The T5 Q&a Thread

[BPro32]

I have a 6x54w Sunpower over my 90g right now and may be forced to downgrade to a 48x12x12. Would the 6 bulbs be a waste on that size tank?

 

[saltywet]

Hi,

I would like help in knowing which bulb works the best in popping pink in our milleporas?

GE 6500K, or

as per your website Grim:

The UVL Actinic White/ Ice Cap Midwater has a pepto pink look that adds red spectrum which is helpful in popping pink and purple colors and giving a slightly warmer look to the tank.

or someother T5 bulb?

Thanks!!!

 

[saltywet]

HI,

I would like to know your recommendation for the T5 bulb that will pop pink color in milleporas.

GE65k
or as your website suggest Grim,

The UVL Actinic White/ Ice Cap Midwater has a pepto pink look that adds red spectrum which is helpful in popping pink and purple colors and giving a slightly warmer look to the tank.

or is there another T5 bulb you recommend?

Thanks

 

[saltywet]

opps, sorry double post^^

 

[Anthrax15]

Bump. Still need advice on the other fixture I found.

 

[paper clip]

Hi, I currently run 14k halides and am switching to t5s 6x80w sunpower fixture is what I plan on getting, this os over a 55 bowfront. Right now the only corals I have are a few lps and softies.

My wife does not like the look of 14k halide bulbs and would like something closer to 10k. I see a lot of people that want a bluer look, but I need to go whiter, can you give me a good starting point for bulbs to get a nice white color?

Thanks in advance

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I already have multiple other fixtures and I do not intend on upgrading for quite a while. I love my tank as it is now.

I really don't feel like spending a ton on a TEK light. Id rather go with the Ebay one or http://www.horticulturesource.com/c...7331/?osCsid=26f9ee6bc70df59a2d5da411b5e72ea5. I am waiting for a response from them for questions I asked about that unit.

Thank you for the ATI suggestion. I will do that instead.

I also feel that a 6 bulb T5 unit over a 40g mixed reef would be overkill unless I am packed with SPS. The 24" will give me good coverage in the middle but still allow for less light demanding corals to thrive at lower depths.

You get what you pay for in this hobby. If you tank is a 40 breeder the 6 lamp Tek would be a great choice. The horticulture stuff generally doesn't have the good reflectors (even Tek uses cheap material in their horticulture unit's reflectors) and the lamps aren't usable.

If you were to go with a 4x24 ATI fixture hung say 10 inches above the tank that would also work because the light would spread to cover the footprint and have enough par to keep your critters happy.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a 6x54w Sunpower over my 90g right now and may be forced to downgrade to a 48x12x12. Would the 6 bulbs be a waste on that size tank?

Yeah, the way it's wired you are stuck running the front and rear lamps which would be over the top trim of the tank.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi,

I would like help in knowing which bulb works the best in popping pink in our milleporas?

GE 6500K, or

as per your website Grim:

The UVL Actinic White/ Ice Cap Midwater has a pepto pink look that adds red spectrum which is helpful in popping pink and purple colors and giving a slightly warmer look to the tank.

or someother T5 bulb?

Thanks!!!

ATI Purple Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi, I currently run 14k halides and am switching to t5s 6x80w sunpower fixture is what I plan on getting, this os over a 55 bowfront. Right now the only corals I have are a few lps and softies.

My wife does not like the look of 14k halide bulbs and would like something closer to 10k. I see a lot of people that want a bluer look, but I need to go whiter, can you give me a good starting point for bulbs to get a nice white color?

Thanks in advance

Try 3 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Aquablue and 2 ATI Purple Plus. It's gonna be 14K but is going to have nice color depth. You could grab a GE 6500K Daylight as a spare and to play if the lil woman doesn't like the above mix.

 

[Frogmanx82]

Grim,

I picked up some new bulbs and have put a couple of them in but now am wondering if I should let some of the older bulbs go a little longer. I have a 10 hour cycle on 3 bulbs and a 6 hour cycle on 2 so the 2 bulbs should last a bit longer. Is there a rule of thumb on how many hours you get on a bulb. I'm using the usual ATI assortment.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim,

I picked up some new bulbs and have put a couple of them in but now am wondering if I should let some of the older bulbs go a little longer. I have a 10 hour cycle on 3 bulbs and a 6 hour cycle on 2 so the 2 bulbs should last a bit longer. Is there a rule of thumb on how many hours you get on a bulb. I'm using the usual ATI assortment.

you could wait a couple extra months of the 6 hour lamps. I'd do 11 and 13 months.

 

[Anthrax15]

You get what you pay for in this hobby. If you tank is a 40 breeder the 6 lamp Tek would be a great choice. The horticulture stuff generally doesn't have the good reflectors (even Tek uses cheap material in their horticulture unit's reflectors) and the lamps aren't usable.

If you were to go with a 4x24 ATI fixture hung say 10 inches above the tank that would also work because the light would spread to cover the footprint and have enough par to keep your critters happy.

ATI fixtures are out of the question unfortunetly. I dont have that type of money to spend right now and I would like to get another fixture as soon as possible so I can eliminate the heat issue before I have a major problem.

Between the Horticulture and Ebay fixture, which would be a better choice?

 

[palmer373]

what would be a good combo for an 8 bulb fixture, dawn/dusk in middle 4 slots and nice colors to pop the SPS and LPS while keeping the blue hue to the tank?

thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

ATI fixtures are out of the question unfortunetly. I dont have that type of money to spend right now and I would like to get another fixture as soon as possible so I can eliminate the heat issue before I have a major problem.

Between the Horticulture and Ebay fixture, which would be a better choice?

You'd have to have a large gun pointed to my wife's head and I would say horticulture

 

[The Grim Reefer]

what would be a good combo for an 8 bulb fixture, dawn/dusk in middle 4 slots and nice colors to pop the SPS and LPS while keeping the blue hue to the tank?

thanks

ATI Blue Plus
ATI Purple Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Purple Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

 

[Trockafella129]

I just picked up a finnex 48" DL series with the 21 1W blue Leds.. WHat would be my best bulb combo with Giesemann bulbs..? Being that it has the blue LEDs I dont want to wash it all out in blue. I would also like to have one of the aqua pink bulbs included in the combo. Thanks in advance.! Oh, and its on a 72g bowfront

 

[spratocaster]

Hi Grim,

I am starting a 40B mixed reef. I plan to retro a canopy. I have 2 icecap 660 ballasts. I plan to have one run the acitinics and one run the daylights. My first thought was to go with 5 or 6 36" bulbs. However, I am afraid that this many overdriven bulbs will be too much light over such a shallow tank, especially for lower light LPS or zoas. Would it be better to go with 5-6 24" bulbs and put lower light corals on the edges? The bulbs will be 5" off the waters surface. Would light fall off at the edge from 24" bulbs at 5" be too much to keep LPS and zoas? Also what is a goo bulb combination to get close to the color of the phoenix 14K bt with more depth? Thanks.

 

[shark007]

I have a T5 Question. I am thinking about getting a 72"x30"x26" tank and want to run T5 what kind of unit and bulbs. Mostly sps and lps but will want sps.

Other tank option is 72"24"24"

Any help thanks much!!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I just picked up a finnex 48" DL series with the 21 1W blue Leds.. WHat would be my best bulb combo with Giesemann bulbs..? Being that it has the blue LEDs I dont want to wash it all out in blue. I would also like to have one of the aqua pink bulbs included in the combo. Thanks in advance.! Oh, and its on a 72g bowfront

2 Actinic Plus, 1 Aquablue and the Pink.