The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

So after some time away from having a tank I am looking to set my 40g breeder back up. Thinking about skipping the MH's and going with a T5 setup. Does anyone have some suggestions for a decently priced complete setup, or should I go with a retrofit? I am going for a fairly mixed reef, Zoas, LPS, few SPS. Would a 6 bulb setup work for me, or can I get away with 4?

If you want clams or a lot of SPS 6, if not 4 will do. Probably a 4 lamp ATI Sunpower would work for clams and some SPS. 6 lamp Tek, again as long as you don't want a bunch of high light critters.

 

[corywilson]

grim any advice on my question?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

I have a standard 120(4x2x2) with sps up on the rocks and zoas/lps on the sand. I have a 6 bulb ice cap retrofit kit, front two bulbs on an advance ballast and the back 4 overdriven on a 660. Back 4 are over the rockwork where all my sps are. I'm not real happy with the color I have now and I was hoping you could suggest a bulb combo front to back for me. I'm looking for a 18-20k color scheme. The bulbs I currently have available are 5 blue plus, 1 GE 6500k, 1 actinic white, and 1 fiji. Its not a problem to order a few others if you feel I can't get where I want to go with these. Thanks in advance!

Try this
Front
Blue Plus
Blue Plus
Actinic White or fiji purple
Blue Plus
GE
Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Great, thanks so much. Got a suggested order? Also any input on the photo-period i mentioned (11 hours full + 1 hour dusk/dawn)?

Front
Blue Plus
75/25
blue plus
ge
blue plus
actinic white
blue plus

8 to 10 hours full, 10 to 12 for dusk dawn

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I was hoping to get some advice on a new setup. Mostly concerned with fixture right now, but I guess it would hurt to ask about bulb combination as well...

I'm planning a 48"x24"x18"Tall rimless. I will have a mixed reef (a few SPS, Acans, Rics). After doing a lot of reading, I am considering a 36" fixture with planned placement of corals into the proper area of lighting. I plan on having the rock away from the sides by at least 2-3", so that will take care of part of the low light edges. I was considering:
1) 36" 6x39W ATI Sunpower (I would have to go to a PowerModule for more bulbs and would rather not)
2) 36" 6x39W LET Modular (more bulbs available, but I'm not even sure this fixture is available yet)
3) any other recommendations?

Thanks!

Sunpower would be fine for that tank. Not sure when the LET will be available. I would do 4 blue plus, a ge 6500K Daylight and UVL Actinic White

 

[corywilson]

thanks grim looks better! i went with

bp
bp
fiji
bp
ge
bp

for now, i'll toss the actinic white in there in a few days and see if i notice a difference. are these bulbs what you would suggest if I were ordering a new set or is there a latest and greatest new bulb out that I would want when I resupply after christmas?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

thanks grim looks better! i went with

bp
bp
fiji
bp
ge
bp

for now, i'll toss the actinic white in there in a few days and see if i notice a difference. are these bulbs what you would suggest if I were ordering a new set or is there a latest and greatest new bulb out that I would want when I resupply after christmas?

Those are fine, cant think of any I would prefer.

 

[jefft321]

Grim,

I recently set up my ELOS 120 XL, I ordered an ATI Powermodule 10 X 54 watt. I followed your instructions as to bulb selection, I am keeping mostly SPS. I have been having problems with my coral coloration. The tank has been set up for about 2 months and I have been slowly moving corals over from my other tank that had an outerorbit 2 x 250 watt MH and 4 x 54 watt T5. Some of the corals turned a lighter shade almost white, some turned a little brown. I feel like the color in all of the corals is fading. I have the fixture about 9 or 10 inches above the water and the corals are close to the top. I have all 10 bulbs on for 6 1/2 hours and 2 bulbs only for 10 hours. I thought that was not enought photo period so I increased to 7 1/2 hours, but the corals are getting lighter. Any suggestions? I feel like the lights are pretty high off the water and I am wondering if I should keep the lights on for more or less time, and should I have the fixture closer or further from the water?
Also, I have a 30 gallon frag tank with 4 x 36 watt T5 and most of the corals in there are turning Brown, with a few turning whitish?
Can you help me? Just to add my water parameters are good, I only have 1 small fish in the ELOS and no fish in the frag tank.
Thanks, Jeff

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

I recently set up my ELOS 120 XL, I ordered an ATI Powermodule 10 X 54 watt. I followed your instructions as to bulb selection, I am keeping mostly SPS. I have been having problems with my coral coloration. The tank has been set up for about 2 months and I have been slowly moving corals over from my other tank that had an outerorbit 2 x 250 watt MH and 4 x 54 watt T5. Some of the corals turned a lighter shade almost white, some turned a little brown. I feel like the color in all of the corals is fading. I have the fixture about 9 or 10 inches above the water and the corals are close to the top. I have all 10 bulbs on for 6 1/2 hours and 2 bulbs only for 10 hours. I thought that was not enought photo period so I increased to 7 1/2 hours, but the corals are getting lighter. Any suggestions? I feel like the lights are pretty high off the water and I am wondering if I should keep the lights on for more or less time, and should I have the fixture closer or further from the water?
Also, I have a 30 gallon frag tank with 4 x 36 watt T5 and most of the corals in there are turning Brown, with a few turning whitish?
Can you help me? Just to add my water parameters are good, I only have 1 small fish in the ELOS and no fish in the frag tank.
Thanks, Jeff

Corals getting lighter and turning brown??? That seems weird. What lamps are you using?

 

[Pigmonster]

okay, gonna go fix the other tank too... have2x150 radiums on a 4x2x2 120gallon. what bulbs would you use for supplementation? Again more about the color than growth. Have a little of everything in there, sps, lps, softies, fish etc. looking at a retro kit using 4 bulbs total 2 in front of halides and 2 behind halides. I am replacing the pc retros that are currently in there.
Thank you again for taking the time

 

[njsurfcaster]

T5 options for 75 gallon

T5 options for 75 gallon

Hi Grim,

I've been reading through this excellent post for sometime and am hoping you have a chance to help me with my lighting setup. I'm picking up my standard size 75 gallon marine series setup which will have a canopy. I think I have it narrowed down to the 48" Sunlight TEK T5 fixture but am not sure on if I should go with 4 or 6 bulb unit or maybe 36" 6 bulb unit? I'm sure I'll be adding fans and shield. This will be a mixed reef and my first SW tank so I plan to start slow but would like some Acros and possibly a clam later on. I'm not sure what other corals except maybe Elegance that my GF likes. I'm also not sure on which bulbs but since its a new tank I guess I want to look for producing growth first and looks second?

Oh anyone know when to expect a new unit from Sunlight?

Thank you!

 

[jefft321]

Grim, I have 4- Ati blue plus, 2- fiji purple, 2- ge 6500, 2- ati aqua blue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

okay, gonna go fix the other tank too... have2x150 radiums on a 4x2x2 120gallon. what bulbs would you use for supplementation? Again more about the color than growth. Have a little of everything in there, sps, lps, softies, fish etc. looking at a retro kit using 4 bulbs total 2 in front of halides and 2 behind halides. I am replacing the pc retros that are currently in there.
Thank you again for taking the time

Front
Blue Plus
Fiji Purple or UVL 75/25
Halide
Aquablue
Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim,

I've been reading through this excellent post for sometime and am hoping you have a chance to help me with my lighting setup. I'm picking up my standard size 75 gallon marine series setup which will have a canopy. I think I have it narrowed down to the 48" Sunlight TEK T5 fixture but am not sure on if I should go with 4 or 6 bulb unit or maybe 36" 6 bulb unit? I'm sure I'll be adding fans and shield. This will be a mixed reef and my first SW tank so I plan to start slow but would like some Acros and possibly a clam later on. I'm not sure what other corals except maybe Elegance that my GF likes. I'm also not sure on which bulbs but since its a new tank I guess I want to look for producing growth first and looks second?

Oh anyone know when to expect a new unit from Sunlight?

Thank you!

6 lamps for sure. The length doesn't matter as much as long as you leave the ends for lower light critters.

Don't use a splash shield, it kills the output.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

Oh, read up before buying an elegance. They are damned near impossible to keep alive anymore. At one time they were considered an easy coral but for some reason in recent years the specimens collected have a high mortality rate.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, I have 4- Ati blue plus, 2- fiji purple, 2- ge 6500, 2- ati aqua blue

Hmmm. Try pulling the Aquablues and just run 8 lamps for a while and see what happens.

 

[nadking]

210 mixed reef t5

210 mixed reef t5

Hey Grim I was hoping for some advice for lighting my 210 gallon 72X24X26.
I have a mix of softies, sps, and lps but definately prefer to tailor my lights towards sps and clams. Right now I have a 4x54w ice cap retro with 3x6500 k and one pure actinic. I am looking to add another ballast and either stagger 8x54w or run 6x80w. Id like to run one ballast dawn to dusk and the other midday. Would you suggest the 8x54w or the 6x80w? Also what bulb combinations would you recommend to optimize growth while still keeping a nice bluer looking look. Thanks in advance

 

[cdposey26]

Anyone have any feedback on ice cap t5 bulbs, and how are there PAR ratings compared to other bulbs. I ask because I am have had several bulbs (KZ Purple and ATI Blue Plus) go out within 3 months. I am getting frustrated and understand the ice cap bulbs to have a thicker filament so I was hoping this might work better for me. Lastly, are there any suggestions on where to buy the ice cap lamps. Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim I was hoping for some advice for lighting my 210 gallon 72X24X26.
I have a mix of softies, sps, and lps but definately prefer to tailor my lights towards sps and clams. Right now I have a 4x54w ice cap retro with 3x6500 k and one pure actinic. I am looking to add another ballast and either stagger 8x54w or run 6x80w. Id like to run one ballast dawn to dusk and the other midday. Would you suggest the 8x54w or the 6x80w? Also what bulb combinations would you recommend to optimize growth while still keeping a nice bluer looking look. Thanks in advance

You could stick with your 4x54 watt system and add 3 x 80 watt lamps to it.

Front
ATI Blue Plus 80 watts
UVL Actinic White
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus 80 watts
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus 80 watts

That will have more par and spread the light out where you can have critters out to the ends as long as they are lower light. Anything goes in the center 4 feet, Use the 3 80 watt Blue Plus as your dusk/dawn

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Anyone have any feedback on ice cap t5 bulbs, and how are there PAR ratings compared to other bulbs. I ask because I am have had several bulbs (KZ Purple and ATI Blue Plus) go out within 3 months. I am getting frustrated and understand the ice cap bulbs to have a thicker filament so I was hoping this might work better for me. Lastly, are there any suggestions on where to buy the ice cap lamps. Thanks

Are you using an Ice Cap ballast? If so are you using a fan or two to cool the lamp ends? If not you need to, the lamps will die if not cooled when you use the IC ballast. The Ice Cap lamps are beefed up UVL lamps. Reefgeek has them.

 

[cdposey26]

thanks