The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Is the Tek light any better even without fans?

Yep, a little over 20%

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I am setting up a 185 gallon with the following dimensions;

60 x 30 x 25

I can use the Sunlight Tek 48" (8 bulb) for a total of 432 watts or the ATI SUNPOWER 48" (6 bulb) for a total of 324 watts.

The width difference is: Sunlight Tek 20 inches wide and the ATI Sunpower 13.4 inches

I run mainly a mixed reef with very little SPS which could be placed higher in the tank.

Which of the two fixtures do you recommend. There is about $100.00 difference.

Tek would be best. Don't use the splash shield and if you find yourself wanting more light you can add an external fan blowing over the fixture tyo get a nice little boost in output.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

hey do you guys think about giesemann bulbs... for a 24" fixture... my friend just bought 2 aquablue, pure act and a act + for his fixture...

They are OK, slightly less PAR than ATI lamps.

 

[Iwishihadgills]

AquaIllumination Miro-4 individual parabolic reflectors
vs
IceCap SLR individual parabolic reflectors

These are two different types of reflectors that come with retro kits.Are they different? If so which one is better?

 

[RaKe]

I am possibly getting a 150g tank foot print is 72x19 and I was wondering on recommendations for lighting this tank. I want a fixture, but am unsure on what my options are. Would it be better to get 2 x 3' fixtures and put them end to end or do they make a fixture that fits a 72" tank? I have t5's on my 120g now and I really dont want to have to go back to MH's

 

[Deepsea2005]

Should be fine

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

Thank you Grim

Khanh,

 

[InsideJoke]

I have a question about ballast placement. I got my retros in the other day and figured out they wouldnt mount in the fixture I was gonna put em in. So I need to build a fixture for them.
Only problem is I have no idea where/what to mount the ballast on. Will it be okay to mount it on a piece of wood thats above one of the reflectors or somewhere else in the fixture?
I think I'm just overly cautious about how hot it will get and dont want it burning anything.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

AquaIllumination Miro-4 individual parabolic reflectors
vs
IceCap SLR individual parabolic reflectors

These are two different types of reflectors that come with retro kits.Are they different? If so which one is better?

Aquaillumination is better, by something like 10% if I remember right. It isn't a huge difference.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I am possibly getting a 150g tank foot print is 72x19 and I was wondering on recommendations for lighting this tank. I want a fixture, but am unsure on what my options are. Would it be better to get 2 x 3' fixtures and put them end to end or do they make a fixture that fits a 72" tank? I have t5's on my 120g now and I really dont want to have to go back to MH's

Couple options. ATI makes 60 inch fixtures which use 6 80 watt lamps. They will cover the tank pretty well, you just can't place high light critters in the last 6 to 8 inches on each end of the tank.

Aquactinics makes a 72 inch fixture that uses 7 rows of 36" lamps side by side (14 lamps total).

Nova makes a 6 row version but I wouldn't use it for CLams or SPS in a tank that size

 

[ldallen95219]

Thank you Grim - I have to say the lights which I am using were recommended by you and I absolutely LOVE the way my tank looks. I have all soft corals right now and I am using the Nova Extreme Pro and all of my corals are flourishing. Thanks again for your help.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a question about ballast placement. I got my retros in the other day and figured out they wouldnt mount in the fixture I was gonna put em in. So I need to build a fixture for them.
Only problem is I have no idea where/what to mount the ballast on. Will it be okay to mount it on a piece of wood thats above one of the reflectors or somewhere else in the fixture?
I think I'm just overly cautious about how hot it will get and dont want it burning anything.

I wouldn't enclose the ballasts in anything. They too benefit from cooling. Just mounting them above the reflectors is OK, just don't mount them too close due to the heat coming off the reflectors.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thank you Grim - I have to say the lights which I am using were recommended by you and I absolutely LOVE the way my tank looks. I have all soft corals right now and I am using the Nova Extreme Pro and all of my corals are flourishing. Thanks again for your help.

What? No Pictures!!!

 

[SURFCITY]

Time for new Bulbs!

Time for new Bulbs!

Grim,
I'm running a 6 bulb Nova Extreme Pro over a 90 gal. I have zoos, mushrooms, leathers, torch, hammer, frogspawn, favites, and a few others, no sps.

I have been getting nice growth lately but my bulbs are going on 18 mos. and need to be changed.

When I first set this up you recommended:

Front
ati blue plus
uvl super actinic
uvl aquasun
ati blue plus
ati aqua blue
ati blue plus
back

I have a slightly pinkish white look now and would like a bit more blue and more pop when all lights are on.

I've seen your replies recommending 4 blue plus, ge6500k, and an actinic white, do you think this would be good for my tank and give a little more blue.

Also, do I need to put them in over a certain time frame or just change them.

Thanks in advance..

 

[SURFCITY]

Forgot the pic!

Forgot the pic!

This is really close to what the lighting looks like now, would really like the zoos and hammer to pop more like when dusk/dawn are on.

Thanks

 

[InsideJoke]

:hammer:

I wouldn't enclose the ballasts in anything. They too benefit from cooling. Just mounting them above the reflectors is OK, just don't mount them too close due to the heat coming off the reflectors.

My current idea is to have a third peice of wood running between the two reflectors and mounting the ballast on that. There isnt a real cover to the fixture. Just some fiberglass mesh to block light and allow for cooling. There will probably be a fan running across the top of it as well.

My biggest fear is from it getting to hot and catching something on fire.

 

[SDguy]

Aquaillumination is better, by something like 10% if I remember right. It isn't a huge difference.

Good to know. I'm needing to buy a 4 x 54W retro to replace my stand alone 6 x 54W TEK.

If I buy from RG, would you then recommend the kit made by Aquaillumination? Including their ballast?

 

[Pike614]

OK, yet another question for Grim:
I have a very large reef tank, 8' x 36" x 30"H Currently running MH lighting. Would T5's be enough to penetrate down 27" of water to the sand bed? If so, how many bulbs would you recommend? I keep SPS near the top, clams and LPS on the sand now...
If this has already been asked, I am sorry...but the thread is soooo long!
Thansks!~!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,
I'm running a 6 bulb Nova Extreme Pro over a 90 gal. I have zoos, mushrooms, leathers, torch, hammer, frogspawn, favites, and a few others, no sps.

I have been getting nice growth lately but my bulbs are going on 18 mos. and need to be changed.

When I first set this up you recommended:

Front
ati blue plus
uvl super actinic
uvl aquasun
ati blue plus
ati aqua blue
ati blue plus
back

I have a slightly pinkish white look now and would like a bit more blue and more pop when all lights are on.

I've seen your replies recommending 4 blue plus, ge6500k, and an actinic white, do you think this would be good for my tank and give a little more blue.

Also, do I need to put them in over a certain time frame or just change them.

Thanks in advance..

That would probably be a good mix for you. After 18 months I would change a lamp every couple days to give your critters a bit of a chance to acclimate to the higher PAR.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

:hammer:

My current idea is to have a third peice of wood running between the two reflectors and mounting the ballast on that. There isnt a real cover to the fixture. Just some fiberglass mesh to block light and allow for cooling. There will probably be a fan running across the top of it as well.

My biggest fear is from it getting to hot and catching something on fire.

It would have to get damned hot to start a fire. I wouldn't worry about that. I think you would melt down the internal wiring and pop the breaker before that could happen.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Good to know. I'm needing to buy a 4 x 54W retro to replace my stand alone 6 x 54W TEK.

If I buy from RG, would you then recommend the kit made by Aquaillumination? Including their ballast?

Yes.