The T5 Q&a Thread

[inigomontoya]

Hey guys, I have a 48" tank with a two bulb fixture(back) and then a 4 bulb fixture (bought the 4, realized I needed more coverage at 24" deep and added two bulb fixture). Was hoping for bulb suggestions. Thinking Blue+, Purple+, next fixture Blue+, Purple+, BLue+, Blue+ (all back to front)
Suggestions welcome, about to place BRS order. Thanks.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey guys, I have a 48" tank with a two bulb fixture(back) and then a 4 bulb fixture (bought the 4, realized I needed more coverage at 24" deep and added two bulb fixture). Was hoping for bulb suggestions. Thinking Blue+, Purple+, next fixture Blue+, Purple+, BLue+, Blue+ (all back to front)
Suggestions welcome, about to place BRS order. Thanks.

Should be fine.

 

[mutley29]

Time to throw my hat in the ring

Time to throw my hat in the ring

Just replacing my Halides with T5's

After reading pages and pages of this incredible thread and the literally hundreds of hours Grim has put in :beer:

I ask for his input on my lighting question

My LFS stocks Giesseman,

I have a 96L x 25H x 24D, and have fabricated an aluminium frame to hold the 16 54watt T5's. I do like the blue of 20k Halides.

Front
Aqua Blue +
Aqua Pink
Aqua Blue +
?
Aqua Blue +
Actinic +
Aqua Blue +
Aqua Blue +

Thoughts please, and keep up the awesome work :thumbsup:

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Just replacing my Halides with T5's

After reading pages and pages of this incredible thread and the literally hundreds of hours Grim has put in :beer:

I ask for his input on my lighting question

My LFS stocks Giesseman,

I have a 96L x 25H x 24D, and have fabricated an aluminium frame to hold the 16 54watt T5's. I do like the blue of 20k Halides.

Front
Aqua Blue +
Aqua Pink
Aqua Blue +
?
Aqua Blue +
Actinic +
Aqua Blue +
Aqua Blue +

Thoughts please, and keep up the awesome work :thumbsup:

Front
Actinic Plus
Aquapink
Actinic Plus
Actinic Plus
Midday
Actinic Plus
AquaPink
Actinic Plus

Your listed mix would be nearly white.

 

[joeyhatch11]

40 Gallon Breeder Lighting

2, 10k daylight
2, Actinic Blue
2x16in rows of blue LED for night.

Do you guys think this will be sufficient enough for SPS and Soft Corals? Thanks Joe

Looking for some moderate growth but for now this is the only lighting I have.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

40 Gallon Breeder Lighting

2, 10k daylight
2, Actinic Blue
2x16in rows of blue LED for night.

Do you guys think this will be sufficient enough for SPS and Soft Corals? Thanks Joe

Looking for some moderate growth but for now this is the only lighting I have.

Depends on the fixture and brand of lamps

 

[joeyhatch11]

This is the fixture I was planning on getting. Someone on another forum said they have one on there 30 breeder and it's works great.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110721951855&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I figured on a 40G Breeder, only 16in high, it would be just fine. Plus I'll be adding my own blue leds, but that's mainly for night time effects.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

This is the fixture I was planning on getting. Someone on another forum said they have one on there 30 breeder and it's works great.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110721951855&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I figured on a 40G Breeder, only 16in high, it would be just fine. Plus I'll be adding my own blue leds, but that's mainly for night time effects.

I wouldn't trust that thing with my expensive corals. Stick to brand name products with good lamps. That thing MIGHT give you enough light but you know the lamps will be crap so the colors wont be great.

 

[scionreefing]

I also have a few buddies with odysea fixtures and they work great just replace bulbs after 6 months. Ballast are good though.

Raffle grabber

 

[The Grim Reefer]

There is nothing "good" about a 80.00 fixture. A decent 2 lamp T5 ballast costs 30 bucks alone. There is very little marketing in the aquarium trade so there is no way to undercut price by more than a buck or two without going with el cheapo quality components.

 

[roni]

Couple questions:

Big tank upgrade didn't happen to the fluctuating economy and uncertainty. However, I am changing my setup to include an SPS dominant tank and a LPS/soft coral tank connected to a common sump.

Here are my proposed lighting ideas and questions.

First tank: SPS dominant 48 x 30 W x 20 T

which would you pick?

6 x 54 dimmable sunpower
8 x 54 dimmable sunpower
8 x 54 PM

2nd tank is a 30 x 30 x 20 soft coral/lps tank.

I currently have a maristar 250 DE + 2 24 W T5 setup but that fries any chalices directly under the light.

Was thinking of switching to:

4 x 24 SP
6 x 24 SP
4 x 24 Tek (already have but could use over frag tank if it's not enough light)

Would like to order the lights at the same time and hopefully save a little on shipping. Which lights would you recommend? Also, what bulb combos would be best for the 2? I'd like the soft/LPS tank to have a little bit more bluish tinge but in general I like the color I have with my current setup (250 14K MH + 2 actinics).

Thanks in advance.

 

[RattlerSkin]

What kind of recommendations are out there for my 60G 48"L x 15"W x 16"T tank? I am currently using LED on my 28G nano cube and hate the results it is giving me. I considered going with MH, but the heat generation is kind of pushing me away. I will be growing LPS, softies, clam and maybe try for some SPS later on, but not for certain. I looked at the Sunlight Supply 48" Tek Light 6 bulb and 8 bulb; what is the consensus for bulb choices and whether I should do 6 bulb or 8 bulb?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Couple questions:

Big tank upgrade didn't happen to the fluctuating economy and uncertainty. However, I am changing my setup to include an SPS dominant tank and a LPS/soft coral tank connected to a common sump.

Here are my proposed lighting ideas and questions.

First tank: SPS dominant 48 x 30 W x 20 T

which would you pick?

6 x 54 dimmable sunpower
8 x 54 dimmable sunpower
8 x 54 PM

2nd tank is a 30 x 30 x 20 soft coral/lps tank.

I currently have a maristar 250 DE + 2 24 W T5 setup but that fries any chalices directly under the light.

Was thinking of switching to:

4 x 24 SP
6 x 24 SP
4 x 24 Tek (already have but could use over frag tank if it's not enough light)

Would like to order the lights at the same time and hopefully save a little on shipping. Which lights would you recommend? Also, what bulb combos would be best for the 2? I'd like the soft/LPS tank to have a little bit more bluish tinge but in general I like the color I have with my current setup (250 14K MH + 2 actinics).

Thanks in advance.

8x54 with 5 Blue Plus, 2 Purple Plus and 1 GE 6500K

For the other I'd do the 6 lamp sumpower with 4 Blue Plus, 1 Aquablue and a purple plus.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

What kind of recommendations are out there for my 60G 48"L x 15"W x 16"T tank? I am currently using LED on my 28G nano cube and hate the results it is giving me. I considered going with MH, but the heat generation is kind of pushing me away. I will be growing LPS, softies, clam and maybe try for some SPS later on, but not for certain. I looked at the Sunlight Supply 48" Tek Light 6 bulb and 8 bulb; what is the consensus for bulb choices and whether I should do 6 bulb or 8 bulb?

At 15 wide you only need 4 lamps but a 6 lamp fixture would be useful if you move to a bigger tank later. 4 Blue Plus, 1 Purple Plus and 1 GE 6500 Daylight for lamps.

 

[RattlerSkin]

At 15 wide you only need 4 lamps but a 6 lamp fixture would be useful if you move to a bigger tank later. 4 Blue Plus, 1 Purple Plus and 1 GE 6500 Daylight for lamps.

Ok, so if I went with 4 bulbs will that be enough to grow clams and SPS now? What would your recommendation change to if I did 4 bulbs instead? Thanks for the time. I'm looking at the ATI SunPower 36" setup now also, figuring it may give me a better chance to keep lower light corals on the outskirts so I can have my SPS and clam in the center area.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Ok, so if I went with 4 bulbs will that be enough to grow clams and SPS now? What would your recommendation change to if I did 4 bulbs instead? Thanks for the time. I'm looking at the ATI SunPower 36" setup now also, figuring it may give me a better chance to keep lower light corals on the outskirts so I can have my SPS and clam in the center area.

2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 Purple Plus and a Giesemann Aquablue.

 

[LouZ]

8x54 with 5 Blue Plus, 2 Purple Plus and 1 GE 6500K

For the other I'd do the 6 lamp sumpower with 4 Blue Plus, 1 Aquablue and a purple plus.

With these combos...the color of the tank is more blue than white ....correct?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

With these combos...the color of the tank is more blue than white ....correct?

Yep

 

[LouZ]

Yep

OK ..looking at the TOTM...that is considered more white ????

 

[Mindflux]

I'm running a 24" CoraLife Lunar Aqualight over a 34g Solana (20x20x20). Presently using the stock bulbs and am not terribly impressed.

What would some recommendations for replacements be? It's a 4 bulb fixture. I have a few small bits of Montipora about 10" under the waterline that I'd like to keep growing.