The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Non-ATI fixtures....can I replace the factoy reflectors and ballasts with ATI equipment?
My fixture is actively cooled but the refelctors and ballasts ae not ideal.
TIA!

Maybe. You need 2.5 inches per reflector. Not many fixtures have that much room.

Ballasts more that likely but that will not make a huge increase in output.


**Now that I think of it I know someone who modified a catalina fixture (aka Ebay special) by using one Ice Cap reflector per 2 lamps and got a nice increase in output. You need to know the spacing between the lamps to know if it will work.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

I have a powermodule 6x54 48" for a LPS/softie tank. I have the following bulbs available (bought used.) What is the best combination that also includes a dawn dusk effect?

4 ati blue plus
1 blue special
2 purple plus
1 true actinic

Front
Blue Plus
True Actinic
Purple Plus
Aquablue Special
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

You might need to grab a second actinic to tone things down a bit depending on how tall the tank is

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

Maybe. You need 2.5 inches per reflector. Not many fixtures have that much room.

Ballasts more that likely but that will not make a huge increase in output.


**Now that I think of it I know someone who modified a catalina fixture (aka Ebay special) by using one Ice Cap reflector per 2 lamps and got a nice increase in output. You need to know the spacing between the lamps to know if it will work.

I can't believe those icecap reflectors would hold two lamps. It is a Current Nova Extreme Pro 6x39w. I will measure the total room and distance between lamps/endcap centers.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I can't believe those icecap reflectors would hold two lamps. It is a Current Nova Extreme Pro 6x39w. I will measure the total room and distance between lamps/endcap centers.

Yeah but he had PAR readings before and after. I don't remember the exact increase but it was solid. I wouldn't have thought it would have done much but ZING.

Another possible option would be using a replacement reflector for a 6 lamp tek, it's a 2 piece stamped reflector. I think those lamps are spaced 1 7/8yk apart.

 

[caliking]

I have a 60" 10bulb Ati fixture and it's about that time to replace the bulbs. My par is great but the color spectrum has shifted.

I'm thinking about getting 6 Ati Blue plus, 3 kz Fiji purple, and 1 6500k Ge.
Is this a good combo? I know it mostly depends on personal taste but I would like to achieve a 20k look and have the red color of some of the corals pop out more.

Any input is appreciated. Thanks

 

[nanoreef16g]

They look OK. I'd still do 2 Blue Plus 1 Purple Plus and a KZ New Gen. Those one watt LEDs will be barely notable with the lights all on.

Hey Grim thanks for all your help so far. Could you take a look at this video for the fixture in question? Seems like the LED's put out quite a bit of blue and I wanted to see if that would change your bulb selection.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzA2I1l2-Kc

 

[TropTrea]

I have a 60" 10bulb Ati fixture and it's about that time to replace the bulbs. My par is great but the color spectrum has shifted.

I'm thinking about getting 6 Ati Blue plus, 3 kz Fiji purple, and 1 6500k Ge.
Is this a good combo? I know it mostly depends on personal taste but I would like to achieve a 20k look and have the red color of some of the corals pop out more.

Any input is appreciated. Thanks

With the combination you listed I think you will have too much red. The
Purples and the 6,500K all produce red light. Red light is benificial up to a point and then it actualy becomes harmful to some corals when in excess.

I would go with only 1 Purple personaly and replace it with a AquaBlue Special but if you want a lot of red you may try swapping just one of them rather than two.

 

[TropTrea]

Non-ATI fixtures....can I replace the factoy reflectors and ballasts with ATI equipment?
My fixture is actively cooled but the refelctors and ballasts ae not ideal.
TIA!

Years ago someone did some testing on different reflectors and ballasts. They not only used the standard ballasts but also some special ones that pushed the bulbs into overdrive. On a lumns compared to power used there was less than a 5% difference between the different ballasts. The over drive balasts did produce more light but also were less effecient as they used a lot more power.

The reflectors though showed an extrem difference. There was about a 35% difference between the different designs of reflectors out there. The actal best reflector was one that basicly wrapped around each individual bulb however this reflector did require the bulbs to be spaced further apart than standard fixtures are. However if you look at a 6 bulb fixture that is the most effecient and produces 35% more light it is better than a 8 bulb fixture that is the least effecient.

 

[TropTrea]

I actually just came across this fixture:
http://www.finnex.net/index.php?pag...category_id=4&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=61
Any thoughts on bulb combo since this has the built in blue LED's? Does it look like a quality set-up?

I like the basics of the fixture mainly the wrap around reflectors around each bulb that is a sign that it was designed for effeciency. But I did not see a price. The 1 watt LEDs won't give you a lot of extra PAR or notiicable change when the other bulbs are on but they should produce a nice moonlight effect when the other bulbs are off.

Price would be a big factor on this fixture. For a 40 gallon tank it should allow you to have some low to medium light requiring corals.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim thanks for all your help so far. Could you take a look at this video for the fixture in question? Seems like the LED's put out quite a bit of blue and I wanted to see if that would change your bulb selection.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzA2I1l2-Kc

If you like a brighter look use ati aquablue instead of the KZ. LED's aren't going to make a huge difference. It's hard to judge from that video

 

[stevedola]

Wouldn't be a bad idea, little extra red.

ok so how would you arrange the bulbs on the ati sunpower with 8bulbs?
was thinking:
FRont:
b+
Aquasun
p+
b+
p+
geisemnaN Midday
B+
B+
? Does that sound ok?

 

[TropTrea]

ok so how would you arrange the bulbs on the ati sunpower with 8bulbs?
was thinking:
FRont:
b+
Aquasun
p+
b+
p+
geisemnaN Midday
B+
B+
? Does that sound ok?

Dependent upon the placement of your corals you could go the way you have them listed or you could move the Midday up to the front one step with the mid day sun circuit on.

 

[nanoreef16g]

I like the basics of the fixture mainly the wrap around reflectors around each bulb that is a sign that it was designed for effeciency. But I did not see a price. The 1 watt LEDs won't give you a lot of extra PAR or notiicable change when the other bulbs are on but they should produce a nice moonlight effect when the other bulbs are off.

Price would be a big factor on this fixture. For a 40 gallon tank it should allow you to have some low to medium light requiring corals.

The fixture is $385. The 36" has 15 one watt LED's with a moonlight option and a "shimmer" option.

 

[rtparty]

The fixture is $385.

Finnex reflectors aren't that great. I believe Grim is the one who tested them and showed his findings. They were pretty bad in the end.

For $385 you better get to choose the exact bulbs you want or plan on spending even more to get better bulbs. I would take an Aquatic Life, Tek or ATI over the Finnex stuff in a heart beat.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

ok so how would you arrange the bulbs on the ati sunpower with 8bulbs?
was thinking:
FRont:
b+
Aquasun
p+
b+
p+
geisemnaN Midday
B+
B+
? Does that sound ok?

Give it a shot and see what you think

 

[sbtdark]

T5 Fixture and Lighting

T5 Fixture and Lighting

Grim,

Currently I'm having a custom 90g rimless 48Hx24Dx18H reef tank by Reef Savvy made, and it will be a mixed reef with the more SPS and and a nice amount of lps on the bottom other coral mixed in. I'm undecided which fixture and lighting combination to go with. After hours of reading I've decided to run with the ATI 48" fixture, but not sure if I should run with the 6 or 8 bulb setup. Also, I'm undecided between the dimmable, Sunpower or Powermodule. From my reading, it seems that the Sunpower would be the best bang for the buck. As for the lighting, UVL lighting suggested I use 3 454 and 3 Indigo Sun. ReekGeek suggested I use 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Aquablue, and 1 ATI Purple Plus. Considering I like it blue but not to blue were everything looks blurry, I wanted your expertise if these options are good. Picking bulbs suck!

Please advise

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

Currently I'm having a custom 90g rimless 48Hx24Dx18H reef tank by Reef Savvy made, and it will be a mixed reef with the more SPS and and a nice amount of lps on the bottom other coral mixed in. I'm undecided which fixture and lighting combination to go with. After hours of reading I've decided to run with the ATI 48" fixture, but not sure if I should run with the 6 or 8 bulb setup. Also, I'm undecided between the dimmable, Sunpower or Powermodule. From my reading, it seems that the Sunpower would be the best bang for the buck. As for the lighting, UVL lighting suggested I use 3 454 and 3 Indigo Sun. ReekGeek suggested I use 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Aquablue, and 1 ATI Purple Plus. Considering I like it blue but not to blue were everything looks blurry, I wanted your expertise if these options are good. Picking bulbs suck!

Please advise

Sunpower will do fine. 4 Blue PLus, 1 Purple Plus and 1 GE 6500K would be where I would start.

 

[sbtdark]

Thanks! In what order should I place them for a good dusk/dawn affect?

 

[garygb]

For a tank with the following dimensions 30"L X 24"W X 20"H, what fixture would provide good light for sps/clams (light demanding) animals? I like the look of ATI fixtures and I know they are the best. Would a 24 inch ATI with either 6 or 8 bulbs provide enough light for a tank with those dimensions. Also, do the 24 inch bulbs provide equivalent PAR to the longer bulbs, inch for inch? I ask this because I think I recall reading somewhere the bulb length has some influence on the output, but I may be completely wrong about that.

 

[rtparty]

For a tank with the following dimensions 30"L X 24"W X 20"H, what fixture would provide good light for sps/clams (light demanding) animals? I like the look of ATI fixtures and I know they are the best. Would a 24 inch ATI with either 6 or 8 bulbs provide enough light for a tank with those dimensions. Also, do the 24 inch bulbs provide equivalent PAR to the longer bulbs, inch for inch? I ask this because I think I recall reading somewhere the bulb length has some influence on the output, but I may be completely wrong about that.

8x24w ATI Sunpower will be all you need for whatever you want.

Bulb length has very little effect on output. Actually 36" bulbs usually perform worse than 24" bulbs. The 60" bulbs tend to put out the most PAR per inch but it is negligible.