The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Is the 4 bulb nova extreme crap?

Not crap, just not very effective at putting light into a tank over about 15" tall.

 

[90g-reefer]

Ice Cap's Reef crest bulb

Ice Cap's Reef crest bulb

Dose anyone use this bulb? Is it a good daylight bulb in comparison to any of the other daylight bulbs on reefgeek, and do I have to drive it with their ballast to get the bright white results?

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...10000K_Reef_Crest_T5_HO_Fluorescent_by_IceCap

 

[monkeybiz]

hey grim, i just picked up a tek 4x24 on ebay cause it looked like a good deal. 189 shipped on ebay. but im worried if it will be enough light for my shallow tank. tank dimensions 36x24x12. im sure penetration wont be a big problem since its shallow but will it desperse the light enough to cover it?

i plan on keeping mostly zoas for now since this is my first tank. also, lfs has geismann bulbs, what do you roccomend? 2 daylight 2 actinic?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Dose anyone use this bulb? Is it a good daylight bulb in comparison to any of the other daylight bulbs on reefgeek, and do I have to drive it with their ballast to get the bright white results?

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...10000K_Reef_Crest_T5_HO_Fluorescent_by_IceCap

Same thing as a Aquasun. Not bad depending on your mix of lamps. I prefer the Actinic White.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

hey grim, i just picked up a tek 4x24 on ebay cause it looked like a good deal. 189 shipped on ebay. but im worried if it will be enough light for my shallow tank. tank dimensions 36x24x12. im sure penetration wont be a big problem since its shallow but will it desperse the light enough to cover it?

i plan on keeping mostly zoas for now since this is my first tank. also, lfs has geismann bulbs, what do you roccomend? 2 daylight 2 actinic?

I would want at least 6 lamps but it should be OK if you are careful where you place high light critters.

2 Actinic Plus, 1 Aquablue and 1 Midday

 

[JAustin]

Hey Grim, a friend of mine has a 4ft Nova with 4 t-5's and 2 bulb no name fixture over her 75g and it's not enough PAR. Her zoas that are half way up are streched out reaching for light. She's replacing the bulbs but the results aren't looking that great.

Would running 4 t-5's with an icecap ballast with 4 icecap reflectors be a good option? Also what bulbs would you recomend. She would like to have some SPS but mostley softies and LPS.

Thanks alot
Jason

 

[dustinc]

Is the 4 bulb nova extreme crap?

Not crap, just not very effective at putting light into a tank over about 15" tall.

What I plan on doing is putting in a deep sand bed and also building a frag rack for the sps on the top rack which will probably be 6 inches or so from the top... If it still won't be sufficient, that's fine, just trying to save a little money somewhere. I will definitely replace the bulbs with others on day one... Just so you know. Thanks

Dustin

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim, a friend of mine has a 4ft Nova with 4 t-5's and 2 bulb no name fixture over her 75g and it's not enough PAR. Her zoas that are half way up are streched out reaching for light. She's replacing the bulbs but the results aren't looking that great.

Would running 4 t-5's with an icecap ballast with 4 icecap reflectors be a good option? Also what bulbs would you recomend. She would like to have some SPS but mostley softies and LPS.

Thanks alot
Jason

Even just 4 lamps regularly driven on T5 ballasts with the Ice Cap reflectors would be fine. 2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 UVLK Actinic White and a ATI Aquablue.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

What I plan on doing is putting in a deep sand bed and also building a frag rack for the sps on the top rack which will probably be 6 inches or so from the top... If it still won't be sufficient, that's fine, just trying to save a little money somewhere. I will definitely replace the bulbs with others on day one... Just so you know. Thanks

Dustin

That will be fine with the corals so high up.

 

[PGUY1]

Hey Grim...I'm running a six bulb retro from Reefgeek. I used your bulb suggestions and am running 4 blue plus, an actinic white and a GE 6500. My highest coral is a pale blue acro and i don't like the way the GE makes it look. Can i substitute an ATI Aquablue for it without losing par? I have been real happy with my growth and don't want to mess that up. How do you think that would look? Thanks again, Phil.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim...I'm running a six bulb retro from Reefgeek. I used your bulb suggestions and am running 4 blue plus, an actinic white and a GE 6500. My highest coral is a pale blue acro and i don't like the way the GE makes it look. Can i substitute an ATI Aquablue for it without losing par? I have been real happy with my growth and don't want to mess that up. How do you think that would look? Thanks again, Phil.

It will give you a little more PAR so if you like the look better do it.

 

[babyjess210]

Hey Grim
I have a 6 bulb retro over a 120gal softies. Here is what i have

Front
Ati blue plus
Ati blue plus
UVL Actinic white
Ati blue plus
GE 6500k
Ati blue plus

I wasn't too crazy about the pink look from the actinic white so i switch the actinic white to an Ati aquablue special and now it looks a little too blue for me. Should I replace the Ati aquablue special with something like a UVL 75/25 or a fuji purple or maybe even another GE 6500k. I use to run 250w radiums and like the color it gave out.
Thanks
kenny

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim
I have a 6 bulb retro over a 120gal softies. Here is what i have

Front
Ati blue plus
Ati blue plus
UVL Actinic white
Ati blue plus
GE 6500k
Ati blue plus

I wasn't too crazy about the pink look from the actinic white so i switch the actinic white to an Ati aquablue special and now it looks a little too blue for me. Should I replace the Ati aquablue special with something like a UVL 75/25 or a fuji purple or maybe even another GE 6500k. I use to run 250w radiums and like the color it gave out.
Thanks
kenny

Either of those lamps should get you what you are looking for.

 

[luchie]

hey grim just wanted to know what is the difference between the ati blue plus and the uvl super actinic 420nm. color and par wise? thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

hey grim just wanted to know what is the difference between the ati blue plus and the uvl super actinic 420nm. color and par wise? thanks

Blue Plus is a high PAR Blue lamp. Actinic plus os a violet colored low PAR lamp. Both will fluoresce corals, the Actinic will hit different colors like green a little better and because of the lower visible light with just the actinic on the look apprears a little more dramatic but once all the lights are on there isn't a dollar's worth of difference I can see.

 

[ryshark]

Do you think I need to light acclimate my coral to the addition of one 80w T5 in an aqua illumination reflector? My existing lights that the T5 bulb is joining. Is 250watt radiums. Thanks

 

[donk228]

hey grim just wanted to know what is the difference between the ati blue plus and the uvl super actinic 420nm. color and par wise? thanks

I'll echo Grim's response. I just switched a Geissman Actinic for an ATI Blue Plus, which I run together with a UVL Super Actinic for my dusk/dawn lighting on my six bulb Tek. I was leary of trying the Blue Plus as a part of my dusk/dawn bulbs, fearing that it was going to be overpowering blue without any fluorescence. To the contrary, I'm very glad I did, since it brings out more colors than only actinic bulbs while maintaining the fluorescent "pop" that I wanted.

 

[JD52]

What actinic type bulbs would work best to accent a 250w se Reeflux 10k? Im already running three G-mann actinic plus and I was considering adding another or possibly replacing one with either a UVL 75.25 or a Fiji purple.. Thoughts please? Im not really very partial to the 'pink' color tho..

 

[ronhjr]

New 60" 6x80w Powermodule on the way...how are these bulbs??

New 60" 6x80w Powermodule on the way...how are these bulbs??

New 60" 6x80w Powermodule on the way...how are these bulbs??

I ordered the following:

2 - ATI True Actinic 03
2 - ATI Aquable Special
2- Geissmann PwerChrome Mid-day

If this combo works, how should I position them in the fixture?

 

[mojo~]

Here are the pics I promised of my new 3ft 6 bulb sunpower.

The only thing I have struggled with is how the bulbs 2 and 5 are the dusk dawn lights. So this is why things are the way the are for the layout. I have been playing with the bulb combo for two days and this is my favorite.
I am currently running
ATI aquablue special
ATI B +
ATI B+
ATI AB Special
UVL Super actinic
ATI B+

I bought 3 ati ab specials, b+'s giesmann actinic plus, ge 6500, uvl actinic white and the super actinic.

Hope you all like the pics.

Mojo~