The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Hello Everyone.

I just picked up a retrofit 2x54w T5HO setup and am currently bulb shopping for my FOWLR tank. Any suggestions to which two bulbs would be best for my type of setup for overall color pop?

ATI Blue Plus and Aquablue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Sorry, guess I wasn't clear. I need to use what I've got. Won't the 54w bulbs penatrate deep enough? What is the best bulb combo for what my situation is now, order and type. Again thanks for dealing with an idiot

You have to use reflectors and with the reflectors you can only fit in 6 lamps. I would just center the 54 watt lamps and concentrate your high light critters under them. Use the last foot on each side for low light stuff.

 

[JTL]

Hi Grim,
You advised me to use the following on a 7 bulb fixture that I am building.
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aqua Blue
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus

I am putting this on a controller, so what would be a good schedule for sunrise to sunset effects.

 

[Bagged94Ranger]

ATI Blue Plus and Aquablue

Thanks Grim,

Is this coloration significantly different from say a 12,000k / 460nm Actinic Blue setup?

 

[spoofer]

i will post some pics when i get it all - thanks as always

Stick with the reco, I am not a big fan of the premium price on the Fiji lamp but in some cases it is the best solution or people just want to try it.

 

[Eel-byte]

ok boys and girls, got my Tek 8x54 fixture today, it came with Geiesemann bulbs. 4 mid day, 2 pure actinic , and 2 actinic+. What should my bulb layout be? Thanks.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim,
You advised me to use the following on a 7 bulb fixture that I am building.
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aqua Blue
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus

I am putting this on a controller, so what would be a good schedule for sunrise to sunset effects.

Start it off with 2 blue pluses, then add in a blue plus and 75/25 then the rest.

I'd do 12, 10 and 6 hours for the times.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks Grim,

Is this coloration significantly different from say a 12,000k / 460nm Actinic Blue setup?

Would be about the same

 

[The Grim Reefer]

ok boys and girls, got my Tek 8x54 fixture today, it came with Geiesemann bulbs. 4 mid day, 2 pure actinic , and 2 actinic+. What should my bulb layout be? Thanks.

Front

Pure Actinic
Actinic Plus
Midday x 4
Actinic Plus \Pure Actinic

 

[Eel-byte]

Thanks!

Front

Pure Actinic
Actinic Plus
Midday x 4
Actinic Plus \Pure Actinic

 

[Swoop]

Okay Grim time for me to ask you for your T5 advice.

I've ordered 2 5ft 4 bulb IceCap T5 Retro Kits for my canopy. This will be used to light a 6ft long tank. Tank is 27" deep and 3ft front to back.

Couple of things I would like to know.

1. Obviously what T5 bulbs from front to back. Looking to keep a mix of SPS, LPS and Softies.

2. Each kit comes with 2 ballasts, so thats 4 total. 2 bulbs per ballast. Can you or anyone else clue me in on what bulbs should be paired together wiring wise for proper dawn/dusk control.

Thanks in advance for any info.

 

[ben&bobbi]

thank you for the response and information. I ended up getting 48" SLR reflectors and sylvania osmar ballast. does that make a difference?

also, since i have your attention, on our 180, i am considering switching from the 72" VHO's to T5, i run hamilton 250W MH 14K right now. What T5 should i use there. lighting is VHO front and back, first on, last off - 3 MH in middle. I am looking for colors to pop.

i put one of the used 36" bulbs over this tank, and the zoas went crazy color!

Ben

Front
Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
Blue Plus
Actinic White
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

Because your front lamp is shorter than the rest you need to go with a subtle difference in color so the blue plus to Aquablue combo will be good. The UVL or a GE in that position would look goofy.

 

[Byh20]

What up Grim? I'm switching over from 150w phoenix 14k to a 6 bulb t-5 setup. After reading nearly every page of this thread, I've come up with this:
2 ATI blue+
2 ATI aquablue special
1 UVL 75/25
1 kz fiji purple/UVL actinic white

I'm looking for a clean white with a little blue. Any suggestions on order and sunrise/sunset settings? Should I throw a GE 6500 in there somewhere? This will be for sps, lps, and a clam.

 

[JTL]

Start it off with 2 blue pluses, then add in a blue plus and 75/25 then the rest.

I'd do 12, 10 and 6 hours for the times.

Thanks
How high above the water should I set the fixture?

 

[sevenkillers]

Does any one has any feed back on the Finnex 36" LED/5 combo light?

http://www.aquacave.com/finnex-36-ledt5-combo-br-aluminum-light-fixturebr-4-x-t5--15-x-led-2551.html

I'm looking for a fixture for a Marineland Deep 36" tank.

Any one? Grim?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

What up Grim? I'm switching over from 150w phoenix 14k to a 6 bulb t-5 setup. After reading nearly every page of this thread, I've come up with this:
2 ATI blue+
2 ATI aquablue special
1 UVL 75/25
1 kz fiji purple/UVL actinic white

I'm looking for a clean white with a little blue. Any suggestions on order and sunrise/sunset settings? Should I throw a GE 6500 in there somewhere? This will be for sps, lps, and a clam.

Front
Blue Plus
75/25
Aquablue
Actinic White
Blue Plus
Aquablue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Any one? Grim?

Not known for being a maker of quality fixtures but I haven't tested one of those.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks
How high above the water should I set the fixture?

4 inches or so.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Okay Grim time for me to ask you for your T5 advice.

I've ordered 2 5ft 4 bulb IceCap T5 Retro Kits for my canopy. This will be used to light a 6ft long tank. Tank is 27" deep and 3ft front to back.

Couple of things I would like to know.

1. Obviously what T5 bulbs from front to back. Looking to keep a mix of SPS, LPS and Softies.

2. Each kit comes with 2 ballasts, so thats 4 total. 2 bulbs per ballast. Can you or anyone else clue me in on what bulbs should be paired together wiring wise for proper dawn/dusk control.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

I'd do 2 of the Blue Plus for dusk dawn.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

thank you for the response and information. I ended up getting 48" SLR reflectors and sylvania osmar ballast. does that make a difference?

also, since i have your attention, on our 180, i am considering switching from the 72" VHO's to T5, i run hamilton 250W MH 14K right now. What T5 should i use there. lighting is VHO front and back, first on, last off - 3 MH in middle. I am looking for colors to pop.

i put one of the used 36" bulbs over this tank, and the zoas went crazy color!

Ben

If the VHO'a are on an Ice Cap ballast try 60" ATI Blue Plus with the VHO actinic, you can run both on the same 660 ballast.