The T5 Q&a Thread

[mightymizz]

Thanks Grim!! Really appreciate your contribution here.

Anything you might change to my 6 bulb display set up that I mentioned a couple of posts above this one?

Thanks again, I will try out the purple plus in my 4 bulb frag set up.

 

[tiller25]

Thanks for the advice! I hadn't thought of that. I have to admit thought that sometimes i can be a little ocd, so just for the sake of asking here, would a 4 bulb 48" fixture work? thanks again in advance.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I am having trouble finding T12 actinics and actinic whites VHO's at my LFS. I though I heard somewhere that I can run the T5's on my icecap 660, was wondering if this is true? If so how can I make this happen. What kind of endcaps or retro kit will I need and will I get the same amount of light as I would if I was using T12, 2 VHO super actinic and 2 blue actinics? Thanks.

If you add the T5 reflectors you get more light, WAY more light. Problem is the T5's only last 6 or 7 months and you have to cool one end of the lamps. If it's getting hard to find the VHO's I would look at just getting a T5 retrofit kit with standard ballasts. Cheaper to run in the long run. You should still run a fan down the endcaps on one side to cool the lamps but you only use 54 watts per lamp, still get more light into the tank even without using the IC ballast and can get a year out of the lamps.

To just convert the current system to T5's you just need the T5 endcaps and the lamps but I'd still add reflectors, and of course a computer fan to cool the lamps.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks Grim!! Really appreciate your contribution here.

Anything you might change to my 6 bulb display set up that I mentioned a couple of posts above this one?

Thanks again, I will try out the purple plus in my 4 bulb frag set up.

Maybe a GE 6500K in place of the aquablue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks for the advice! I hadn't thought of that. I have to admit thought that sometimes i can be a little ocd, so just for the sake of asking here, would a 4 bulb 48" fixture work? thanks again in advance.

Should use 6 if you want clams so you get enough light out on the sandbed.

 

[sprig6]

oh tyvm ... I'm thinking I'll have to MO them then. The whole shorter life span of a t5 doesn't work for me. I have lined the inside of my canopy with that reflective bubblewrap so it is like a giant reflector inside and it helps to keep some of the noise down and I do have 2 3" fans running on each end of the canopy.

Q? I have 1 fan bringing in air and the other pulling it out. Should I turn them so they are both pulling out the air or both bringing in air? there is a 3" gap across the back top of the canopy for hot air to escape to.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

oh tyvm ... I'm thinking I'll have to MO them then. The whole shorter life span of a t5 doesn't work for me. I have lined the inside of my canopy with that reflective bubblewrap so it is like a giant reflector inside and it helps to keep some of the noise down and I do have 2 3" fans running on each end of the canopy.

Q? I have 1 fan bringing in air and the other pulling it out. Should I turn them so they are both pulling out the air or both bringing in air? there is a 3" gap across the back top of the canopy for hot air to escape to.

I'd have the fans at one end blow in and the other end blowing out.

 

[ggrillo]

Sorry in advance as I am sure this has already been posted somewhere deep within tthis thread, but here it goes!

Need a ggood lighting fixture for a 55 (48"*12"*20") that will fit $300-400. Keeping mostly softies and LPS. Maybe some sps and a clam down the road.

I like the jbj Trinity and the tek 4 bulb but the tek is a little over budget.

Sent from my HERO200 using Tapatalk

 

[rkesling]

How often should T5 bulbs be replaced? After about 12 months of use what kind of life is left on them? Thanks!

 

[lockus]

What gauge wire is best suited for a diy t5 setup. I am NOT using ic660's. I will be setting up a 75 with 5 t5 bulbs, one vho atinic, and some leds. I have the wire for the led's and vho as I have used these before.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Sorry in advance as I am sure this has already been posted somewhere deep within tthis thread, but here it goes!

Need a ggood lighting fixture for a 55 (48"*12"*20") that will fit $300-400. Keeping mostly softies and LPS. Maybe some sps and a clam down the road.

I like the jbj Trinity and the tek 4 bulb but the tek is a little over budget.

Sent from my HERO200 using Tapatalk

4x54 Tek is 321 at Reefgeek with good lamps included. Get 2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Aquablue and a ATI Purple Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

How often should T5 bulbs be replaced? After about 12 months of use what kind of life is left on them? Thanks!

10 to 12 months. They still work after a year but the PAR will be way down and in the case of the Blue lamps most of the lower range blue will have been gone.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

What gauge wire is best suited for a diy t5 setup. I am NOT using ic660's. I will be setting up a 75 with 5 t5 bulbs, one vho atinic, and some leds. I have the wire for the led's and vho as I have used these before.

The VHO wires should be fine. Don't for sure remember the gauge number that comes in the kits, 16 I think it is.

 

[ggrillo]

4x54 Tek is 321 at Reefgeek with good lamps included. Get 2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Aquablue and a ATI Purple Plus

Thanks that's perfect!

 

[Sport507]

ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Purple Plus
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus

By the way thank you Grim. I'm following you advice to the letter.

The blubs will be here tomorrow and I will post the before and after pics.

Thanks again.

 

[Hydrologist]

Hey Grim,

What would you recommend for a 10x80 fixture? SPS tank 30" width.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey Grim,

What would you recommend for a 10x80 fixture? SPS tank 30" width.

6 Blue Plus 2 Purple Plus and 2 GE 6500K Daylights

 

[R33f3r]

What is the concensus on the KZ Superblue? I really like the look of it, like a Blue Plus but more white...

Personally, I love the superblue. It's more of a metallic blue and not as deep in color as the blue +, I like to use both of them in a setup, as there is a difference in color renedition.

 

[builderguy]

Setting up a MH/T5 combo on my 280. The tank is 60"Lx36"wx30"D with SPS and LPS.

I've got (2)250W Ushio 12Ks right now as MH, considering going up to 400W (I have Lumatek ballasts so it's just a flip of a switch) in either 12k or 14k and have (2) VHO Super Actinics for supplementation. Anyway, the colors in the corals are lacking big time, hence the change.

The T5's will be set up as two sets. The first set will be the front and back bulb and will come on first. The second set will be four more bulbs that will come on about an hour later ---so a total of 6 T5's plus the MH's which come on an hour after that.

Currently I'm thinking (and have the bulbs)

UVL 454 (front)
Giesemann Pure Actinic
Power Glo (I know, but I have two of them)
UVL Indigo Blue
Giesemann Pure Actinic
UVL Super Actinic (Back)

Any feedback or suggestions? What MH bulb would you recommend with the set up?

 

[builderguy]

Oh, I also have another 454 if I should substitute that in.

UVL and Giesemann bulbs are the most readily available in my area.