The T5 Q&a Thread

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Just purchased the 12 bulb 72" Aquaticlife fixture and it came with bulbs but am unsure about so much blue

the layout is as follows: (two sets of six 36" bulbs next to each other for my 72" 125g)

Front of tank
actinic
purple plus
actinic
actinic
10K
actinic

This just seems like a lot of actinic. I called aquaticlife and they said this is the best layout for growing coral. Personally, I don't like the look of so much blue but will tolerate it as long as that is what's best for the tank. The bulbs that came with it are aquaticlife and I will eventually switch them out for ATI or another quality bulb (just not all at once). However, if this layout is not best for the tank then I can change a few (about 4(2on each side)) out now.

Does anyone have any opinions or experience with this that I can use to decide what kind of bulbs and bulb layout to use. I'm just setting up the tank and don't really want to be limited on what to put inside.

Thanks!
 
jacob.morgan78 said:
Just purchased the 12 bulb 72" Aquaticlife fixture and it came with bulbs but am unsure about so much blue

the layout is as follows: (two sets of six 36" bulbs next to each other for my 72" 125g)

Front of tank
actinic
purple plus
actinic
actinic
10K
actinic

This just seems like a lot of actinic. I called aquaticlife and they said this is the best layout for growing coral. Personally, I don't like the look of so much blue but will tolerate it as long as that is what's best for the tank. The bulbs that came with it are aquaticlife and I will eventually switch them out for ATI or another quality bulb (just not all at once). However, if this layout is not best for the tank then I can change a few (about 4(2on each side)) out now.

Does anyone have any opinions or experience with this that I can use to decide what kind of bulbs and bulb layout to use. I'm just setting up the tank and don't really want to be limited on what to put inside.

Thanks!
Click to expand...


If you don't want quite so much blue then in the end I would get to the point where you are running 3 ATI Blue Plus, 1 GE 6500k, 1 ATI Purple Plus and 1 ATI Aquablue.

Blue light is the "best" light for coral IMO. It is the wavelength that most corals will ever receive in the wild. However I don't like Aquatic Life's setup. Actinic T5 bulbs are a waste. The blue bulbs have the most PAR and provide a ton of actinic still.

For now I would switch 2 actinics for 2 ATI Blue Plus and 2 more actinics for 2 ATI Aquablue.

So have them set up like this on each side:

Blue Plus
Purple
Actinic
10k
Aquablue
Actinc

Moving the 10k forward will help the tank look less blue as well.
 
rtparty said:
If you don't want quite so much blue then in the end I would get to the point where you are running 3 ATI Blue Plus, 1 GE 6500k, 1 ATI Purple Plus and 1 ATI Aquablue.

Blue light is the "best" light for coral IMO. It is the wavelength that most corals will ever receive in the wild. However I don't like Aquatic Life's setup. Actinic T5 bulbs are a waste. The blue bulbs have the most PAR and provide a ton of actinic still.

For now I would switch 2 actinics for 2 ATI Blue Plus and 2 more actinics for 2 ATI Aquablue.

So have them set up like this on each side:

Blue Plus
Purple
Actinic
10k
Aquablue
Actinc

Moving the 10k forward will help the tank look less blue as well.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I think I am going to go ahead and order some new bulbs and I'll probably end up getting these.

Anybody else want to chime in with their suggestions or experience?

Thanks again!
 
I just switched from MH to T5 (Tek Elite 8 bulb 54). I started with 4 B+, 2 AquaBlue Special and 2 Purple plus (emulating July TOTM). Based on what I have read in this thread I switched to 5 B+, 2P+ and the GE6500. I like it much better. I am wondering how the overall look would change if I switched a KZ New Gen for either one B+ or the GE 6500 bulb?

Thanks in advance!
 
Grim,

I know you've answered this a million times for other people, but I can't seem to find it in this endless thread.

I have an old 48" nova extreme 4 bulb fixture over my 55. (I know it's not the best, but I didn't know any better at the time). Anyway, I've been running uvl brand bulbs because I could get them cheap and local, but now they no longer stock them. I have 3 bulbs out of the four that are due for replacement in a month. I want to switch all 4 bulbs over to ATI brand bulbs.

I like a blue look without it being washed out. I keep a full mixed reef.

Thanks,
Drew
 
rsaha said:
I just switched from MH to T5 (Tek Elite 8 bulb 54). I started with 4 B+, 2 AquaBlue Special and 2 Purple plus (emulating July TOTM). Based on what I have read in this thread I switched to 5 B+, 2P+ and the GE6500. I like it much better. I am wondering how the overall look would change if I switched a KZ New Gen for either one B+ or the GE 6500 bulb?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

One will be less blue and the other will be more blue.
 
Drewbaby said:
Grim,

I know you've answered this a million times for other people, but I can't seem to find it in this endless thread.

I have an old 48" nova extreme 4 bulb fixture over my 55. (I know it's not the best, but I didn't know any better at the time). Anyway, I've been running uvl brand bulbs because I could get them cheap and local, but now they no longer stock them. I have 3 bulbs out of the four that are due for replacement in a month. I want to switch all 4 bulbs over to ATI brand bulbs.

I like a blue look without it being washed out. I keep a full mixed reef.

Thanks,
Drew
Click to expand...

2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Purple Plus and 1 KZ New Generation.
 
jacob.morgan78 said:
Just purchased the 12 bulb 72" Aquaticlife fixture and it came with bulbs but am unsure about so much blue

the layout is as follows: (two sets of six 36" bulbs next to each other for my 72" 125g)

Front of tank
actinic
purple plus
actinic
actinic
10K
actinic

This just seems like a lot of actinic. I called aquaticlife and they said this is the best layout for growing coral. Personally, I don't like the look of so much blue but will tolerate it as long as that is what's best for the tank. The bulbs that came with it are aquaticlife and I will eventually switch them out for ATI or another quality bulb (just not all at once). However, if this layout is not best for the tank then I can change a few (about 4(2on each side)) out now.

Does anyone have any opinions or experience with this that I can use to decide what kind of bulbs and bulb layout to use. I'm just setting up the tank and don't really want to be limited on what to put inside.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

If you aren't getting water splashing on the shield remove it. Good for more PAR. The Actinic lamps aren't all that blue. I'd try throwing 2 rows of ATI Blue Plus in place of 2 rows of the actinics and see what you think. I think their 10k and purple lamps do a good job. The Actinic reminds me of the old Helios Super Blue which I liked, they had more green in them.

Of course all T5's suck major doggy doodle though a greasy straw after running LED's for 6 months :D
 
What bulb combo is best with Tek 4 x 54 watt fixture?

What bulb combo is best with Tek 4 x 54 watt fixture?

I have a 4 bulb Tek fixture. I'm looking to set up a mixed reef what bulb combo would you recommend for mostly LPS, zoas, shrooms, and maybe some softies. Possibly some lower light SPS?
 
The Grim Reefer said:
If you aren't getting water splashing on the shield remove it. Good for more PAR. The Actinic lamps aren't all that blue. I'd try throwing 2 rows of ATI Blue Plus in place of 2 rows of the actinics and see what you think. I think their 10k and purple lamps do a good job. The Actinic reminds me of the old Helios Super Blue which I liked, they had more green in them.

Of course all T5's suck major doggy doodle though a greasy straw after running LED's for 6 months :D
Click to expand...

thanks for the tips! I think it's funny by the way that the expert on t5's on here uses LEDs! ...i guess this should mean something:spin3:
 
is it to my understanding that the aquabluespecial bulbs arnt any good? is the ge6500 a good bulb to use instead of the aquaspecial
for a 12k look i was going to go with
front
blue
purple
blue
ge6500
blue
aquaspecial
back

what do u think of this combo, and also do u think i should replace the aquaspecial withanother ge6500.
thanks for all ur help
 
little help

little help

so my fixtures took a crap (just old), got a 375 96x36x36, my fixtures are 48" 2HQI w/ 2 125 compacts now i could get 48" 2x250 HQI w/ 54 w T5's OR would just straight 48" 8 bulb T5's be enough,,,,,,,no SPS, just softies and fish
 
siding88 said:
so my fixtures took a crap (just old), got a 375 96x36x36, my fixtures are 48" 2HQI w/ 2 125 compacts now i could get 48" 2x250 HQI w/ 54 w T5's OR would just straight 48" 8 bulb T5's be enough,,,,,,,no SPS, just softies and fish
Click to expand...


not sure if it's a typo or not, but your "375" according to those dimensions turns out to be a 540g!
 
siding88 said:
so my fixtures took a crap (just old), got a 375 96x36x36, my fixtures are 48" 2HQI w/ 2 125 compacts now i could get 48" 2x250 HQI w/ 54 w T5's OR would just straight 48" 8 bulb T5's be enough,,,,,,,no SPS, just softies and fish
Click to expand...

Two of the 8 bulb Sunpowers should work for you. 36" front to back is a ton of area to cover so make sure you have room to hang the light high enough.
 
rtparty said:
Two of the 8 bulb Sunpowers should work for you. 36" front to back is a ton of area to cover so make sure you have room to hang the light high enough.
Click to expand...

thats the thing, its in the basement, built into the wall, not much overhead with the floor joists being about 10" from the top of the tank
 
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