The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

I'm sure this is in here somewhere but I haven't been able to find it. It's about time to replace my bulbs and I'm considering tweaking my combination by replacing my KZ Fiji Purple with a Giesmann Actinic Pink. Anyone have experience with the latter and how it would compare? Thanks!

Dunno about the Gmann lamp but ATI has a Purple Plus that looks the same as the Fiji.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I am in the process of changing out my Cf for T5's with a 250w 14k MH. I will be running four T5's....what combo should I use?

3 ATI Blue Plus and 1 ATI Purple Plus would look nice with and without the halide

 

[ps3]

ok, i have lurked in the shadows long enough. i have read quit a bit of this very long thread and now would like to ask about my lighting, time to replace lamps. i am wanting to go for a 20k look with my new t5s and am wondering if this combination will come close. standard 90 gal offset center overflow, custom made individual reflectors with 6 lamps. outer two lamps would be uvl super actinics that come on first followed by next inner most two lamps 30 min later that would be another uvl super actinic and a uvl 75/25. and the last two lamps another 30 min apart. one would be a uvl actinic white and the other a uvl red sun. thanks in advance for any help offered.

 

[mandm25254]

I have a 93 cube 30-30-24 and i was going with the 24w 8 bulb dimmable PM. Think this bulb combo will give me a 20k look with good color

ait true attinic
ati blue pluse
ati purple
ati 15k aqua blue spechial
ati blue pluse
sti purple
ati 15k ABS
ati true attinic

 

[Tylt33]

I'm working on changing my 48"x24"x24" 120g into a softie dominated tank... will the 4 Bulb ATI Sunpower 48" be sufficient for softies?

 

[chris88]

it won't be 20,000k it will be more like 17,500k. I personally would not run 2 actinic bulbs in that mix you going to be losing to much par in that deep of a tank. I would drop one actinic and add another blue plus. I am not sure where you got the spelling for the bulbs or the names but the aqua blue special is not 15,000k, I think it is rated at 11,000k.

try this instead:

ATI BLUE PLUS
ATI BLUE PLUS
ATI PURPLE PLUS
ATI AQUA BLUE
ATI ACTINIC
ATI PURPLE
ATI BLUE PLUS
ATI BLUE PLUS

I prefer a 15,000k look but if you like a 20,000k look then the above will be much closer and with higher par.

I have a 93 cube 30-30-24 and i was going with the 24w 8 bulb dimmable PM. Think this bulb combo will give me a 20k look with good color

ait true attinic
ati blue pluse
ati purple
ati 15k aqua blue spechial
ati blue pluse
sti purple
ati 15k ABS
ati true attinic

 

[naclh20addict]

I have a workhorse 5 with 3 39 watt t-5 on it. Is it normal for it to get so warm that i can hardly keep my hand on it? Just seems a little warm to me.
thanks

 

[rwb500]

thanks grim!

 

[ps3]

ok, i have lurked in the shadows long enough. i have read quit a bit of this very long thread and now would like to ask about my lighting, time to replace lamps. i am wanting to go for a 20k look with my new t5s and am wondering if this combination will come close. standard 90 gal offset center overflow, custom made individual reflectors with 6 lamps. outer two lamps would be uvl super actinics that come on first followed by next inner most two lamps 30 min later that would be two uvl 454's. and the last two lamps another 30 min apart. one would be a uvl 75/25 and the other a uvl red sun. thanks in advance for any help offered.

edited this post with bulb list i found at home. so that would be as follows

position one (front of tank) UVL super actinic
position two UVL 454
position three UVL red sun
position four UVL 454
position five UVL 75/25
position six (rear of tank) UVL super actinic

 

[ps3]

fts

fts

fts with current t5 lighting

 

[The Grim Reefer]

ok, i have lurked in the shadows long enough. i have read quit a bit of this very long thread and now would like to ask about my lighting, time to replace lamps. i am wanting to go for a 20k look with my new t5s and am wondering if this combination will come close. standard 90 gal offset center overflow, custom made individual reflectors with 6 lamps. outer two lamps would be uvl super actinics that come on first followed by next inner most two lamps 30 min later that would be another uvl super actinic and a uvl 75/25. and the last two lamps another 30 min apart. one would be a uvl actinic white and the other a uvl red sun. thanks in advance for any help offered.

Getting nice color but if you want a 20K look I'd lose the SUper Actinics for ATI Blue Plus lamps, also give you a nice increase in PAR. Your current lamp mix is very low PAR but it doesn't look like you have many light hogs in the tank so probably isn't a big deal.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a 93 cube 30-30-24 and i was going with the 24w 8 bulb dimmable PM. Think this bulb combo will give me a 20k look with good color

ait true attinic
ati blue pluse
ati purple
ati 15k aqua blue spechial
ati blue pluse
sti purple
ati 15k ABS
ati true attinic

I'd do Blue Pluses instead of those Actinics. You might need to tweak the positions a little. 5 Blue Plus, 2 Purple and 1 Aquablue should look really good

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I'm working on changing my 48"x24"x24" 120g into a softie dominated tank... will the 4 Bulb ATI Sunpower 48" be sufficient for softies?

Yeah but a 6 lamp Tek for around the same price will have close to the same peak PAR but light a wider area of the tank.

 

[luv4paws2]

Have you done any testing of the Wave Point bulbs? They are really inexpensive, my lfs has them for $12 for 39 watters. I just got a 36" nep 6 bulb for a 40 breeder, what bulbs would be good for this? Btw, I hate the purple look I am getting from it now.
It has
2 g-mann actinic+
2 g-mann aquablue+
1 uvl super actinic
1 ati pro color

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Have you done any testing of the Wave Point bulbs? They are really inexpensive, my lfs has them for $12 for 39 watters. I just got a 36" nep 6 bulb for a 40 breeder, what bulbs would be good for this? Btw, I hate the purple look I am getting from it now.
It has
2 g-mann actinic+
2 g-mann aquablue+
1 uvl super actinic
1 ati pro color

A 15,000 dollar Hyundai can't perform like a 40,000 dollar Mercedes. I haven't tested the cheap lamps but seriously doubt they can perform like the quality brands.

Try replacing the Pro Color with another Actinic Plus or some other blue lamp in your current mix if you don't like the purple look.

 

[Ocean Mang]

Thanks again Grim for all of your help!

I am also running an 8 x 54W fixture over my frag tank. Would you suggest 2 6700k for better growth or would it be way to yellow?

One more time bump for Grim's advice. Thanks.

 

[dbg7798]

Grim,

Time to change out the bulbs on my 48" constellation.

Currently running:

Front
ATI BluePlus
UV Actinic White
ATI BluePlus
UV 75-25
ATI BluePlus
ATI AquaBlue Spezial
ATI BluePlus

With all the new bulbs coming out, I wanted to ask if there is a combination which would be better. Just added a few SPS to my mixed reef.

Thanks in advance.

 

[TNTFISHY]

I'd do LED's instead.

Interesting. It's 449.00 smackers at Nanotuners! Zowwie! Cheaper way?
Not worth the wait for a T5 retro kit? I would hope it was cheaper. Thanks Grim!

 

[dwestmike]

New tank setup - reef neophyte

New tank setup - reef neophyte

I am setting up my first reef and have researched about all I can absorb for the moment. I will need to learn the rest OJT. I would like to touch base on my lighting, I realize it may not be optimal, it just needs to be a reasonable starting point.

I like a blue white color like you would see snorkeling at 10 to 15 ft in Florida or Hawaii. I ultimately would like to try SPS and clams.

50 Gal breeder - 36" x 18" x 18"
Tek 36" 8 bulb fixture (with 10% corroded reflectors)

Front to back:
ATI Blue Plus
ATI True Actinic
ATI Aqua Blue 12K Special
ATI Blue Plus
ATI True Actinic
UVL 10K AquaSun
Korallen Zucht Fiji Purple
ATI True Actinic

Let me know where I stand. Also, how would you cycle the two sets of 4 lamps as far as photo-period?

Thanks!

 

[Rickyrooz1]

Grim, how does the TEK Elite fixture compare to the ATI Sunpower or ATI Powermodule? I see the six bulb 54 watt TEK Elite uses three fans, the ATI Sunpower uses two fans and the Powermodule uses three fans.