The T5 Q&a Thread

[n0rk]

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

Already ten steps ahead of you mate 5 BluePlus, 3 AquablueSpecial, 1 ProColor, 1 PurplePlus. Dusk/dawn is BluePlus/PurplePlus. Originally I had 2 less B+ in there (2 more ABS) but the colour looked like someone had taken a **** in the tank. At the current mix the effect is less pronounced, but it's far from gone.

I'm seriously on the verge of kicking all of the ABS out and replacing them with 2 B+ and a P+ if I can't find some decent white tubes sometime soon.

 

[rtparty]

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.

I know exactly how you guys feel! I have hated the Aquablues for quite some time. They wash everything out and look terrible.

Mine almost looked gray when running. Kind of hard to describe. I don't think it is an isolated incident. Every Aquablue I have had for the last year has looked this way. Some Aquablues that I bought over 2 years ago looked good. They actually had some blue in them.

I like running a mix of just Blue Plus and Purple Plus. There is no need for the Aquablues anymore IMO. The Purples are plenty bright and bring in a lot of spectrum still.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Already ten steps ahead of you mate 5 BluePlus, 3 AquablueSpecial, 1 ProColor, 1 PurplePlus. Dusk/dawn is BluePlus/PurplePlus. Originally I had 2 less B+ in there (2 more ABS) but the colour looked like someone had taken a **** in the tank. At the current mix the effect is less pronounced, but it's far from gone.

I'm seriously on the verge of kicking all of the ABS out and replacing them with 2 B+ and a P+ if I can't find some decent white tubes sometime soon.

Try 2 more blue plus and see what you think.

 

[Giga]

which aqua blue? the AB special or plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

which aqua blue? The ab special or plus

ati

 

[FSU3NOLES28]

Hey Grim.

55g tank planning to make it into a reef. 48 x 21 x 12"

Just purchased 2 GLO T5 HO ballast with 2 daylight and 2 actinic bulbs.

Building a canopy now. How far from the water should the bulbs be?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim.

55g tank planning to make it into a reef. 48 x 21 x 12"

Just purchased 2 GLO T5 HO ballast with 2 daylight and 2 actinic bulbs.

Building a canopy now. How far from the water should the bulbs be?

4 inches or so

 

[AugustWest]

I decided to go with a mix of 6 Blue Plus and 2 Purple plus on my 8x24W Sunpower, any suggestion of order of the bulbs from front to back ?

Thanks !

 

[Dana42078]

Thanks grim for your advice.Lastly what 4 bulbs would look the best and still be great for growth. 50/50 with (2) blue plus and (2) aquablue special?

Mybe you should think about updateing this thread and write the best bulb combos so ppl can just refference it so u dont answer the same question 20,000 times...just a thiought but thanks for your help it is appriciated.

 

[knight2255]

Would this work?

125g

3 - 60" 80watt T5's
1 - strip of 12 3w Cree Led's for shimmer


Tank dims: 60"L x 18"W x 23"D

Would like to do sps, clams, etc.

 

[rtparty]

Thanks grim for your advice.Lastly what 4 bulbs would look the best and still be great for growth. 50/50 with (2) blue plus and (2) aquablue special?

Mybe you should think about updateing this thread and write the best bulb combos so ppl can just refference it so u dont answer the same question 20,000 times...just a thiought but thanks for your help it is appriciated.

Hate to break it to you but I have seen Grim do that probably 100 times over the last couple years. They just disappear into cyber space within a week.

Not to mention he has started two websites that have all the info anyone needs.

http://sites.google.com/site/tfivetesting/

http://home.comcast.net/~stevelarsen00/site/?/home/

The latter being the best T5 website around.
:wave:

 

[Dana42078]

hate to break it to you but i have seen grim do that probably 100 times over the last couple years. They just disappear into cyber space within a week.

Not to mention he has started two websites that have all the info anyone needs.

http://sites.google.com/site/tfivetesting/

http://home.comcast.net/~stevelarsen00/site/?/home/

the latter being the best t5 website around.
:wave:

tyvm

 

[MelloW33]

It's also on ReefGeek's sponsor forum under "When to Replace or Upgrade your T5"

 

[BigRedNole]

I just got my Powermodule from ReefGeek. All was great until the Purple+ bulb didn't work. Tested it in every ballast and which ever it went into shut the circuit down. Called ReefGeek, sent the photo in an email, and they are replacing. I went to the LFS to get a temporary replacement. Only thing they had was a Geissman Aquablue something or other. It is a good emergency bulb, I guess.

The light and colors look great. It is on my tank on 2 pieces of wood just resting there. I will get it hung this weekend if all goes well. i will have photos on my build thread once everything is up and running as I want it.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Would this work?

125g

3 - 60" 80watt T5's
1 - strip of 12 3w Cree Led's for shimmer


Tank dims: 60"L x 18"W x 23"D

Would like to do sps, clams, etc.

6 80 watt lamps or a whole lot more LED's

 

[glenns]

Cooling T5 Retro Kit.

Cooling T5 Retro Kit.

Grim, I have 6 Tek T5 bulb retro kit in my 90G 48 X 18 canopy. The canopy is about 6" tall. On one side I've drilled 2 holes and have 2 3" CPU fans blowing air from outside the canopy across the bulbs. The back of the canopy is open all the way across. The ballasts are mounted to the inside top of the canopy, above the reflectors. Will the 2 fans provide adequate cooling or do I need to add more fans?

Thanks.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, I have 6 Tek T5 bulb retro kit in my 90G 48 X 18 canopy. The canopy is about 6" tall. On one side I've drilled 2 holes and have 2 3" CPU fans blowing air from outside the canopy across the bulbs. The back of the canopy is open all the way across. The ballasts are mounted to the inside top of the canopy, above the reflectors. Will the 2 fans provide adequate cooling or do I need to add more fans?

Thanks.

You just need to make sure there is slight air movement around the one end of the lamps.

 

[brian762]

Hey Grim, question for you. So i have a Sundial T5HO Lighting System and i kinda want to replace the bulbs to make it a litte purple more purple. What bulb recomendations do you guys have? right now its 2 actinic and 2 10000k. what bulbs do you recomend for a mainly LPS and softie tank to get more of a purple hue to it?

thanks,

Brian

 

[KrisDM]

lighting suggestion for 96x30x24

lighting suggestion for 96x30x24

Hi Grim,

I am planning a 300g SPS dominated reef with 96 x 30 x 24(LxHxW).
Can I do all t5 setup, I was looking into 2, 8 bulb 48" fixture.

Since it is 30" tall tank, I am concern if I have maxim clams on the floor bed, would this give enough par to support it?

Thanks,
Kris

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim, question for you. So i have a Sundial T5HO Lighting System and i kinda want to replace the bulbs to make it a litte purple more purple. What bulb recomendations do you guys have? right now its 2 actinic and 2 10000k. what bulbs do you recomend for a mainly LPS and softie tank to get more of a purple hue to it?

thanks,

Brian

2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 Purple Plus and an Aquablue