The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Ok I am switching from MH to T-5 lighting. I currently have a 6' 125 gallon reef with three 150w MH and two 96w power compacts for atinics. I ordered a 48" 6 bulb ATI Sunpower fixture which should be here Monday(yeah).
I read thru most of this thread and decided to go with 4 ATI blue plus, 1 Fiji purple, and a GE 65K bulb. I am hoping this will look good any input would be great also. I am looking for 14K-20K look
Ok my question is that I have read about corals bleaching while using T-5's
What height should I put my fixture at to start off with and how long till I can begin to lower it, an inch a week? If some corals do bleach will they come back or are they done for? I have mostly SPS and LPS.

I'd start about 8" up for a week or so and see how things are doing. The 10K halides dont exactly produce massive amounts of PAR so you could really be adding a lot of PAR. Once things look good I would gradually lower it down to about 4 inches above.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have the same basic question, how long, if they do, will the color come back? My monti cap, birdsnest and some zoas bleached. I did start them all at the bottom of the tank for a couple weeks.

I switched from 150MH to 4 bulb T5, (2 ATI blue plus, 1 ATI aquablue special and 1 UVL actinic white.)

When all lights are on the tank looks bright and white. Not any blue color or tint.

With that bulb combo, over a 55 gal tank, is that too much light for mainly zoas. But i'm planing on adding some chalices, maybe some acans. I'm thinking of replacing the UVL for an ATI actinic bulb. Should I keep the set up as is for the higher par or would things be fine swaping to one actinic?

You could try a UVL 75/25 instead of the Actinic White, it's a little less bright but will still bump the reds OR Try a Actinic instead of the Aquablue, that would give you a blue look but still have enough red from the actinic white to bring in all your colors nice.

 

[Jsin]

Thank you Grim. I am running 14K halides right now but I do expect to be adding more par with the ATI fixture. What about the bulbs I picked 4 ATI blue plus, one GE65k, and a fiji purple. Will this configuration of bulbs add up to 14K-20K. I was planning on going should I change anything?
Front
Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
Blue plus
GE 6500K
Blue plus
Blue Plus
back

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Alright Grim, I just got a nice deal on an ATI Powermodule with nine bulbs. I'd like to know which ones should be shipped IN the fixture (least likely to break). Looking for the most common bulb choice for a six bulb fixture. It comes with 4 Blue +, 2 Aquablue Special, 1 Fiji Purple, 1 GE 6500K, and 1 ATI Actinic. Which ones would you have shipped in the fixture?

4 Blue Plus, 1 Aquablue and a Fiji purple

 

[The Grim Reefer]

wow like i said i could be wrong i thought that MH where the most intense lights out there ... i stand corrected now you guys got me worried as i just went from VHO's to T5's i don't have much in the form of corals yet but i do have some GSP and a bubble coral that has not come out yet come to think about it my BTA hasn't been out much ether. GRIM help please !!!!! my new setup is a aquatic life 4*54W with 2 10k and 2 actinic. i know i need better bulbs but for now I'm worried about my couple of corals.

i will say one thing i have learned.... when you get T5's invest in a new heater because your gonna need it. my tank has cooled 12 degrees in the day and about 16 at night so guess where I'm headed lol

I wouldn't worry about overkill with that fixture. Reflectors make all the difference and that fixture's reflectors aren't a great design nor the good material so.... I would go with 2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Aquablue and a KZ Fiji Purple for lamps.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Im having a hard time trying to get hold of an 80w fiji bulb here in the UK, i was wondering how the ATI Pro Colour compared to it? Is the fiji much better...?

The pro color will work, the main reason for using either is the red spectrum they produce.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,
I was told your the man to ask when it comes to T5 lighting. I have a 56 column tank I just set up and am looking at T5 lighting for it. The dimensions are 30" long 25" high and 18 wide. Plan to keep softies, and LPS corals...Not sure if I will try my hand at keeping SPS corals yet. Looking into a used 36" Current Nova extreme 4 bulb T5 fixture...would love your thoughts on the unit and bulbs for the tank...thanks for your time. .

Not going to be good for high light critters but LPS and softies should be good. 2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Aquablue and a KZ Fiji Purple.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a Fiji Purple and a GE6500 arriving Monday.

I currently run 4 Blue Plus, 2 Aqua Blue, and 2 Actinic White in my 8 bulb TEK over a 120 gal mixed LPS / SPS tank.

Just to experiment some, what would you suggest I change out?

As you know, the TEK fixtures fire the center four bulbs on one switch and the outer two bulbs on each side on the other switch.

Do the actinic type bulbs work better in the center and the Blue Plus on the outer slots?

Thanks for the input.

Front
Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
GE
Actinic White
Aquablue
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thank you Grim. I am running 14K halides right now but I do expect to be adding more par with the ATI fixture. What about the bulbs I picked 4 ATI blue plus, one GE65k, and a fiji purple. Will this configuration of bulbs add up to 14K-20K. I was planning on going should I change anything?
Front
Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
Blue plus
GE 6500K
Blue plus
Blue Plus
back

Should be fine

 

[reeftanknewbie]

so then would a 6 bulb unit work better for SPS corals? Was trying to go with a 36" rather then 30" for upgrade purposes and also for more output.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

so then would a 6 bulb unit work better for SPS corals? Was trying to go with a 36" rather then 30" for upgrade purposes and also for more output.

I would use 6 lamps, 4 Blue Plus, 1 UVL Actinic White and a GE 6500K Daylight.

You could make baffles for the ends so the light from the 36 inch lamps wont spill over (Actually will only be a couple inches at most) but make sure it doesn't block airflow.

 

[bwiele]

Choices, choices...

Choices, choices...

Hi Grim,

I have a TEK 6-bulb light over my 90g mixed reef tank (some SPS, softies). I'm doing my first bulb change, and I've ordered the following bulbs from reefgeek which are arriving today. I've ordered more than 6 so I can try different combinations, etc. What would your advice be as the best combo and sequence to start with? I appreciate your help.

1 x 54W 6500K Daylight T5 HO Fluorescent (GE0005) by General Electric
1 x 54W 12000K Aquablue Special T5 HO Fluorescent (ATI1005) by ATI
3 x 54W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent (ATI1013) by ATI
1 x 54W 10000K AquaSun T5 HO Fluorescent (UVL0003) by UV Lighting
1 x 54W 12000K Actinic White (50/50) T5 HO Fluorescent (UVL0013) by UV Lighting
1 x 54W 75/25 14000K AquaBlue T5 HO Fluorescent (UVL0029) by UV Lighting
1 x 54W Fiji Purple T5 HO Fluorescent (KZ0005) by Korallen Zucht

Also, would you recommend changing over just one bulb a day so as to not shock the tank? The bulbs in there are now are a mixture of Geissman bulbs, but I've ordered the selection above an the advice of the various posts on this thread.

Many thanks, Brian

 

[scott11]

looking for a color combo for 8-54w bulbs, looking for 14-20K color- closer to 20k, but still want decent par

 

[keith sprague]

grim
i got a new ATI SP today. SPS dominate tank 40 BR so 18".gonna run 4 ATI BL+ KZ figi Purple and ATI aqua BL special.what do you think is a good height to keep SP above my tank? also what order Bulbs front to back. oh yeah wheres the pay pal? im in for 5$ W/ the time you put in here everyone outta chip in a little. help a brother out !!!

 

[pascal32]

2 ATI Blue Plus for Dusk/Dawn and 2 more Blue Plus and 2 GE 6500K for the daylights.

as always, much appreciated!

 

[sweet d]

grim,a while back i asked what bulbs you would recomend from uv lighting and you chose 4 454 bulbs 1 indigo sun and 1 actinic white,how blue will this combo be and if its too blue should i take out 1 454 and replace it with maybe a aqua sun bulb?also any specific order to put these bulbs? thanks for advice gonna be ordering in the next few days.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim,

I have a TEK 6-bulb light over my 90g mixed reef tank (some SPS, softies). I'm doing my first bulb change, and I've ordered the following bulbs from reefgeek which are arriving today. I've ordered more than 6 so I can try different combinations, etc. What would your advice be as the best combo and sequence to start with? I appreciate your help.

1 x 54W 6500K Daylight T5 HO Fluorescent (GE0005) by General Electric
1 x 54W 12000K Aquablue Special T5 HO Fluorescent (ATI1005) by ATI
3 x 54W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent (ATI1013) by ATI
1 x 54W 10000K AquaSun T5 HO Fluorescent (UVL0003) by UV Lighting
1 x 54W 12000K Actinic White (50/50) T5 HO Fluorescent (UVL0013) by UV Lighting
1 x 54W 75/25 14000K AquaBlue T5 HO Fluorescent (UVL0029) by UV Lighting
1 x 54W Fiji Purple T5 HO Fluorescent (KZ0005) by Korallen Zucht

Also, would you recommend changing over just one bulb a day so as to not shock the tank? The bulbs in there are now are a mixture of Geissman bulbs, but I've ordered the selection above an the advice of the various posts on this thread.

Many thanks, Brian

Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
GE 6500
Blue Plus
Aquablue

Bulb a day is fine

 

[The Grim Reefer]

looking for a color combo for 8-54w bulbs, looking for 14-20K color- closer to 20k, but still want decent par

6 ATI Blue Plus, 1 UVL Actinic White and a GE 6500K Daylight

 

[The Grim Reefer]

grim
i got a new ATI SP today. SPS dominate tank 40 BR so 18".gonna run 4 ATI BL+ KZ figi Purple and ATI aqua BL special.what do you think is a good height to keep SP above my tank? also what order Bulbs front to back. oh yeah wheres the pay pal? im in for 5$ W/ the time you put in here everyone outta chip in a little. help a brother out !!!

Blue Plus
Fiji
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

If you don't like the fiji in the dusk/dawn just swap it with the Blue Plus behind it.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

grim,a while back i asked what bulbs you would recomend from uv lighting and you chose 4 454 bulbs 1 indigo sun and 1 actinic white,how blue will this combo be and if its too blue should i take out 1 454 and replace it with maybe a aqua sun bulb?also any specific order to put these bulbs? thanks for advice gonna be ordering in the next few days.

I don't think it will be too blue, the indigo and actinic white both have a pink tint so.... Just put the 454's in the dusk/dawn slots and the other lamps so the indigo and Actinic White are spread out some if possible.