The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey thanks for the great info here;

Couple of quick q's:

Which would you recommend:

48" Icecap Pre-Wired T5 Retro kit w/660 Ballast
OR:
48" 4x54W Miro-4 T5 High-Output Retrofit Kit w/ Bulbs (uses

This is being fitted in a Canopy on a 72G bowfront - hopefully I'll be able to keep some decent coral plus possibly a Clam eventually?

I have about $400 to spend - would you recommend some other lighting system instead?

Thanks in advance!

Either the 4 lamp Ice Cap setup or get a 4 lamp non overdriven setup and a 2x24 watt retro to light up the bow area, mount the lamps end to end in a V pattern if you can, otherwise centered. You need about 2 1/2 inches front to back per each lamp. If this doesn't work in your canopy get an Aquactinics retro, their reflectors and standoffs only take up 2 inches. What would be really sweet would be 4 48" lamps, then 1 36" and 1 24" at the very front. Then you can keep the clam right out in front. The ballast for the 24/39 watt lamp should in theory be able to run one of each.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hello again T5 experts, checking in with another round of questions:

I have two 24" wide, 10" (water depth) deep, 48" long tanks. I am going to use T5's to light them, and im looking to propagate soft corals only for the first year or so until the system matures a bit. For this reason i would like a little expandability in the future, but for the time being i beleive 4 T5's would be plenty spaced evenly over the 24" width.

My questions:

1) How far should i mount them over the water's surface? I know 2-4" is best, but what is a maximum height i should stay within?

2) What is a good way to build in some room for an extra bulb or two (for down the road, in case i get into sps) while still covering the entire 24" width now?

3) What are good reflectors for shallow tanks like these? Could i bend (widen) the reflectors to get a broader spread...or will this negatively impact the performance of the light?

TIA

Get Aquactinics reflectors. They spread the light really well despite being narrow.

I would use a rail system to mount the lighting, just a big rectangle 24x48 with a couple of braces in the center to mount the ballasts too. Then if you want to add more lamps just fill in the gaps.

Front

^
5"
V
Lamp
^
2.5"
V
Lamp
^
2.5"
V
Lamp
^
2.5"
V
Lamp

Down the road if you want to grow SPS add 2 more lamps in the center so you have 3 grouped right together and place SPS below them. I would place the lights 6 to 8 inches above the tanks.

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Get Aquactinics reflectors. They spread the light really well despite being narrow.

I would use a rail system to mount the lighting, just a big rectangle 24x48 with a couple of braces in the center to mount the ballasts too. Then if you want to add more lamps just fill in the gaps.

Front

^
5"
V
Lamp
^
2.5"
V
Lamp
^
2.5"
V
Lamp
^
2.5"
V
Lamp

Down the road if you want to grow SPS add 2 more lamps in the center so you have 3 grouped right together and place SPS below them. I would place the lights 6 to 8 inches above the tanks.

Great idea, thanks grim

 

[Jared J]

Here's one for ya Grim. I'm starting a 40g breeder as a shallow lagoon setup. I want to pick up a 6 bulb T5 fixture. Name the bulbs and I'll buy them

Or maybe just go with a 4 bulb fixture?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Here's one for ya Grim. I'm starting a 40g breeder as a shallow lagoon setup. I want to pick up a 6 bulb T5 fixture. Name the bulbs and I'll buy them

Or maybe just go with a 4 bulb fixture?

More is better on an 18 inch tank

4 ATI Blue Plus
1 GE 6500K Daylight
1 UVL Actinic White.

 

[beckerjm]

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.

Thanks again for all your help Grim!!!! I don't know how you keep up with all the questions and posts on this forum!! You're the best!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks again for all your help Grim!!!! I don't know how you keep up with all the questions and posts on this forum!! You're the best!

Easy, I have no life :bounce3:

 

[Jared J]

More is better on an 18 inch tank

4 ATI Blue Plus
1 GE 6500K Daylight
1 UVL Actinic White.

Cool, I keep stumbling on the thought that 6 is too many.
any particular order?

 

[madmike]

Hey grim, I'm designing the lighting for my new shallow tank, 144" long x 24" wide x 16" tall.

I want to be able to keep anything...currently have a 220g mixed tank with sps, lps, anenomes and clams.

What would you recommend for lighting? I was thinking either 3 sets of 4 48" T5 or 2 sets of 6 60" T5s.

Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Cool, I keep stumbling on the thought that 6 is too many.
any particular order?

6 is a lot if you want softies but 4 doesn't cover much of that 18 inch front to back depth.

Front
Blue Plus
Actinic White
Blue Plus
GE
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey grim, I'm designing the lighting for my new shallow tank, 144" long x 24" wide x 16" tall.

I want to be able to keep anything...currently have a 220g mixed tank with sps, lps, anenomes and clams.

What would you recommend for lighting? I was thinking either 3 sets of 4 48" T5 or 2 sets of 6 60" T5s.

Thanks

I'd do the 2 6x80 watt setups.

 

[lougotzz]

I need a good bulb combination for my light fixture. I decided T-5's were the best choice for me, I have an 8 bulb fixture at 54 watts per bulb. I am looking for a blue look, at the same time using bulbs for good growth.

I have an 8 bulb tek light.

I am going to keep SPS under them, I was told by another guy on here who has the same fixture as me, that the daylight bulbs need to be limited other wise I might see some bleaching.

What do you all reccomend? Whats that purple bulb I always see in T-5s called? Whats it do?

Thanks.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I need a good bulb combination for my light fixture. I decided T-5's were the best choice for me, I have an 8 bulb fixture at 54 watts per bulb. I am looking for a blue look, at the same time using bulbs for good growth.

I have an 8 bulb tek light.

I am going to keep SPS under them, I was told by another guy on here who has the same fixture as me, that the daylight bulbs need to be limited other wise I might see some bleaching.

What do you all reccomend? Whats that purple bulb I always see in T-5s called? Whats it do?

Thanks.

Hell the Blue Plus has more PAR than the Daylights so I don't know why someone would claim the daylights cause bleaching :lolspin:

Anyway

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White or KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

The Purple lamp is the Fiji Purple. When running just 4 lamps they are good but when you have more you can get the same effect running the pink UVL lamps. All you are doing is bumping the red spectrum some. In this case you have a slightly pinkish 75/25 as part of your dusk dawn which will make your pink and purple critters show up better than having just blue/actinics running. The actinic White will bump it even more with the rest of the lights on and the GE will bring in more yellow. WHat you end up with is a nice blue look but with enough red and yellow light to make all your colors show up nice. I don't know if you have ever seen a tank lite with just blue lamps but it tends to make yellow and pink colors look crappy.

 

[lrg]

Thanks you da Man!

 

[sg1838]

Hi Grim,

I'm currently in the process of building a 90g (48" x 18" x 24") reef tank. I currently have a 29g tank with two IceCap 660 ballasts running VHOs (one for whites, and one for actinics). Initially, my thought with the IceCap purchase was that when I went to the bigger tank I would stick with VHOs and simply change out the bulbs. But, it seems that T5s are now preferred, so I was thinking of going with T5s, and simply overdriving them with the IceCaps.

However, I have read in a few threads that the VHO actinics are better than the T5 actinics. So, since I can run both with the IceCaps, should I run T5 daylight bulbs with one IceCap, and VHO actinics with the other? If I controlled them independently like this (like I do now), I can have a dawn/dusk time turning on only the actinics.

Also, I'd like to hear your mix of bulb colors and brands, whether I run all T5s, or the T5 VHO mix. Fow now, I was thinking I would run 4 48" daylight T5s, with 2 VHO actinics, in this pattern from front to back:

---Front---
Daylight T5
VHO Actinic
Daylight T5

Daylight T5
VHO Actinic
Daylight T5
---Back---

But, I could certainly make these all T5s if that is what you recommended. If that was the case, I would guess I would go with 4 daylights and 4 actinics, alternating them from front to back. But, I'll let you tell me what I should do.

Coral wise, I'm generally going to keep it simple with soft corals and hardy SPS corals. Of course, I may occasionally try to branch out and try something a little more challenging, so I would like my lighting to be able to handle most corals, if at all possible. That said, I am NOT going to buy any corals that require extremely special care / feeding, as I simply do not have the time to do so.

If you need any further information to make a recommendation, please let me know. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Jason

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim,

I'm currently in the process of building a 90g (48" x 18" x 24") reef tank. I currently have a 29g tank with two IceCap 660 ballasts running VHOs (one for whites, and one for actinics). Initially, my thought with the IceCap purchase was that when I went to the bigger tank I would stick with VHOs and simply change out the bulbs. But, it seems that T5s are now preferred, so I was thinking of going with T5s, and simply overdriving them with the IceCaps.

However, I have read in a few threads that the VHO actinics are better than the T5 actinics. So, since I can run both with the IceCaps, should I run T5 daylight bulbs with one IceCap, and VHO actinics with the other? If I controlled them independently like this (like I do now), I can have a dawn/dusk time turning on only the actinics.

Also, I'd like to hear your mix of bulb colors and brands, whether I run all T5s, or the T5 VHO mix. Fow now, I was thinking I would run 4 48" daylight T5s, with 2 VHO actinics, in this pattern from front to back:

---Front---
Daylight T5
VHO Actinic
Daylight T5

Daylight T5
VHO Actinic
Daylight T5
---Back---

But, I could certainly make these all T5s if that is what you recommended. If that was the case, I would guess I would go with 4 daylights and 4 actinics, alternating them from front to back. But, I'll let you tell me what I should do.

Coral wise, I'm generally going to keep it simple with soft corals and hardy SPS corals. Of course, I may occasionally try to branch out and try something a little more challenging, so I would like my lighting to be able to handle most corals, if at all possible. That said, I am NOT going to buy any corals that require extremely special care / feeding, as I simply do not have the time to do so.

If you need any further information to make a recommendation, please let me know. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Jason

If you aren't doing serious SPS or Clams I wouldn't overdrive the T5 lamps. Just pick up 2 regular T5 ballasts, each will run 2 lamps, then use one 660 for your two VHO Actinics

I would do

Front
Actinic
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
Actinic

If you decide to overdrive the T5's on the 660 use an ATI Aquablue instead of the GE 6500K. Even on standard ballasts the 4 lamps will give you plenty of PAR for any SPS you want on top of the rocks.

 

[Fishingpcola]

Hey Grim, can you cover the importance of fan placement? I know you recommend on the ends. Can you explain why?
Thanks,

 

[mantaray1201]

Grim,
How do you feel about the Sunlight Supply Sunblaze line? What bulb selection would you recommend?

 

[sg1838]

Thanks Grim. I don't particularly care about overdriving the T5s, though I would like to use my IceCaps if for no other reason than it saves me the cost of buying two new T5 ballasts. Is there a particular downside to overdriving the T5s?

Also, can you, or anybody else recommend a good source for the bulbs and other miscellaneous hardware? Thanks again!

Jason

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim, can you cover the importance of fan placement? I know you recommend on the ends. Can you explain why?
Thanks,

Blowing air on the center section of the lamp over cools them and decreases output. Ideally just cooling one end with the labels on the lamps placed there works best but doing both ends is just a safe recommendation in case the single fan doesn't happen to have enough output to properly cool the lamps in a particular setup.