The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally Posted by gorey
Hey Grim, I have a 2 bulb HO fixture and a 2 bulb NO fixture. What kind of bulb combo should i go with? And in what fixtures? Thanks!!!!


"HO 2 Blue Plus NO Do a Daylight and another Blue of some kind".

In the NO would a special blue work? Also what kind of daylight?

Jeff

I have no idea what is out there for NO lamps so any blue and daylight should be fine, neither are going to add much as far as PAR

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Sorry to Bother u Grimm. Here is what im ordering so far. Let me know what order they should be in and what for the 6th bulb. All T5's. First i want the most coral growth and then I want a bluer look than I had before. Here is what I had before and then the list you recomended so far. Im getting ready to order them today. Thanks Grim !
What I have Now :
1st - 54w Acinic + Giasemann.
2nd - 54w Aqua Blue +
3rd - 54w Aqua blue +
4th - Super Acinic VHO
5th - Acinic White VHO
6th - Super Acinic VHO
7th - 54W Acinic +

Changing out 3 VHO's for 4 T5's and what you recomended so far:

1st - ATI Blue Plus
2nd -ATI Blue Plus
3rd - GE 600K Daylight or Gmann Midday
4th - ATI Blue Plus
5th - ATI Purple Plus
6th -
7th - ATI Blue Plus
8th - ATI Blue Plus

1st - ATI Blue Plus
2nd -ATI Blue Plus
3rd - ATI Purple Plus
4th - ATI Blue Plus
5th - GE 600K Daylight or Gmann Midday
6th - ATI Purple Plus
7th - ATI Blue Plus
8th - ATI Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

another person asking for help grim. i got an 8 bulb fixture for my 75 mixed reef. currently i run front to back:
420nm
10k
blue plus
fiji purple
blue plus
blue plus
10k
420nm

the tank feels to have a slight blue tint to it but id like it bluer. what would you recommend to replace the current bulbs?

thanks for the help.

5 ATI Blue Plus, 1 GE 6500K Daylight and 2 ATI Purple Plus. You want the GE and at least one Purple Plus in your daylight mix then just play around with the other positions to get what you want.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I fear this would make the color of my tank far too blue - If I'm worried about such...

3 Blue+, 1 Purple+, 1Aquablue Special

-OR-

2 Blue+, 2 Purple+, 1 Aquablue Special?

The top mix you listed

 

[The Grim Reefer]

i have a catalina aquatics 6x80w t5 fixture I am currently runnint 2 blue specials and the rest catalina 3 460nm actinics and 1 420atinic (junk bulbs i know). I was thinking of ordering 3 blue + and 1 purple + acording to your recomendations on bulb combos. I saw in one of your posts that air flow over the long bulbs can hurt par? I have my fixture resting on top of my hood with a couple fans blowing air through the hodd because I thought that would be better for the lights. should i remove the fans? I have not had any problems with water tem I just added them because I thought it would be better for the lights. thanks

Bulb combo would be good. JUst have the fans blowing on the lamp ends, not the center part of them.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I have some Softies now, as well as some shrooms and rics. I plan on getting into some sps corals, I have a standard 55g with Tek 4x54w. What SPS's do you recommend?

2 Blue Plus, 1 Aquablue and a Purple Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Ok so upgrading My 40 gallon breeder from power compacts to t5. I want sps towards top with polyps Acans soft/lps corals along bottom. What's best retrofits for my canopy? Dimensions 36"x11". Also if need be I had someone offer me a tek 6x39watt fixture and I'll store canopy off the tank but as last resort. Also if I went with a 6 or 8 bulb setup which bulbs should I use? My preference for viewing is some blue and purple tint to a bright aquarium. Thais guys!

4 lamp LET retro from reefgeek. 2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI AQuablue and a ATI Purple Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi, im preparing my new 53g sps tank, and I've got a doubt about which ati powermodule should I buy... Im between a 4x39w or a 6x39w ... the measures of the tank are 100cm x 40 x 50cm height...

Can you help me please? And, which bulbs should I use????

Sorry for my english

6 lamps, 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Aquablue and 1 ATI Purple plus

 

[palmer373]

5 ATI Blue Plus, 1 GE 6500K Daylight and 2 ATI Purple Plus. You want the GE and at least one Purple Plus in your daylight mix then just play around with the other positions to get what you want.

thanks!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hi,

I am currently running a 4x54 t5 fixture over a 120g 48x24x24 tank. I want to add 2-4 more lights and was wondering the best way to do this. Is there was a way to gut my current fixture and use the ballast and endcaps while adding a 2 bulb retrofit kit? Is the only way to do this by mounting the lights inside a canopy or is there a place that sells empty fixtures?

Best way would be to use retros in a canopy or a fixture, not both. 8 lamps would be best.

 

[gorey]

I have no idea what is out there for NO lamps so any blue and daylight should be fine, neither are going to add much as far as PAR

Hey grim could I put HO bulbs in the NO fixture? I know the par wont be there but I was just looking to get a little more blue. I have a blue plus and special blue in the HO fixture. I was thinking about putting another blue plus in the NO fixture. Or maybe putting 2 blue plus in the HO and in the NO put a special blue.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey grim could I put HO bulbs in the NO fixture? I know the par wont be there but I was just looking to get a little more blue. I have a blue plus and special blue in the HO fixture. I was thinking about putting another blue plus in the NO fixture. Or maybe putting 2 blue plus in the HO and in the NO put a special blue.

You could try it. Not sure if it will work or not.

 

[Thisseemsfishy]

2 Blue Plus, 1 Aquablue and a Purple Plus

Thank you sir

 

[SABOB]

Grim, you recently suggested using a 6 in clip on fan blowing down at middle of fixture at a 45 degree angle for a Tek fixture but have also seen recommendation of fan blowing on ends of bulbs,Not sure when one is appropriate as opposed to the other.Any insight about cooling fixture/bulbs?

 

[CJonesAU83]

Grim, i have a 75G tank with 4 T5's under individual reflectors. I was looking into maybe front to back UVL super act, UVL 50/50, UVL 50/50, UVL Super act, but i'm looking mainly for color as opposed to growth. what do you think of that setup and what do you think is best? I'd like to be able to keep as much variety as possible in corals, but am willing to sacrifice variety for color if necessary. Thanks!

 

[BPro32]

I ask a lot of questions here and change my mind very frequently in trying to save money but here is another one I hope is on the minds of others as well...

I have a 20x16x16 display area that I am trying to light with 24w t5's. I'm curious to know if a 4x24w powermodule would outperform a 6 bulb retrofit with icecap refectors and workhorse ballasts. And also, will I be able to keep sps and clams on the bottom of the tank? Obviously less light demanding sps like montis will end up on the bottom.

 

[BPro32]

I ask a lot of questions here and change my mind very frequently in trying to save money but here is another one I hope is on the minds of others as well...

I have a 20x16x16 display area that I am trying to light with 24w t5's. I'm curious to know if a 4x24w powermodule would outperform a 6 bulb retrofit with icecap refectors and workhorse ballasts. And also, will I be able to keep sps and clams on the bottom of the tank? Obviously less light demanding sps like montis will end up on the bottom.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, you recently suggested using a 6 in clip on fan blowing down at middle of fixture at a 45 degree angle for a Tek fixture but have also seen recommendation of fan blowing on ends of bulbs,Not sure when one is appropriate as opposed to the other.Any insight about cooling fixture/bulbs?

Got the best results blowing the air over the middle of the Tek fixture because the air doesn't strike the lamps. the air passing over the top appears to suck air in from the ends best I could tell with a smoke test. Didn't wok as well blowing in at the end. On retros you need to cool the ends by blowing the air directly on them,

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grim, i have a 75G tank with 4 T5's under individual reflectors. I was looking into maybe front to back UVL super act, UVL 50/50, UVL 50/50, UVL Super act, but i'm looking mainly for color as opposed to growth. what do you think of that setup and what do you think is best? I'd like to be able to keep as much variety as possible in corals, but am willing to sacrifice variety for color if necessary. Thanks!

Keep thinking. Bad look and no growth.

2 ATI Blue Plus or Geisemann Actinic Plus
1 ATI or Geisemann Aquablue
1 ATI Purple Plus or KZ Fiji Purple.

 

[kurtkob]

6 lamps, 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Aquablue and 1 ATI Purple plus

Many thanks, but, why no actinics???? I thought in 2 actinics, 2 blue plus, 1 aquablue and 1 purple plus... ... please can you tell me why no actinics???

thank youu