The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Can I keep a clam? My retrofit fixture is a 6 bulb HO with Ice Cap Ballasts. I have a 75 gallon AGA and the bulbs are mounted at the top of a 12" canopy. I am running:

Front
Aqua Blue
Aqua Blue
Figi Purple
GE 6500
Aqua Blue
Aqua Blue

I think a clam would be fine. I would trade a couple of the Aquablue lamps in on Blue Pluses.

 

[EasyEd77]

Thanks Grabthereef & Grim .

 

[Lyfey]

Grim. My ATI 8x54w Powermodule is on its way!! I ordered 5x b+, 2x AB special and 1x Fiji Purple. I also have at home brand new 1x GE 6500k and 1x UVL 75.25. I have a slew of other bulbs, but they are used. I am using my crappy Nova Extreme 8x54w (only 6 bulbs work and only 1 reflector) on my 75 gallon mixed reef.

My questions are:
1. Should I use old bulbs to acclimate my new light fixture? My SPS are Mid tank mounted
2. Could I run only 5 or 6 bulbs at first during acclimation? Will that hurt the fixture?
3. What combo
4. How high should I start the fixture raised at and how low should I go each day.
5. What is a good time structure for acclimation I dont plan on using screening or eggcrate.

Thanks brotha meng.

-Chris

 

[pciscott]

Grim thanks for the info and got great info off your homepage! Should I go with 36" inch or 48" Sunpower fixture on a 48" frag tank?

 

[NaClCrocodile]

I've got a few questions before buying bulbs. First, where should I get them (Premium, Reef Geek)? Second, I'll be running a 24" Outer Orbit 250 HQI + 4x24 T5s, I think I'm going to have a 14k Phoenix bulb but I'm not sure whether to have:
4 Blue +
2 Blue + and 2 Actinic Whites
2 Blue + and 2 Fiji Purples

I'd like to keep it from being too blue. I'm looking for a balanced, crisp, purple-blue. I'm trying to mimic the look of 2 Blue +, 1 75/25, and 1 Fiji Purple. I'd rather steer clear of too many Fiji Purple because they cost more, but let me know what you think. Thanks!

Oh, and would it make a difference if in the future I added Aqua Illuminations reflectors instead of the standard ones?

 

[edsbeaker]

Hi Grim.
I made the mistake of thinking I would keep my standard 180G as a FOWLR, and then decided to go back to a reef. It's mostly LPS, and softies, but I do have a deresa clam and LTA in the sand and a few SPS on the center top of the rock. My concern is that my lighting is only a 60" 6X80W ATI Sunpower fixture, so about 5-6" on all 4 sides are not getting direct light from above. Do you think this will suffice, or should I add a 2X80W retro into the front of the canopy?

Also, could you please suggest bulb combinations for whichever you think I would do better with, 6 or 8 bulbs. If I add the retro, than my dusk/dawn would actually be the 4th and 7th bulb with the ATI, unless I include the retro fixture in there as well.

Thanks

 

[RaKe]

I recently upgraded from a 120g to a 150, so I went from a tek 54w 8 bulb, to a ATI 80w 6 bulb fixture. I unfortunately havent been able to recreate the same colors and would like a suggestion on what bulbs I need to buy or how to arrange the bulbs I bought with the ATI. I have listed both setup below.
Thanks

My old setup
On my 8-bulb Tek

front of tank
ATI Blueplus
ATI Super Actinic
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blueplus
ATI Aquablue Special
Figi Purple
ATI Actinic
ATI Blueplus

On the ATI
front
ATI Blueplus
ATI Blueplus
ATI Aqua Blue
Fuji Purple
ATI Blueplus
ATI Blueplus

 

[Rhegium]

Interesting Questions

Interesting Questions

Another question.

I think I am settling on the Reef Octupus, but now may have an issue with bubbles. I currently use as a sump a wet/dry filter box with the bio balls taken out. When I was first new in the hobby, I had a crappy skimmer that discharged into the bioballs. Now, I also have a CPR AquaFuge 2 PS Large handing on the side of the sump with light. The salesman was trying to get me to buy a new berlin sump to eliminate a possible bubble problem.

The original pump going to the refugium is rated for 200 gph. This hang-on refugium had a little protein skimmer attachment which I have taken out, but has a nice baffle system. Can I run the skimmers discharge into that? I have a live sand, a few small life rock and some macro algae with copepods and amphipods in there.

The skimmer's pump on the NW110 is rated for 260gph while the one I want to get the Reef Octopus NWB 150 uses a 530 gph pump. Will this be too much current for the refugium and/or macro algae to handle?

I looked on the CPR website and it said the max flow rate through the AquageFuge Pro is 800 gph, so I think I will be ok.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks in advance

 

[Nexenn]

switching to T5s for my mixed reef tank, got 2 X 250w Phoenix HQIs on an e-ballast. I want the corals to pop but I don't like the 20k look of a radium. The T5s will be used for sun up and sun down also so I dont want the tank to look overly purple or blue at that time. I was going to put one reflector behind my halides and 3 in front. Was thinking

1 T5 - ATI Blue +
HALIDE
2 T5 - GE 6500? fiji purple?
3 T5 - A good actinic ?
4 T5 - ATI Blue +

Need help on bulb selection for 2 and 3. Thanks

 

[dez_2121]

any one know where to get one of these. its the end cap out of the coralife 48in fixture i can't find it anywhere all i can find is the stand alone endcaps for the DIY fixture


<a href="http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l241/dez_2121/tank/?action=view&current=this.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l241/dez_2121/tank/this.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[HoppyBunny]

I got new bulbs and am not sure of the best order placement. It is a 6x54w Aquatinics Solar Flare. Bulbs 2 and 5 are dawn/dusk and 1,3,4 and 6 are daylight. Here are the bulbs I have:

4 - blue plus
1 - actinic white
1 - aquablue special

Thanks for your help!

 

[DEBELIUS]

Hi Grim, my display has 48*24*30 and my light are 2 bulb of 400w MH reeflux 12000k that is running with 4 T5 54W. My display has 95% of SPS, mostly acropora. So I would like to know what the best combination of T5 bulb is, in order to keep the best coloration on my SPS coral.

 

[grabthereef]

would a 6 bulb ATI fixture be overkill on a 28 bowfront? (basically the same dimensions as a 20 tall) trying to decide on a fixture to save up for

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim. My ATI 8x54w Powermodule is on its way!! I ordered 5x b+, 2x AB special and 1x Fiji Purple. I also have at home brand new 1x GE 6500k and 1x UVL 75.25. I have a slew of other bulbs, but they are used. I am using my crappy Nova Extreme 8x54w (only 6 bulbs work and only 1 reflector) on my 75 gallon mixed reef.

My questions are:
1. Should I use old bulbs to acclimate my new light fixture? My SPS are Mid tank mounted
2. Could I run only 5 or 6 bulbs at first during acclimation? Will that hurt the fixture?
3. What combo
4. How high should I start the fixture raised at and how low should I go each day.
5. What is a good time structure for acclimation I dont plan on using screening or eggcrate.

Thanks brotha meng.

-Chris

Using the old lamps would help. Go with a 10 to 12 hour dusk/dawn and start with the other 6 lamp on a 4 hour cycle. I would increase the time an hour a week until you get to 6 hours then start replacing one lamp every few days. After you have all the new lamps in just watch how your critters do and you can increase the 6 midday lamps time as you want.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim thanks for the info and got great info off your homepage! Should I go with 36" inch or 48" Sunpower fixture on a 48" frag tank?

Depends how you are stocking it, the intensity doesn't spread out along the lenght much.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I've got a few questions before buying bulbs. First, where should I get them (Premium, Reef Geek)? Second, I'll be running a 24" Outer Orbit 250 HQI + 4x24 T5s, I think I'm going to have a 14k Phoenix bulb but I'm not sure whether to have:
4 Blue +
2 Blue + and 2 Actinic Whites
2 Blue + and 2 Fiji Purples

I'd like to keep it from being too blue. I'm looking for a balanced, crisp, purple-blue. I'm trying to mimic the look of 2 Blue +, 1 75/25, and 1 Fiji Purple. I'd rather steer clear of too many Fiji Purple because they cost more, but let me know what you think. Thanks!

Oh, and would it make a difference if in the future I added Aqua Illuminations reflectors instead of the standard ones?

Reefgeek is usually going to have the best prices. I would go with 2 blue plus, 2 Fiji Purples.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim.
I made the mistake of thinking I would keep my standard 180G as a FOWLR, and then decided to go back to a reef. It's mostly LPS, and softies, but I do have a deresa clam and LTA in the sand and a few SPS on the center top of the rock. My concern is that my lighting is only a 60" 6X80W ATI Sunpower fixture, so about 5-6" on all 4 sides are not getting direct light from above. Do you think this will suffice, or should I add a 2X80W retro into the front of the canopy?

Also, could you please suggest bulb combinations for whichever you think I would do better with, 6 or 8 bulbs. If I add the retro, than my dusk/dawn would actually be the 4th and 7th bulb with the ATI, unless I include the retro fixture in there as well.

Thanks

I'd add a couple more lamps. I'd do one in front and one behind the fixture, them you can play more with dusk/dawn.

Front
Blue Plus

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

Blue Plus

That would leave you with the 2 retros as Dusk/dawn 1, a Fiji Purple and Blue Plus as Dusk/Dawn II. Should look cool.

 

[edsbeaker]

I'd add a couple more lamps. I'd do one in front and one behind the fixture, them you can play more with dusk/dawn.

Front
Blue Plus

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

Blue Plus
That would leave you with the 2 retros as Dusk/dawn 1, a Fiji Purple and Blue Plus as Dusk/Dawn II. Should look cool.

Thanks Grim,
Hadn't thought of one lamp in front and one behind my Sunpower. Great idea. The dawn/dusk should look awesome.
You do a great service to all of us!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I recently upgraded from a 120g to a 150, so I went from a tek 54w 8 bulb, to a ATI 80w 6 bulb fixture. I unfortunately havent been able to recreate the same colors and would like a suggestion on what bulbs I need to buy or how to arrange the bulbs I bought with the ATI. I have listed both setup below.
Thanks

My old setup
On my 8-bulb Tek

front of tank
ATI Blueplus
ATI Super Actinic
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blueplus
ATI Aquablue Special
Figi Purple
ATI Actinic
ATI Blueplus

On the ATI
front
ATI Blueplus
ATI Blueplus
ATI Aqua Blue
Fuji Purple
ATI Blueplus
ATI Blueplus

Try the Aquablue up front, if that doesn't work add another Aquablue in place of a blue plus.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Another question.

I think I am settling on the Reef Octupus, but now may have an issue with bubbles. I currently use as a sump a wet/dry filter box with the bio balls taken out. When I was first new in the hobby, I had a crappy skimmer that discharged into the bioballs. Now, I also have a CPR AquaFuge 2 PS Large handing on the side of the sump with light. The salesman was trying to get me to buy a new berlin sump to eliminate a possible bubble problem.

The original pump going to the refugium is rated for 200 gph. This hang-on refugium had a little protein skimmer attachment which I have taken out, but has a nice baffle system. Can I run the skimmers discharge into that? I have a live sand, a few small life rock and some macro algae with copepods and amphipods in there.

The skimmer's pump on the NW110 is rated for 260gph while the one I want to get the Reef Octopus NWB 150 uses a 530 gph pump. Will this be too much current for the refugium and/or macro algae to handle?

I looked on the CPR website and it said the max flow rate through the AquageFuge Pro is 800 gph, so I think I will be ok.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks in advance

Think you posted in the wrong thread