The T5 Q&a Thread

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Aquatinics TX5 36" T5 Fixture

Aquatinics TX5 36" T5 Fixture

Hi Grim, I recently picked up a used Aquatinics TX5 36" Fixture (got it for a steal). I have a Deepblue 57g, 36X18x20.

I currently have from front to back:

Blue +
Aquablue Special
Purple Plus
Blue +
AquaBlue Special

The TX5 unit has 2 lighting schemes 2,4 and 1,3,5. I was thinking about moving the Blue + from the front spot to the #2 spot so the dusk dawn can be activated in the 2,4 spot.

I didnt move the bulb yet, but is there any reason why everyone mentions to put a Blue + bulb in #1 spot?

Also would I lose any par if i remove one Aquablue and replace it with another Blue +? The tank is insanely Bright.

With this light can I keep SPS towards the top of the tank?

Thanks!
 
Hey Grim need some help on a fixture. I have a 72" Constellation fixture and am needing to replace the bulbs. I was something in the 20K range...I like it blue!!!!

I don't know what I have right now (been too long, lol).

Let me know how to arrange things. 14 bulbs!
 
Not Grim here but Ill give you your anwers.

First off if you replace an Aqua Special with a Blue Plus you will loose some brightness as well as a little PAR. However for your size tank it will not be a drastic change on your PAR.

If your running all 5 Bulbls on your mid day cycle then there is no issue having the two blue Plus bulbs alone on dawn to dusk cycle by themselves. If you use the purple plus with a Blue Plus it is basicly personal preference as far as color goes in the dawn to dusk time period.

Bulb placement has lot to do with effect coral positioning and personal taste. With 3 Blue Plus bulbs and position 2 and 4 from the front being blue plus I would put a blue plus in pusition 3, the Aqua Blue Special in position 5 directly over most of the corals, and the other blue plus in the front 1 position. If your corals are more centered than swap the Aqua Blue Special to the middle or position 3.


mgould73 said:
Hi Grim, I recently picked up a used Aquatinics TX5 36" Fixture (got it for a steal). I have a Deepblue 57g, 36X18x20.

I currently have from front to back:

Blue +
Aquablue Special
Purple Plus
Blue +
AquaBlue Special

The TX5 unit has 2 lighting schemes 2,4 and 1,3,5. I was thinking about moving the Blue + from the front spot to the #2 spot so the dusk dawn can be activated in the 2,4 spot.

I didnt move the bulb yet, but is there any reason why everyone mentions to put a Blue + bulb in #1 spot?

Also would I lose any par if i remove one Aquablue and replace it with another Blue +? The tank is insanely Bright.

With this light can I keep SPS towards the top of the tank?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
TropTrea said:
Not Grim here but Ill give you your anwers.

First off if you replace an Aqua Special with a Blue Plus you will loose some brightness as well as a little PAR. However for your size tank it will not be a drastic change on your PAR.
Click to expand...

This is actually false because Blue Plus bulbs are the HIGHEST PAR bulbs on the market.
 
Thanks for the info. What about the other two positions though? This fixture has seven bulbs per side. 39w each.
 
Hello,

I am getting a TEK 6X54w T5 fixture for my standard 90 gallon tank. I am upgrading from a 4X54w fixture. I am hoping to add two LED strips eventually to the TEK fixture in the future. I have a mixed reef tank with SPS in the higher column of my tank. I already purchased 2 blue+ and 1 aqua blue special. What do you think my other bulbs should be and the arrangment for them.

I was going to go this route but would like an opinion on the arrangement

Front
blue +
purple + (or actinic)
blue+
aqua blue special
blue+
blue+

Thank you
 
can anyone tell me what they think of this bulb configuration for a 6x24w sun power ati

Ati blue +
geismann midday 6000k
Ati blue +
Geismann pure actinic
Ati blue +
Geismann aqua blue+
 
javsku said:
Hello,

I am getting a TEK 6X54w T5 fixture for my standard 90 gallon tank. I am upgrading from a 4X54w fixture. I am hoping to add two LED strips eventually to the TEK fixture in the future. I have a mixed reef tank with SPS in the higher column of my tank. I already purchased 2 blue+ and 1 aqua blue special. What do you think my other bulbs should be and the arrangment for them.

I was going to go this route but would like an opinion on the arrangement

Front
blue +
purple + (or actinic)
blue+
aqua blue special
blue+
blue+

Thank you
Click to expand...

Without the Atinic the set up you list sounds very good. If you want a bluer look I would replace one of the Blue + bulbs in the rear of the tank with the atinic on the dawn to dusk circuit. Basicly you want blue plus and atinics on your dawn to dusk however some people like to use a purple plus in the dawn to dusk circuit to accent some of there reds.
 
jimrawr said:
can anyone tell me what they think of this bulb configuration for a 6x24w sun power ati

Ati blue +
geismann midday 6000k
Ati blue +
Geismann pure actinic
Ati blue +
Geismann aqua blue+
Click to expand...

Sounds simular to one of first setups with T-5's on my 8 bulb set up only I had an additional two Atinics. I initialy liked it, however later thought it looked too yellow. But that is a matter of personal preference. I know grim would recommend replacing the Atinic with a Purple + however with the 6000K bulb I think your getting more than enough longer wave lenght light already.
 
kpk said:
???

My fixture if 14 bulbs, 7 on each side...
Click to expand...

Okay we are making some assumptions here mainly that you have 6 bulbs on your dawn to dusk and 8 bulbs on your mid day circuit. I'll list one side and the other side should be the same,

Front
1 Mid day= Blue Plus
2. Dawn to Dusk= Blue Plus
3. Mid Day = Aqua Blue Special
4 Dawn to Dusk= Purple Plus
5 Mid Day= Blue Plus (see note)
6 Dawn to Dusk= Blue Plus
7 Mid Day= Blue Plus

On position 5 you have some options depending on how blue or how bright you want the tank. You could go with 100% atinic, Blue Plus, Aqua Blue Special, a 10,000K or the 6,500K with the first selection giving the most deep blue look, and the last giving the brightest look.
 
clevebill said:
i like this combo on my ati power moudle
b+
super actintic
b+
aquasun
super actintic
b+
aquablue
b+
Click to expand...

it is not far from what I'm presently running. two pure atinics, 2 blue + on my dawn to dusk, 1 10,000K, 1 blue plus, and two old White Plus Atinics on my mid day.

When I change bulbs though I'll be adding a purple+to my dawn to dusk, and replacing the old White + Atinic with blue +. possibly putting in an Aqua Special instead of one of the Blue Plus bulbs.
 
Note the Old White Plus bulbs were 50/50 between 10,000K and 420nm Atinic. When I had my store I picked up a box of 12 of them at below wholesale as the wholesaler was dropping the handling of HO T-5 bulbs completly. Two years later he went out business completly.
 
kpk said:
Hey Grim need some help on a fixture. I have a 72" Constellation fixture and am needing to replace the bulbs. I was something in the 20K range...I like it blue!!!!

I don't know what I have right now (been too long, lol).

Let me know how to arrange things. 14 bulbs!
Click to expand...

Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Purple Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Purple Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

Use 3 and 5 as dusk/dawn they run the fans right?
Then add 1, 4 and 7 then 2 and 6
 
what 8 bulb combo to get this look

what 8 bulb combo to get this look

would it be alot of ge6500 bulbs or aquasuns.this tank looks so natural than the standard blue white tanks.
 

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mgould73 said:
Hi Grim, I recently picked up a used Aquatinics TX5 36" Fixture (got it for a steal). I have a Deepblue 57g, 36X18x20.

I currently have from front to back:

Blue +
Aquablue Special
Purple Plus
Blue +
AquaBlue Special

The TX5 unit has 2 lighting schemes 2,4 and 1,3,5. I was thinking about moving the Blue + from the front spot to the #2 spot so the dusk dawn can be activated in the 2,4 spot.

I didnt move the bulb yet, but is there any reason why everyone mentions to put a Blue + bulb in #1 spot?

Also would I lose any par if i remove one Aquablue and replace it with another Blue +? The tank is insanely Bright.

With this light can I keep SPS towards the top of the tank?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

After changing around bulbs for an hour last night I added another blue Plus and took out an Aquablue. The tank now is pretty blue, but I had one last final thought... Would I see any benefit changing out the Aquablue for a 6500K bulb, (Ultra Sun, GE6500k) Better Par? Color? Just seems to me with 3 Blue+, a purple and an aquablue it may wash out some of the other colors.

Please shine in...

How are the ZooMed UltraSun 6500k T5 Bulbs? Seems to be they are relabeled by whoever mass produces them in Germany. Any input on those bulbs? Im asking because I can walk across the street to petco and pickup the ultra sun 6500k t5 for like $18.

Right now my Bulb Config is from front to back.

Blue+
Blue+
Aquablue
ATI Purple
Blue+

The 2,4 are my dusk dawn, 1,3,5 are daylight. All 5 bulbs are lit at that time.
 
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