The T5 Q&a Thread

[Justusfish]

Grim advice

Grim advice

Grim:

Thanks for the specific advice on my 60" ATI PowerModule and just your help to all in general. Much appreciated!!

Spencer

 

[clevebill]

i have a nova extrem pro 3ft on a 40 breeder tore the reflectors out and put 4 icecap reflectors was only able to fit 4 in there with 2 ati b+ 2 aquablue specials.it seam alot brighter maybe just my eyes.also thinkg of buying the tek stamped reflectors that comes in 2 peices the dimmention what they give seem they will fit 33x11.5x1.5.now would ya go that route with 6 bulbs tek reflectors or 4 bulbs icecap with the 660 icecap ballast and overdrive.keep mainly sps and lps corals and a few mushrooms and stuff.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

i got a few question. i have a 29 gallon tank that 30by12by18. right now i have a 130 pc lighting on it. alot of people said i wont be able to keep much in there. in the future i wanted to keep some sps and lps with some softies. what would be a good lighting for the tank? is mh better than T5 in this matter? which one will give more growth?

A good T5 would let you grow anything. 4 lamp Tek fixture should do fine.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

i have a nova extrem pro 3ft on a 40 breeder tore the reflectors out and put 4 icecap reflectors was only able to fit 4 in there with 2 ati b+ 2 aquablue specials.it seam alot brighter maybe just my eyes.also thinkg of buying the tek stamped reflectors that comes in 2 peices the dimmention what they give seem they will fit 33x11.5x1.5.now would ya go that route with 6 bulbs tek reflectors or 4 bulbs icecap with the 660 icecap ballast and overdrive.keep mainly sps and lps corals and a few mushrooms and stuff.

I wouldn't try overdriving thit the Ice Cap ballast, too much heat. If you got 4 Ice Cap reflectors to line up right that is probably your best option, you should do a build thread.

 

[juniorjose]

A good T5 would let you grow anything. 4 lamp Tek fixture should do fine.

how many watts each? can i also keep sps?

would a 175w mh be better?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

how many watts each? can i also keep sps?

would a 175w mh be better?

4 24 watt lamps, 2 foot long fixture. Only downside to a Halide is you could run into temperature issues.

 

[juniorjose]

4 24 watt lamps, 2 foot long fixture. Only downside to a Halide is you could run into temperature issues.

which one would provide the most growth? i have a 130 w pc right now on the 29 gal. how is T5 with 96 watt going to be better?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

which one would provide the most growth? i have a 130 w pc right now on the 29 gal. how is T5 with 96 watt going to be better?

Ask anyone who has ever ran both, no comparison. T5's allow for an efficient reflector that directs the light where you need it. PC's are a poor design that wastes a lot of light.

 

[juniorjose]

Ask anyone who has ever ran both, no comparison. T5's allow for an efficient reflector that directs the light where you need it. PC's are a poor design that wastes a lot of light.

i know T5 runs more effiecent and cooler, but except for that reason is a mh better?

 

[Anthonius]

Try 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 UVL Actinic White and a GE 6500K Daylight.

so would i do this in that order front to back like all four blues the uvl white and the ge in the back?

 

[chris88]

Here is a picture of the reflector. It says it is a highly polished german reflector. The bulbs sit very deep in it and it isnt a stamped replector like the nova pro. You can also see one of the leds that come built in to the fixture. They are 1 watz each and in the 36 inch model it comes with 4.

 

[nastynate]

Hey grim i pm'ed you awhile back about having an 8x54 nova extreme fixture going on my 120. You recommended 5 ati blue+, 2 uvl actinic white, and a ge 6500k, with all the bulbs on about what k rating would that be?

I have a 29 gal with 2X96 watt power compacts using uvl 454 bulb and a uvl actinic white, super actinic combo bulb. Don't really like the look of the actinic white on the tank too pink.

With the nova extreme will it look pink as well or will the 5 ati blue+ kinda drown that out. What would it look like if i subbed the fiji purples for the actinic whites?

There is also a post on here somewhere where on a 4 bulb fixture they used 2 ati blue+, a uvl super actinic and a fiji purple. Loved the look of this tank so I thought I would just double that combo and use it. But, was worried it would'nt have enough light for growth of the corals.

One last thing where can I find these tek stamped reflectors? Can't find them anywhere.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

i know T5 runs more effiecent and cooler, but except for that reason is a mh better?

No, no is it worse, just different. Unless you are going to use a 250 watt halide (Maybe a good 150) in a good reflector rather than buying a Coralife or Current fixture the halide wont have as much usable PAR either.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

so would i do this in that order front to back like all four blues the uvl white and the ge in the back?

ATI Blue Blue
UVL Actinic White
Blue Plus
GE
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Here is a picture of the reflector. It says it is a highly polished german reflector. The bulbs sit very deep in it and it isnt a stamped replector like the nova pro. You can also see one of the leds that come built in to the fixture. They are 1 watz each and in the 36 inch model it comes with 4.

Based on the design drawings I saw of both the 4 and 6 lamp fixtures, and on a friend's PAR readings off a couple fixtures at a LFS they aren't very effective. Also, "Highly Polished Reflector" is technical speak for "We were too cheap to use spectral aluminum". I had a AquaZ reflector that looked about identical to an Ice Cap reflector except it was "Highly Polished Aluminum". It didn't do as well as a used Tek reflector, let alone an Ice Cap.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey grim i pm'ed you awhile back about having an 8x54 nova extreme fixture going on my 120. You recommended 5 ati blue+, 2 uvl actinic white, and a ge 6500k, with all the bulbs on about what k rating would that be?

I have a 29 gal with 2X96 watt power compacts using uvl 454 bulb and a uvl actinic white, super actinic combo bulb. Don't really like the look of the actinic white on the tank too pink.

With the nova extreme will it look pink as well or will the 5 ati blue+ kinda drown that out. What would it look like if i subbed the fiji purples for the actinic whites?

There is also a post on here somewhere where on a 4 bulb fixture they used 2 ati blue+, a uvl super actinic and a fiji purple. Loved the look of this tank so I thought I would just double that combo and use it. But, was worried it would'nt have enough light for growth of the corals.

One last thing where can I find these tek stamped reflectors? Can't find them anywhere.

You can have reefgeek special order the reflector.

Look should be a bit beyond 15k and shouldn't lool overly pink, not only will the GE wash the pink so will all those blues.

 

[clevebill]

here is a quick pic of the 4 icecap reflectors with bulbs now ya say 4 bulbs with icecap reflectors not overdriven would be a better option than 6 bulbs with the stamped tek reflector.its not the best pic when i take my fixture off will take a better pic.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

here is a quick pic of the 4 icecap reflectors with bulbs now ya say 4 bulbs with icecap reflectors not overdriven would be a better option than 6 bulbs with the stamped tek reflector.its not the best pic when i take my fixture off will take a better pic.

I think so, the Ice Cap reflectors are about 20% better than the Tek retro which is better than their stamped one. You could always add a couple lamps not in reflectors, the UVL with internal reflectors, to add more color and a little more PAR.

 

[clevebill]

i know its personal preference but i guy listed as the best reflectors in this order
1 ati
2 aqua illuminations (reef geek brand)
3 aquactinics
4 icecap
5 tek

 

[juniorjose]

No, no is it worse, just different. Unless you are going to use a 250 watt halide (Maybe a good 150) in a good reflector rather than buying a Coralife or Current fixture the halide wont have as much usable PAR either.

can u restate that? didnt understand