The T5 Q&a Thread

[mikesreef]

T5's with Leds

T5's with Leds

Grim, Why wouldn't you use the Icecap 660? What would would you use? I like the ATI bulbs, what 4 would be good to use....Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, Why wouldn't you use the Icecap 660? What would would you use? I like the ATI bulbs, what 4 would be good to use....Thanks

I'd use 2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 aquablue and a purple plus. Overdriving the lamps just isn't worth it unless you have a tank over 24 inches tall

 

[mikesreef]

T5's with leds

T5's with leds

Grim, My tank is 26" tall. What does overdriving them do to the lamps. Can you recommend a energy efficient ballast for T5's. Thanks

 

[HighlandReef]

Hi grim, I am debating between these 2 light configurations on my 40 breeder frag tank and wanted to run it past you, the fixtures a 6 x 39w

Option 1
Run 4 blue plus and 2 purple plus
Or
Run 4 blue plus, 1 purple plus and one aquablue special
Let me know what you think and thanks grim!

 

[sneaton]

i noticed that you said not to use the ic 660 on tanks less than 24"...what do you think about the hellolights kit that says it overdrives by 15 percent? is this too much for a standard 75 gallon? right now i have the hellolights 4 bulb retro with 15 % overdrive and a 2 bulb let retrokit..the bulbs i have are 2 aquablue sp,3 blue plus,and a kz fiji purp...also will putting my two blue plus actinics side by side for the front two bulbs be ok or should i try to spead them out like 2nd and 5th bulb? right now i already have the 4 bulb installed in one chunk so having the actincs in the 1 and 2 postion would be easiest for me

 

[Poomba]

My current set up is an ATI Sunpower 6X54 with
4 ATI blueplus
1 ATI purple plus
1 ATI aquablue

I want it to have a whiter look to it, what bulb should I get?

 

[wesleyforbes2]

Replace a blue+ with an aquablue special.

Sent from Wesley's Moto Atrix 4G using Tapatalk

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, My tank is 26" tall. What does overdriving them do to the lamps. Can you recommend a energy efficient ballast for T5's. Thanks

The lamps just lose PAR pretty quick. I like the VS/SylvaniA?Osram ballasts but the Triads work good too

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi grim, I am debating between these 2 light configurations on my 40 breeder frag tank and wanted to run it past you, the fixtures a 6 x 39w

Option 1
Run 4 blue plus and 2 purple plus
Or
Run 4 blue plus, 1 purple plus and one aquablue special
Let me know what you think and thanks grim!

Either will look good. The one with the two purple plus will look more subdued, more deepwater look.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

i noticed that you said not to use the ic 660 on tanks less than 24"...what do you think about the hellolights kit that says it overdrives by 15 percent? is this too much for a standard 75 gallon? right now i have the hellolights 4 bulb retro with 15 % overdrive and a 2 bulb let retrokit..the bulbs i have are 2 aquablue sp,3 blue plus,and a kz fiji purp...also will putting my two blue plus actinics side by side for the front two bulbs be ok or should i try to spead them out like 2nd and 5th bulb? right now i already have the 4 bulb installed in one chunk so having the actincs in the 1 and 2 postion would be easiest for me

If you are cooling the lamps at one end I think it will be fine. Ice Cap was pushing the lamps by around 35% and it turns out it was just too much, at least in my opinion.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

My current set up is an ATI Sunpower 6X54 with
4 ATI blueplus
1 ATI purple plus
1 ATI aquablue

I want it to have a whiter look to it, what bulb should I get?

Either replace the Aquablue with a GE 6500K Daylight or get a second Aquablue

 

[billvan]

Any chance I can get a recommendation to replace stock lamps on a 3 month old aquaticlife 72" 12x39 with ATI or a recommended brand.

Tank is a 125g long for just softies in it

Stock bulbs don't bring out much colour.

Type and placement front to back is greatly appreciated!



Thanks

1.
2.
3.
4
5.
6

 

[MadBeach79]

Okay, debating T5's over one of our exhibits...it's going to be a softie/lps exhibit, tank dimensions are 96x28x34. Are t5's possible in such a deep tank? If so, what kind of fixture do you recommend? spaced out 36" fixtures would work better than 48" fixtures due to space restraints on the exhibit. Any ideas?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Any chance I can get a recommendation to replace stock lamps on a 3 month old aquaticlife 72" 12x39 with ATI or a recommended brand.

Tank is a 125g long for just softies in it

Stock bulbs don't bring out much colour.

Type and placement front to back is greatly appreciated!



Thanks

1.
2.
3.
4
5.
6

ATI Blue Plus
ATI Purple Plus
ATI Blue plus
Ge 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Okay, debating T5's over one of our exhibits...it's going to be a softie/lps exhibit, tank dimensions are 96x28x34. Are t5's possible in such a deep tank? If so, what kind of fixture do you recommend? spaced out 36" fixtures would work better than 48" fixtures due to space restraints on the exhibit. Any ideas?

2 ATI Sunpower 8 lamp fixtures. Be plenty of light for those corals.

 

[billvan]

ATI Blue Plus
ATI Purple Plus
ATI Blue plus
Ge 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

Thank you!

 

[evil4g63]

Okay, i made the decision to run my tank with t5's instead of leds or metal halide but now here's my problem. The tank is an oceanic 33gallon cube 20x18x20 and i want a 6 bulb system but will do a retro system. I have 3 workhorse 5 ballasts and wanted to know if i should go with 24" bulbs or 18". The 18" will be the uvl bulbs that are selling for the current fixture. I plan on keeping about 2/3 of the tank with sps, the rest will be mixed. Which system would be best and what bulb combination? I was hoping to use the 18" bulbs so it wouldn't be longer than the tank but haven't seen to many people use uvl bulbs. Any thoughts?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Okay, i made the decision to run my tank with t5's instead of leds or metal halide but now here's my problem. The tank is an oceanic 33gallon cube 20x18x20 and i want a 6 bulb system but will do a retro system. I have 3 workhorse 5 ballasts and wanted to know if i should go with 24" bulbs or 18". The 18" will be the uvl bulbs that are selling for the current fixture. I plan on keeping about 2/3 of the tank with sps, the rest will be mixed. Which system would be best and what bulb combination? I was hoping to use the 18" bulbs so it wouldn't be longer than the tank but haven't seen to many people use uvl bulbs. Any thoughts?

I am not a fan of UVL lamps but you gotta do what you gotta do, go with the 18 inch lamps. I'd use 4 of the 454 blues and 1 Actinic Sun and 1 75/25

 

[NyReefNoob]

Okay, i made the decision to run my tank with t5's instead of leds or metal halide but now here's my problem. The tank is an oceanic 33gallon cube 20x18x20 and i want a 6 bulb system but will do a retro system. I have 3 workhorse 5 ballasts and wanted to know if i should go with 24" bulbs or 18". The 18" will be the uvl bulbs that are selling for the current fixture. I plan on keeping about 2/3 of the tank with sps, the rest will be mixed. Which system would be best and what bulb combination? I was hoping to use the 18" bulbs so it wouldn't be longer than the tank but haven't seen to many people use uvl bulbs. Any thoughts

why not just buy the NEP 20" had one on my 24g ap and grew sps and lps under it

 

[evil4g63]

I am not a fan of UVL lamps but you gotta do what you gotta do, go with the 18 inch lamps. I'd use 4 of the 454 blues and 1 Actinic Sun and 1 75/25

It can be 24", just wanted to know what was best. If i could achieve the same results with uvl as with ati. If i have to go with 24" the so be it. It wouldn't be the first time i've seen a light a little bit bigger than the tank. So the question would be, which of the 2 should i choose to get the best growth and colors on my corals?