The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim, I posted a couple of days ago and changed things a little, I ended up getting a 36" 4 bulb Ice Cap retro with a 660 from lfs (traded some corals)..lol instead of the 430s I had. My question is he gave me 3-10ks 1- Actinic blue, I think they are IC bulbs as I don't know how to tell but this is going over 40g breeder. Do you think I'll be alright with what I have or change bulb selection? Also what will I be able to put in it as far as corals go?

I'd get 2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Aquablue and a KZ Fiji Purple.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I've picked up a standard ballast to replace one of the 660s.

AccuSTart Electronic Ballast B454PUNV-E

My thinking is to run the outside 4 bulbs on the 54w ballast, and overdrive the center bulbs.

My bulb plan:

ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus - OD
ATI Blue Plus - OD
GE 6500K Daylight - OD
ATI Blue Plus - OD
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus


Should I switch anything up?

Maybe throw the Aquablue into the OD slot with a blue plus and place the blue plus where the Aquablue is so you get 3 blue plus and a Actinic White available for dusk/dawn

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim.

Curious as to what you'd reccomend here. Read about forty pages and got some good insight. Answered many questions, and your time seems/is well appreciated.

Question:

I'm running an eight bulb tek 39 watter, and I just changed from a four bulb off a 36x21?x18 rimless. The 4 bublb sat 5 inches above the water. With the new 8 bulb acclimation should start from which distance?

Also, running two KZ superblues, a geissman aquablue, 2x icecap twighlights, and a KZ Fiji Purple. It all seems too little blue to me. I see actinic white is recommended, but what would you recommend for the 20-22K look to complete the combo?

Probably double the height to start. I would add a ATI Blue Plus and a UVL Actinic White.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I searched and did not really found a definitive answer...I think it's hear somewhere but there is so much info it's buried...so a quick question.

I am currently using a Fiji Purple and very happy with it. I want to add one to a different setup but the vendor I want to order from does not carry KZ (long story)...they do have Giesemann, UVL & Wavepoint...being as I really like the Fiji and how it enhances reds and oranges will anything from those manufactures be equivalent? They carry the new Giesemann Aquapink which I understand is suppose to compete with the Fiji.

TIA

The UVL 75/25 is the closest thing I've seen to the fiji. Not sure how the aquapink stacks up.

 

[cbianco]

Well Grim, it has been 1 year since you gave me my original suggestion on bulbs. I bought the bulbs and loved the combo you suggested. My acros seem to like the lighting and asked me to come see you again.

So, now I'm looking for a new 6 bulb combo.

Your original suggestion was 3xATI Blue+, 1xKZ, 2xATI Special

I would like more pop to the colors in my tank, I'm not afraid of a little blue and I want maximum par.

What can you suggest? (Preferably Giesemann, Icecap and UVL if possible)

Thanks for your help...again!

Christopher

 

[RotaryGeek]

Hey grim, im not sure if this has already been asked, but could you rate all the fixtures you have tested/seen tested and put them in order of best to worst? Kinda of give us a comparison of how they do compared to each other. Im pretty sure the ATI will be on top, and the tek somewhere up there too, with the NEP following behind that, but i would just like your input on that.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Well Grim, it has been 1 year since you gave me my original suggestion on bulbs. I bought the bulbs and loved the combo you suggested. My acros seem to like the lighting and asked me to come see you again.

So, now I'm looking for a new 6 bulb combo.

Your original suggestion was 3xATI Blue+, 1xKZ, 2xATI Special

I would like more pop to the colors in my tank, I'm not afraid of a little blue and I want maximum par.

What can you suggest? (Preferably Giesemann, Icecap and UVL if possible)

Thanks for your help...again!

Christopher

Drop 1 Aquablue for another Blue Plus. You can use Giesemann Actinic Plus in place of Blue Plus but you will lose a little PAR. Same with the Aquablue.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey grim, im not sure if this has already been asked, but could you rate all the fixtures you have tested/seen tested and put them in order of best to worst? Kinda of give us a comparison of how they do compared to each other. Im pretty sure the ATI will be on top, and the tek somewhere up there too, with the NEP following behind that, but i would just like your input on that.

ATI Powermodule
ATI Sunpower
Aquactinics Constellation
Tek
Nova
all the rest

Fauna Marin I will assume will come in higher than Tek but I haven't tested their new generation so I can't say for sure. Basically anything without Mirro material used in the reflectors isn't going to perform. Good active cooling is also needed. Just slapping a fan on a fixture wont cut it either. Helps but wont do as well as the precision cooling system like ATI and Fauna Marin have.

 

[westreef]

Hi Grim, I have a 75g with LPS and some soft coral. I have just installed a retrofit 5 T5 with 48W each and individual Icecap reflectors, overdriven by Icecap 660 and 430 (I think overdriven lamp will get about 80W each). The lamps are 6 inches above water surface and the tank is 21 inches deep. I would love to keep some SPS and wonder if this setup is okay to do it. The current photoperiod is 10 hours for the 2 Blue+ and the rest daylight is 6 hours. Will this overdriven bulbs bleach the SPS? The bulbs arrangement and selection are : (Any suggestion of re-selection and re-arrangement of the bulbs is appreciated)

Front
ATI Blue+
DD Aqua Blue+
ATI True Actinic
UVL Aqua Sun
ATI Blue+

Thanks in advance!!

 

[rtparty]

Hi Grim, I have a 75g with LPS and some soft coral. I have just installed a retrofit 5 T5 with 48W each and individual Icecap reflectors, overdriven by Icecap 660 and 430 (I think overdriven lamp will get about 80W each). The lamps are 6 inches above water surface and the tank is 21 inches deep. I would love to keep some SPS and wonder if this setup is okay to do it. The current photoperiod is 10 hours for the 2 Blue+ and the rest daylight is 6 hours. Will this overdriven bulbs bleach the SPS? The bulbs arrangement and selection are : (Any suggestion of re-selection and re-arrangement of the bulbs is appreciated)

Front
ATI Blue+
DD Aqua Blue+
ATI True Actinic
UVL Aqua Sun
ATI Blue+

Thanks in advance!!

Dump the actinic for another Blue Plus. The actinic will last about 6 months being overdriven and you will need to replace it anyway.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim, I have a 75g with LPS and some soft coral. I have just installed a retrofit 5 T5 with 48W each and individual Icecap reflectors, overdriven by Icecap 660 and 430 (I think overdriven lamp will get about 80W each). The lamps are 6 inches above water surface and the tank is 21 inches deep. I would love to keep some SPS and wonder if this setup is okay to do it. The current photoperiod is 10 hours for the 2 Blue+ and the rest daylight is 6 hours. Will this overdriven bulbs bleach the SPS? The bulbs arrangement and selection are : (Any suggestion of re-selection and re-arrangement of the bulbs is appreciated)

Front
ATI Blue+
DD Aqua Blue+
ATI True Actinic
UVL Aqua Sun
ATI Blue+

Thanks in advance!!

Be plenty of light, just make sure you are cooling one end of the lamps and as RT said I'd probably dump the Actinic for another Blue Plus.

 

[westreef]

Grim and RT,
Thanks for the suggestions. I will dump the Actinic and replace it with Blue plus. In fact, I have 2 5" IceCap fans on both ends of the canopy. Looks like this setup is okay for SPS.
How long will these overdriven bulbs last?
Thanks again!

 

[westreef]

Grim and RT,
Thanks for the suggestions. I will dump the Actinic and replace it with Blue plus. In fact, I have 2 5" IceCap fans on both ends of the canopy. Looks like this setup is okay for SPS.
How long will these overdriven bulbs last?
Thanks again!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

You would be better off putting both fans on the same end do all the lamps are cooled. Just make sure each lamp has air movement at the end. As far as lamp life I am not sure anymore. Running a PAR experiment on that now but it's going to take a long time.

 

[dublo8]

Hey Grim,
amazing thread by the way but I have only read about 80 pages worth. I have a 20 gal i just set up as a mixed reef tank. I have a aquasun 4 lamp 24" t5 setup. I havent bought any bulbs for it so bare with me. could you make a suggestion for me. I saw a couple setups so far on the 4 lamps but i would like a personalized selection from you if I may. I have just started sps and totally love them. I have lps and softies currently but am looking for something to make all my colors "pop" as we would say. I also need the coral to grow as well besides looking pretty. thanks for the help.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim,
amazing thread by the way but I have only read about 80 pages worth. I have a 20 gal i just set up as a mixed reef tank. I have a aquasun 4 lamp 24" t5 setup. I havent bought any bulbs for it so bare with me. could you make a suggestion for me. I saw a couple setups so far on the 4 lamps but i would like a personalized selection from you if I may. I have just started sps and totally love them. I have lps and softies currently but am looking for something to make all my colors "pop" as we would say. I also need the coral to grow as well besides looking pretty. thanks for the help.

So you want a personalized mix for pop, color and growth, Mmmmm, Never had the request before :hmm5::hmm4:

ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

 

[rob020880]

One last request Grim what bulb choice would you do to get the best "Pop" out of an 8 bulb ati power module? My goal is great color in fish and coral, also to bring out florescents, growth is a secondary concern for me.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

One last request Grim what bulb choice would you do to get the best "Pop" out of an 8 bulb ati power module? My goal is great color in fish and coral, also to bring out florescents, growth is a secondary concern for me.

5 ATI Blue Plus, 2 KZ Fiji Purple and a GE 6500K Daylight.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I ain't gonna be around much for the next week or so, slumming at the Casino in Spokane, aint Vegas but hey, slot machine!!!

 

[chadward]

Hi Grim,

This is my first post, I am curious what you would recommend for T-5 bulbs for my tank. I'm due for a new set and wonder if I could make any improvements.

I have a 60G, 48" long tank with 2 retro fit T-5 fixtures. For the last year I've used PowerChrome bulbs 2-Aqua blue 10k's & 2-Actinic Blue Plus'. I grow a few acro's, several different montipora plates & digiti, 3 different birds nest, green star pollups, 5 different zoanthids, a few mushrooms, a couple torches, 2 devils hand leathers, collastria and a good sized rose bubble tip anemone.

I am almost ready to order 2-ATI 54W Blue Plus, 1-ATI 54W 12000K Aquablue Special from hello lights. However I'm not sure if I should just grab 2 aquablue's or get 1 and try something similar to the Powerchrome actinic pure (pinkish color)

To make matters more interesting I was thinking about experimenting and adding 2 blue ecoxotic stunners & 2 ultraviolet ecoxotic stunners to create additional light variations.

morning - ultraviolet stunner
late morning - ultraviolet & blue stunner
afternoon - all T-5's, 5-6 hrs (maybe stunners, maybe not)
late afternoon - ultraviolet & blue stunner
evening - ultraviolet stunner
night - 3 blue lunar lights

Sounds like quite the light show eh!

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts... thanks a bunch!!!