The T5 Q&a Thread

[newsalt]

Grim, is it feasible for you to spec out some generic combos for 4, 6, and 8 bulb configs?
Say 10k, 14k and 20k configs for each. Something that could be an easy reference for everyone as a starting point with T5s.

Sounds like a great idea. I know I'd love to see the configs. I'm sure they are somewhere throughout this thread, but it would be great to see them all combined in one spot.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

i have read and read over this thread and still at a loss of what to replace my 48" nova extreme pro bulbs with.my tank is mixed(some softies,lps and have a few sps)and want better growth and color out of my corals any suggestions you can give me grim reefer would be greatly appreciated.

Same as the rest, 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 UVL Actinic White and 1 GE 6500K Daylight.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, is it feasible for you to spec out some generic combos for 4, 6, and 8 bulb configs?
Say 10k, 14k and 20k configs for each. Something that could be an easy reference for everyone as a starting point with T5s.

I'm currently running (3) Blue+ and a Actinic Wht in a 24" Nova Extreme (SLR style, modded with fan) over a 10g nano. I'm looking to get close to the color of a 20k Radium possibly. I'm thinking of going with a Fiji Purple in place of the Actinic Wht. Where do you think that would place me color temp wise? Also, do you think this may be too much light over a 10g? I do have some SPS and the wife just had to get her maxima. I feel a few of my SPS are pale and may be bleaching. So I have moved them to the sand bed at this point.

Thanks Grim.

Try the fiji and replace a blue plus with a UVL Super actinic. There are a bunch of lamp combos listed on the homepage that comes up under my screen name. The site isn't mine so I can't update it but it's better than nothing.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Sounds like a great idea. I know I'd love to see the configs. I'm sure they are somewhere throughout this thread, but it would be great to see them all combined in one spot.

I can't link to the site where this is parked for obvious reasons.

4 lamp 14K look

Front
Blue
Actinic (Can substitute UVL 75/25 for SPS tank on this or any other mixes listed)
Sun/Daylight
Blue (or Aquablue for a whiter look)

4 lamp 20K look

Blue
Actinic
Aquablue (or blue for stronger blue look)
Blue

5 lamp 14K

Blue
Actinic
Sun/Daylight
Blue
Aquablue

5 lamp 20K look

Blue
Actinic
Aquablue
Blue
Blue, Actinic, Aquablue, UVL 75/25 (going from a more to less intense blue)

6 lamp 10K

Blue
Actinic
Sun/Daylight
Aquablue
Sun/Daylight, Aquablue
Blue


6 lamp 14K

Blue
Actinic
Sun/Daylight
Blue
Sun/Daylight, Aquablue
Blue

6 lamp 20K look

Blue
Actinic
Aquablue
Blue
Blue, Aquablue, UVL 75/25 (going from more to less intense blue)
Blue


7 lamp SPS Mushroom Melter 10K look

Blue
GE 6500K Daylight
UVL 75/25
Blue
Actinic White
Aquablue
Blue

7 lamp 14K look

Blue
Daylight/sun
Actinic
UVL 75/25 or Actinic White
Blue
Aquablue or Sun/Daylight
Blue

7 lamp 15K More noticeably blue

Blue
Actinic
Blue
Aquablue or UVL 75/25 or Actinic White
Actinic
Aquablue or Blue
Blue

7 lamp 15K more blue with added red spectrum

Blue
Actinic White
Actinic
Blue
Blue
UVL 75/25
Blue

8 lamp 10K

Blue
Actinic White
Actinic
Blue
Actinic White
UVL 75/25
Aquablue
Blue

8 lamp 14K

Blue
Actinic
Daylight/sun
Blue
Daylight/sun
Blue
Aquablue
Blue


8 lamp 20K

Blue
Actinic
UVL 75/25
Blue
Aquablue
Blue
Actinic
Blue

8 lamp "œWhat did you put in my drink man?" Special
Looks like 20K with heavy actinics. Glows

Blue
UVL Super Actinic
Blue
Pro Color
UVL Super Actinic
Blue
UVL 75/25
Blue

 

[Crippler]

NICE. Thanks Grim.

That list should be sticky in it's own thread so it doesn't get buried.

 

[newsalt]

Blue
Actinic
Actinic White
Sun/Daylight
Aquablue
UVL 75/25
Pro Color
UVL Super Actinic

I'm surprised I didn't see more KZ Figi Purple bulbs listed. I went out and bought 2 last night.

Just wanted to be sure of the bulb manufacturer's:

Blue - ATI Blue +
Actinic - ?
Actinic White - ATI ?
Sun/Daylight - GE ?
Aquablue - ATI Aquablue Special
UVL 75/25 - Obvious ULV
Pro Color - ATI
UVL Super Actinic - Obvious ULV

If I'm wrong on any please post the correct manufacturer.

 

[steve bridgend]

what make is ge 6500k daylight.and why you recomend so many blue plus and no aqua blue special

 

[VA_Beach Nano]

Grim and everyone else out there. Have or has any one used the Hagen GLO ballast. When I got my current tank set up it came with the the aquatraders fixture. Since then I have replaced the MH ballast and bulds with Icecap and Phenoix 14k's I want to replace the PCs in the fixture with T5's to get a better color "Pop" so to say. I was looking at the Hagen balast because I can mod the fixture pretty easy and the encaps are waterproof (plus i can fit two T5's on each side of the MH's) Thinking of a Blus Plus and a UVL actinic white. Now with all that said. What do you think or any suggestions. FWIW I have a 75 gallon tank and the MH's are 250W.

 

[Lyfey]

what make is ge 6500k daylight.and why you recomend so many blue plus and no aqua blue special

GE stands for General Electric

 

[Lyfey]

Grim 8x54 Nova Extreme

Front
Dead
ATI Blue + Day
Dead
KZ Fiji Purple Day
ATI Blue + D/D
Gman 6000k Day
ATI Blue + D/D
ATI Blue + Day

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I'm surprised I didn't see more KZ Figi Purple bulbs listed. I went out and bought 2 last night.

Just wanted to be sure of the bulb manufacturer's:

Blue - ATI Blue +
Actinic - ?
Actinic White - ATI ?
Sun/Daylight - GE ?
Aquablue - ATI Aquablue Special
UVL 75/25 - Obvious ULV
Pro Color - ATI
UVL Super Actinic - Obvious ULV

If I'm wrong on any please post the correct manufacturer.

Blue - ATI Blue +
Actinic UVL Super Actinic or ATI Actinic
Actinic White - UVL
Sun/Daylight - GE 6500K Daylight
Aquablue - ATI Aquablue Special
UVL 75/25 - Obvious ULV
Pro Color - Change to UVL Actinic White
UVL Super Actinic - Obvious ULV


I don't think the Fiji Purple rate the premium price in most cases.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

NICE. Thanks Grim.

That list should be sticky in it's own thread so it doesn't get buried.

It needs updating, I just dont have time right now.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

what make is ge 6500k daylight.and why you recomend so many blue plus and no aqua blue special

GE As in General Electric

Aquablue is just a mix of blue and daylight. They don't fluoresce anywhere close to the blue plus so why bother? Using a lot of blue plus and adding daylight lamps to suit your personal taste is much more effective.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim and everyone else out there. Have or has any one used the Hagen GLO ballast. When I got my current tank set up it came with the the aquatraders fixture. Since then I have replaced the MH ballast and bulds with Icecap and Phenoix 14k's I want to replace the PCs in the fixture with T5's to get a better color "Pop" so to say. I was looking at the Hagen balast because I can mod the fixture pretty easy and the encaps are waterproof (plus i can fit two T5's on each side of the MH's) Thinking of a Blus Plus and a UVL actinic white. Now with all that said. What do you think or any suggestions. FWIW I have a 75 gallon tank and the MH's are 250W.

Just make sure they are real T5 ballasts with programmed start. Blue Plus with the AW or the UVL 75/25 instead.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim 8x54 Nova Extreme

Front
Dead
ATI Blue + Day
Dead
KZ Fiji Purple Day
ATI Blue + D/D
Gman 6000k Day
ATI Blue + D/D
ATI Blue + Day

Is there a question there? Mix should look good

 

[Lyfey]

Was just running it by you before I install em up. Still waiting on the shipment to arrive. Im having an issue with some of my SPS STN and Im wondering if it is a lighting issue since I bought some of my bulbs used. Currently using

Front
Dead
Icecap Twilight D/D
Dead
UVL 75.25 D/D
Gman Aquablue + Day
Gman Actinic + D/D
Gman Aquablue + Day
Icecap Twilight D/D




What do you think the difference of the two would look like? I bought the Gman bulbs from my LFS saying they were only 2 months old (6 months ago) and the UVL and icecaps were brand new. Im wondering if the LFS lied and they were actually older. It seems that all of my corals only open up nicely when the two Aquablue +'s are on and the full 6 lamps are operational. Since I only have a single reflector I decided to run 4 bulbs as D/D for the 11 hours operation for more lighting. Does the time of lighting (length) have anything to do with the intensity? Since I have one reflector could I suppliment intensity with running the lighting for longer? Or am I hurting my reef? Thanks Grim, Long time follower.

 

[TonyV]

Grim - what is your homepage that everyone is referring too?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Was just running it by you before I install em up. Still waiting on the shipment to arrive. Im having an issue with some of my SPS STN and Im wondering if it is a lighting issue since I bought some of my bulbs used. Currently using

Front
Dead
Icecap Twilight D/D
Dead
UVL 75.25 D/D
Gman Aquablue + Day
Gman Actinic + D/D
Gman Aquablue + Day
Icecap Twilight D/D




What do you think the difference of the two would look like? I bought the Gman bulbs from my LFS saying they were only 2 months old (6 months ago) and the UVL and icecaps were brand new. Im wondering if the LFS lied and they were actually older. It seems that all of my corals only open up nicely when the two Aquablue +'s are on and the full 6 lamps are operational. Since I only have a single reflector I decided to run 4 bulbs as D/D for the 11 hours operation for more lighting. Does the time of lighting (length) have anything to do with the intensity? Since I have one reflector could I suppliment intensity with running the lighting for longer? Or am I hurting my reef? Thanks Grim, Long time follower.

Lamps could have been older. Running the lights longer wont make up for lack of intensity. Corals need sleep too. I would run 2 for DD and run the rest 8 hours and see what happens.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim - what is your homepage that everyone is referring too?

If you click on a persons screen name it pulls up a drop down with categories and home page is one of them.

 

[Lyfey]

Lamps could have been older. Running the lights longer wont make up for lack of intensity. Corals need sleep too. I would run 2 for DD and run the rest 8 hours and see what happens.

Thanks for clarifying the intensity/duration issue, with daylights running 8 hours should I run D/D 10 hours? I like to run it 11-12 since Im at work most of the day and can only enjoy my tank for an hour or so a night, if chosen too.