The T5 Q&a Thread

[CBehr]

What bulbs would you guys suggest for a 3 48" bulb prop system. Maybe add a 4th? Running an icecap 660 and ATI reflectors and was thinking of going from sun to blue as you move across the tank and move the frags across from growth to color stages?

 

[SpankythePyro]

4 bulb tek over a 20" deep tank, looking for mainly sps, some softies. and some good blueee/pop?

bulb chocies?

 

[rtparty]

Grim,

I want to upgrade the lighting in my 90 gal tank so I can keep a wide variety of SPS, LPS, softies, and a clam or two.

Currently I have 4 54W T5HO retro using Tek 5 reflectors. I'm buying two more ballasts, so I'll have 4 total. I think this will work best to allow me to use timers to control the lights based on the lamps.

Could you recommend reflectors for the new lamps?

Also a previous poster got your recommendation:




Will this work for me too? With this configuration, will the tank look closer to 20K blue or 14K blue/white?

Thanks!

Get the Aqua Illumination reflectors from Reef geek.

 

[rtparty]

4 bulb tek over a 20" deep tank, looking for mainly sps, some softies. and some good blueee/pop?

bulb chocies?

Be selective of where you put the SPS. Don't try high light stuff too far down.

ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

Grab an extra Blue Plus in case that is not blue enough for you.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim I was originally going to go with the Tek 8x54w 48 inch fixture but would these other two fixtures be better for my tank. I would need two of them. i have a 240g 8x2x2 tank. Would like SPS towards the top of the tank with LPS on the bottom. The two fixtures are

ATI Sunpower 6x54w
Aquactinics Constellation 7x54w

What fixture will be better for me?

Aquactinics because of the extra lamp.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

I want to upgrade the lighting in my 90 gal tank so I can keep a wide variety of SPS, LPS, softies, and a clam or two.

Currently I have 4 54W T5HO retro using Tek 5 reflectors. I'm buying two more ballasts, so I'll have 4 total. I think this will work best to allow me to use timers to control the lights based on the lamps.

Could you recommend reflectors for the new lamps?

Also a previous poster got your recommendation:




Will this work for me too? With this configuration, will the tank look closer to 20K blue or 14K blue/white?

Thanks!

With reflectors you will only fit 6 lamps over a 90. 3 ballasts to you can have your lights come on in 3 stages

 

[The Grim Reefer]

What bulbs would you guys suggest for a 3 48" bulb prop system. Maybe add a 4th? Running an icecap 660 and ATI reflectors and was thinking of going from sun to blue as you move across the tank and move the frags across from growth to color stages?

2 Blue Plus and a GE 6500K Daylight, for 4 lamps do 2 of each

 

[The Grim Reefer]

4 bulb tek over a 20" deep tank, looking for mainly sps, some softies. and some good blueee/pop?

bulb chocies?

3 ATI Blue Plus and a UVL Actinic White would give a deep water look that would be nice.

 

[CBehr]

2 Blue Plus and a GE 6500K Daylight, for 4 lamps do 2 of each

Woudl you stagger the bulbs or move the frags across the tank?

 

[reefsic]

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

Have you tested the UVL Super Actinic bulbs? How do they compare to the ATI Blue + in color/PAR?

I prefer the ATI B+, but the LFS here has the UVL SA's in stock!

 

[rtparty]

Have you tested the UVL Super Actinic bulbs? How do they compare to the ATI Blue + in color/PAR?

I prefer the ATI B+, but the LFS here has the UVL SA's in stock!

The Super Actinic is just that, an actinic bulb. The Blue Plus is NOT an actinic bulb but a blue bulb.

Actinics peak around 420nm wherein blue bulbs peak at about 460nm.

The Blue Plus has a bunch more PAR. The Super Actinic is the highest PAR rated bulb for actinics but it has quite a bit less than a Blue Plus.

 

[sean A.]

Aquactinics because of the extra lamp.

What bulb combo should I do. Would like to have the Fiji Purple in there too.

 

[ebman74]

Hey Grim,
I have a 220 after sand will be about 28" deep, my light fixture is 14" over the tank and consists of 3 Lumenarc III reflectors two outside are 250w Icecap electric ballasts with a 20k BlueLife SPS 20ks single moguls, center is a 400w icecap electric ballast with a BlueLife SPS 20K single mogul, and on the outside of the reflectors are two back to back 36" T5s on each side so total of four driven by an icecap 660. Tank will have mostly SPS. I currently have two geisman super atinics on one side and two ati blue plus on the other side.
I have not gotten up and running yet so before I do; Is this going to be way too blue? Should I switch two of the T5s out with 10ks or some other white bulbs?


Thanks!!

 

[reefsic]

The Super Actinic is just that, an actinic bulb. The Blue Plus is NOT an actinic bulb but a blue bulb.

Actinics peak around 420nm wherein blue bulbs peak at about 460nm.

The Blue Plus has a bunch more PAR. The Super Actinic is the highest PAR rated bulb for actinics but it has quite a bit less than a Blue Plus.

Thats good info! I was unaware that the UVL SA's were 460nm. Thanks!

 

[rtparty]

Thats good info! I was unaware that the UVL SA's were 460nm. Thanks!

The Super Actinic is not 460nm it is 420nm. It is a violet/actinic bulb. It is very dim and has very little PAR.

The Blue Plus is the 460nm bulb. It is blue, blue and tons of PAR

 

[tspfish]

I am shopping for a light fixture for a 75 gallon tank. I will have some soft corals and an Sabre Anenome. The two I am looking at are 48 inch and one is 6 bulbs 54 watt and the other is 8 bulb 54 watt. I am thinking 6 but is there a big benefit to getting the 8?

 

[Reefinabox]

I am shopping for a light fixture for a 75 gallon tank. I will have some soft corals and an Sabre Anenome. The two I am looking at are 48 inch and one is 6 bulbs 54 watt and the other is 8 bulb 54 watt. I am thinking 6 but is there a big benefit to getting the 8?

33% more light

 

[rtparty]

33% more light

Not entirely true.

You will not increase PAR by 33%. You will however have more light over a larger area. More bulbs does not mean more PAR. More bulbs just increases the area of where the maximum PAR can be achieved.

 

[rtparty]

I am shopping for a light fixture for a 75 gallon tank. I will have some soft corals and an Sabre Anenome. The two I am looking at are 48 inch and one is 6 bulbs 54 watt and the other is 8 bulb 54 watt. I am thinking 6 but is there a big benefit to getting the 8?

Over a 75 you only need 6 bulbs. Just get a fixture with good reflectors and not some cheap fixture.

Check out Grim's new site for more info:

http://home.comcast.net/~stevelarsen00/site/?/home/

 

[Reefinabox]

Not true.

You will not increase PAR by 33%. You will however have more light over a larger area. More bulbs does not mean more PAR. More bulbs just increases the area of where the maximum PAR can be achieved.

I only said 33% more light. I did not state coverage or intensity. There will in fact be 33% more light in a combination of coverage and intensity.