The T5 Q&a Thread

[epicentyr]

Can someone give me a link with T5 vs T5HO information. I have Workhorse 8 Fulham WH8-120-L ballasts at my work but they don't say anything about HO. I see a lot of kits using the WH and Advance ballasts. Any input for someone wanting to set up a 8-12 bulb DIY set?

Please help. I have some money that is burning a hole in my wallet. I gotta give it to the reef gods to appease them.

 

[jcono]

Hi Grim,

I am starting my 90G Oceanic tech build- I bought a Icecap 4-54w. retro setup with 660-009 ballast, and would probably stay with IC bulbs.

From what I gather, a good combo would be:

blue plus
actinic wht.
aquablue
blue plus

However, I.C. names their bulbs differently. Their choices are:

Actinic
twilight
deepwater 14,000K
midwater 12,000K
reecrest 10,000K

Could you tell what combo of their bulbs would be a good choice? I am looking for good color, not too blue or warm, and I may have a few corals. Given the euro bracing on the Tech 90 my 4 bulb fixture is almost all that fits on my tank.

Thanks for your help!!

Jan

 

[becact]

Hey grim, if I run 2 ATI blue plus, one Gmann actinic plus, and a ATI aquablue in a 4x24w ATI sunpower, am I looking at pretty good PAR? Do you think it is equal to at least a 250w phoenix or radium in a good reflector? How far down in the water would you keep high light SPS if the fixture is 5" over the water? Should I lower the fixture if keeping the acrylic guard in?

Thanks for the help!

 

[d2mini]

Grim! I have a new fixture coming in. I'll be using a 250w Phoenix 14k DE MH and four T5 bulbs. Any suggestions for what T5 bulbs to use would be greatly appreciated!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

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.

12 hours should be fine.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Can someone give me a link with T5 vs T5HO information. I have Workhorse 8 Fulham WH8-120-L ballasts at my work but they don't say anything about HO. I see a lot of kits using the WH and Advance ballasts. Any input for someone wanting to set up a 8-12 bulb DIY set?

Please help. I have some money that is burning a hole in my wallet. I gotta give it to the reef gods to appease them.

www.fulham.com might have info.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim,

I am starting my 90G Oceanic tech build- I bought a Icecap 4-54w. retro setup with 660-009 ballast, and would probably stay with IC bulbs.

From what I gather, a good combo would be:

blue plus
actinic wht.
aquablue
blue plus

However, I.C. names their bulbs differently. Their choices are:

Actinic
twilight
deepwater 14,000K
midwater 12,000K
reecrest 10,000K

Could you tell what combo of their bulbs would be a good choice? I am looking for good color, not too blue or warm, and I may have a few corals. Given the euro bracing on the Tech 90 my 4 bulb fixture is almost all that fits on my tank.

Thanks for your help!!

Jan

Front
Twilite
Deepwater
Midwater
Twilite

or 3 Twilite and a Reefcrest would be the best I can come up with.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey grim, if I run 2 ATI blue plus, one Gmann actinic plus, and a ATI aquablue in a 4x24w ATI sunpower, am I looking at pretty good PAR? Do you think it is equal to at least a 250w phoenix or radium in a good reflector? How far down in the water would you keep high light SPS if the fixture is 5" over the water? Should I lower the fixture if keeping the acrylic guard in?

Thanks for the help!

SPS would be good about 20" down with that rig.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim! I have a new fixture coming in. I'll be using a 250w Phoenix 14k DE MH and four T5 bulbs. Any suggestions for what T5 bulbs to use would be greatly appreciated!

3 ATI Blue Plus and 1 UVL Actinic White.

 

[rarelyseriousb]

I'd do 2 Blue Plus on a Workhorse as your first and last lamps then do a UVL Actinic White, ATI Blue Plus, GE 6500K Daylight, ATI Blue Plus in that order on the 660

just to make sure I dont mess up that is 4 ati blue plus, and 1 atinic white and 1 ge6500k. is that enough light or should i throw another ballast on if I can get one?

 

[jefft321]

Grim, I am having problems with my lighting setup.
I have an ATI 10 X 54 watt Powermodule over an ELOS 120 XL the tank is about 17" Deep and many SPS are in the middle to near the top. The tank is 30" from front to back and 48" wide. My bulb combination is:
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
GE 6500K
ATI Aquablue
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
This is a little too white for me, but the biggest problem is the coral coloration. Some corals are browning out, others are whiter? Even at different levels some are brown some are white.
For example I have a GARF Bonsai, I had it near the top and it turned light blue/brown, so I moved it lower and now it's barely blue, with some brown and white? I don't know what to do....It's very frustrating!
The PM is 5" above the water. I have 2 lights on from 10am to 1pm and 8 bulbs on from 100pm-730pm then 2 lights on from 730pm to 1000pm
Any suggestions?

 

[jenglish]

I had an ordering mistake and only got 3 bulbs, the color currently looks a little off. It is a but too pink

Blue +
Aquasun
Superblue
OLD coralife 10k (needs replaced)


I had planned on another Blue +.... will this balance out the color a bit? I was looking for a bit crisper white color. Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

just to make sure I dont mess up that is 4 ati blue plus, and 1 atinic white and 1 ge6500k. is that enough light or should i throw another ballast on if I can get one?

4 should do it

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, I am having problems with my lighting setup.
I have an ATI 10 X 54 watt Powermodule over an ELOS 120 XL the tank is about 17" Deep and many SPS are in the middle to near the top. The tank is 30" from front to back and 48" wide. My bulb combination is:
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
GE 6500K
ATI Aquablue
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
This is a little too white for me, but the biggest problem is the coral coloration. Some corals are browning out, others are whiter? Even at different levels some are brown some are white.
For example I have a GARF Bonsai, I had it near the top and it turned light blue/brown, so I moved it lower and now it's barely blue, with some brown and white? I don't know what to do....It's very frustrating!
The PM is 5" above the water. I have 2 lights on from 10am to 1pm and 8 bulbs on from 100pm-730pm then 2 lights on from 730pm to 1000pm
Any suggestions?

You could try pulling the aquablues and using actinics in those slots and see if that helps. Put a blue plus where the Aquablue is in the 7th slot and put the actinic in the 3rd slot you pull the blue plus from.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I had an ordering mistake and only got 3 bulbs, the color currently looks a little off. It is a but too pink

Blue +
Aquasun
Superblue
OLD coralife 10k (needs replaced)


I had planned on another Blue +.... will this balance out the color a bit? I was looking for a bit crisper white color. Thanks

It should. You could try a Aquablue instead and swap the position of the Aquasun and superblue.

 

[jimmyj7090]

Wow, what a thread

Two questions;

1- I'm setting up a 6 lamp retro kit. 2 will be on one timer for DD, 4 on a second timer for full light. What order/spots would you suggest for the DD lamps? I was thinking #2 and #5. Any better suggestion?

2- What would you suggest for the order of the lamps? I'll be starting with
-3 blue plus
-1 Aquablue
-1 Figi purple
-1 GE 6500

TIA

 

[jefft321]

Thanks for the info. Do you think replacing the GE 6500's would help? Are they too much light? Also, do you think I should change the amount of time the lights are on? Right now I have 8 bulbs on for 6 1/2 hours and only 2 bulbs on for 3 hours before the 8 come on then off and on again for 2 1/2 hours after the 8 bulbs go out. I don't use all 10 at a time, is that a reasonable amount of time?. What bulbs should I use when I only have 2 on?
Thanks, Jeff

 

[jtunafish]

Grim you gave me a bulb combo last week when I ordered the bulbs today R.G. she said the UVL actinic white is back ordered for couple weeks, but she said the Ice cap 12000k mid water is the same bulb made in the same factory just a different name on the bulb, is this bulb comparable or should I cancell that one and get a different bulb than the Ice cap, joe

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Wow, what a thread

Two questions;

1- I'm setting up a 6 lamp retro kit. 2 will be on one timer for DD, 4 on a second timer for full light. What order/spots would you suggest for the DD lamps? I was thinking #2 and #5. Any better suggestion?

2- What would you suggest for the order of the lamps? I'll be starting with
-3 blue plus
-1 Aquablue
-1 Figi purple
-1 GE 6500

TIA

Front
Aquablue
Blue Plus DD
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus DD
GE Daylight
Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks for the info. Do you think replacing the GE 6500's would help? Are they too much light? Also, do you think I should change the amount of time the lights are on? Right now I have 8 bulbs on for 6 1/2 hours and only 2 bulbs on for 3 hours before the 8 come on then off and on again for 2 1/2 hours after the 8 bulbs go out. I don't use all 10 at a time, is that a reasonable amount of time?. What bulbs should I use when I only have 2 on?
Thanks, Jeff

I would try actinics in place of the Aquablues. They have highter PAR than the GE's Time seems OK