The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim you are a wonderful wealth of knowledge I will be ordering a 10x80 PM this week for my 210 gallon (72x24x29) I want this tank to be only SPS and will be starting out with all frags. What lighting combo will give good growth and still show good color? I am not a fan of super blue lighting. Also, if I hang the fixture about 6 inches above water level should I still get enough par at the bottom to keep any sps? thank you so much and am so excited to try out this lighting!

If you want SPS on the bottom I would keep the fixture as low as possible but it should be fine.

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

That should look good and give you a whole lot of PAR. You could grab a GE 6500K Daylight to have to sneak in the mix somewhere as well.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, Im in need of another suggestion. In the system im finally completing i have a macro tank plumbed in. Its 3 ft of a 55 gallon tank. the other foot is to grow cheato and any food macros. I have a tek 39w x 4 light fixture for this macro tank. It will house macros for now and later get some seagrasses. I have a 6 inch sand bed. What would be a good 4 bulb combo to promote growth and still look good? this is a semi show macro tank so i want it to be somewhat asthetically pleasing. Thanks for any help!

ken

A couple of UVL Aquasuns and 2 GE 6500K Daylights. Should look pretty close to natural sunlight with a titch of pink to it.

 

[jade2122]

so you would not go with a fiji purple? just curious as to why, still trying to learn as much as possible

 

[The Grim Reefer]

so you would not go with a fiji purple? just curious as to why, still trying to learn as much as possible

They do about the same thing as the actinic white, for about 10 bux more per lamp. I really can't see a difference once you add in the other lamps.

 

[gorey]

Hey grim, I have a 2 bulb over my display. It has 1 aquablue and 1 blue plus right now. Im adding 1 more bulb with a regular output fixture. What bulb should I put in it? Also is it even worth it being it wont be a HO fixture?

 

[Nova101]

re: Lighting a 120g (48x24x24). SPS dominated.

Is there any advantage to a fixture (ATI or TEK) vs a high quality retro such as the AquaIlluminations Miro-4 retro HO kit?

Any recommendations for how to keep salt spray off the bulbs/reflectors if doing a retro/canopy install?

Lastly, to light the 24" wide tank, 6 or 8 bulbs?

Thank you in advance.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey grim, I have a 2 bulb over my display. It has 1 aquablue and 1 blue plus right now. Im adding 1 more bulb with a regular output fixture. What bulb should I put in it? Also is it even worth it being it wont be a HO fixture?

It really isn't going to add any par so unless you are adding a light to change the color some it isn't going to give you much unless you just want another blue for a dusk/dawn effect

 

[The Grim Reefer]

re: Lighting a 120g (48x24x24). SPS dominated.

Is there any advantage to a fixture (ATI or TEK) vs a high quality retro such as the AquaIlluminations Miro-4 retro HO kit?

Any recommendations for how to keep salt spray off the bulbs/reflectors if doing a retro/canopy install?

Lastly, to light the 24" wide tank, 6 or 8 bulbs?

Thank you in advance.

8 lamps. The ATI Powermodule. You can place the fixture closer to the water because it has a splash shield. With the retro you need to keep the fixture at least 4 inches above the tank so you lose a little compared to having the fixture right on the tank.

 

[dcmartinpc]

Take out the actinic, Put the blue plus in that spot and put a KZ Fiji Purple in slot 2

Sounds good, let me make sure I have this set...

Front
-----
Blue+
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI AquaBlue
Blue+
-----
Back

What do you think about this combo?

Front
-----
Blue+
UVL Super Actinic
KZ Fiji Purple
Blue+
-----
Back

Would I be missing too much "white light"?

The only thing I can do is try it I guess

Any thoughts?

Thank you very much Grim!!!

Don

 

[blazing]

i was pon reefgeek and i seen they have t5 that are vho. are these suppose to a lot better?

 

[JonnyD91]

Grim,

Im looking for a cheap light to put over a 20G frag/quarentine SPS tank.

Could I use one of these over the 20G with the SPS mounted high for a quarentine tank light?

I planed on putting a strip of eggcrate right under the light. So the strip is the same width as the light. I could maybe swap the 460 nm actinic with a Blue+

How many inches under the light should i mount the eggcrate if il lay the light right on the top of the tank?


http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...6770&r=625+488

24" x 5-1/2" Saltwater; 48 watt, CD-29695
1-24 W 10,000°K
1-24 W 460 nm actinic

 

[martinphillip03]

Grim, Do you have any information on the Tek Light Elite fixtures?
Thank you

Marty

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Sounds good, let me make sure I have this set...

Front
-----
Blue+
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI AquaBlue
Blue+
-----
Back

What do you think about this combo?

Front
-----
Blue+
UVL Super Actinic
KZ Fiji Purple
Blue+
-----
Back

Would I be missing too much "white light"?

The only thing I can do is try it I guess

Any thoughts?

Thank you very much Grim!!!

Don

Stick with the top combo. With only 4 lamps don't use a straight actinic lamp.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

i was pon reefgeek and i seen they have t5 that are vho. are these suppose to a lot better?

Overdriven using Ice Cap ballasts. If you have a taller tank it is a good idea.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

Im looking for a cheap light to put over a 20G frag/quarentine SPS tank.

Could I use one of these over the 20G with the SPS mounted high for a quarentine tank light?

I planed on putting a strip of eggcrate right under the light. So the strip is the same width as the light. I could maybe swap the 460 nm actinic with a Blue+

How many inches under the light should i mount the eggcrate if il lay the light right on the top of the tank?


http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...6770&r=625+488

24" x 5-1/2" Saltwater; 48 watt, CD-29695
1-24 W 10,000°K
1-24 W 460 nm actinic

Should be OK

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, Do you have any information on the Tek Light Elite fixtures?
Thank you

Marty

Nothing other than they used Workhorse ballasts.

 

[killagoby]

Hi Grim,

I took your advice and bought an ATI fixture. I didn't get the PM, but I got the Sunpower instead and used the bulb selection you specified and I couldn't be happier.

For reference, here is a before pic with my old crappy power compacts.

New pics:

I still need to experiment with my camera to get an accurate representation of the new color & intensity, but these give you an idea.

I also added an intake and exhaust fan to assist with the cooling inside my canopy. Each fan provides 78 CFM and one is positioned directly above the inlet of the ATI fixture forcing cool air in and the other is directly above the discharge end pulling hot air out.

With this combination, the discharge temp out of the second fan is about 10 degrees above ambient and the fixture itself is cool to the touch.

Thanks for the help Grim!

Nice change to your tank. Why is one stand white and the other light oak?

 

[JonnyD91]

Should be OK

Can i get away with the 460 nm actinic or should i put a Blue+ in its place?

thanks
john

 

[blazing]

Overdriven using Ice Cap ballasts. If you have a taller tank it is a good idea.

so would HO be good enought 22"H tank?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Can i get away with the 460 nm actinic or should i put a Blue+ in its place?

thanks
john

Blue Plus would have a lot more PAR