The T5 Q&a Thread
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The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Works fine, just don't place high light critters in the last 6 inches or so on either end.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Unless they advertise mirro reflector material and spec ballasts about the same as all the cheap fixtures.
I've got an 8x80 powermodule over a 72x24x30" deep tank. What height above water level would be best considering that my sps are 12-14 inches below surface level (top of rockwork). Currently at 7" above with a 12 hour dusk/dawn and 5 hour daylight photoperiod. Good growth but not so great color.
B+
ABS
B+
B+
GE 6500
B+
Fiji
B+
B+
ABS
B+
B+
GE 6500
B+
Fiji
B+
fishresponse
New member
Hey Grim,
I'm getting back into the fish hobby after a 6 year hiatus and setting up a 24''x24''x18'' starphire tank. I'm intereted in T5 lights b/c of less power consumption and less overall heat transfer. I will be having sps mostly. I'm looking at the AquaticLife units and the ATI units. If this was your tank which unit would you go with? Or is there another?
Also, I've been reading this forum and still am not up on the acronyms of the lights. which lights would you include for an 8 light setup?
Thanks,
Andy
I'm getting back into the fish hobby after a 6 year hiatus and setting up a 24''x24''x18'' starphire tank. I'm intereted in T5 lights b/c of less power consumption and less overall heat transfer. I will be having sps mostly. I'm looking at the AquaticLife units and the ATI units. If this was your tank which unit would you go with? Or is there another?
Also, I've been reading this forum and still am not up on the acronyms of the lights. which lights would you include for an 8 light setup?
Thanks,
Andy
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
The 8 tube ATI Sunpower (ie 8x24watt) would do very nciely on this tank. I wouldnt go less than 8 tubes because you have 24inches front to back to cover. A 6 tube wont cut it enough unless you raise the lights really high, but then you'll be losing PAR to cover more area. Go for the 8 tube Sunpower. You wont regret it. I wouldnt pay for the Powermodule. The Sunpower is strong enough. Your tank at 18 inches high will not even require the powermodule - spend the cash on something else and buy a Sunpower.
fishresponse
New member
Thanks for the feedback Sahin! Does the ATI have the ability to "stand" on the tank rather than being hung? My wife doesn't want me to hang anything from the ceiling.
Also, what lights were you recommend? I've always used UVL VHO's in the past. Are they still good lights?
Also, what lights were you recommend? I've always used UVL VHO's in the past. Are they still good lights?
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
ATI Sunpower is the best deal out there for bang for your buck
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Height is OK, try swapping the positions of the Aquablue and Fiji lamps and see what you think.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
LED's would be nice if you have the budget for it.
6 lamp ATI Sunpower would be good as long as you aren't doing clams and such on the sand.
Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Fiji Purple
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Stay away from UVL T5 lamps. As far as the fixture what you can do is make a handing bracket. Just mount it to the wall behind the tank. If that isn't an option you could make a cross bar for the fixture to sit on at each end of the tank.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
ATI does not have any stands to sit on the tank. You can fix shelf brackets onto the wall behind the tank and still have the lights hanging without hanging from the ceiling. Or else DIY something up. A lot of people buy pipes and then bend them. Some poeple use Aluminium brackets etc.
From what I can recall ATI tubes are pretty much the overall best of the lot. Do a search using the following terms in google (ie just copy and search the text below into google and google will search all of Reefcentral and it will pretty much bring up results of what you need:
PAR T5 TUBES site:reefcentral.com
What you need to do is read a few pages where someone has asked Grim for what tube combo to use on an 8 x Tubed T5 unit. If it were me, I'd use the following:
Front:
1 ATI Blue+
2 ATI AQUA BLUE SPECIAL
3 ATI Blue+
4 ATI AQUA BLUE SPECIAL
5 ATI Purple+
6 ATI Blue+
7 ATI AQUA BLUE SPECIAL
8 ATI Blue +
That will give a nice 20K look.
HTH.
fishresponse
New member
Grim - Thanks for your feedback! I have been looking at some LED fixtures but haven't found any I like. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places. Know of any nice looking LED fixtures that would work for a 2'x2' aquarium? I really want to do this tank right from the start.
Sahin - Thank you to you too! I've had a 20K setup before which to be honest I wasn't a huge fan. A little too blue for me. I'd really like to go for a 14K-16K look. Blue & white spectrum mix. What I love about the T5 24'' bulbs is that they're so cheap compared to MH bulbs I may just get some to play around with.
Sahin - Thank you to you too! I've had a 20K setup before which to be honest I wasn't a huge fan. A little too blue for me. I'd really like to go for a 14K-16K look. Blue & white spectrum mix. What I love about the T5 24'' bulbs is that they're so cheap compared to MH bulbs I may just get some to play around with.
Question for you Grim: I have a 6x39 aquaticlife fixture right now and I have a maxima clam on the sand (about 22" from light). It seems to be doing fine now. Do you feel it should be moved up? Also, I have a bulb order in right now for ATI bulbs to replace the stock Aquaticlife ones in there now. Thanks.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
AquaIlluminations makes nice LED stuff. Anything that is built with 3 watt Cree LED's is a good bet.
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