The T5 Q&a Thread

[dustinc]

ok, say I have an issue keeping them with the single reflector. Would upgrading to icecap ballast greatly improve the situation or would I just need to look at reflector or new fixture

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, I'm about to pick up a 10 bulb ATI fixture and I can't decide on my bulb combo. Would you recommend which bulbs should I get for my 190g SPS tank? Btw, should I go with 8 bulbs ATI fixture with my tank dimension 60Lx30Dx24H or I have to stick with the 10 bulbs fixture.

Thank you in advance,
Larry

10

Front
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
Blue Plus
Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
Blue Plus

3 and 8 are the dusk/dawn lamps so keep that in mind if you play with positions. Might try the fiji in 3 instead of that blue plus, kind of a cool dusk/dawn effect.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Sure thing. Also the Zoas that are on the bottom, in front, 3/4 of the way to the right are pink as well.

Does this light cycle change seem good enough for acclimation? My current settings are PC for 10.5hrs and MH for 7hrs. I was thinking of leaving the ATI at the current height and dropping dusk/dawn to 7.5hrs and full to 5hrs.

Id go at least 10 hours for dusk/dawn. Then 5 for the full light and just keep an eye on your critters, you may need to go less on the full light to start.

If you have any close up before and after shots it would be good to see. It's hard to explain what happens to things like the birdsnest under blue light and a picture is worth a few words. Thanks/

 

[The Grim Reefer]

ok, say I have an issue keeping them with the single reflector. Would upgrading to icecap ballast greatly improve the situation or would I just need to look at reflector or new fixture

Reflectors should always be your first step. You can add a supercharger to you car engine but if you have crappy tires it ain't going to do you any good.

You can buy the stamped reflector that goes in a Tek light. They are set with lamps about 2" on center and does a whole lot better than a flat reflector.

 

[95Harley]

Thanks for the advice Grim, I'll start with that config and post some pics once I get it all together.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

Its time to replace my lamps. Running a TX5 w/:

3 ATI Blue+
1 GE6500
1 Fiji Purple

Like the color but sometimes it seems slightly too red/purple. Would replacing the Fiji Purple with an Actinic White reduce the red/purple slightly?

Thanks
Mark

Increase it. I would try replacing the GE with an Aquablue and see what you think. The additional blue will make the red better.

 

[steelcity]

maybe I should post this in here instead of starting a new thread. Trying to narrown down some T5 fixtures. Currently I have 75 LPS dominated tank. On there is an old 48" 4x54 Nova with a noisy fan and a single parabolic reflector. It's time to upgrade fixtures. My next tank that I'm trying to plan is a 60" glass bowfront but I can not find anyone who makes that. Acrylic, yes but not glass. If I can't then I'll probably do something like 60" long by 22" wide by 22" - 24" high. I would like to use the fixture on the new tank as well. I do not plan on getting into SPS and I'm not interested in MH fixtures either. I would just hang the fixture over the tank and this would leave 6" on each side that weren't directly covered. I would then plan coral accordingly.

First choice is a 48" 8x54 Tek fixture. I like the idea of not having a fan but have read some posts that make it seem as if the fan mod is required to get a good extended life span out of this fixture. If this is the case should I wait on the Tek Elite? Why would they wait until now to make the Elite model if the fan mod is required. What kind of bugs will the new Elite fixture have?

Second choice is the 48" ATI 6x54 Sunpower. I'm not sure if this would be enough on a new tank since it only 13.5" wide. I'm still somewhat new so I'm not really sure on how much PAR I can expect from each fixture.

Are there any others that I should think about? I'm trying to stick around 500 or so. The ATI PM's and the Aquatinics are a little too much for me. Please help me out.

 

[King Nine]

I wouldn't buy anything off Ebay unless it is a known brand name.

I wouldn't either. I just happened to be looking for someone selling a good one off and ran across the no name one.

Here is my next question: Now that you guys have suggested some fixtures to consider is there one that comes with bulbs I wont have to switch out? Or should I buy the one (i believe it was the TEK) that doesn't come with bulbs. My only hang up with that is I'll be missing my lunar LEDs that I like so much.

 

[King Nine]

Also, if you do suggest the one with out bulbs which bulbs would you suggest I buy. (please let me know brand names as I'm not familiar with the T5 bulbs) Oh yeah, how do you put a 60 on a 72 tank without hanging it?

 

[805reef]

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.

cool, thanks. this should be nice and blueish and make all my coral and fish colors pop right?

 

[GrimReefer82]

Front
Blue Plus
GE
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
GE
Blue Plus

Try that. It is better if you spread out your none blue spectrum.

Those aren't the bulbs I purchased. Here's what I got.
Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
GE
Aquablue Special
Blue Plus

Do you know a better way to arrange those bulbs?

Also I have one Icecap 660, 2 WH7 and a WH5 which 3 bulbs should I have on the icecap? I would like to use 3 bulbs for dusk/dawn and the other 3 for daylight.

 

[rodcpierce]

Also, if you do suggest the one with out bulbs which bulbs would you suggest I buy. (please let me know brand names as I'm not familiar with the T5 bulbs) Oh yeah, how do you put a 60 on a 72 tank without hanging it?

King, if you have the extra cash go with the ATI sunpower. Otherwise the TEK is next in line from my research. i went with the TEK 6 bulb unit. The easiest way to mount the light would be to hang it from the ceiling. Below are the bulbs that Grim recommended me and I purchased from reefgeek.com.

Front to back:
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

 

[King Nine]

King, if you have the extra cash go with the ATI sunpower. Otherwise the TEK is next in line from my research. i went with the TEK 6 bulb unit. The easiest way to mount the light would be to hang it from the ceiling. Below are the bulbs that Grim recommended me and I purchased from reefgeek.com.

Front to back:
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

My wife would SHOOT me if I hung a light from the ceiling! lol. If that is the only way then I'll have to buy the 72. I'm doing SPS and LPS mainly. Do you think that is a good mix for them? What do you have coral wise?

 

[rodcpierce]

My wife would SHOOT me if I hung a light from the ceiling! lol. If that is the only way then I'll have to buy the 72. I'm doing SPS and LPS mainly. Do you think that is a good mix for them? What do you have coral wise?

Im sure there is other ways to mount the fixture. Just the best/easiest is hanging it from the cieling. They hang with a nice cable system, so its not like its all rigged up or anything. I have a mix of SPS and softies, and even an anemone. Mine fixture hasnt arrived yet though. But let me search for some other ways to mount the light.

 

[rodcpierce]

King, so you have a canopy? or just an open top tank?

 

[rodcpierce]

looks like without making a rack system or hanging from the ceiling, your kinda out of luck on a 60 inch fixture unless it comes with legs, which the tek and ati do not. Unless you just lay the fixture on top of the braces, but would have to make sure you got the splash shield for the TEK unit.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

maybe I should post this in here instead of starting a new thread. Trying to narrown down some T5 fixtures. Currently I have 75 LPS dominated tank. On there is an old 48" 4x54 Nova with a noisy fan and a single parabolic reflector. It's time to upgrade fixtures. My next tank that I'm trying to plan is a 60" glass bowfront but I can not find anyone who makes that. Acrylic, yes but not glass. If I can't then I'll probably do something like 60" long by 22" wide by 22" - 24" high. I would like to use the fixture on the new tank as well. I do not plan on getting into SPS and I'm not interested in MH fixtures either. I would just hang the fixture over the tank and this would leave 6" on each side that weren't directly covered. I would then plan coral accordingly.

First choice is a 48" 8x54 Tek fixture. I like the idea of not having a fan but have read some posts that make it seem as if the fan mod is required to get a good extended life span out of this fixture. If this is the case should I wait on the Tek Elite? Why would they wait until now to make the Elite model if the fan mod is required. What kind of bugs will the new Elite fixture have?

Second choice is the 48" ATI 6x54 Sunpower. I'm not sure if this would be enough on a new tank since it only 13.5" wide. I'm still somewhat new so I'm not really sure on how much PAR I can expect from each fixture.

Are there any others that I should think about? I'm trying to stick around 500 or so. The ATI PM's and the Aquatinics are a little too much for me. Please help me out.

Get a standard tek and just add an external fan blowing over the center from the rear.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Also, if you do suggest the one with out bulbs which bulbs would you suggest I buy. (please let me know brand names as I'm not familiar with the T5 bulbs) Oh yeah, how do you put a 60 on a 72 tank without hanging it?

You will have to make some cross braces the fixture would sit on.

As far as lamps 1 KZ Fiji Purple, 1 GE 6500K Daylight and 4 ATI Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Those aren't the bulbs I purchased. Here's what I got.
Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
GE
Aquablue Special
Blue Plus

Do you know a better way to arrange those bulbs?

Also I have one Icecap 660, 2 WH7 and a WH5 which 3 bulbs should I have on the icecap? I would like to use 3 bulbs for dusk/dawn and the other 3 for daylight.

Blue Plus
GE
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus

If I remember right the WH7 can only run 2 69" T5's so the first and last Blue Plus on it for dusk/dawn, the Fiji Purple on another 7 (maybe the 5, dunno if they will drive one and the GE, Aquablue and 3rd Blue Plus on the Ice Cap. Then you can kick on 2 blue Plus for Dusk/Dawn and add the Fiji to for a more early/late sun look, very cool.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

My wife would SHOOT me if I hung a light from the ceiling! lol. If that is the only way then I'll have to buy the 72. I'm doing SPS and LPS mainly. Do you think that is a good mix for them? What do you have coral wise?

Check out marine depot. I believe they sell hanging brackets that attach to the wall of back of the stand. Basically black pipes that curve over the top of the tank to hold the suspension cables.

That or tell the wife to take a Mydol and make you a sammich.