The T5 Q&a Thread

[pelochas]

You will want the Let Lighting 6 bulb HO retro kit from Reefgeek.

It will be more powerful than your current setup.

No IceCap ballast. Bad for bulbs and not needed.

3 ATI Blue Plus, 1 KZ Fiji Purple and 2 ATI Aquablue

Thanks for the answers. I didnt know that the icecap ballast were bad. I know they overdrive and reduce bulb life.
Im surprized about the 6 bulb high output being more than the two mhs i have. Thx again for the color config also

 

[rs1831]

Thanks everyone for the bulb suggestions. One more question...with the sunpower it says that each bulb should be oriented so that the stamp/label on the bulb is over the hole in the fixture. Does that mean they should be facing each other or just that the label be at that end?

Thanks.

 

[rtparty]

Few questions. Which would be more beneficial colorwise to my tank? Running a UVL 420 super actinic or a KZ Fiji Purple?

I am trying to decide if I want to run 3 Aquablue specials, 1 UVL or KZ and 2 Blue +'s OR 3 Aquablues and 3 Blue +'s. (If there is a better scenario PLEASE tell me)

I have a 6 bulb setup and am looking for something around 14K. I don't have any SPS but have a ton of clams.

4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 GE 6500K, and 1 KZ Fiji Purple

 

[kkil4life]

hey grim/rtparty,
I got the bulbs as suggested by you guys on this thread.
can you tell me what the par loss would be if I placed the lights approx 10-12 inches above the water?
I have a hanging fixture and its not possible for me to have it 6 inches above the water due to my tank having a 5-6 inch rim (yeah I know thats a lot of rim
thanks guys

 

[thebanker]

Looking to start swapping out my Current USA bulbs for some higher PAR T5s. Can someone decode the phosphor blends for me?

ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue Special
Korallin Zucht Fiji Purple
GE Daylight

example: current USA Blue = 460nm blue actinic, should be considered an actinic bulb

Ok, I found this on another site, these are PAR readings (from Grim?), and some pics of lamps so you can see their comparative wavelengths & color temperatures. Also you can get an idea for what phosphor blends they used to make the various colors.


ATI Aquablue 341 - KZ Coral Light 342 - Aquascience DUO 334 - Aquascience Spec. 15K 320 - GE6500 348 - GE3000 319*

*The GE 3000K lamp has been in use for about 5 months

Blue Plus 308 - Actinic Plus 318 - Aquascience 22000K 302 - Current 460 Actinic 275 - Aquaz Blue Pro 282 - KZ Fiji Purple 320

UVL Super Actinic 232 - Sfigoli Super Blue Actinic 209 - D&D Gmann Pure Actinic 167 - ATI Actinic Blue 140 - UVL Actinic White 308 - KZ Fiji Purple 319

Alternate View


Just Actinics

Super Actinic - Sfigoli Actinic Blue - D&D Giesemann Pure Actinic - ATI Actinic Blue

Super Actinic - Sfigoli Actinic Blue - D&D Giesemann Pure Actinic - KZ Fiji Blue

Phillips 4100K - Current 10K - Aquascience Special 15000K - GE 3000K - GE 6500K ATI Actinic Blue

No PAR Readings

How many bulbs are you changing out?


420nm = actinic bulb
460nm = blue bulb

Every manufacture is different though so don't get stuck on that.

I only want to change them out one at a time, to tweak the look. I want to swap out a 10k bulb for a KZ Fiji Purple for starters. I should note that I have a factory configured 4x54w Current USA Nova Extreme.

 

[kuyatwo]

Re: The T5 Q&a Thread

Few questions. Which would be more beneficial colorwise to my tank? Running a UVL 420 super actinic or a KZ Fiji Purple?

I am trying to decide if I want to run 3 Aquablue specials, 1 UVL or KZ and 2 Blue +'s OR 3 Aquablues and 3 Blue +'s. (If there is a better scenario PLEASE tell me)

I have a 6 bulb setup and am looking for something around 14K. I don't have any SPS but have a ton of clams.

On my old 6 bulb sunpower I ran

Front

Ati blue +
uvl super actinic
Kz purple
Uvl actinic white
Ati blue +
Ati blue +

Back

I hade a nice crisp white with hint of blue. In my opinion too many blue + washes out the colors like reds and oranges plus for sunrise sunset the super actinic gives the pop that blue + doesn't give even though you sacrifice par.

 

[reefsic]

Morning Grim,

So I'm running a new 7 bulb, Aquactinics Constellation Fixture. Currently, these are the bulbs I have available from my previous 8 bulb fixture...4 ATI B+, 2 KZ Fiji and 2 ATI AB Specials.

Which configuration will give me a 20K feel, but give me a full spectrum for optimal growth as well??? Will this work...

Front
ATI Blue +
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue +
ATI Blue +
ATI Aquablue
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue +

 

[rtparty]

Morning Grim,

So I'm running a new 7 bulb, Aquactinics Constellation Fixture. Currently, these are the bulbs I have available from my previous 8 bulb fixture...4 ATI B+, 2 KZ Fiji and 2 ATI AB Specials.

Which configuration will give me a 20K feel, but give me a full spectrum for optimal growth as well??? Will this work...

Front
ATI Blue +
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue +
ATI Blue +
ATI Aquablue
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue +

Looks good. For a real 20k look you may need a 5th Blue Plus but I think you will like the above combo.

 

[Tilmo2180]

I have a 90g tank 48x18x22 I have a 36" Tek light, and plan on adding LED on either side to make up the additional foot. My fixture fires 1 and 6 on one circuit and 2, 3, 4, 5 on the other.
So...one question i have is kinda noobish i think but here goes. I dont have to have day light bulbs? I like the blue look overall but when i got my fixture and lights i assumed you had to have day and night cycles and therefore i would need to use daylight blubs. I dont know the exact bulbs i use anymore but I have white bulbs in 1 and 6 and blues in the rest. I am going to replace my blubs here in the next few weeks and was wondering a good setup.
Can i go down to only 1 day light bulb? or none at all?

 

[reefsic]

Looks good. For a real 20k look you may need a 5th Blue Plus but I think you will like the above combo.

Hi Ryan,

But is there enough day spectrum in that config, to give me good growth too? Is there a huge difference in terms of PAR between the Fiji Purple and the AB Specials?

I dont want the lighting to show too much pink or yellow, but more of a crisp blue!!!

 

[rtparty]

I have a 90g tank 48x18x22 I have a 36" Tek light, and plan on adding LED on either side to make up the additional foot. My fixture fires 1 and 6 on one circuit and 2, 3, 4, 5 on the other.
So...one question i have is kinda noobish i think but here goes. I dont have to have day light bulbs? I like the blue look overall but when i got my fixture and lights i assumed you had to have day and night cycles and therefore i would need to use daylight blubs. I dont know the exact bulbs i use anymore but I have white bulbs in 1 and 6 and blues in the rest. I am going to replace my blubs here in the next few weeks and was wondering a good setup.
Can i go down to only 1 day light bulb? or none at all?

You want a full spectrum. Daylight bulbs are usually the white bulbs. You don't run your T5's all night.

ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

 

[rtparty]

Hi Ryan,

But is there enough day spectrum in that config, to give me good growth too? Is there a huge difference in terms of PAR between the Fiji Purple and the AB Specials?

I dont want the lighting to show too much pink or yellow, but more of a crisp blue!!!

The chlorophyll in corals spikes in 2 areas, blue and red. The majority of that in the blue region. Remember that the majority of our corals came from probably 50 feet or so in the ocean. Some more than that and other less. By about 20 feet all red light is gone, leaving majority blue, green and some yellow.

Look at Sunny's tank on here. I am pretty sure he runs 5 Blue Plus, 1 AB Special and 1 Fiji.

You will have plenty of red and blue and then the AB will add some greens and yellows for you. A Fiji Purple is like an AB special with all the green removed. the greens pop pretty nice under my Fiji Purple actually.

 

[Tilmo2180]

I wish i would have came here before I bought my fixture lol. Thank you for the input. By day/night cycle i guess I meant that one circuit fires and then an hour and a half later the other comes on, i guess its more of a sun rising and setting than day/night, you are right.

 

[rtparty]

I wish i would have came here before I bought my fixture lol. Thank you for the input. By day/night cycle i guess I meant that one circuit fires and then an hour and a half later the other comes on, i guess its more of a sun rising and setting than day/night, you are right.

That is known as dusk/dawn and is very nice to have. I love looking at my tank under a Blue Plus and Fiji Purple.

 

[reefsic]

The chlorophyll in corals spikes in 2 areas, blue and red. The majority of that in the blue region. Remember that the majority of our corals came from probably 50 feet or so in the ocean. Some more than that and other less. By about 20 feet all red light is gone, leaving majority blue, green and some yellow.

Look at Sunny's tank on here. I am pretty sure he runs 5 Blue Plus, 1 AB Special and 1 Fiji.

You will have plenty of red and blue and then the AB will add some greens and yellows for you. A Fiji Purple is like an AB special with all the green removed. the greens pop pretty nice under my Fiji Purple actually.

Sweet....thanks again Ryan!

 

[kkil4life]

hey grim/rtparty,
I got the bulbs as suggested by you guys on this thread.
can you tell me what the par loss would be if I placed the lights approx 10-12 inches above the water?
I have a hanging fixture and its not possible for me to have it 6 inches above the water due to my tank having a 5-6 inch rim (yeah I know thats a lot of rim
thanks guys

 

[The Grim Reefer]

hey grim/rtparty,
I got the bulbs as suggested by you guys on this thread.
can you tell me what the par loss would be if I placed the lights approx 10-12 inches above the water?
I have a hanging fixture and its not possible for me to have it 6 inches above the water due to my tank having a 5-6 inch rim (yeah I know thats a lot of rim
thanks guys

Hard to say exactly. It should be fine.

 

[LKGRenegade22]

4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 GE 6500K, and 1 KZ Fiji Purple

So 1 6500 bulb will keep it from being really blue?

On my old 6 bulb sunpower I ran

Front

Ati blue +
uvl super actinic
Kz purple
Uvl actinic white
Ati blue +
Ati blue +

Back

I hade a nice crisp white with hint of blue. In my opinion too many blue + washes out the colors like reds and oranges plus for sunrise sunset the super actinic gives the pop that blue + doesn't give even though you sacrifice par.

Do you by any chance have a picture of this light setup?

 

[MCCOOL]

Has anyone tested par values on the wavepoint T5 lamps?

 

[rtparty]

So 1 6500 bulb will keep it from being really blue?

If you don't want it to be blue then change one of the Blue Plus' for an ATI Aquablue.