The T5 Q&a Thread

[jarrod13]

And just to be make sure I'm understanding correctly, you are refering to the ATI blue plus, GE 6500k, and UVL actinic white?

Thanks

 

[rtparty]

What is the optimal running temp for T5 HO Bulbs.

95F at the cold spot. The cold spot should be located at the label end of the bulb.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

and that would be good for my clam on the sand bed 30inches deep. thank you so much for your time.

NO. ATI Powermodule with those lamps would be the bare minimum for a clam on the sand unless it's a Dersa or other lower light one and then I am still not sure I would trust anything much less, maybe the ATI Sunpower.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

is this a good bulb combo for a 40 breeder? i want to do zoa's,softand maybe some sps.

my light is a finnex 39x4 with 15 led light bar.


ul super actinic
ati b+
figi purple
ati b+

any comments would help alot:beer:

Be fine. If you do much in the way of SPS drop the actinic for another Blue Plus or if you want a brighter look go for the Aquablue.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

And just to be make sure I'm understanding correctly, you are refering to the ATI blue plus, GE 6500k, and UVL actinic white?

Thanks

Yep and you'll get good growth.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Here's why I am not answering questions like I used to

The Ghettomaster XB1138 Photon Regurgitator

Now I just need to clean up the 120 and set it up.

 

[jarrod13]

Thanks for the info grim

those are some sick led's!! How hard is it to put one of those fixtures together, I'm an automotive technician so I'm pretty handy I guess, but I've got a 220 gallon that I need a light for and I've been considering building an led fixture. What's the rough cost as well?

 

[kelso1980]

How many lamps do you have room for and what have you tried?

I apologize if I'm asking the SAME QUESTION that has probably been asked a hundred + times on this thread, but I have spent the last 10 minutes just trying to get to the beginning of the thread! I've been trying to research lights because they are beyond my comprehension. I used to have a 250W HQI MH and I loved the look. Got talked into switching to T5's and i dont like the look yet.
Q: Can you please give me a bulb combo that would make the colors pop? I have tried a few and I cant seem to get them to look right. Right now I've totally overdone it with the fiji purple. I am not even sure what combination is in there now. Should I add some LED's in there too? Please talk me out of putting my MH back up!
Thank you!

I started out with two giesemann aquablue+ (15000k) and two actinic+ (22000k)
I switched one of the aquablues out for a fiji purple --> a power-glo HO 18000k.
Colors still weren't enough for me so I switched the other aquablue out for a fiji purple.
Then switched one of the actinics for a superviolet actinic 420. I'm not quite sure where to go from here. During the day it's too bright, too much pink. at night the pinks look good, but reds and purples are dull.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I started out with two giesemann aquablue+ (15000k) and two actinic+ (22000k)
I switched one of the aquablues out for a fiji purple --> a power-glo HO 18000k.
Colors still weren't enough for me so I switched the other aquablue out for a fiji purple.
Then switched one of the actinics for a superviolet actinic 420. I'm not quite sure where to go from here. During the day it's too bright, too much pink. at night the pinks look good, but reds and purples are dull.

I would get an ATI Blue Plus and run that with the 2 Actinic Plus and the fiji purple. It's going to be strong 20K blue but the fiji will bring in the reds.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks for the info grim

those are some sick led's!! How hard is it to put one of those fixtures together, I'm an automotive technician so I'm pretty handy I guess, but I've got a 220 gallon that I need a light for and I've been considering building an led fixture. What's the rough cost as well?

Pretty easy. The soldering and coming up with the heat sink is the hardest part. I avoided having to drill and tap by using thermal tape to mount the LED's but even if you have to drill and tap it's pretty easy, just time consuming. On a 220 you are probably going to need 6 rows of 24 LED's. It ain't gonna be cheap.

 

[Allmost]

Hello,
so its time to replace my T5HO bulbs well almost time

I run 8 T5HO on a 65G.

here is what I have right now from front to back :
1 ATI white
2 ATI Actinic
3 ATI Actinic
4 ATI Actinic
5 ATI Blue +
6 ATI Actinic
7 ATI white
8 ATI Actinic

I really like the color it is at righrt now, which is about 22K I would say.

but in my future lighting, I want to include a Fiji purple and 1 pure actinic.

so what do you guys recommend ? my goal is coloration of SPS rather than pure growth and love the blue side of the spectrum as you can tell

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hello,
so its time to replace my T5HO bulbs well almost time

I run 8 T5HO on a 65G.

here is what I have right now from front to back :
1 ATI white
2 ATI Actinic
3 ATI Actinic
4 ATI Actinic
5 ATI Blue +
6 ATI Actinic
7 ATI white
8 ATI Actinic

I really like the color it is at righrt now, which is about 22K I would say.

but in my future lighting, I want to include a Fiji purple and 1 pure actinic.

so what do you guys recommend ? my goal is coloration of SPS rather than pure growth and love the blue side of the spectrum as you can tell

I like the color with a lot of blue plus instead of the actinic because you get the look plus growth. I'd run 4 Blue Plus, 2 ATI Aquablue and 2 KZ Fiji Purple. I haven't ran actinics in 4 years so can't really come up with a mix using those that would be any better than what you can come up with

 

[KnightReefer]

First off this is truly a great thread!

Now my question:

I have a standard dimension 90 gallon RR tank with a 48" Aquactinics Tx5 fixture. Here is the current new bulb setup:

Front to Back
ATI Blue+
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue+
ATI Aquablue Special

Is it really worth the little loss of PAR for the Super Actinic or would another Blue+ be better. I care more about coral color than growth and only currently have a few SPS, Zoas and a Crocea Clam midway on the rocks but plan on mostly SPS as the tank matures. Also what about the order of the bulbs? Slots #2 and #4 are the dusk/dawn bulbs. Pretty much any feedback on this combo is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[justinc0708]

NO. ATI Powermodule with those lamps would be the bare minimum for a clam on the sand unless it's a Dersa or other lower light one and then I am still not sure I would trust anything much less, maybe the ATI Sunpower.

grim, i looked at those light fixtures and they are a little out of my range.but what i was thinking was if i rasied my sand bed up 3 more inches it would bring me to 24 inches from water surface to the sand bed.would that work with the 6 bulb tek and the lighing combo you gave me for the clam ,color and growth of my reef.4 ati blue pluse,1 uvl actic white,1 ge 65000k daylight.thanks for all the help

 

[The Grim Reefer]

First off this is truly a great thread!

Now my question:

I have a standard dimension 90 gallon RR tank with a 48" Aquactinics Tx5 fixture. Here is the current new bulb setup:

Front to Back
ATI Blue+
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue+
ATI Aquablue Special

Is it really worth the little loss of PAR for the Super Actinic or would another Blue+ be better. I care more about coral color than growth and only currently have a few SPS, Zoas and a Crocea Clam midway on the rocks but plan on mostly SPS as the tank matures. Also what about the order of the bulbs? Slots #2 and #4 are the dusk/dawn bulbs. Pretty much any feedback on this combo is appreciated.

Thanks!

What you have is fine. Swapping the Actinic for another Blue Plus would give the tank a slightly more blue look and more PAR. Thats what I would run.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

grim, i looked at those light fixtures and they are a little out of my range.but what i was thinking was if i rasied my sand bed up 3 more inches it would bring me to 24 inches from water surface to the sand bed.would that work with the 6 bulb tek and the lighing combo you gave me for the clam ,color and growth of my reef.4 ati blue pluse,1 uvl actic white,1 ge 65000k daylight.thanks for all the help

I wont say it wont be enough but I wouldn't try it.

 

[justinc0708]

I wont say it wont be enough but I wouldn't try it.

is there anything you could suggest that would help me out.is there any other lights that might be cheaper

 

[gasbatalla]

I just bought a Tek 6X54, it comes with 12 bulbs:

3x UVL Super Actinic
2x UVL Actinic White
3x Giesmann Aquablue +
1x Giesmann Actinic +
1x Giesmann Pure Actinic
1x Giesmann 6000k Midday
1x Koralien-Zucht Fiji Purple

What would be a good combination?

 

[KnightReefer]

What you have is fine. Swapping the Actinic for another Blue Plus would give the tank a slightly more blue look and more PAR. Thats what I would run.

That's what I have been thinking. Thanks for the prompt and always expert response!

 

[justinc0708]

grim, i went ahead and order a 6 bulb tek t5.i moved my sand bed up so there is only 23 inches from the bed to the surface of the water.what kind of bulb combo do you think will be the best for my clam,color and growth of my reef?thanks