The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim Visually & by par whats the main diff in color between these 2 bulbs?

39W - 36IN ATI Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent Bulb
39W - 36IN Actinic + Plus Giesemann D&D Powerchrome T5 Bulbs

Also how does this bulb compare to the KZ Fiji Purple?
39W - 36IN Pure Actinic Giesemann D&D Powerchrome T5 Bulbs

Blue Plus and actinic Plus are the same type of lamp

Fiji Purple is nothing like a actinic. It is a combination lamp that is bright with a purple tint. Actinics are violet color.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey grim, I'm setting up that 12 x 39watt system on my tank that you recommended with 8 overdriven with icecap. How should I cool the hotside of the bulbs? Should I blow cool air in from outside the canopy on them or should I blow hot air from them out of the canopy?

Thanks!

Blow cool air on the label side of the lamps/.

 

[AquAsylum]

Blue Pluses

Will do. Thanks so much for your attentiveness to this thread. I've lurked it for a long time.

 

[eyebedam]

Heres is what I got now. Its a outer orbit 3x250 DE MH with 14k Phoenix bulbs & the T5s that are currently in the fixture are the stock current 420 & 460 bulbs. Im replacing my T5s withwn the next week. Its a b-day gift (yay me). So this is what i thinking & tell me how you think it will look or if you have a better option. Im wanting a crisp Blue that wont completly dominate my phoenixs bulbs, but also wont look like a toilet bowl when Im
only just running my T5s.

Im running 3x250 DE Phoenix 14ks
As far as T5,s heres my thoughts
These would be side by side length of
2 ATI Blue +
2 KZ Fiji Purple
2 Ati True actinic
2 ATI Blue plus

The 2 bulbs in bold Im totally unsure
about & may do ATI blue plus in that
spot. Im just curious how it would look.

Thanks
Jason

 

[Seggsy]

6 bulb T5

6 bulb T5

Wow - I thought I could just read some posts and figure out a good set up for me, but I am overwhelmed! :wildone: Holy information!!!

I have 6 X 54 T5's with individual reflectors in my hood - standard 75g tank. Looking for new bulbs to give a crisp and bluish look. Want to have sps, lps, maybe a clam. Can you let me know the best bulb colors, brands, and front-to-back placement? Thanks much!

 

[briansbelle]

after hours of reading i still cannot figure out a good color combo

i have a 58 gallon RR that will mainly be a softy tank, with zoas(i love zoas),hammer,frogspawn...with some acans,and a scoly or 2.

i am getting a light on monday, a 4x39w T5HO aquatic life fixture, and have a seperate 2x39W T5HO light to run with it...for a total of 6x39w HO....

so i need ideas on bulbs to use in both fixtures,and placement of each to bring out the best colors in my corals, and make them happy

i dont mind blue tint, just dont want the tank to be so blue it looks like only actinics


thanks so much!!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Heres is what I got now. Its a outer orbit 3x250 DE MH with 14k Phoenix bulbs & the T5s that are currently in the fixture are the stock current 420 & 460 bulbs. Im replacing my T5s withwn the next week. Its a b-day gift (yay me). So this is what i thinking & tell me how you think it will look or if you have a better option. Im wanting a crisp Blue that wont completly dominate my phoenixs bulbs, but also wont look like a toilet bowl when Im
only just running my T5s.

Im running 3x250 DE Phoenix 14ks
As far as T5,s heres my thoughts
These would be side by side length of
2 ATI Blue +
2 KZ Fiji Purple
2 Ati True actinic
2 ATI Blue plus

The 2 bulbs in bold Im totally unsure
about & may do ATI blue plus in that
spot. Im just curious how it would look.

Thanks
Jason

On the right track. WIth the actinics you will get a more subdued Dusk/Dawn look and slightly less blue look with the halides on. Probably the best idea.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Wow - I thought I could just read some posts and figure out a good set up for me, but I am overwhelmed! :wildone: Holy information!!!

I have 6 X 54 T5's with individual reflectors in my hood - standard 75g tank. Looking for new bulbs to give a crisp and bluish look. Want to have sps, lps, maybe a clam. Can you let me know the best bulb colors, brands, and front-to-back placement? Thanks much!

You want Blue Plus lamps for the Dusk/Dawn slots so you may need to move these positions a little

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

Will have a lot of PAR and look about 15K or so.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

after hours of reading i still cannot figure out a good color combo

i have a 58 gallon RR that will mainly be a softy tank, with zoas(i love zoas),hammer,frogspawn...with some acans,and a scoly or 2.

i am getting a light on monday, a 4x39w T5HO aquatic life fixture, and have a seperate 2x39W T5HO light to run with it...for a total of 6x39w HO....

so i need ideas on bulbs to use in both fixtures,and placement of each to bring out the best colors in my corals, and make them happy

i dont mind blue tint, just dont want the tank to be so blue it looks like only actinics


thanks so much!!

Front

ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25

ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue


Use that front fixture for dusk/dawn, you could use the 2 blue plus in the 4 lamp fixture for a second phase of dusk/dawn.

 

[AdrianBryce]

8 bulb Tek light lamp setup

8 bulb Tek light lamp setup

Holy Crap this is a lot of info. I would read it all, but I am at work, so I apologize if you have answered this question.

I have an 8 bulb Tek light over a 90 gallon mixed reef.

I was going to buy this

4 ATI Aquablue
1 GE 6500K
1 Fiji Purple
2 ATI Blue Plus

But some people said it will be really washed out.

So could you recommend a good bulb combo that includes those bulbs but won't be hazy and washed out.

 

[rtparty]

Holy Crap this is a lot of info. I would read it all, but I am at work, so I apologize if you have answered this question.

I have an 8 bulb Tek light over a 90 gallon mixed reef.

I was going to buy this

4 ATI Aquablue
1 GE 6500K
1 Fiji Purple
2 ATI Blue Plus

But some people said it will be really washed out.

So could you recommend a good bulb combo that includes those bulbs but won't be hazy and washed out.

It will be really washed out. Aquablue bulbs all terrible for color. They just brighten things up a bit and add a little different spectrum.

If it were my tank I would run 5 Blue Plus, 1 GE 6500K and 2 KZ Fiji Purple.

 

[AdrianBryce]

Maybe I will Do just that. What K rating would that resemble?

 

[rtparty]

Maybe I will Do just that. What K rating would that resemble?

Grim could tell you a lot better than I could what K rating that would be but I would venture to guess it would be in the 14-18k range.

 

[AdrianBryce]

cool, that is close to what I want.

Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Holy Crap this is a lot of info. I would read it all, but I am at work, so I apologize if you have answered this question.

I have an 8 bulb Tek light over a 90 gallon mixed reef.

I was going to buy this

4 ATI Aquablue
1 GE 6500K
1 Fiji Purple
2 ATI Blue Plus

But some people said it will be really washed out.

So could you recommend a good bulb combo that includes those bulbs but won't be hazy and washed out.

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

 

[AdrianBryce]

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

Thank You!

 

[briansbelle]

Front

ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25

ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue


Use that front fixture for dusk/dawn, you could use the 2 blue plus in the 4 lamp fixture for a second phase of dusk/dawn.

thanks so much grim!! now any recomendations on where to order bulbs from

 

[The Grim Reefer]

thanks so much grim!! now any recomendations on where to order bulbs from

Reefgeek usually has the best deals.

 

[briansbelle]

thanks a bunch!!!

ordering now...

also what about fiji purple, would it mix well in the mix? never seen the color it throws, just like the purple in the name :spin1hey i am a girl i am allowed

 

[briansbelle]

anyone? would it be ok to replace one of the ATI blue plus with a fiji purple?

thanks!