The T5 Q&a Thread

[rtparty]

Reef specialty has them on their website.

I saw two bulbs on that website. Both made by Coralvue, am I looking at the wrong site?

 

[kuyatwo]

The T5 Q&a Thread

I saw two bulbs on that website. Both made by Coralvue, am I looking at the wrong site?

Sorry wrong site

http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/catalog/

 

[justinc0708]

Use the 6" clamp on fan, check bed bath and beyond for them. I think reefgeek might sell one too.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

AND FEED THE CLAMS!

grim, sorry to keep bothering you i just have one more question.instead of 4 blue + can i drop one or drop the actinic white and put on a uvl 75/25 or a uvl 454 . i just want to make sure i can get all the color i can.thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grimm

I have a frag tank that is 92"L x 36"D x 15"T should I run 2 48" 8bulbs, if so what light combo would you recommend, and how far up from the water level

thanks

Sounds good. I'd mount the light bout 8 inches up. I would use 5 Blue Plus and 3 GE 6500's in each unit.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim i got a Current Nova Extreme Fixture 72" back in January...
How long are these bulbs good for?
I was also interested in some awesome moonlights to add to the tank.. Any recommendations?

I'd be changing the lamps pretty quick. Far as moonlights the Ice Cap tube LED's are pretty nice.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

what bulbs shoud I connsider"
tank is 48x18x30. the tank is an island style viewable form both sides

setup for now will be

2 VHO atinics on the outsides, and
an array of 4 T5 HO's - I'm considering 4 like bulbs in the 12k range


the outside lamps will eventually get replaced with T5's so suggestions for these are also welcome

In addition I am seriously considering adding the Cree LED's for the shimmer effect. I'm thinking a bank of 6 on each side between the VHOs and T5's.

thanks in advance for any suggestions
I'm ordering parts and bulbs tonight

I should add the T5s will be driven by an Icecap 660 using Icecap reflectors

I'd do a single row of 12 Cree XPG's in the center.

Front
Super Actinic
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
LED's
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
Super Actinic.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

grim, sorry to keep bothering you i just have one more question.instead of 4 blue + can i drop one or drop the actinic white and put on a uvl 75/25 or a uvl 454 . i just want to make sure i can get all the color i can.thanks

Try what I listed, it is going to be the most PAR you can pull out of that fixture and the color should be fine. If you just gotta have another lamp use a KZ Fiji purple in place of one but I think the actinic white and Aquablue are going to give you enough of the non blue spectrum.

 

[justinc0708]

Try what I listed, it is going to be the most PAR you can pull out of that fixture and the color should be fine. If you just gotta have another lamp use a KZ Fiji purple in place of one but I think the actinic white and Aquablue are going to give you enough of the non blue spectrum.

cool thanks grim.i apreciate all the help.

 

[Gtownguy487]

I'd be changing the lamps pretty quick. Far as moonlights the Ice Cap tube LED's are pretty nice.

Whats the best combo for this 6 and 6 bulb combo?

how long do these lights usually last?

 

[eho72]

Hi Grim,

I am in the process of replacing my 8 bulbs 54W ATI PM. What is a good setup for a SPS domininated tank with some zoas and acans at the bottom.

 

[reeflover7826]

Hey Grim, herd you where the athority on T5's, I'm about to switch from 20k halide to t5 (cant stand the heat anymore). So I'm going to use a retrofit kit 6x48" bulbs, it will be six bulbs plus 2 VHO's (which will be used for Super actinics). Mostly SPS dominated tank 60"x18"x20, I got some high end SPS blues reds and Yellows. Would like to know what combo would bring out all colors? and how high from the water should the bulbs be?

Thanks for any help.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Whats the best combo for this 6 and 6 bulb combo?

how long do these lights usually last?

Good lamps will go about a year'

4 rows of Blue plus, 1 row of Actinic White and 1 row ATI Aquablue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim,

I am in the process of replacing my 8 bulbs 54W ATI PM. What is a good setup for a SPS domininated tank with some zoas and acans at the bottom.

5 ATI Blue Plus 2 UVL Actinic White and a GE 6500K Daylight.

 

[psteeleb]

I'd do a single row of 12 Cree XPG's in the center.

Front
Super Actinic
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
LED's
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
Super Actinic.

thanks Grim
figures - I placed my bulb order about 15 minutes before your post

I'll incorporaate some your your bulb recomendations in my next update - that may not be too far away depending on how phase one works out

Phase 1 is:
front to back (or the other front)
VHO atinic
UV 10k
UV 12k
VHO atinic
UV 12k
UV 10k
VHO atinic

the VHOs will be on a IC 430 for about 12 hrs a day
the T5's will be on a 660 for maybe 5-6 hrs

phase 2 will replace two of the VHO's woth other T5's and add 2 banks of Cree LEDs on the far outside as I want them to provide shimmer on both sides of the rock island in the middle of the tank

what about using a fiji purple someplace?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim, herd you where the athority on T5's, I'm about to switch from 20k halide to t5 (cant stand the heat anymore). So I'm going to use a retrofit kit 6x48" bulbs, it will be six bulbs plus 2 VHO's (which will be used for Super actinics). Mostly SPS dominated tank 60"x18"x20, I got some high end SPS blues reds and Yellows. Would like to know what combo would bring out all colors? and how high from the water should the bulbs be?

Thanks for any help.

4 inches or so up from the water

I would do 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 UVL Actinic White and an ATI Aquablue

 

[reeflover7826]

No Fiji purple?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

thanks Grim
figures - I placed my bulb order about 15 minutes before your post

I'll incorporaate some your your bulb recomendations in my next update - that may not be too far away depending on how phase one works out

Phase 1 is:
front to back (or the other front)
VHO atinic
UV 10k
UV 12k
VHO atinic
UV 12k
UV 10k
VHO atinic

the VHOs will be on a IC 430 for about 12 hrs a day
the T5's will be on a 660 for maybe 5-6 hrs

phase 2 will replace two of the VHO's woth other T5's and add 2 banks of Cree LEDs on the far outside as I want them to provide shimmer on both sides of the rock island in the middle of the tank

what about using a fiji purple someplace?

If you are going to all that trouble I'd go straight LED's but Throwing in a Fiji Purple would be good.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

No Fiji purple?

If you like spending an extra 10 bux use the Fiji instead of the Actinic White.

 

[reeflover7826]

Would there be no difference and be a waste of money? and why actinic white instead of another aquablue?

Thank you for your quick response.

 

[Subie]

I have a 36" x 15" x 17" tank with a 250W Metal Halide 2x65W PC fixture running a 14K Phoenix DE bulb. There are a few pieces of SPS, some zoanthids, montipora, frogspawn, torch, and a crocea clam.

I'm thinking of converting over to a T5 unit. Would you recommend a 4 or 6 bulb T5 unit?

Any preferences in terms of manufacturer? The ones I've seen online are AquaticLife, Current USA Nova Extreme, IceCap Reef Illuminations, Wave Point, CoralVue, and Sunlight TEK light.

Thanks in advance for your replies and help

bump