The T5 Q&a Thread

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I have a 60"x24"X18" mainly planning on keeping softies and a couple LPS. Trying to figure out how much lighting I need. Looking around trying to get as much info and idea as I can :)
 
best is subjective. It also depends on the coral.
Actinic light makes them glow.
VHO UV
T-5 blue (ATI)+ and full actinic (UV brand)
20k MH bulbs

are often choices that people might call "best"
Most folks like to get a glow look and natural look so have more than one thing on their tank. You do need a minimum amount of PAR...which is easy with MH t-5, but hard with pc, vho. For the latter you may want to think about PAR more than look, especially if you are getting high light coals.

for t-5 lots of us are happy with the majority of bulbs blue+ and 11k. check out the list at reefgeek.com if you need to match the names (the names of bulbs drive me nuts!)
 
3x Blueplus
2x Aquablue
1x GE Daylight

I'm not happy with the color of the tank and need options before bailing out of t5. Everything seems washed out and white. I have pulled out the daylight and replaced it with an actinic and the colors still don't "pop".


Any help would be appreciated.
Try the super blue bulb they just came out in euro sizes and the color will pop with this bulb
 
If you like the color of UV bulbs the new UV line does look similare to their VHO line. the 10k is pink and would not touch it (but different folks, different strokes). You should look into their 12k bulb to replace the 11k bulb.
What are you growing? how long have they been under the light.
It takes some time for my corals to adapt, but once they do. BAM!

20k MH still seem to be the best for pure color (not my observation) In our club, most report the t-5 creating a much lighter look in the corals, where the MH-20k has a richer look. None of this is proven side by side however.

Some of my acros take over a month to color back up.

I know the info was random in this post... HTH anyhow :)
 
I have been wondering about this question for awhile...

Do t5 actinics (I have giesmann actinic +) emit any harmful UV? Are they coated with something to block it like SE MH?
I checked the max. output wavelength, and it is considerably longer for the actinic than for UVA, which was encouraging, but I wondered if someone out there had a more final word.

Thanks
 
with a 4 bulb t5, most have recommended 2x20k(blue+),1x10k(AB) and 1x6500k.
i understand that it will look nice and blue but will it be ok for coral growth?

would 1x20k,2x10k,1x6500k be better for growth? i know it will be white but what if i added a t8 antinic to that setup. would it look blue?
 
Well, didnt really get an answer or opinion to my last question. I currently have a PC fixture with (4) 96w bulbs in it. I am looking to upgrade and thought the MH fixture i found used would be good, but got an otherwise response.

So my question is...would getting one of the retrofit kits with 8 bulbs in it and spreading them out of 4 over each side work? I have a 72" tank and would get the 3 foot bulbs. I plan on building a nice wooden hood with fans in it.

Thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions?? Thanks
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7642953#post7642953 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
:bounce3: I gave you a response!
Click to expand...

any chance you could give me a response too? i wanna order bulbs today:D
 
I like more blue myself...2xblue+, 1xUVL Superactinic, 1xaquablue would be my choice. If you like more daylight, I would suggest 2x aquablue and 2x blue+...or perhaps one of each if you dont mind the 6500K bulbs like I do (1x6500K, 1x aquablue, 1xblue+, 1xactinic).
 
Im gonna run 10x80W T5s (ATI Powermodul) over my 6x2.5x2.5 tank which is SPS dominated.
Whats the recommended combination of tubes to run if im more interested in the coloration of the SPSes and not growth. Would prefer a more bluer general outlook.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7643212#post7643212 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fkadir
Im gonna run 10x80W T5s (ATI Powermodul) over my 6x2.5x2.5 tank which is SPS dominated.
Whats the recommended combination of tubes to run if im more interested in the coloration of the SPSes and not growth. Would prefer a more bluer general outlook.
Click to expand...

I would mix it up with Aquablues and Blueplus and super actinic lamps. The Aquablues are very crisp white despite the name. I would run 4 of those, 4 Blueplus and 2 UVL Super Actinics. Should be a little on the blue side of a 14K halide and make the tank glow.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7643236#post7643236 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snaza
anyone got a picture of their tank with just B+ and AB tubes? im worried it will look to blue!
Click to expand...

That is going to depend on your critters. I used a 50/50 combination and while the color wasn't too blue (I don't like the tidybowl look) it made the color of my fiji Yellow leather look dirty. The Aquablue lamp is a very crisp white with perhaps a sliver of blue to it.
 
Hello,

I'm runnig a standard 90gal tank with 4 x 40w regular fluorescent bulbs (2 10,000k and 2 actinics). I would like to increase my ligghting and was considering adding two T5s. Im wondering if I do add two t5s for now, should I remove any regular flurescents or leave them and add the new lights on a new ballast?

Should the new lights be over-driven?

What 2 bulbs would you use?

Thanks so much,
Kyle
 
Pinksteele:If your looking to run them all on the same ballast that will be dictated by your ballast capabilities and the length of your new T5 tubes. If your using an IC ballast ya, just swap out 2 endcaps and slap the bulbs in with the others. You may want to consider staggering them because the T5's are gonna really stand out and overpower the NO bulbs. If your not using an IC ballast get a new ballast for the T5's. Since you were doing ok with NO bulbs I wouldn't stress on overdring them and just get a triad or workhorse ballast, they can be bought for 30$ or less . Anyway, when you get em in there however that may be, be prepared to say "WHOA!";)

-Justin
 
How often do you think I would have to replace my bulbs if I was overdriving 4x39 on an icecap 660? It just seems to me that it would take some life off the bulbs overdriving them that much.
 
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