

 

[steve bridgend]

ok cheers il tell the guy to make them as narrow as poss

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I am looking at going with the tek light 4bulb T5 fixture the tank will be softies deminated withzoas, rics , toadstood and mushrooms. The tank is a 75 gal starfire. What would be the best bulb combo for good growth and color

I would try 3 ATI Blue Plus and a UVL Actinic White. Kinda a more 20K look but should make all those corals glow

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim, Attached is a picture as you can see the t5 wash out the halides.
Running xm 20 k on each end. T5 are 4 aquablue + and 4 actinic + all geismann. Any suggestions please. I would like much more blue and more pop. Too white and washed right now.

Pull out a couple Aquablue, add another actinic plus and a UVL 75/25. Get an extra Actinic Plus, you might only want 1 Aquablue in there.

 

[m_wonnacott]

uv, giesemann, powerchrome, coralife, current, aquaticlife, uri, aqua science, korallen-zucht seems to be the choices for bulks from the dealers in canada not sure where I can get the ati

 

[christ102]

Grim,

I just received my 6x39W Sunpower fixture with the following bulbs, 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 Fiji Purple, 1 ATI Aqua Blue. The light intensity of the fixture is amazing and I'm concerned about bleaching my corals (SPS/LPS). Is it okay to run just 2 of the ATI Blue Pluses for 5-6 hours a day for a week, to acclimate the corals to the light intensity? The fixture is 5 inches above the water level.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

uv, giesemann, powerchrome, coralife, current, aquaticlife, uri, aqua science, korallen-zucht seems to be the choices for bulks from the dealers in canada not sure where I can get the ati

The Giesemann Actinic Plus and Aquascience 22000k Blue are abut the same as Blue Plus.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

I just received my 6x39W Sunpower fixture with the following bulbs, 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 Fiji Purple, 1 ATI Aqua Blue. The light intensity of the fixture is amazing and I'm concerned about bleaching my corals (SPS/LPS). Is it okay to run just 2 of the ATI Blue Pluses for 5-6 hours a day for a week, to acclimate the corals to the light intensity? The fixture is 5 inches above the water level.

Id run the 2 lamps more like 10 hours a day and start the other 4 in at an hour a day or so and add an house every few days to allow them to acclimate.

 

[Ynotme4886]

Hey Grim....thanks for all the good info on the t-5 lighting.

Wish this thread had a search feature....would end up with less work that way.

Have you tried out the Icecap bulbs yet. I havent seen anything here but this thread has been split so much it can make you dizzy trying to go through it all.

Here is my current config over my 70 gal oceanic with pics.

back to front
Icecap actinic 420nm
Icecap twilight blue 460nm
ATI blue plus
Icecap reefcrest 10k
Icecap midwater 12k
ATI blue plus
Icecap deepwater 14k
Icecap twilight blue 460nm

The fixture is 4 two bulb sunlight retrofits with individual reflectors.

Actinics....front 2 and rear two bulbs.

All 8 bulbs lit.

Once I program the controller then I will be able to light each pair of bulbs in any sequence I desire and get rid of the coralife timer that I hate so much.

So what do you think. Yeah or Nay and what would you change and why.

Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim....thanks for all the good info on the t-5 lighting.

Wish this thread had a search feature....would end up with less work that way.

Have you tried out the Icecap bulbs yet. I havent seen anything here but this thread has been split so much it can make you dizzy trying to go through it all.

Here is my current config over my 70 gal oceanic with pics.

back to front
Icecap actinic 420nm
Icecap twilight blue 460nm
ATI blue plus
Icecap reefcrest 10k
Icecap midwater 12k
ATI blue plus
Icecap deepwater 14k
Icecap twilight blue 460nm

The fixture is 4 two bulb sunlight retrofits with individual reflectors.

Actinics....front 2 and rear two bulbs.

All 8 bulbs lit.

Once I program the controller then I will be able to light each pair of bulbs in any sequence I desire and get rid of the coralife timer that I hate so much.

So what do you think. Yeah or Nay and what would you change and why.

Thanks

Looks good to me, The Ice Cap lamps are just a beefed up version of the UVL Lamps.

 

[Ynotme4886]

Great thanks.

I live 15 mins from Icecap and love using their stuff. Great people to deal with.

Its nice to be able to support the locals

 

[JTL]

I am going to build a light system for my 44x24x23 tank that I recently constructed. Due to some unusual physical constraints I can only put 48" lamps on the outer sides, the center area is only 45". This tank is open on both sides so there is technically no "back". I am thinking either 48,48,36,36,48,48 or if necessary 48,48,36,36,36,48,48. My questions are:

1. 6 lamps or 7 lamps and what combination?
2. Is it really necessary to OD the lamps and spend the extra $ for the IC ballasts (I am using Workhouse ones on my current set up).
3. What do I need to do or purchase in order to have the light come on in some type of sequence? What I did on my current tank is put each ballast on a separate switch so it is not automatic. I get the impression there is a way to put the individual lamps on a timer instead of the ballasts. Controller?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
John

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I am going to build a light system for my 44x24x23 tank that I recently constructed. Due to some unusual physical constraints I can only put 48" lamps on the outer sides, the center area is only 45". This tank is open on both sides so there is technically no "back". I am thinking either 48,48,36,36,48,48 or if necessary 48,48,36,36,36,48,48. My questions are:

1. 6 lamps or 7 lamps and what combination?
2. Is it really necessary to OD the lamps and spend the extra $ for the IC ballasts (I am using Workhouse ones on my current set up).
3. What do I need to do or purchase in order to have the light come on in some type of sequence? What I did on my current tank is put each ballast on a separate switch so it is not automatic. I get the impression there is a way to put the individual lamps on a timer instead of the ballasts. Controller?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
John

I would do 7 lamps.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple or UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
Fiji or 75/25
Blue Plus.

You don't have to overdrive the lamps. You can get a reefkeeper or some other controller to run the lights.

 

[GilRoman74]

Hi Grim,

My first post. I'm switching over from a Current 2x65w PC to a 6x54w Tek 5. I'm new to all of this and page after page of combos can be a bit overwhelming.

For a beginner such as myself what would be a great setup for color and growth. I do like the blue color. ATI and UVL are good for me. I'm not thinking of SPS or clams as of yet. But would like to keep that option open.

This is all in a standard 75gal FOWLR...moving over to soft and lps corals.

What would be a good combo?

Thanks for your time.

 

[birddog486]

I'm thinking about switching from MH to the ATI power mod. but i'm not sure if I should go with the 8 or 10x80w 60"

if the 8x80w is enough what would be a good bulb combo. I like the look of my 14k iwasaki's but it could be just a touch more blue.

This is going to light a 180 with sps eventually.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim,

My first post. I'm switching over from a Current 2x65w PC to a 6x54w Tek 5. I'm new to all of this and page after page of combos can be a bit overwhelming.

For a beginner such as myself what would be a great setup for color and growth. I do like the blue color. ATI and UVL are good for me. I'm not thinking of SPS or clams as of yet. But would like to keep that option open.

This is all in a standard 75gal FOWLR...moving over to soft and lps corals.

What would be a good combo?

Thanks for your time.

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


Look good and give you good growth.