The T5 Q&a Thread

[mike_dani]

How about using 3 2 foot fixtures like pendants. Grow your SPS directly beneath the lamps and keep the LPS out o the sandbed or between the fixtures?

I didn't think about doing three fixtures...

Do you think it is worth the extra money to do this, if so then yes I can do that. Now there wont be any space between the three they will butt up together, but if I do two three foot fixtures there would be a two foot area that doesn't have direct light over then just the bleed out. I think that might work better.

So its up to you and your madness to design me a awesome light/color combo and I will go with it.

Thanks again

 

[Islander84]

i have a half round tank 144 gal 57" long 29"tall 29" deep at the middle of tank i have a 48 t5 4x54w

front to back 1 being front

1) giesemann aquablue +
2)glo marine glo
3)deepblue daylight 10kk
4)glo marine glo

what would you do different with that setup and i also want to add another either 36" or 24" t5 to front of tank or else 2x250mh 14k what would you suggest i want to keep mostly sps a few lps thanks -Gary

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I didn't think about doing three fixtures...

Do you think it is worth the extra money to do this, if so then yes I can do that. Now there wont be any space between the three they will butt up together, but if I do two three foot fixtures there would be a two foot area that doesn't have direct light over then just the bleed out. I think that might work better.

So its up to you and your madness to design me a awesome light/color combo and I will go with it.

Thanks again

If you use 3 2 foot units it's only 6 feet so you'd have space between if you want it.

I'd think about doing a 24x8 in the center with 24x6 on each side. Keep your SPS in the middle.

Center

Blue Plus
Aqua blue
Blue Plus
Purple Plus
Blue Plus
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus

ends

Blue Plus
Blue Plus
Purple Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

Middle should look about the same color tone as the ends but brighter.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

i have a half round tank 144 gal 57" long 29"tall 29" deep at the middle of tank i have a 48 t5 4x54w

front to back 1 being front

1) giesemann aquablue +
2)glo marine glo
3)deepblue daylight 10kk
4)glo marine glo

what would you do different with that setup and i also want to add another either 36" or 24" t5 to front of tank or else 2x250mh 14k what would you suggest i want to keep mostly sps a few lps thanks -Gary

I'd be looking at a DIY LED system if it was mine. For T5's you'd want to put as much ATI T5 fixture over it as you can fit. Lower end T5 units aren't gonna cut it for anything more than softies any lower than half way at best. Probably not even that low. You could do something tesbeechon with LED's because you could build them to the shape of the tank.

 

[Islander84]

i like your thinking now about diy led where do i start and approx cost i actually was at an electric supply house earlier picking up my eggcrate and i asked the guy to check on drivers and 3w cree led i had saw a post about it and was curious... so leds will penetrate to bottom what exactly do you recommend driver? led? i am uneducated with leds:reading:

 

[The Grim Reefer]

i like your thinking now about diy led where do i start and approx cost i actually was at an electric supply house earlier picking up my eggcrate and i asked the guy to check on drivers and 3w cree led i had saw a post about it and was curious... so leds will penetrate to bottom what exactly do you recommend driver? led? i am uneducated with leds:reading:

Yeah. If you hit the DIY section there are several LED threads with people with a lot more experience than me on them. I am guessing LED's on 2 inch centers with 60 degree optics. I used meanwell drivers on mine but there are other ways to do it.

 

[aussie_chicago]

Hi Grim, setting up my 125, have a 72" nova pro extreme 12 bulb. Tank will be combination of sps, lps and softies. I already have 2 ati actinics I got for free, obviously want some ati blue+ , wondering what else ? Currently I have a 48" x4 over my 72 thats running, and have 2 blue+, 1 ati superblue, 1 uvl actinic white and like that combo color.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim, setting up my 125, have a 72" nova pro extreme 12 bulb. Tank will be combination of sps, lps and softies. I already have 2 ati actinics I got for free, obviously want some ati blue+ , wondering what else ? Currently I have a 48" x4 over my 72 thats running, and have 2 blue+, 1 ati superblue, 1 uvl actinic white and like that combo color.

Do 1 actinic, 3 blue plus, 1 Aquablue and a Purple Plus.

 

[aussie_chicago]

Do 1 actinic, 3 blue plus, 1 Aquablue and a Purple Plus.

Thanks mate, front to back ?......

 

[thebanker]

There isn't enough difference I could see between the fiji and purple plus that I really think it's a big deal, both are nice.

Well the Fiji Purple BLOWS AWAY the Coral Wave by Wavepoint in terms of visual brightness and impact on the color of the tank. I have it placed directly next to my Aquablue Special, and it's definitely more of a "white" bulb.

I still really like the coral wave, and if I had extra bulb slots, I'd put one in there. I can confirm that the Coral Wave is definitely a unique species of bulb, being that it's a blend of 420nm and red spectrums.

but wow, the fiji is SWEET! And the Superblue is comparable to the Blue Plus.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks mate, front to back ?......

Front
Blue Plus
Actinic
Purple plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

 

[Milky3]

Hi Grim I am getting ready to replace my bulbs in a nova extreme 8 bulb fixture was wondering what type of bulbs to replace originals with . I have LPS,softies and little SPS thx.

 

[corywilson]

grim - i am looking to change my t5 bulb setup to get a dark blue color similar to a radium 20k mh bulb. i have 6 bulbs, the rear 4 are overdriven with an icecap 660. thanks in advance!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi Grim I am getting ready to replace my bulbs in a nova extreme 8 bulb fixture was wondering what type of bulbs to replace originals with . I have LPS,softies and little SPS thx.

5 ATI Blue Plus 2 ATI Purple Plus and a ATI Aquablue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

grim - i am looking to change my t5 bulb setup to get a dark blue color similar to a radium 20k mh bulb. i have 6 bulbs, the rear 4 are overdriven with an icecap 660. thanks in advance!

5 ATI Blue Plus and a ATI Purple Plus.

 

[corywilson]

5 ATI Blue Plus and a ATI Purple Plus.

thanks grim!

where would you put the purple plus based on my setup? also what sort of PAR does the purple plus put out?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

thanks grim!

where would you put the purple plus based on my setup? also what sort of PAR does the purple plus put out?

Decent PAR, throw it in the middle or just front of it.

 

[Milky3]

Thx Grim any particular order for placement of bulbs.

 

[celstar]

These 8 bulbs in what order?

These 8 bulbs in what order?

4 Blue Plus, 2 Aquablue and 2 Purple plus ATI lamps.

As far as testing see if there are any well known reefers local to you that will try them. Line up someone with a PAR meter that can do comparative readings against some other fixtures and again, try to do so with a well known person watching. It's one thing for the owner of Acme lights to say they have x amount of PAR. When the Roadrunner backs it up it means something.

 

[AugustWest]

Grim, 24"x24"x18"H Cube. Mixed SPS and LPS Reef. Should I go with ATI powermodule or Sunpower? I was thinking 6x24watt. Also which bulbs? I like my tank a little on the Blue side.

Thanks!