The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, should I run all of the lights at the same time?

Thanks again!

Run a couple blue pluses an hour or two before and after the rest for a dusk/dawn effect if you want.

 

[creepdogg]

Grim,

Got some info from you well over a year ago, never pulled the trigger.

T12's VHO's are gettin worn out, ready to take the plunge on some t5's :thumbsup:

I have a 90 gallon tank with live rock, fish, and some zoas, polyps, and small amounts of softies.

I have 2 IC430's and one IC660

Definitely thinking about running 6 46.5 inch bulbs, my canopy could easily suppt 8 bulbs but i dont think I have the change right now to spend on all them.

So my questions are
1. Recommended bulb combo and order
2. which bulbs to run on which ballasts
3. Order in which to turn on and off.
4. Recommended affordable reflectors?
5. The bulbs I will purchase are 54 watts right?

Thanks ahead of time man, really appreciate all you do for all these folks, not much of a forum guy here but I definately do a lot of reading here

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

Got some info from you well over a year ago, never pulled the trigger.

T12's VHO's are gettin worn out, ready to take the plunge on some t5's :thumbsup:

I have a 90 gallon tank with live rock, fish, and some zoas, polyps, and small amounts of softies.

I have 2 IC430's and one IC660

Definitely thinking about running 6 46.5 inch bulbs, my canopy could easily suppt 8 bulbs but i dont think I have the change right now to spend on all them.

So my questions are
1. Recommended bulb combo and order
2. which bulbs to run on which ballasts
3. Order in which to turn on and off.
4. Recommended affordable reflectors?
5. The bulbs I will purchase are 54 watts right?

Thanks ahead of time man, really appreciate all you do for all these folks, not much of a forum guy here but I definately do a lot of reading here

Ice Cap, Aquactinics, Aqua Illumination reflectors, whichever you can get the best deal on. Reefgeek will make retro packages minus the ballast if you call them.

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

If you want to mess with wiring up 3 ballasts use one 430 for the first 2 blue plus, the other 430 for the second 2 and the 660 for the actinic white and Aquablue so you can do 2 stage dusk/dawn. Otherwise do the first 2 blue plus on the 430 and the other 4 lamps on the 660.

 

[elekamit]

Hey guys!
My tank is LPS dominated and I just ordered my ATI Sunpower 6x39watt with the following bulbs:
3x ATIBlue plus
3x Aquablue special

I also have any D&D bulbs available

What combo would you recommend me?
I care only about colors and don't care about growth at all.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey guys!
My tank is LPS dominated and I just ordered my ATI Sunpower 6x39watt with the following bulbs:
3x ATIBlue plus
3x Aquablue special

I also have any D&D bulbs available

What combo would you recommend me?
I care only about colors and don't care about growth at all.

Ge another Blue Plus and a D&D Midday so you are running 4 blue plus, the Midday and Aquablue

 

[elekamit]

I can't get anymore ATI bulbs. we don't have them here in ISRAEL.
They were sent to me with the fixture.
I only have the 3x ATI Blue plus & 3x ATI Aquablue special
What I can get is any D&D bulb and any aquascience bulb.

Any idea for a good LPS combo?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I can't get anymore ATI bulbs. we don't have them here in ISRAEL.
They were sent to me with the fixture.
I only have the 3x ATI Blue plus & 3x ATI Aquablue special
What I can get is any D&D bulb and any aquascience bulb.

Any idea for a good LPS combo?

D&D Midday and Actinic Plus. Run those with the 3 Blue Plus and 1 Aquablue.

 

[geris]

I have a 75g tank with an 8 bulb Current USA lighting system all ATI bulbs (Aquablues, Blue Plus, True Actinic and 1 Pro Color). I use to have mostly LPS and some softies, only 2 monti caps; but now I only have lps and every day more SPS. I have to change the bulbs in December and I would like to make the correct lighting purchase, Could you please recommend a bulb combination? Thanks.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a 75g tank with an 8 bulb Current USA lighting system all ATI bulbs (Aquablues, Blue Plus, True Actinic and 1 Pro Color). I use to have mostly LPS and some softies, only 2 monti caps; but now I only have lps and every day more SPS. I have to change the bulbs in December and I would like to make the correct lighting purchase, Could you please recommend a bulb combination? Thanks.

6 ATI Blue Plus 1 ATI Aquablue, 1 GE 6500K Daylight and 1 UVL Actinic White

 

[bob1968]

tank 36 long,24 high,18 deep.im making a hood 36+8+18,6bulbs with ind. reflectors where should i place the fans.also what bulb combo would you use for a mixed reef

 

[elekamit]

will

will

"D&D Midday and Actinic Plus. Run those with the 3 Blue Plus and 1 Aquablue. "

Will this setup make my tank blue?

 

[mikenjo]

diy t5 question

diy t5 question

i have a nova extreme pro 6 bulb fixture with ati bulbs i will be needing to replace them soon so i was thinking of removing the internals and mounting the end caps to a board and remotely mounting the ballasts to help cool also install fans over both end caps to cool them as well .then get the ati or reefgeek individual reflectors for the bulbs is this worth the effort or should i just buy a better fixture looks dont matter because it is in a canopy.one other question i had if i do this is, should the fans blow on to the end caps or pull air away and should their be a fan blowing on the bulbs or not

 

[The Grim Reefer]

"D&D Midday and Actinic Plus. Run those with the 3 Blue Plus and 1 Aquablue. "

Will this setup make my tank blue?

14K or so. Not as blue as you might think.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

i have a nova extreme pro 6 bulb fixture with ati bulbs i will be needing to replace them soon so i was thinking of removing the internals and mounting the end caps to a board and remotely mounting the ballasts to help cool also install fans over both end caps to cool them as well .then get the ati or reefgeek individual reflectors for the bulbs is this worth the effort or should i just buy a better fixture looks dont matter because it is in a canopy.one other question i had if i do this is, should the fans blow on to the end caps or pull air away and should their be a fan blowing on the bulbs or not

I wouldn't mess with doing anything to the Nova. I'd sell it and start from scratch with either a new fixture or retrofit.

 

[elekamit]

I'm actually looking for a more bluish look.
Like abyss

 

[TheBennyJ]

I'm upgrading to a 90g tomorrow and it has some PC lights I need to upgrade, I think I'm going with the CurrentUSA Nova Extreme Pro 6x54W. Would this fixture lights allow me to keep just about whatever I wanted? Also how are the OEM bulbs included with it?

 

[zorden]

Hi Grim, let say i am going to have a 3.5x2.5x1.5ft tank for SPS. Well currently i am the owner of a powermodul of ATi 6 tubes. Well shld i upgrade to ten or 8 tubes for my sps.

well i am thinking of selling my ati powermodul as my local support for ATi fixtures is quenstionable (based on local reefers feedback) and will be going for reflectors and ice cap ballasts.

What reflector should i get? ice cap? shld i stick with ice cap t5 ballast or do you think i should trust ati n purchased a 10 or 8 tubes ATI powermodul hoping that my powermodul will be good wo problem.

i will be hanging the fixture from the ceiling thus its not advisable for me to have my exisitng 6 tubes with additional 4 tubes of light fixtures

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I'm actually looking for a more bluish look.
Like abyss

Then Get 2 Actinic Plus and a midday and don't run any Aquablues.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I'm upgrading to a 90g tomorrow and it has some PC lights I need to upgrade, I think I'm going with the CurrentUSA Nova Extreme Pro 6x54W. Would this fixture lights allow me to keep just about whatever I wanted? Also how are the OEM bulbs included with it?

Not really. You would be better off with a Tek where you cn add an external fan and get better output.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim, let say i am going to have a 3.5x2.5x1.5ft tank for SPS. Well currently i am the owner of a powermodul of ATi 6 tubes. Well shld i upgrade to ten or 8 tubes for my sps.

well i am thinking of selling my ati powermodul as my local support for ATi fixtures is quenstionable (based on local reefers feedback) and will be going for reflectors and ice cap ballasts.

What reflector should i get? ice cap? shld i stick with ice cap t5 ballast or do you think i should trust ati n purchased a 10 or 8 tubes ATI powermodul hoping that my powermodul will be good wo problem.

i will be hanging the fixture from the ceiling thus its not advisable for me to have my exisitng 6 tubes with additional 4 tubes of light fixtures

I would do a 8 lamp retrofit but don't use the Ice Cap ballasts. Just the standard ones will be fine. Ice Cap reflectors would be good.