The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Question for ya Grim, oh master of T5 thread

I am setting up a new tank (24" cube) and will be using MH for my main source of lighting. I have an Icecap 660 that I am going to use for antics when I am not running the MH.

What would you recommend for bulbs for a mixed tank.

Also this is probably a very silly question. This is my first time wiring lights myself as opposed to using a presetup configuration. With the Icecap, can I control how the lights come on? ie the first 2, then the second 2?

Use 2 blue plus and 2 UVL Super Actinics. They will all 4 come on at the same time on the IC ballast.

 

[68sting]

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.

I want to try your 50/50 mix of Blue Plus and Aquablues. What brand would I get?

Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I will check back tomorrow to see if RC is working. This 3 minutes to get a page to load isn't cutting it.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Dont use a shield on the tek. Raise the fixture if you need to. The big endcaps wont fit.

Hey Grim,

I just took my Tek 6x54 apart, to clean it, salt build up. I really need to find the shield for that thing. Anyway, on the tek, it doesn't have water-proof endcaps. Can I add them to my Tek? They look like they are too big. Are would just the shiled be more than sufficient?

RevClyburn

 

[epicenter]

Grim, I have a current outer orbit with 3-250W Phoenix 14K HQI, it also has 8 39W T5's.
I like the Phoenix bulbs but am wondering what would be the best bet for the T5's.
Currently I have 4 Actinic + Plus Giesemann & 4 Pure Actinic Giesemann. Let me know what bulbs you would choose. Thanks for your time.

 

[epicenter]

Grim, I have a current outer orbit with 3-250W Phoenix 14K HQI, it also has 8 39W T5's.
I like the Phoenix bulbs but am wondering what would be the best bet for the T5's.
Currently I have 4 Actinic + Plus Giesemann & 4 Pure Actinic Giesemann. Let me know what bulbs you would choose. Thanks for your time.

 

[805reef]

I am getting ready to purchase an ATI powermodule for my tank. It is 48x30x30, but is pennisula style so it is viewable from both sides. I have sps half way down and up from there, and then LPS and softies on the bottom half down to the bottom. What would you recommend for a bulb setup for this?

 

[rtparty]

I have a 75g with 4x54w T5 retro.

My old bulbs are:
-ATI Blue Plus
-UVL 75/25
-UVL Aquasun
-ATI Blue Plus

You had recommended I get:
-ATI Blue Plus (x2)
-UVL Actinic White
-ATI Aquablue

For more blue & PAR over my old setup.

I made a mistake & ordered an Aquablue Plus (12000K) instead of the Aquablue (14000K) & they were out of the Actinic White 50/50 so they sent me an IceCap 12000K Midwater as a replacement.

What bulb configuration will give the best light output over the middle to back portion of the tank? I only have 1 timer so I'm not running a dusk/dawn type setup but bulbs 1 & 4 are on 1 ballast & bulbs 2 & 3 on the second.

The ATI Aquablue is a 12000K bulb. The 14000K Aquablue by UVL is not 14K. It is more of a purple bulb. You got the right one.

ATI Blue Plus
Ice Cap Midwater
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

 

[rtparty]

QUOTE
1) If you are overdriving the bulbs you need to make sure they are cooled properly. I would have one fan blowing down the endcaps where the labels are (put the label end of the bulbs all on the same side). I would have another blowing the hot air out on the opposite side.


2) As far as bulbs go I would almost change all of yours out. With 7 overdriven bulbs I would run 5 ATI Blue Plus, 1 UVL Actinic White and 1 GE 6500K.


Thank you for the responce.
First what is the perpuse to have all the labels at the same end?
second I have the bulbs wired for the ballast to run 3 on one and for on the other. I could change it to be 2 and 4 but I want to be able to have a transition from off to full (dusk to dawn).

T5 bulbs have a dedicated cold spot. It controls the internal temp of the bulb. You want to keep the end caps around 113F. Now don't go all crazy buying laser guns trying to get your lamps to that temp. Just cool the ends with a fan. If you cool the middle of the bulbs you will over cool them and hurt performance. The label end of the bulbs is where the cold spot can be found. Thus putting all the label ends on the same side.

Now if you wanted to sell one of the Ice Caps and get a standard ballast then you could 2 and 4. If you use an Ice Cap ballast then you are overdriving the bulbs no matter what. The more ballasts the better dusk/dawn effect.

 

[rtparty]

Need your advice guys for some good sps bulbs, here's the lineup:

URI Aquasun
Giesemann Midday
ATI Aquablue Special

Already got 4 Aquascience 22k and 1 Fiji purple in a ATI PM 8x54w

I would add 2 Aquablues and a Midday. Might be kind of white. I would much rather add a 5th 22k.

 

[rtparty]

I want to try your 50/50 mix of Blue Plus and Aquablues. What brand would I get?

Thanks

Colors may lack doing that combo.

Use the ATI stuff from Reefgeek.

 

[rtparty]

I am getting ready to purchase an ATI powermodule for my tank. It is 48x30x30, but is pennisula style so it is viewable from both sides. I have sps half way down and up from there, and then LPS and softies on the bottom half down to the bottom. What would you recommend for a bulb setup for this?

ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus

That may work out for you. I would raise the fixture up to like 6 inches or so just to help the colors blend a little more. I am not sure on the dusk dawn for that fixture so you may need to tweak the positions to get 2 Blue Plus on for dusk/dawn. If you have to then move each Fiji Purple back a slot.

 

[Dooly]

Just replace the Pro Color with either a UVL Actinic White or a KZ Fiji Purple

hey rtparty or grimm, would you run the fiji purple towards the front where the LPS are on the bottom, or the UVL Actinic White towards the front? SPS are all over the tank at the top. 24" high tank, standard 120 gallon

blue+ (replacing all blue+ with actinic+, same thing right?)
actinic+
(fiji purple or actinic white?)
actinic+
actinic+
(fiji purple or actinic white?)
actinic+
actinic+

 

[rtparty]

hey rtparty or grimm, would you run the fiji purple towards the front where the LPS are on the bottom, or the UVL Actinic White towards the front? SPS are all over the tank at the top. 24" high tank, standard 120 gallon

blue+ (replacing all blue+ with actinic+, same thing right?)
actinic+
(fiji purple or actinic white?)
actinic+
actinic+
(fiji purple or actinic white?)
actinic+
actinic+

Where you have them looks good. I like to put mine towards the front so the light hits the viewing side of the corals. But you want one in the back so the color is balanced also. It is up to you which to run. Both will produce the same effect with 8 bulbs. They both help the reds, pinks and purples pop a little more. To make them really pop I like to place reds and pinks right under the Fiji Purple/Actinic White.

The Actinic Plus is just Gmann's version of the Blue Plus or vice versa. It has less PAR but looks identical.

 

[rtparty]

Grim, I have a current outer orbit with 3-250W Phoenix 14K HQI, it also has 8 39W T5's.
I like the Phoenix bulbs but am wondering what would be the best bet for the T5's.
Currently I have 4 Actinic + Plus Giesemann & 4 Pure Actinic Giesemann. Let me know what bulbs you would choose. Thanks for your time.

I would use all four of the Actinic Plus and then 2 of the Actinics and add 2 KZ Fiji Purples to help add some red to the spectrum. If it isn't in the budget to get new bulbs then using what you have will be nice.

 

[Dooly]

thanks rtparty, is the lower par rating on the actinic+ going to make any difference in my coral vs. the blue+ bulb? and also.. if the actinic white and fiji purple make reds/pinks/purples pop, will the actinic+ do a good job of coloring up the blues/greens/yellows?

 

[rtparty]

thanks rtparty, is the lower par rating on the actinic+ going to make any difference in my coral vs. the blue+ bulb? and also.. if the actinic white and fiji purple make reds/pinks/purples pop, will the actinic+ do a good job of coloring up the blues/greens/yellows?

I doubt your corals will know any difference. The PAR is not a big difference between the two.

The Actinic Plus just make everything pop and look good. The do drown out some colors however. If you want your greens and yellows to pop a little more then adding a GE 6500K would be your best bet.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Well I acquired some new 48" bulbs from a friend to help reduce my start up cost so I'm going with it now.

In a 125 with the lighting combination I will have what bulbs should I get in the future and inwhat order front to back? I would like a 12k-14k halide look with just a touch more daylight on the front of the corals to exhibit the reds and oranges.

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

 

[Dooly]

thanks rtparty, I'm going to try out the following and see how it goes.. will probably get the bulbs within the next week or so..

actinic+
actinic+
uvl actinic white
actinic+
actinic+
fiji purple
actinic+
actinic+

 

[The Grim Reefer]

hey grim,

been a fan of this thread for a long time, seeing as how they discontinued one of my bulbs I need some help, what should I run now?

I have LPS at the bottom of my 24" high tank right at the front, so the first 3 bulbs basically light my LPS and a bunch of SPS everywhere at the top.. for the past 1.5 yrs I've been running: 8x 54w

front to back

blue+
blue+
fiji purple
blue+
blue+
pro color
blue+
blue+

and also.. blue+ is basically the same as actinic+ correct? I just don't want a really bright white looking tank.. I think something between a 14k and 20k would be ok..

Use a UVL Actinic WHite in place of the pro color. Actinic plus is about identical to blue plus with less par/