The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Hello..i always used mh lights but im starting over with a small tank and i want to give T5s a shot.

I need to ask you a few questions about it, please let me know your inputs

First what i want to accomplish:
1.Be able to keep mostly if not only SPS corals
2.Avoid heat issues by avoiding mhs

My tank:
40 gal breeder (36x18x16)
20L gal tank as a sump (about 3ft below display)..sometimes sumps help to keep the water in the cooler side
mag 7 as the retun pump (will set up outside the sump

Bought a 36" 6 lamp sun light supply...older model

questions:
1.Will a 6 lamp fixture be enough to keep SPS corals?

2.How much heat they create..i would like to have an all sides covered type of hood...im not into the big bright spot on the back wall look...so...how high from the water should the fixture sit?

3.I would like to re-create the 20k look i like with mh...with so many kinds of t5 bulbs..can you give me the right combination for my set up?

4.Since it is a pre-assemble fixture and it doest come with fans...will leaving an open hood top allowing for the hot air to go out be enough or do you think i will still need to put fans or even a chiller?

I may have more questions after your inputs but for now i will leave it like this.

thank you again guys....

No top on the canopy and a single fan in the back of the canopy blowing air into the rear center edge of the fixture so it splits the air over and under the fixture would work good. Don't use the splash shield on the fixture and mount it so the bottom is about 6" above the water. Plenty for SPS

for lamps

Front
Blue Plus
Purple Plus
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

All ATI Lamps

 

[MNSPS]

Bulb selection help needed...

Bulb selection help needed...

Hi,

I have a 6 -Bulb 2ft ATI PowerModule T5 fixture on my 50g tank. Its a mixed reef tank My current bulb combination is as follows:

Front
1 ATI Blue Plus
1 Fiji Purple
2 ATI Blue Plus
1 ATI AB Special
1 ATI Blue Plus
Back

The fixture is about 6" above the top of the tank,

I like the color combination but, my eyes seem to strain while looking at the tank. Almost like there is too much UV or it is too bright.

Can you get eye damage from T5 lighting?

Is there a differrent bulb combination that I could use to tone it down?

Should I try replacing two of the ATI Blue Plus bulbs with two UVL Actinics bulbs?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[cfgenesis]

Grim, I have a 48" Sundial T5 fixture with 4 54w bulbs, and a PC fixture with 2 55w bulbs. I use 50/50 10k/Actinic Blues in the PC fixture - what would be a good combo for the T5 to bring out more of the reds, pinks and purples in my corals? I have SPS, LPS and softies in my tank.

Thanks!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi,

I have a 6 -Bulb 2ft ATI PowerModule T5 fixture on my 50g tank. Its a mixed reef tank My current bulb combination is as follows:

Front
1 ATI Blue Plus
1 Fiji Purple
2 ATI Blue Plus
1 ATI AB Special
1 ATI Blue Plus
Back

The fixture is about 6" above the top of the tank,

I like the color combination but, my eyes seem to strain while looking at the tank. Almost like there is too much UV or it is too bright.

Can you get eye damage from T5 lighting?

Is there a differrent bulb combination that I could use to tone it down?

Should I try replacing two of the ATI Blue Plus bulbs with two UVL Actinics bulbs?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Chris

You can try putting the Aquablue at the front and see if that helps. If that doesn't work you'll have to pull out a blue plus or two for aquablues. The pupils of your eyes don't contract with blue light the way they will with other ranges of light so it can be a strain on your eyes looking at intense blue light/

 

[nces519]

Hey, grim
Im running, 8 T5s on 660s on a 24" deep 120 and its coming time to change the bulbs. Could you recommend what bulb combination I should get for a nice white/blue and still maintain good growth with SPS?

Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey, grim
Im running, 8 T5s on 660s on a 24" deep 120 and its coming time to change the bulbs. Could you recommend what bulb combination I should get for a nice white/blue and still maintain good growth with SPS?

Thanks

5 Blue Plus, 1 Aquablue and 2 Purple Plus ATI lamps

 

[GT_Jacket]

5 Blue Plus, 1 Aquablue and 2 Purple Plus ATI lamps

That is the exact combo I'm running over my 90 with an ATI PM. I really like the combo -

Grim - question - My ATI is 7" over the water. I can't raise it anymore. I think I have too much light I have lowered all 8 bulbs to only running them 4 hours / day (dusk/dawn is 10 hours).

Would I be better off swapping the dusk/dawn for lower par actinic and running all 8 and hour or so longer? If so, what do you recommend?

Thanks,

Brett

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, I have a 48" Sundial T5 fixture with 4 54w bulbs, and a PC fixture with 2 55w bulbs. I use 50/50 10k/Actinic Blues in the PC fixture - what would be a good combo for the T5 to bring out more of the reds, pinks and purples in my corals? I have SPS, LPS and softies in my tank.

Thanks!

2 Blue Plus, 1 Aquablue and a Purple Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

That is the exact combo I'm running over my 90 with an ATI PM. I really like the combo -

Grim - question - My ATI is 7" over the water. I can't raise it anymore. I think I have too much light I have lowered all 8 bulbs to only running them 4 hours / day (dusk/dawn is 10 hours).

Would I be better off swapping the dusk/dawn for lower par actinic and running all 8 and hour or so longer? If so, what do you recommend?

Thanks,

Brett

You could use actinics for dusk/dawn or use some of the UVL 454 Blue lamps which look nice but have crappy PAR

 

[chimmike]

Grim!
36x37.5x18" tank. Mixed, SPS/LPS. ATI Sunpower 6 bulb or a 4 and 6 bulb tek fixture combo? I'm stuck at about $550 for what I can spend. Note: I can add LED's later.

Which is going to be the better bet? Obviously wattage wise the 10 bulb, but is the ATI really that much better?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim!
36x37.5x18" tank. Mixed, SPS/LPS. ATI Sunpower 6 bulb or a 4 and 6 bulb tek fixture combo? I'm stuck at about $550 for what I can spend. Note: I can add LED's later.

Which is going to be the better bet? Obviously wattage wise the 10 bulb, but is the ATI really that much better?

At 18 inches tall you could get away with the Tek, 2 6 lamp units.

Or you could do a 8 lamp sunpower and add a couple banks of LED's later on.

 

[chimmike]

That's what I'm thinking. So the ATI 8 bulb is better than doing 10 via a 4 and 6 bulb Tek fixture?

How high off the water should I hang either fixture, and what would you suggest for bulbs?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

4 to 6 inches above the water. 5 Blue Plus 1 Aquablue and 2 Purple Plus ATI lamps.

 

[chimmike]

After research, the ATI 8 bulb lamp it is. Active cooling better ballasts, bulbs last longer and better PAR.
Thanks Grim!

 

[GT_Jacket]

You could use actinics for dusk/dawn or use some of the UVL 454 Blue lamps which look nice but have crappy PAR

Thanks - If I stay as-is - is 4hrs enough for SPS or should I try to slowly bump it up?

 

[Shock130]

What bulbs give the best glow from corals? 2 bulb setup that is... to add to my MH.

 

[NyReefNoob]

vho antics. ive tried alot of t5's and the vho seems to give better pop on antic

 

[The Grim Reefer]

What bulbs give the best glow from corals? 2 bulb setup that is... to add to my MH.

ATI Blue Plus. VHO Actinics look better own their own but running with halides I don't see a lot of difference.

 

[XtremeFromHell]

How should I position my bulbs? I just ordered the ATI bulbs for my 4x36w T5.
I bought 2 ATI blue Plus, 1 ATI purple Plus, and 1 ATI aquablue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

How should I position my bulbs? I just ordered the ATI bulbs for my 4x36w T5.
I bought 2 ATI blue Plus, 1 ATI purple Plus, and 1 ATI aquablue

Blue Plus in the duskdawn slots with the purple plus close to the middle