The T5 Q&a Thread

[Charley Diesing]

Alrighty I want to go with the Tek 48" 54 watt 6 lamp combo fixture. On my standard 75 gallon aquarium 48Lx18Dx21H

http://www.marinedepot.com/48_inch_...t_Supply_Inc-SL2111-FILTFIT58U-SL2119-vi.html

Anyway I need advice on bulbs. So I like a whiter more natural looking aquarium, I'm not super fond of the blue, or purple tinted. But at the same time I don't want yellow. So what would bulbs would you guys suggest under those circumstances?

Thanks a lot.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Alrighty I want to go with the Tek 48" 54 watt 6 lamp combo fixture. On my standard 75 gallon aquarium 48Lx18Dx21H

http://www.marinedepot.com/48_inch_...t_Supply_Inc-SL2111-FILTFIT58U-SL2119-vi.html

Anyway I need advice on bulbs. So I like a whiter more natural looking aquarium, I'm not super fond of the blue, or purple tinted. But at the same time I don't want yellow. So what would bulbs would you guys suggest under those circumstances?

Thanks a lot.

3 ATI Blue Plus, 2 ATI Aquablue and a GE 6500K Daylight

 

[Dana42078]

Ok, so im upgrading my light fixture from a 4 bulb to a 6 bulb. The light fixture i want is 35.25″ x 15.75″ x 3.5″. My tank is 36 x 12.5 on sides 16.5 middle because it's a bowfront tank. My question here is if i dont have a canopy ready by the time it comes, and its sitting on the legs it comes with. How crappy will that light overlap look? Could i even fix that problem with a canopy. UGH! Any help? PLZ!!

 

[Charley Diesing]

3 ATI Blue Plus, 2 ATI Aquablue and a GE 6500K Daylight

So this will give me the realistic clear natural look I want so badly?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Ok, so im upgrading my light fixture from a 4 bulb to a 6 bulb. The light fixture i want is 35.25″ x 15.75″ x 3.5″. My tank is 36 x 12.5 on sides 16.5 middle because it's a bowfront tank. My question here is if i dont have a canopy ready by the time it comes, and its sitting on the legs it comes with. How crappy will that light overlap look? Could i even fix that problem with a canopy. UGH! Any help? PLZ!!

I'd just go with a 4 lamp ATI fixture. It will give you as much PAR and you wont have the space issues.

 

[n0rk]

Anybody know much about shipping T5 tubes from one country to another? Like, say... the United States to Australia...? I'm trying to figure out a way to import KZ tubes that isn't going to cost me >$100 per tube, so far from the US seems to be the most practicable option in terms of price.

Anyone ever done this?

 

[Dana42078]

I'd just go with a 4 lamp ATI fixture. It will give you as much PAR and you wont have the space issues.

Ive been running 4 bulbs for 10 months and just arent getting the growth i should really be getting. I dont wanna go halide...i reapeat, DONT! Led's to expensive for my blood still...i mean your saying two more bulbs isnt going to help? Really?

 

[TonyFriesen]

Newbie alert!

Newbie alert!

Newbie Lighting Question.

I bought a used "AquaGiant" tank off my neibour. I migrated my noice salt water set up into it. It has 6 ballasts - 4 house 4 18" T5 white bulbs and there were 2 empty 32" ballasts. I bought 2 Power - Glo HO bulbs that had 15k. Problem is they don't turn on ... is it possible the ballasts won't run the bulbs because they're HO, or possibly do i need to upgrade the fuse in my canopy?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Anybody know much about shipping T5 tubes from one country to another? Like, say... the United States to Australia...? I'm trying to figure out a way to import KZ tubes that isn't going to cost me >$100 per tube, so far from the US seems to be the most practicable option in terms of price.

Anyone ever done this?

If you can get ATI lamps there is no need. If not I dont have a clue. If you don't have an in country distributor it's going to be ugly.

 

[MelloW33]

Ive been running 4 bulbs for 10 months and just arent getting the growth i should really be getting. I dont wanna go halide...i reapeat, DONT! Led's to expensive for my blood still...i mean your saying two more bulbs isnt going to help? Really?

What kind of fixture do you have now? ATI fixtures are PAR monsters, that's why he recommended a 4-bulb ATI.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Ive been running 4 bulbs for 10 months and just arent getting the growth i should really be getting. I dont wanna go halide...i reapeat, DONT! Led's to expensive for my blood still...i mean your saying two more bulbs isnt going to help? Really?

4 lamps in what kind of fixture? Crap fixtures don't make a lot of PAR. How tall is the tank?

your tank is only 15" at the broadest part which is only half way to the 18" where 6 lamps is normally recoed. Unless you have SPS growing against the front glass 6 lamps aren't going to make enough of a difference to make it worth the hassle. You are better off putting the money into getting a ATI fixture with 4 lamps which will give you higher par in the area of the tank that typically has the high light corals.

Another option would be the Aquactinics TX5 if you can find one. Because of the way they are designed you get 5 lamps in a fixture thats about 10". It still wont give you as much light as a 4 lamp ATI unit.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Newbie Lighting Question.

I bought a used "AquaGiant" tank off my neibour. I migrated my noice salt water set up into it. It has 6 ballasts - 4 house 4 18" T5 white bulbs and there were 2 empty 32" ballasts. I bought 2 Power - Glo HO bulbs that had 15k. Problem is they don't turn on ... is it possible the ballasts won't run the bulbs because they're HO, or possibly do i need to upgrade the fuse in my canopy?

Yep. a NO ballast won't fire an HO lamp.

 

[n0rk]

If you can get ATI lamps there is no need. If not I dont have a clue. If you don't have an in country distributor it's going to be ugly.

I've got all ATI tubes in there at the moment I really hate the current run of Aquablue Specials and the colour they produce, be it an isolated issue we've all been exposed to or an actual legitimate change I'm not sure - it's been a fairly common complaint for reefers around here. There seems to be a much greater amount of green in them than before (say, 18 months ago or so). The BluePlus and TrueActinic are still fine, just the ABS we've got look like turd.

Basically ATI are the only real option we have here, so it's a case of take what you get and suffer it... which, to me, sort of defies the purpose of going T5 in the first place. I can get KZ tubes from New Zealand, for a touch over $100 a throw. So... kinda not really an option. Bah, I spose it's a case of suffering through it.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I've got all ATI tubes in there at the moment I really hate the current run of Aquablue Specials and the colour they produce, be it an isolated issue we've all been exposed to or an actual legitimate change I'm not sure - it's been a fairly common complaint for reefers around here. There seems to be a much greater amount of green in them than before (say, 18 months ago or so). The BluePlus and TrueActinic are still fine, just the ABS we've got look like turd.

Basically ATI are the only real option we have here, so it's a case of take what you get and suffer it... which, to me, sort of defies the purpose of going T5 in the first place. I can get KZ tubes from New Zealand, for a touch over $100 a throw. So... kinda not really an option. Bah, I spose it's a case of suffering through it.

What is your current mix of lamps? I suspect swapping a Aquablue for a ATI Purple Plus would help a lot.

 

[Schennj]

Grim,
What arrangement would you recommend for 4 blue+, 1 purple+ and 1 aquablue ... front to back ... THANKS

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,
What arrangement would you recommend for 4 blue+, 1 purple+ and 1 aquablue ... front to back ... THANKS

Purple plus front of center with blue plus in the dusk/dawn slots. Other than that whatever floats your boat.

 

[Giga]

sorry this has most likely been covered but what bulbs produce the highest par. Would it be the aquasun and ge 6500k? also what does the 3k produce. This is for a 6x36 tek unit over a planted tank and I want a 6500k to 8k look lol

 

[blender02]

4 ATI blue Plus and 2 ATI Purple Plus

Grab an ATI Aquablue to play with as well.

Thanks. One more question: How should I put them in the fixture (in what order that is). 2 bulbs are wired together for dusk/dawn and the other 4 are together. I run the stock timing on the 6 bulb aquatic life fixture with the blue leds comming on last by themselves. Also If I did get the Aquablue to play with, should that replace a purple + or a bule+ ? Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

sorry this has most likely been covered but what bulbs produce the highest par. Would it be the aquasun and ge 6500k? also what does the 3k produce. This is for a 6x36 tek unit over a planted tank and I want a 6500k to 8k look lol

6500K's do a lot of PAR. 3000K's aren't bad either. A mix of those with maybe an Aquablue is what I would use. Aquablue has a lot of par and the little bit of actinic they produce can fluoresce things a bit.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks. One more question: How should I put them in the fixture (in what order that is). 2 bulbs are wired together for dusk/dawn and the other 4 are together. I run the stock timing on the 6 bulb aquatic life fixture with the blue leds comming on last by themselves. Also If I did get the Aquablue to play with, should that replace a purple + or a bule+ ? Thanks

Just spread them around so the Purples aren't the first or last lamps, Try the AB in place of either a blue or purple to see what YOU think of the look.