The T5 Q&a Thread

[jennmac415]

hey Grim.... what's with the new avatar??? I didn't even "recognize" you!!!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Howdy agani!

I'm changing bulbs on my 10g Frag tank. It's got a Catalina 2x24W T5 with IDR fixture.

I want pure PAR for this tank and am not worried about the "Eye" aspect of this tank. It's for growth only.

I already ordered (but can change at any time) new bulbs for it. I ordered a pair of ATI Blue + for it.

Is this going to give me the results I'm searching for or should I opt for another combination or type of bulbs?

thanks in advance!!!

Allen

Yes, be fine. Blue Plus have good par.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

On another note LOVE the Avatar I couldn't agree more bro! KUDOS to you

Just my subtle comment on the current state of things but not subtle enough I guess. Better change it before we run afoul of the UA

 

[RDMike]

I have a ATI 6X54 watt fixture and currently have 4 blue plus that I would like to keep and 2 other bulbs that I would like to replace. What are teh other two bulbs I should get?

Some combos I was thinking about

1. 6500k and UVL 50/50
2. 2x aquablue
3. fiji purple and aquablue

Let me know the best combo for the best colors and growth..Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a ATI 6X54 watt fixture and currently have 4 blue plus that I would like to keep and 2 other bulbs that I would like to replace. What are teh other two bulbs I should get?

Some combos I was thinking about

1. 6500k and UVL 50/50
2. 2x aquablue
3. fiji purple and aquablue

Let me know the best combo for the best colors and growth..Thanks

I would do the UVL 50/50 Actinic White and the GE 6500K Daylight

 

[reefsic]

Hey Grim, I've been sooo drawn-to and convinced by your T5 thread that I've finally made the move from MH's to T5's.

I recently purchased an 8x54w T5 fixture and have a pair of IC-660's that I will be overdriving the bulbs with. My current display tank is a 100g RR (60x18x20'ish). I prefer the crisp blue'ish/white color lighting. My display consists of majority SPS with a carpet nem, a clam and some LPS.

Which bulb configs do you recommend (brand/color/arrangement)? I am currently running AquaScience bulbs but plan to replace them with ATI or KZ. Please shed some light?

 

[Emc2]

Hey Grim:

I'm buying a 6 x 80 watt ATI Sunpower fixture for my 120 gallon tank. The tank is 60 x 21 x 22. The tank will be dominated largely by LPS and clams.

First, do you think this fixture will cut it?

Second, what bulb combo would you recommend?

Thanks.

Erin

 

[peiloy3196]

Grim,
I have one more question for you. On my existing T5s 54W x 2 I use the reflectors from hello lights. I am adding two more 54W to my setup. Would these reflectors be ok for the new lights or should i use the Miro4 reflectors. If you think Miro4 then should I also change the reflectors on the existing lights too?

My bulb config will be:
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus

My setup also has 2X250W DE 10,000K Reeflux MH Bulbs.

Thanks again for the help

 

[beckerjm]

Change out your Blues for ATI Blue Plus, that will give you the biggest PAR gains/

Ok - so I'm ordering 3 ATI Blue Plus bulbs. Let's see if I have understood all this...

Changing out the three Current USA Blue bulbs for 3 ATI Blue Plus will give me a boost in PAR (I think I saw from a previous message that you had measured the PAR on the ATI Blue Plus at 234 and the PAR on the Current Blue at 116). Will the color be about the same?? (Not that I'm particularly overjoyed with the current color, but the growth is the bigger issue).

Then when I get ready to change bulbs 4, 5, and 6 it seems that the order of importance is as follows (if I've understood your thread).

1) Change a Current 10K for an ATI Blue plus. I assume this would give more a blue color, but maybe not that much additional PAR ?????

2) Change a Current 10K for the UV Actinic White. What difference would that make from a color and PAR perspective? I'm guessing that it would add a little more blue since it is a 50/50 bulb - but I'm not sure if it has more PAR ??

3) Change a Current 10K for the 6500K GE. What difference would that make from a color and/or PAR perspective? From one of your other threads I think that these two bulbs were listed in the same category (as far as color is concerned)?

Thanks so much for helping me to understand this!!!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim, I've been sooo drawn-to and convinced by your T5 thread that I've finally made the move from MH's to T5's.

I recently purchased an 8x54w T5 fixture and have a pair of IC-660's that I will be overdriving the bulbs with. My current display tank is a 100g RR (60x18x20'ish). I prefer the crisp blue'ish/white color lighting. My display consists of majority SPS with a carpet nem, a clam and some LPS.

Which bulb configs do you recommend (brand/color/arrangement)? I am currently running AquaScience bulbs but plan to replace them with ATI or KZ. Please shed some light?

What kind of fixture do you have? Overdriving the lamps in a fixture may not be a great idea, you have to keep the lamps cool. On a 20 inch tall tank 6 lamps in a good fixture, even the Tek with an external fan on it, and you can get plenty of light.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim:

I'm buying a 6 x 80 watt ATI Sunpower fixture for my 120 gallon tank. The tank is 60 x 21 x 22. The tank will be dominated largely by LPS and clams.

First, do you think this fixture will cut it?

Second, what bulb combo would you recommend?

Thanks.

Erin

No, I really think you need an 8 lamp powermodule for that tank. The Aquactinics \Constellation would be OK but because of the footprint 6 lamps isn't going to leave you enough area of high intensity for the clams.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,
I have one more question for you. On my existing T5s 54W x 2 I use the reflectors from hello lights. I am adding two more 54W to my setup. Would these reflectors be ok for the new lights or should i use the Miro4 reflectors. If you think Miro4 then should I also change the reflectors on the existing lights too?

My bulb config will be:
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus

My setup also has 2X250W DE 10,000K Reeflux MH Bulbs.

Thanks again for the help

I don't know anything about their reflectors. If you are using them to replace 250 watt halides I would probably go with the Aqua illuminations or ATI reflectors, both of which reefgeek sells, you gotta call for the ATI units, not on the web yet.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Ok - so I'm ordering 3 ATI Blue Plus bulbs. Let's see if I have understood all this...

Changing out the three Current USA Blue bulbs for 3 ATI Blue Plus will give me a boost in PAR (I think I saw from a previous message that you had measured the PAR on the ATI Blue Plus at 234 and the PAR on the Current Blue at 116). Will the color be about the same?? (Not that I'm particularly overjoyed with the current color, but the growth is the bigger issue).

Then when I get ready to change bulbs 4, 5, and 6 it seems that the order of importance is as follows (if I've understood your thread).

1) Change a Current 10K for an ATI Blue plus. I assume this would give more a blue color, but maybe not that much additional PAR ?????

2) Change a Current 10K for the UV Actinic White. What difference would that make from a color and PAR perspective? I'm guessing that it would add a little more blue since it is a 50/50 bulb - but I'm not sure if it has more PAR ??

3) Change a Current 10K for the 6500K GE. What difference would that make from a color and/or PAR perspective? From one of your other threads I think that these two bulbs were listed in the same category (as far as color is concerned)?

Thanks so much for helping me to understand this!!!

I don't remember the exact differences in PAR and don't have time to look but it was a lot.

The Actinic White will be a little more PAR, Blue Plus a little more than the 10K current lamp. The GE will also be a bit more but not huge. That 4th blue plus lamps will take you from a kinda blue look to blueish with no hint of green or yellow. The Actinic White will give you a little warmer look in the rocks and pop pink and purple colors and the GE likely won't make a real noticeable difference except for greens, maybe.

 

[reefsic]

What kind of fixture do you have? Overdriving the lamps in a fixture may not be a great idea, you have to keep the lamps cool. On a 20 inch tall tank 6 lamps in a good fixture, even the Tek with an external fan on it, and you can get plenty of light.

Unsure of what Brand the fixture is; I purchased it from a local hobbyist due to a tank breakdown. The fixture is 48" 8x54 with SLR's. Unsure of which ballasts are in the fixture.

Okay, so I'll hold off on the IC 660's. Can you specify a bulb configuration (brand/color/arrangement)? And do you recommend purchasing bulbs Online? Most of the LFS's only sell Currents or AquaScience bulbs.

 

[Emc2]

No, I really think you need an 8 lamp powermodule for that tank. The Aquactinics \Constellation would be OK but because of the footprint 6 lamps isn't going to leave you enough area of high intensity for the clams.

Thanks for the reply. I assume you mean front to back width? I have two reefoptix DE 150 mh's that I might be able to squeeze in over the tank. Would that work?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Unsure of what Brand the fixture is; I purchased it from a local hobbyist due to a tank breakdown. The fixture is 48" 8x54 with SLR's. Unsure of which ballasts are in the fixture.

Okay, so I'll hold off on the IC 660's. Can you specify a bulb configuration (brand/color/arrangement)? And do you recommend purchasing bulbs Online? Most of the LFS's only sell Currents or AquaScience bulbs.

Reefgeek
5 ATI Blue Plus, 2 ATI Aquablue and a UVL Actinic white. Put an Aquablue front of center, then a blue plus, Actinic White in the center, another blue plus and then the other Aquablue.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks for the reply. I assume you mean front to back width? I have two reefoptix DE 150 mh's that I might be able to squeeze in over the tank. Would that work?

Yep Front to back. I suppose you could use the halides to spotlight the clams and be good.

 

[scrapz]

ot: i hate your new avatar, it makes it hard to find your post lol

 

[The Grim Reefer]

ot: i hate your new avatar, it makes it hard to find your post lol

Had to do something for halloween, couldn't find the bloody rabbit picture I was going to use.

 

[reefsic]

Reefgeek
5 ATI Blue Plus, 2 ATI Aquablue and a UVL Actinic white. Put an Aquablue front of center, then a blue plus, Actinic White in the center, another blue plus and then the other Aquablue.

AWESOME, thanks again Grim. I'm still new to T5's, so can you list out the configuration(s)?

8 lamp fixture
Front Four -
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

Back Four -
ATI Aquablue
?
?
?