The T5 Q&a Thread

[Tripel_Hornet]

Impressive thread.
i got a bulb question for anyone. I really only had MH before and T5 is new to me. My frag tank (48x24x10) and my Nova extreme 48" T5 8 bulb hood are both arriving next week. and i was wondering what is the best combo for bulbs that will give me growth and good color on my frags? I will mostly be growing 50% zoas and then the rest SPS and some LPS. i plan on getting into more sps since i will have the bulbs to color them up properly and not fade them out with MH's.
are UVL bulbs good? they seem to have the most amount of different bulbs out there.
are the pink bulbs good to use as well?
im looking for mainly growth and color for my frags and colonies.
thanks for the help in advance, i am a noob when it comes to picking out T5's and my ADHD doesnt help either cause i cant pick and choose without changing my mind a dozen times.
maybe i should double up o the adderall to make a decision. hehe

 

[chadward]

A 4 bulb Sunpower will allow you to keep clams on the sand.

I like to have the bulbs on when I am home most to enjoy the tank. I have 2 bulbs come on for 1.5 hours then all 4 are on for 6 hours and then leave the original two for another 1.5 hours.

For example:

2 bulbs on at 10 AM
All 4 bulbs on at 11:30 AM
2 bulbs off at 5:30 PM
Other 2 bulbs off at 7 PM

The first two that turn on are dusk/dawn bulbs. I use an ATI Blue Plus and Fiji Purple. Some people use actinics and others use 2 Blue bulbs.

I hadn't thought about coupling the ATI Blue Plus with the Fiji Purple until your comment. What order would you suggest I place my 4 bulbs (2 retro fixtures)? I ordered them from reef geek exactly as you suggested.

I am thinking front (1) to back (4):

(1)ATI Blue Plus
(2)Fiji Purple
--------------
(3)New Generation
(4)ATI Blue Plus

Or
(1)ATI Blue Plus
(2)ATI Blue Plus
--------------
(3)New Generation
(4)Fiji Purple

The Front fixture will come on first about 12:00 (noon), back fixture about 1.5 hrs later & off again about 8:00... All off at 9:30. Later I may still incorporate the Ecoxotic Stunners (ultraviolet & Blue) while lowering the T5 time

 

[rtparty]

Which would be a better choice for a 55g reef? New 4x54w SunPower or used 5X54w TX5? Would plan on replacing TX5 ballast in about a year. Thanks.

I would take the 5 bulb TX5. Aquactinics makes awesome fixtures! I wouldn't replace the ballast unless it goes out.

Having that 5th bulb makes all the difference in the world. I actually really wish ATI made a 5 bulb unit. I would sell my 4 bulb and buy the 5th tomorrow.

 

[rtparty]

I hadn't thought about coupling the ATI Blue Plus with the Fiji Purple until your comment. What order would you suggest I place my 4 bulbs (2 retro fixtures)? I ordered them from reef geek exactly as you suggested.

I am thinking front (1) to back (4):

(1)ATI Blue Plus
(2)Fiji Purple
--------------
(3)New Generation
(4)ATI Blue Plus

Or
(1)ATI Blue Plus
(2)ATI Blue Plus
--------------
(3)New Generation
(4)Fiji Purple


Option number 1 or rewire the ballasts so that bulbs 1 and 3 are together.

Try avoiding to clump colors together.

The Front fixture will come on first about 12:00 (noon), back fixture about 1.5 hrs later & off again about 8:00... All off at 9:30. Later I may still incorporate the Ecoxotic Stunners (ultraviolet & Blue) while lowering the T5 time

 

[flamron]

How would a Midday Giesemann D&D Powerchrome in place of a GE 6500k look? BRS doesn't carry the GE bulb, and I'd prefer to order all of the bulbs from one vendor.

 

[Frank789]

I would take the 5 bulb TX5. Aquactinics makes awesome fixtures! I wouldn't replace the ballast unless it goes out.

Having that 5th bulb makes all the difference in the world. I actually really wish ATI made a 5 bulb unit. I would sell my 4 bulb and buy the 5th tomorrow.

Ryan, thanks.

 

[rtparty]

How would a Midday Giesemann D&D Powerchrome in place of a GE 6500k look? BRS doesn't carry the GE bulb, and I'd prefer to order all of the bulbs from one vendor.

They are nearly identical. It will be fine.

 

[jbrown11352]

Need some guidance

Need some guidance

I just picked up a 48 x 30 x 20 complete system w/ 2 250w luminarcs and icecap ballasts. I would like to change this over to T5 and will be running a mixed reef (SPS, LPS, Zoos/Palys). This is what I have to use:

ATI Sunpower 6 x 54w (2 Fans, neither work)
Tek elite 6 x 54w(3 Fans, 3 month old fixture)
(2) Fishneedit 2 x 54w fixtures

Bulbs(3 months old)
6 Geisemann Actinic+
2 Geisemann Aquablue+
3 Wave point Coral Wave (Purple)
1 ATI Actinic
4 Cheapies that came with the fishneedit fixtures(Almost like a 50/50 look, 1 purple/blue, one white each fixture)

What would you recommend for optimum growth and coloration.

Thanks in advance,
Jason

 

[trilinearmipmap]

I have an 8 x 54 Watt Tek-Light over my 120 gallon mixed reef. As I am going more hardcore SPS I will be upgrading to an 8 x 54 Watt PowerModule and I need advice on bulb choice.

The current bulbs are:

4 ATI Blue Plus
2 ATI AquaBlue Special
One Giesmann MidDay
One UVL Actinic White

I am happy with the current bulb combination but when I upgrade to the PowerModule I will be getting bulbs with the fixture and the UVL Actinic White bulb is not available from that vendor. Here are the bulbs available to order with the fixture:

ATI Blue Plus and AquaBlue Special (figured I would go with these same as before)

ATI ProColor (never heard of this bulb before)
ATI True Actinic
Giesemann Actinic +
Giesemann Pure Actinic
KZ Fiji Purple
Aqua Science Blue 22000K
Aqua Science Duo 17500K
Aqua Science Special 15000K

Any advice on which combination of bulbs to get?

 

[pura vida mi]

Grim, 90 gal bowfront with 48" 6 bulb T5 and 24" 2 bulb T5. Used your suggestions below about 6 months ago, which helped the look. However not getting much color out of frogspawn, LTA, zoes etc. Would replacing 1 of the BLUE+ with a Fiji Purple help with adding the purples and greens of the corals? Thanks in advance.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
(24" lamps)

ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

 

[flamron]

Has anyone done PAR tests on the new IceCap bulbs? I ordered one of their 10k bulbs - Reef Crest - in place of the GE 6500k - in hopes of maybe going a little more blue.

It will be overdriven as well.

 

[rtparty]

Has anyone done PAR tests on the new IceCap bulbs? I ordered one of their 10k bulbs - Reef Crest - in place of the GE 6500k - in hopes of maybe going a little more blue.

It will be overdriven as well.

The IceCap bulbs are just relabeled UVL bulbs. I'm pretty sure Grim did tests when they first came out. They compare to UVL in terms of PAR.

I don't think you will get more blue out of their ReefCrest bulb. If I remember correctly that bulb is the same as an Aquasun and will have a strong pink tint to it.

 

[rtparty]

Grim, 90 gal bowfront with 48" 6 bulb T5 and 24" 2 bulb T5. Used your suggestions below about 6 months ago, which helped the look. However not getting much color out of frogspawn, LTA, zoes etc. Would replacing 1 of the BLUE+ with a Fiji Purple help with adding the purples and greens of the corals? Thanks in advance.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
(24" lamps)

ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

I would switch the GE for something like a ATI Aquablue or KZ New Generation bulb.

But I would look at water quality before lighting. You have a pretty good combo there.

 

[rtparty]

I just picked up a 48 x 30 x 20 complete system w/ 2 250w luminarcs and icecap ballasts. I would like to change this over to T5 and will be running a mixed reef (SPS, LPS, Zoos/Palys). This is what I have to use:

ATI Sunpower 6 x 54w (2 Fans, neither work)
Tek elite 6 x 54w(3 Fans, 3 month old fixture)
(2) Fishneedit 2 x 54w fixtures

Bulbs(3 months old)
6 Geisemann Actinic+
2 Geisemann Aquablue+
3 Wave point Coral Wave (Purple)
1 ATI Actinic
4 Cheapies that came with the fishneedit fixtures(Almost like a 50/50 look, 1 purple/blue, one white each fixture)

What would you recommend for optimum growth and coloration.

Thanks in advance,
Jason

I would get the fans working on the ATI fixture and use it along with the Tek Elite. With the tank being 30 inches front to back, you need a lot of bulbs for coverage.

Might need to buy a few new bulbs to play with.

 

[rtparty]

I have an 8 x 54 Watt Tek-Light over my 120 gallon mixed reef. As I am going more hardcore SPS I will be upgrading to an 8 x 54 Watt PowerModule and I need advice on bulb choice.

The current bulbs are:

4 ATI Blue Plus
2 ATI AquaBlue Special
One Giesmann MidDay
One UVL Actinic White

I am happy with the current bulb combination but when I upgrade to the PowerModule I will be getting bulbs with the fixture and the UVL Actinic White bulb is not available from that vendor. Here are the bulbs available to order with the fixture:

ATI Blue Plus and AquaBlue Special (figured I would go with these same as before)

ATI ProColor (never heard of this bulb before)
ATI True Actinic
Giesemann Actinic +
Giesemann Pure Actinic
KZ Fiji Purple
Aqua Science Blue 22000K
Aqua Science Duo 17500K
Aqua Science Special 15000K

Any advice on which combination of bulbs to get?

I would go with 5 Blue Plus, 1 Aquablue and 2 KZ Fiji Purple. Maybe order the ATI Actinic and some Aqua Science bulbs since you already have a bunch of the ATI bulbs to begin with. That way you can play with combos and find the sweet spot for you.

 

[flamron]

The IceCap bulbs are just relabeled UVL bulbs. I'm pretty sure Grim did tests when they first came out. They compare to UVL in terms of PAR.

I don't think you will get more blue out of their ReefCrest bulb. If I remember correctly that bulb is the same as an Aquasun and will have a strong pink tint to it.

that is funny then, because I was going with the aquasun, but the icecap said it was more of a 10k look. I think they say the aquasun is a 6k look?

So, I guess I just paid more for a relabeled UVL bulb :crazy1:

 

[Falcao]

I am looking for T-5 for my tanl 48x24x24. I trying to decide b/t 6-54 ATI SP or a Tek elite 8-54. which one would give me better par, and would a need an 8 buld unit for width of the tank?
thanks

 

[Felixc395]

Hi Grim!

I've been thinking of getting a 6 bulb 54 watt combo of
ATI blue plus
KZ new gen
ATI blue plus
KZ coral light
ATI blue plus
KZ Fiji purple

How would this combo be in terms of PAR and Kelvin and how would the PAR an Kelvin compare to this combo?

ATI blue plus
UVL actinic white
ATI blue plus
UVL 75/25
ATI blue plus
GE 6500k

Thanks!

 

[jbrown11352]

What height above the water would you install both fixtures. Bulb combos for each front to back?

I would get the fans working on the ATI fixture and use it along with the Tek Elite. With the tank being 30 inches front to back, you need a lot of bulbs for coverage.

Might need to buy a few new bulbs to play with.

 

[Buganddoug]

I have mine set at 6" above the water.