The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

You are such a benefit to this community, Grim. Thanks for devoting so much time to answering variations of the same question all day, ever day With that out of the way, I will ask one of my own :lolspin:

I have a 75 with these lights:

2x 110W VHO Actinics
2 x 54W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent (ATI1013) by ATI
1 x 54W 10000K AquaSun T5 HO Fluorescent (UVL0005) by UV Lighting
1 x 54W 75/25 14000K AquaBlue T5 HO Fluorescent (UVL0029) by UV Lighting

The tank looks pretty good but is definitely shifted to the purple end of the spectrum. What lamps and order would you suggest to punch up the blue (the actinics are on the ends)?

Thank you very much.

Front
Blue Plus
UV 75/25 or KZ Fiji Purple
Aquablue
Blue Plus

Either of the lamps listed in place of the aquasun should take away enough red to get rid of most of the pink. If you still have too much swap that position with the aquablue. It could be you might be seeing a color you don't like from the VHO's. Try turning them off first to make sure. If that is the case replace the front VHO with the 454 Blue rather than messing with the T5's.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim

8 bulb PM. Bulb combos for mixed reef

14k

and

20k

Thanks
kc3

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

About 15K Replace the Aquablue for more blue, add an Aquablue in the front slot for less bluee.

 

[klasiksb]

Going to have a 4x24w (not overdriven) over a refugium. Best bulb combo for great plant growth?

 

[Dave71]

I have a 60 gallon cube 24"

I am using an outer orbit fixture model 1070

4 T5 - two on each side of a 150W DE MH

I have just replaced my MH with a Phoenix 14k.

The T5 bulbs I have currently are the stock 420nm and 460nm, but I need to replace them.

Currently have a mixed reef including SPS and Clam.

Everything is doing reasonably, but I am looking for suggested combos.

A couple I have seen mentioned, but I am open to other combos:

blue plus
fiji purple
phoenix 14k
UV super actinic
blue plus

Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
Halide
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

 

[jase75]

Glad I found this thread! Someone told me a 4x ATI will be just as good as a 6x Tek. Your thoughts? Thanks!

 

[reefsic]

Hey Grim...I'm currently running an 8x54w Catalina Aquatic Fixture with 3 B+, 2 AB Spc, 2 UVL AW, 1 FP.

Tank looks great but but a little more on the purple/yellowish side for me. I want a more "Radium 20K" look. What would you recommend???

 

[jade2122]

Ok, I am going to be ordering my 10x80w powermodule tomorrow and am still uncertain what bulb combo to get..making my head spin I have kinda narrowed it down to 3 options. Which do you think would be best for a full sps tank? All sps will be starting from frags, tank is 72x24x29. Also, what order should the bulbs go in? I like a crisp blue-white color that will show great color, and growth without being too much of a washed out blue color to the tank. Guessing an 18K-20K range of color. Thanks soooo much!

Option 1:
(5) ATI Blue+
(3) ATI AquaBlue Special
(2) KZ Fiji Purple

Option 2:
(6) ATI Blue+
(3) ATI AquaBlue Special
(1) KZ Fiji Purple

Option 3:
(6) ATI Blue+
(2) ATI AquaBlue Special
(1) KZ Fiji Purple
(1) GE 6500

Hope you can help me out Thanks for all the help you give us all!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Going to have a 4x24w (not overdriven) over a refugium. Best bulb combo for great plant growth?

All GE 6500K Daylights.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a 60 gallon cube 24"

I am using an outer orbit fixture model 1070

4 T5 - two on each side of a 150W DE MH

I have just replaced my MH with a Phoenix 14k.

The T5 bulbs I have currently are the stock 420nm and 460nm, but I need to replace them.

Currently have a mixed reef including SPS and Clam.

Everything is doing reasonably, but I am looking for suggested combos.

A couple I have seen mentioned, but I am open to other combos:

blue plus
fiji purple
phoenix 14k
UV super actinic
blue plus

Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
Halide
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

The top combo is what I would use.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Glad I found this thread! Someone told me a 4x ATI will be just as good as a 6x Tek. Your thoughts? Thanks!

Pretty much. There are advantages to having more lamps but I would still lean toward the ATI

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim...I'm currently running an 8x54w Catalina Aquatic Fixture with 3 B+, 2 AB Spc, 2 UVL AW, 1 FP.

Tank looks great but but a little more on the purple/yellowish side for me. I want a more "Radium 20K" look. What would you recommend???

two more Blue Plus. Swap out 1 Aquablue and 1 Actinic White and see what you think.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Ok, I am going to be ordering my 10x80w powermodule tomorrow and am still uncertain what bulb combo to get..making my head spin I have kinda narrowed it down to 3 options. Which do you think would be best for a full sps tank? All sps will be starting from frags, tank is 72x24x29. Also, what order should the bulbs go in? I like a crisp blue-white color that will show great color, and growth without being too much of a washed out blue color to the tank. Guessing an 18K-20K range of color. Thanks soooo much!

Option 1:
(5) ATI Blue+
(3) ATI AquaBlue Special
(2) KZ Fiji Purple

Option 2:
(6) ATI Blue+
(3) ATI AquaBlue Special
(1) KZ Fiji Purple

Option 3:
(6) ATI Blue+
(2) ATI AquaBlue Special
(1) KZ Fiji Purple
(1) GE 6500

Hope you can help me out Thanks for all the help you give us all!

Option 4



Front
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus

 

[reefsic]

two more Blue Plus. Swap out 1 Aquablue and 1 Actinic White and see what you think.

Sweet, I'll give it a shot...thanks!

 

[theyammieguy]

2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Aquablue and a KZ Fiji Purple placed so the blue plus are your dusk/dawn lamps./

Would it benefit me to replace the fiji purple with a GE - 6500K
?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Would it benefit me to replace the fiji purple with a GE - 6500K
?

If you have a yellow coral it might look brighter with the GE

 

[DSMchad]

So the place i ordered from, instead of sending 2 ATI blue plus, 1 fiji purple and 1 aquablue, they were backordered on a blue plus, charged me for only 2 bulbs and sent me 5.
2 fiji purple, 2 aquablue, and one blue plus.
I put them in this order and it seems to look pretty nice.. seem like a fair arrangement? .. and still have a spare fiji
FRONT
aquablue
blue plus
fiji purple
aquablue

Even with only one blue plus im pretty happy with the look Vs how it was before, and cant complain about $52 shipped for 5 bulbs lol.
Its a bit "neon" looking but really brings out the colors in what i have.
thanks for the input grim.

 

[theyammieguy]

So thats all it would do for me? Is the 6500 a daytime bulb? Sorry for the noob questions, this is my first T5 fixture.

 

[reice05]

Hey Grim i need some recommendation on what bulbs for my 6x54w Nova Extreme Pro. Right now i got 6 small sps frags i really dont know what else ima get at the moment but maybe a all around bulb setup? I want a blue look but not too blue around a 14k look it if were halides. And sorry about not knowing much this is my first everything lol

 

[The Grim Reefer]

So the place i ordered from, instead of sending 2 ATI blue plus, 1 fiji purple and 1 aquablue, they were backordered on a blue plus, charged me for only 2 bulbs and sent me 5.
2 fiji purple, 2 aquablue, and one blue plus.
I put them in this order and it seems to look pretty nice.. seem like a fair arrangement? .. and still have a spare fiji
FRONT
aquablue
blue plus
fiji purple
aquablue

Even with only one blue plus im pretty happy with the look Vs how it was before, and cant complain about $52 shipped for 5 bulbs lol.
Its a bit "neon" looking but really brings out the colors in what i have.
thanks for the input grim.

Score!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

So thats all it would do for me? Is the 6500 a daytime bulb? Sorry for the noob questions, this is my first T5 fixture.

Thats about it. Any of the "white" looking lamps or at least none blue would be considered daylight so Aquablue, Fiji Purple , Actinic White etc.