The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Any guess on how low I'll be able to keep sps with a 4x54w icecap retro on a 660?

18" below the lamps at least. Probably a little more than that

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, I have a 2x39w 36", and a 4x38w 36" on seperate 38s. What bulbs would you recommend? I do care about the way the lights looks though, and would still like to have high PAR. It is a lps tank.

4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 GE 6500K Daylight and a KZ Fiji Purple, good looks and lotsa PAR

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thank you. I think I'll save the clam for a later tank - I think a 6 bulb is too wide for the tank I have. Looking for a TEK 4 lamp now - it doesn't have the candy of a dual timer and led's - but it seems that the primary purpose for buying a light is....well....light!

If your tank is only 12" front to back 4 lamps is fine. 18" 6 is best.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a 6 bulb fixture w/ #2 & 4 on dusk/dawn. What comb of bulbs should I use for high par, color and growth? I have sps and lps.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

grim -

you have helped me out in the past, so, i was hoping to get some advice ... planning a 56x24x14 (lwh) tank ... ssb ... mainly sps with zoas and lps mixed in ... I am strongly considering a diy led setup, but, i absolutely love the 8x24 ati pm i am using over the sps ... any thoughts?? would it be better to go with an ati 8x54 pm or leds?? Thanks.

At only 14" tall you don't need the punch of the ATI unless you want to mount the fixture really high.

The large footprint makes LED's a bad deal unless you want to build your own. In that case I'd go without optics and space them about 3" apart. For T5's I'd do an 8 lamp Tek.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

hi..
how long is the lifetime for T5 ATI..?

About 1 year

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim,

I just bought a power module 60" 80wx10 bulbs. I'm wondering which bulbs should I use for tank 60x30x24. Wanting a 14K-20k look but also growth. Byw, what is the diferrent between UVL Actinic White and ATI Aquablue special?

Thanks in advance.
Wayne

Front
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

 

[kgood1]

Front
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

Thanks Grim, but that would put my dusk/dawn kz fiji purple and ge 6500k

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hello,

Just wanted to get your opinion on a new bulb combo for my tank. Here is the bulb combo Im looking at for my Extreme Nova 8X54 T5HO fixture. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

I have a 72g mixed reef with mostly SPS and LPS.

Is this a good combo?

5 ATI Blue+
1 1200K UV Actinic White
1 GE 6500K Daylight
1 KZ Figi Purple

Should be fine.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks Grim, but that would put my dusk/dawn kz fiji purple and ge 6500k

So shift the lamps

Move the GE back a slot and try it with a Blue Plus and Fiji and see what you think, if that don't work for you move the Fiji back a spot too

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks. Cuz I was thinking 2 ATI blue+,2 KZ super blue, KZ fiji purple and KZ new gen.

That wouldn't look bad either, sorta a purple tinted deep blue if you are looking for a deepwater look.

 

[kgood1]

:lmao

So shift the lamps

Move the GE back a slot and try it with a Blue Plus and Fiji and see what you think, if that don't work for you move the Fiji back a spot too

:fun4: will do. Keep up the good work. p.s, get that donation thing going!

 

[cthedaytrader]

:lmao

:fun4: will do. Keep up the good work. p.s, get that donation thing going!

definetly

 

[Paradiddle7]

Hi Guys, great thread. I'm looking for advice of course.

I have a 90g with a 4 x 48" (54w) T5 setup.

For accent and supplamental lighting I have:

2 of the Powerbrite 420nm Blue LED's
2 8k Stunner LED
2 UV Stunner LED

Of course, I'm looking for the most pop and best growth. I keep mostly LPS and Softies.

What combo of bulbs would be good for me? Since I have the LED's for supplamental lighting, should I focus my T5's on better growth, or should I still try to focus on more pop, and only rely on my LED's for accent lighting etc..

I guess better growth might include a daylight bulb and then combo or blue bulbs, while a standard mix would probably NOT include a daylight bulb, and be a mix of combos and maybe one actinic or purple etc...

This is only my 1st time ordering bulbs, so I'm not that experienced or well versed with all the tempuratures or how they combine.

Thanks much for any advice...

 

[krak256]

Put a blue plus in place of the aquablue, if that's still not blue enough then put the aquablue back in where the GE lamp is.

thanks grim. i think i read that you recommend UVL actinic white for growth. should i swap 1-2 bulbs out for them?

 

[rtparty]

Hi Guys, great thread. I'm looking for advice of course.

I have a 90g with a 4 x 48" (54w) T5 setup.

For accent and supplamental lighting I have:

2 of the Powerbrite 420nm Blue LED's
2 8k Stunner LED
2 UV Stunner LED

Of course, I'm looking for the most pop and best growth. I keep mostly LPS and Softies.

What combo of bulbs would be good for me? Since I have the LED's for supplamental lighting, should I focus my T5's on better growth, or should I still try to focus on more pop, and only rely on my LED's for accent lighting etc..

I guess better growth might include a daylight bulb and then combo or blue bulbs, while a standard mix would probably NOT include a daylight bulb, and be a mix of combos and maybe one actinic or purple etc...

This is only my 1st time ordering bulbs, so I'm not that experienced or well versed with all the tempuratures or how they combine.

Thanks much for any advice...

2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Purple Plus and 1 ATI Aquablue. All can be found at Reefgeek. Might have to call them about the Purple Plus however.

 

[Hdhuntr01]

Should be fine. at some point try swapping the position so the front Fiji is in the dusk dawn slot just to see what you think, kind of a cool look.

Thanks, I will give that a try down the road. Appreciate all the advice you have provided.

 

[Saltyllama]

That's what I'm looking for. Even if I keep only the east stuff towards the bottom. What bulb combo do you have?

FRONT
Blue+
Blue+
UVL Actinic White
Blue+
Back

I love the blue look and near the back where the rock are the highest in the water it sheds a little pinkish white on them. That's from the actinic white.

Good luck

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Guys, great thread. I'm looking for advice of course.

I have a 90g with a 4 x 48" (54w) T5 setup.

For accent and supplamental lighting I have:

2 of the Powerbrite 420nm Blue LED's
2 8k Stunner LED
2 UV Stunner LED

Of course, I'm looking for the most pop and best growth. I keep mostly LPS and Softies.

What combo of bulbs would be good for me? Since I have the LED's for supplamental lighting, should I focus my T5's on better growth, or should I still try to focus on more pop, and only rely on my LED's for accent lighting etc..

I guess better growth might include a daylight bulb and then combo or blue bulbs, while a standard mix would probably NOT include a daylight bulb, and be a mix of combos and maybe one actinic or purple etc...

This is only my 1st time ordering bulbs, so I'm not that experienced or well versed with all the tempuratures or how they combine.

Thanks much for any advice...

I am shooting from the hip because I only have experience with the good Cree LED's.

I am thinking 2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 GE 6500K Daylight and a UVL Actinic White which is a little pink. Just the T5's are going to be about 14K and I think the LED's will add just a little blue with everything on so it should look pretty good

 

[The Grim Reefer]

thanks grim. i think i read that you recommend UVL actinic white for growth. should i swap 1-2 bulbs out for them?

Actinic White is OK, still not as much PAR as a blue plus. I include them for looks, not PAR. They bring out pink and white colors nicely.