The T5 Q&a Thread
- Thread starter JohnL
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turbonegro
Member
REMF I would like to go pre-fab that hangs from the ceiling.
OK another opinion from fellow T5 users as I have changed course a little. As I said before I have a Tek T5 on my 90 and will be setting up a 20 long I have as a prop. Heat is an issue which is why the T5s. I think I have a way to suspend a 24" fixture over the 30" long tank that the wife will go for (nothing from the ceiling she says). So with a tank that is only 12" deep, SPS on eggcrate about 4" off the bottom and the fixture 4" from the water I think I have 2 options while trying to keep it cost effective:
1. Try the finnex 4x24w fixture with 2 GE day (or 1 day and a Blue +) and 2 Giesmann Aquablue +. Then if that does not seem bright enough, add Tek reflectors with the bulb mount clips (similar to how the guy did in the finnex mod thread). W/o reflectors would be $125 for fixture and with them would be up to $195ish.
2. Go with a Tek 4x24w fixture and same bulbs. $204 on the Reef Stop.
#1 may work with such shallow depth and good bulbs while keeping the cost low. Would have option to mod if needed.
#2 is more expensive, but I know the quality. But may be too much if I really don't need all of that with such shallow depth even with SPS.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Steve
1. Try the finnex 4x24w fixture with 2 GE day (or 1 day and a Blue +) and 2 Giesmann Aquablue +. Then if that does not seem bright enough, add Tek reflectors with the bulb mount clips (similar to how the guy did in the finnex mod thread). W/o reflectors would be $125 for fixture and with them would be up to $195ish.
2. Go with a Tek 4x24w fixture and same bulbs. $204 on the Reef Stop.
#1 may work with such shallow depth and good bulbs while keeping the cost low. Would have option to mod if needed.
#2 is more expensive, but I know the quality. But may be too much if I really don't need all of that with such shallow depth even with SPS.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Steve
Alright, I posted this in another thread but thought it may be useful here. I purchased some extra bulbs for my Tek 6 bulb fixtures to get a better lighting scheme.
My original:
Front
Actinic+
Aquablue
Midday
Aquablue
Midday
Actinic+
Rear
Not bad, but a bit on the yellow side so I swapped a few things around. Here was my second run:
Front
Actinic+
Aquablue
Actinic+
Aquablue
Aquablue
Actinic+
Rear
This was way too monochromatic. Everything was a shade of blue and no colors really stood out. My third and final setup:
Front
Actinic+
Aquablue
Aquablue
Aquablue
Midday
Actinic+
Rear
This is the best color scheme for my tank. Just a hit of yellow to make the colors stand out, but not like a freshwater tank. I would have taken pictures, but with my lack of photography skills, you would not have seen the colors as I see them.
Cough it up to T5s making color changes a breeze. No wasted bulbs either. When it comes time to replace bulbs, I already have 4 on hand.
My original:
Front
Actinic+
Aquablue
Midday
Aquablue
Midday
Actinic+
Rear
Not bad, but a bit on the yellow side so I swapped a few things around. Here was my second run:
Front
Actinic+
Aquablue
Actinic+
Aquablue
Aquablue
Actinic+
Rear
This was way too monochromatic. Everything was a shade of blue and no colors really stood out. My third and final setup:
Front
Actinic+
Aquablue
Aquablue
Aquablue
Midday
Actinic+
Rear
This is the best color scheme for my tank. Just a hit of yellow to make the colors stand out, but not like a freshwater tank. I would have taken pictures, but with my lack of photography skills, you would not have seen the colors as I see them.
Cough it up to T5s making color changes a breeze. No wasted bulbs either. When it comes time to replace bulbs, I already have 4 on hand.
I ordered the 6 x 54 Watt Sunlight Retro from Reefgeek and am trying to build a hood now. I haven't received the lights yet so I wanted to know how much space to leave inside the hood (length wise) for the bulbs with end caps. On Reefgeek it says 46.75" x 15.0" x 2.75" (L x W x H) but I was just wondering if the 46.75" includes the end caps. I read somewhere else that the Tek reflectors alone are 42Ã"šÃ‚½"L X 2"W X 1"H.
Just wondering if anyone else out there with this retro kit could give me an idea of the real total length.
My tank is 48.5" long at the top where the plastic trim is and I am hoping that this will be enough length for the lights if I make the inside of the canopy this long.
Anyone have any idea? Thanks!
Just wondering if anyone else out there with this retro kit could give me an idea of the real total length.
My tank is 48.5" long at the top where the plastic trim is and I am hoping that this will be enough length for the lights if I make the inside of the canopy this long.
Anyone have any idea? Thanks!
Obi-dad
Active member
460nm is 'blue', 450nm is 'blue', 420nm is 'purple', but bulbs that are labeled as one or the other have differing amounts of other wavelengths which can make them look different.
The original actinic bulb, Philips 'Actinic 03' (we now use the term actinic not just for purple bulbs, but also for blue bulbs) was almost all 420nm, making it a dark purple. The T5 actinic is 420nm, but is a much lighter purple due to other wavelengths along with the 420nm.
I have an aqua-medic T5 'Ocean blue' which peaks at 460nm, and it looks just a tad whiter than my ATI blue+ which peaks at 450nm.
How dark the blue looks in a bulb is also influenced by how you drive it. My ATI blue+ bulbs on an Icecap look like a lighter blue (brighter) than when on the T5 spec ballasts. When my halides are not on, I have 4 54w Blue+ on an Icecap, giving the tank the 'Radium' look.
pecan2phat
Active member
Great thread guys!
Would like to ask two questions regarding a Tek T5 fixture that I had bought. It is the 36" six bulb fixture and was wondering what type of ballast do they use in these fixtures?
Also was a little bit puzzled that the acrylic splash shield that they sell for $30 warps when the lights get going, is this normal? It seems to go back to a somewhat normal condition after the bulbs has been cooled off but still seems warped.
Should I remove the shield? It looks like the shield inverts in the center to the point that it touches the bulbs.
Would like to ask two questions regarding a Tek T5 fixture that I had bought. It is the 36" six bulb fixture and was wondering what type of ballast do they use in these fixtures?
Also was a little bit puzzled that the acrylic splash shield that they sell for $30 warps when the lights get going, is this normal? It seems to go back to a somewhat normal condition after the bulbs has been cooled off but still seems warped.
Should I remove the shield? It looks like the shield inverts in the center to the point that it touches the bulbs.
keeperofthesea
New member
Wow, This is exactly what I was looking for, great T5 Info. Everyone seems to get excited and but 4 MH on there tank and think that anything less and your can't keep SPS. I have a 72g bowfront which is about 23" deep. I have (2) 2x54 retrokits http://innovativelights.com/ret-t5-254.html, that are in the mail. (1) Is this a nice kit? (2) Will 4x54 be enough for some SPS or need I need to get the creditcard out again? right now I'm moving from softies to LPS and wouldn't care to ditch the mushrooms. (3) Also what bulbs your you suggest for a 4,6,or8 bulb configuration? And one more question. They being installed in a canopy and tank doesn't have a top yet. (4) Do I need one and what do I make it out of? Thanks for the great help, and sorry about all the questions, I've just been looking for this kind of thread for a long time. Thanks!
Justin74
New member
pecan2phat: If your lights are safely out of the reach of any splash,by all means remove the guard. If not,you may want to consider a glass cover(non-UV filtering). Yes that happend to me as well with the warping,but it wasnt the shield...it was my tank!!
keeperofthesea:1.Yes,good quality kit(at an exceptional price!)
2.Yes , 4 will be enough for lower light tolerant SPS as long as theyre kept along the upper 1/3 of the tank,montipora sp.,some pocillopora sp.,psammacora to name a few.Generally speaking greens are lower light, as opposed to pinks and purples(higher light).3.If you wanted to expand your sps potential,Id recommend a 6 bulb combo.4.Yes having a canopy would make installation much easier for your retro kit as it wont have any legs or hanging device to come with it. MDF(medium density fiber-board) can be used for a cheap alternative.HTH.
-Justin
keeperofthesea:1.Yes,good quality kit(at an exceptional price!)
2.Yes , 4 will be enough for lower light tolerant SPS as long as theyre kept along the upper 1/3 of the tank,montipora sp.,some pocillopora sp.,psammacora to name a few.Generally speaking greens are lower light, as opposed to pinks and purples(higher light).3.If you wanted to expand your sps potential,Id recommend a 6 bulb combo.4.Yes having a canopy would make installation much easier for your retro kit as it wont have any legs or hanging device to come with it. MDF(medium density fiber-board) can be used for a cheap alternative.HTH.
-Justin
keeperofthesea
New member
Thanks for the speedy response. One thing, I already built the canopy, but I was wondering about a piece of glass or plexiglass to go between the tank and the lights. I think I'd like to have some time of lid on the tank to keep the moisture out of my canopy and limit evaporation. What material allow the best light penitration? Thanks
keeperofthesea
New member
Old Salty: What is your sequence for lighting your tank up in the morning and then down in the evening? Also where do you live? I'm from Louisville. Do you visit lmas.org much? Also do you have any pictures of your tank?
What doe HTH mean? Thanks
What doe HTH mean? Thanks
Jimsreef
Premium Member
t5 bulb configuration
t5 bulb configuration
If you were going to set up a 4 ft 8 bulb tek light fixture what bulb configuratin would you use. do I even need 8 bulbs on a 90 gallon? I am planning on having sps in this tank. Thanks Jim
Here are my choices of bulbs.
Blue Actinic Plus or Blue: $19.00 per lamp
Sun: $19.00 per lamp
Aquablue: $21.00 per lamp
Pure Actinic Plus or True Actinic $23.00 per lamp
t5 bulb configuration
If you were going to set up a 4 ft 8 bulb tek light fixture what bulb configuratin would you use. do I even need 8 bulbs on a 90 gallon? I am planning on having sps in this tank. Thanks Jim
Here are my choices of bulbs.
Blue Actinic Plus or Blue: $19.00 per lamp
Sun: $19.00 per lamp
Aquablue: $21.00 per lamp
Pure Actinic Plus or True Actinic $23.00 per lamp
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I am setting up a 95 gal. (48x24x17) zoa dominated tank. I am interested in reefgeek's IC 4x54 retro fit. Would this work? Also can someone suggest bulb combos. Maybe 1 daylight, 2 blue+ and 1 actinic/blue? Thanks.
Mike
Mike
Justin74
New member
Proceed with caution.IME my zoas seem to be more happy in the middle to down on my sandbed range.Some morphs didnt like being up top at all.But if I was going to dominate my tank with them,Id lean more toward the blue end of the scale.2 (11k) and 2 (blue+) the actinic/blue is a blue+(blue plus actinic,hence blue+,or actinic+(same thing)). Id leave the day or GE6500k outta the mix entirely because of the PAR. Take into consideration that you'll be overdriving the bulbs and be using top notch reflectors =:eek1:
-Justin
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