The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

GrimReefer, I've got a few questions. Thanks for your time!!

I currently have a Marine Land 200 Deep Dimension. 48" X 36" front to back, by 27" tall. Open top, no canopy. This tank is predominately SPS and Clams, with lots of Zoanthids on the bottom, along with some LPS on or near the bottom.

For the past several months, it's been lit with my 6 bulb Tek5, from my previous 75. It's now time to add lighting. Up until recently, I've planned on adding a 4 bulb Tek5, giving me a total of 10 bulbs. If I do go this route, can you give me an idea of bulbs to buy and configuration? All 10 bulbs would be new, so I'd need an idea of a 10 bulb configuration.

On the other hand....

I've recently started to consider going Metal Halide. If I do this, I'd go with 2X250 watt pendants. I'd probably go the route of Sunlight Supply Pendants and Blue Wave Ballast. If I go this route, would you recommend SE or DE bulbs? Why? Of the 3 options, Lumen Max Elite, Lumen Max 2 or Lumen Max 3, which would you recommend and why?

I know this thread is specifically T5HO, but really trust your judgment for lighting advice. You've helped me with T5s for 3 years now. So, I'm coming to you for your advice.

Thanks for any help, suggestions or advice you can offer!!

If you go with T5's I would use at least 12 lamps in something better than a Tek if you are raising clams. For halides I would use Lumenarc reflectors as they will do a whole lot better at covering a 36" depth front to back.

 

[returnofsid]

If you go with T5's I would use at least 12 lamps in something better than a Tek if you are raising clams. For halides I would use Lumenarc reflectors as they will do a whole lot better at covering a 36" depth front to back.

I would love to upgrade to a 10 bulb ATI fixture, but there's just no way I can afford the $1300.00 it would cost for fixture and bulbs. As for 12 bulbs, I could add another 6 bulb Tek5, instead of a 4 bulb. I've used the currently running 6 bulb fixture, over a 75, for 3 years. I had clams at the bottom of the tank, doing great. I do realize that clams would have to be higher in the tank, in the 200.

Lumenarcs are an option I hadn't considered, and about the same price as the 3 MH options I'd looked at. Although, Lumenarcs, without a canopy might look pretty ghetto...lol.

So, if I go with 2 Tek5, 6 bulb fixtures, what lighting configuration would you recommend?

 

[TonyV]

Love the new homepage.

 

[Nicko31]

I have no idea what the dusk/dawn slots are on those so you will have to figure out where to place your lamps.

8 Actinic Plus
2 Middays
2 Aquablue

Grabbing a couple of FIji Purples to play with would be good.

In fact dusk / dawn seems a problem as the tubes can be on / off 4 by 4 only (the 4 on the back, the 4 on the middle, the 4 on the front)

 

[68sting]

I'm putting up a lps frag tank and am looking for growth over a nice looking display. I realize that for the masses a happy medium of nice colors and some growth is the goal. But I'm trying to grow things out as quick as possible. With that in mind is there any research that would help me with bulb selection. I did get this info.from a LFS. Let me know what you think this recommendation.

Contributing factors for LPS growth are proper water chemistry, ample amounts of food and light spectrum. You may consider going with two separate lighting systems over the tank. Say 6 to 8 bulbs, the main lighting with bulbs that produce a low kelvin rating and another set that has more traditional reef spectrums.

The reason for lighting over corals as you know is to feed the Zooxanthellae (A Symbiotic Algae that resides within the coral). These algae with live and grow under nearly any light spectrum but like most terrestrial plants, they seem to thrive on natural day light (6500K). The 6500K bulk will not show you the color you are looking for though the color is there. You would have turn on the 10,000K and higher bulbs including the actinic bulbs to see the vibrant reef colors you are used to seeing in display tanks.

Corals that are raised under these lower Kelvin lights do seem to grow faster, the more abundant Zooxanthellae provides more food for the corals which in turn with again proper water chemistry can not really accelerate the coral growth rather allow the coral to grow at its potential

Most LPS are not light dependent to maintain their color other than bleaching when exposed to excessive lighting.

Color is nothing more then reflected light, just bear in mind that the color of the reflection is based on the color of the original light source. this why home improvement stores now show paint colors under 3000K (soft white) 4100K (cool white) and 6500K (day light). The same paint sample will appear to change colors under the different light sources although it has not.

The same thing happens with most corals, the color appears to change but it really has not it is just the difference in lighting.

Now with said, corals can and will change color over time, even morph into something completely different then the parent coral.

So a happy medium for bulbs (if you want to stay with only one system) would be some 6500K for growth and some actinic to blue things up a bit and show (better) color.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I would love to upgrade to a 10 bulb ATI fixture, but there's just no way I can afford the $1300.00 it would cost for fixture and bulbs. As for 12 bulbs, I could add another 6 bulb Tek5, instead of a 4 bulb. I've used the currently running 6 bulb fixture, over a 75, for 3 years. I had clams at the bottom of the tank, doing great. I do realize that clams would have to be higher in the tank, in the 200.

Lumenarcs are an option I hadn't considered, and about the same price as the 3 MH options I'd looked at. Although, Lumenarcs, without a canopy might look pretty ghetto...lol.

So, if I go with 2 Tek5, 6 bulb fixtures, what lighting configuration would you recommend?

Front
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple

ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

Would give you 3 Blue Plus and Fiji Purple for duck/dawn. Very cool effect but if you dont like it you could swap position with the blue plus just in front of it (6th lamp from front.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

In fact dusk / dawn seems a problem as the tubes can be on / off 4 by 4 only (the 4 on the back, the 4 on the middle, the 4 on the front)

Lame placement on their part.

Front
4 Actinic plus

Midday
Aquablue
Midday
Aquablue

4 Actinic Plus

or

Front

Actinic Plus
Aquablue
Actinic Plus
Midday

4 actinic Plus

Midday
Actinic Plus
Aquablue
Actinic Plus

4 middle lamps for dusk/dawn.

 

[jeremyreef]

Something along the lines of the Ice Cap 4" will do but it doesn't have to be one of those. 3" would probably work. I haven't used other fans just because I had the IC's laying around so.....

thanks grim, your the best!

 

[Nicko31]

Thanks a lot for the quick help

On the fist option, the dusk dawn will be by the 4 front / rear ones and the second the 4 in the middle right ?

Would u mind explaining what the difference will be between that 2 solutions ?

Thanks again

 

[sean A.]

Hey Grim what would be a equivalent Giessmann bulb to the ATI Blue plus &
ATI Aquablue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I'm putting up a lps frag tank and am looking for growth over a nice looking display. I realize that for the masses a happy medium of nice colors and some growth is the goal. But I'm trying to grow things out as quick as possible. With that in mind is there any research that would help me with bulb selection. I did get this info.from a LFS. Let me know what you think this recommendation.

Ask yourself this: What depth in the ocean does LPS corals grow and what is the predominant spectrum of light reaching that level?

Hint: The answer is blue.


This chart shows the specific spectrums that produce the most efficient growth.

According to Dana Riddle who has all kinds of letters after his name the Aquablue lamps produce the closest resemblance to the light mid water depth corals would receive in nature. I think the look sucks so I attempt to use a combination of blue and daylight of the pinkish lamps to create it. I know the most crazy growth I ever got was a 50/50 mix of Blue Plus and Aquablues but I didn't care for the look but adding a GE Daylight in place of a Aquablue helped and running 4 Blue Plus, 1 GE and one Aquablue ended up being my mix of choice before I discovered the pink lamps.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks a lot for the quick help

On the fist option, the dusk dawn will be by the 4 front / rear ones and the second the 4 in the middle right ?

Would u mind explaining what the difference will be between that 2 solutions ?

Thanks again

Rather than me explain it you just need to try both and see what you like. That is all that matters.

One advantage of the first option is you could have Dusk/dawn 1 and 2 by turning on the front then back sets of 4. Option 2 would give you a better more subdued one stage dusk/dawn. Like I said, try it and see what you like.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim what would be a equivalent Giessmann bulb to the ATI Blue plus &
ATI Aquablue

Actinic PLUS and Aquablue

 

[returnofsid]

Front
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple

ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

Would give you 3 Blue Plus and Fiji Purple for duck/dawn. Very cool effect but if you dont like it you could swap position with the blue plus just in front of it (6th lamp from front.

Thanks so much Grim!!! Now I've got some decisions to make.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks so much Grim!!! Now I've got some decisions to make.

Duck/dawn, I Kill me.

You could use the UVL Actinic White in place of the Fiji Purple but in that case only use 2 and use another Aquablue or blue Plus in the middle Fiji slot.

 

[Nicko31]

Thanks a lot for all your help, will try both and then i'll decide

 

[sean A.]

Actinic PLUS and Aquablue

Is there a big difference in the Par between the Goessmann and ATI bulbs?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Is there a big difference in the Par between the Goessmann and ATI bulbs?

Not big but I have had a few people claim the ATI blues hold their color longer. I never seem to run the lamps long enough to find out first hand :celeb1:

 

[drparker]

Getting ready to order an ATI sunpower 6x54 with 3 blue+, 2 aquablue but the actinic white are on back order from my supplier what can I use instead? Kz purple, Ge daylight, powerchrome midday, ATI sun power or something else. It's for a 75g mixed reef with SPS high and clams on the sand.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Getting ready to order an ATI sunpower 6x54 with 3 blue+, 2 aquablue but the actinic white are on back order from my supplier what can I use instead? Kz purple, Ge daylight, powerchrome midday, ATI sun power or something else. It's for a 75g mixed reef with SPS high and clams on the sand.

Fiji Purple