The T5 Q&a Thread

[NorthernCF]

That's a beauty of a canopy!. You need 47" inside. With two people they are easy to build. I don't think the icecaps are necessary on such a shallow tank... I would get this set http://reefgeek.com/products/categories/lighting/104068.html
You can run dusk/dawn then ... regular HO T5s are going to give you all the light you need assuming you aren't trying to grow blue acros on the bottom of your tank (top half is fine though .

Make sure you call the order in so you can swap out the reflectors for icecap reflectors.

JIMO HTH

 

[brandon0350]

60 cube

60 cube

i am thinking of doing a 60 cube 24x24x24 and was originaly planing halide but i think im going to go w/ t5. what would you recommemd

 

[horkn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6531175#post6531175 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Justin74
Some of mine can handle being at the top, but most of em are much happier on the bottom, a few colonies innitially seemed to really like it and the color was great, but over time I noticed them getting smaller and smaller and some not opening up as well.Im using workhorse as well,I can only imagine my results if I were to overdrive my bulbs w/IC. As soon as I put em on the bottom they slowly started to come back, so now I have em all at the bottome with the exception of one colony,just cuz theres no room for em.

But then again I have a 6 bulb config and not a 3 bulb.That may be why.Once you start getting up in the 6 bulb range, things get pretty bright esp. with a GE bulb. In my case if I were trying to appease my zoos Id nix the brightest bulb which in my case is the GE, plus zoos look better under a more blue spectrum IMO.

-Justin

i wouldnt want more than 3x39 of t5 over my 35g. its bright as hell. well, you know what i mean. i am in the process of getting 2 blue+ bulbs, as they seem to be more blue than my ati blues (not + models) i run currently 2 ati blues and one ge 6500k. its a little too white/ yellow for my tastes, but i do not want to get rid of the ge for its par qualities esp with a clam and sps

 

[horkn]

Re: 60 cube

Re: 60 cube

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6535004#post6535004 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by brandon0350
i am thinking of doing a 60 cube 24x24x24 and was originaly planing halide but i think im going to go w/ t5. what would you recommemd

i would go with 6-8 overdriven 24w t5 ho bulbs with aqualux or icecap reflectors. the tek reflectors are not as good at deeper tank par than the other two choices

 

[lunner]

How much more they charge for swaping out the tek reflectors for the IC's?

I have never install any retro before... don't know what to expect.

 

[pecan2phat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6533865#post6533865 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jimsreef
Does most people use the acrylic cover on the tek fixture? jim

I just took my shield off due to when all the bulbs are on, the shield warps.
Waste of $29!

 

[brandon0350]

would i be able to keep sps and clam or should i go with halide?

 

[horkn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6535294#post6535294 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lunner
How much more they charge for swaping out the tek reflectors for the IC's?

I have never install any retro before... don't know what to expect.

well, the aqualux reflectors are better at par than the tek reflectors, and they cost less as well. the aqualux are wider though, just over 3 inches wide, the icecasp and teks are pretty narrow at 2.5 inches and 2.25 inches IIRC

when i got my retrofit, the icecap reflectorss were 3x more expensive than the aqualux, and the teks were 2x more expensive


dont worry, retrofits are easy to install.
it takes a little time, but you save a bit of money, and itf something does ever break, you know how to fix it.


for good retrofits of t5ho for not a lot of $$, try www.aqualuxlighting.com and order all the parts separately, not the retrofit kit. that is the tek retro..

i got my 3x39 t5ho retro everything included for 170 dollars shipped to my door. reefgeek or anyone else couldnt even come close to that pricepoint. sure, you could get cheaper lights, but, they dont have good reflectors

 

[NorthernCF]

brandon, the cube is a hard decision for sure.
Species is little concern. T-5 or MH
With one MH you can cover the tank with something like this:
http://reefgeek.com/products/categories/lighting/104928.html

250W should be enough or a 400w 20k... It won't really leave much room for any suplementals. You could get a normal sized pendant and 2-4 T5s... lots of night lighting and color options there.

With the tank being 24inches you may want to go with the icap ballast if you go T5. My guess is you will be able to do clams with or without overdriving.

On a 4 foot tank the T-5s are a cheeper option, but a 2-foot T5 is not much less cost. IMO a cube warrents a nice MH.

 

[rickburdeniuk]

Hey Horkin, what did you use for bulb clips, endcaps, standoffs and such?

 

[dwdenny]

ok I will be going with a 4X39w retro with 1 GE 1 aquablue and 2 blue+ bulbs. Tank is my 45g breeder 36"X18"X16" with a 2" sand bed so only 14" tall. What could I keep in this tank? I want to make it a species tank but not sure what yet. I will be using a Pan World 100PX-X (1270 at 0' head)as the pumpin a semi closed but will only have three outlets but I will have my sump return at about 350 or so as well. What do you all think?

 

[Duh]

Just wanted to bump this thread. Way to much info to lose.

 

[BigEasy]

I have the aqualux retrofit T5s coming for a prop tank. Does anyine know if the Workhorse 5 ballast overdrives the bulbs?? Horkn??

 

[jdsabin1]

Currently VHO - Switch To T5's?

Currently VHO - Switch To T5's?

Guys,

I have a six foot long 150 gallon tank that has six 72" URI VHO bulbs over it in a custom canopy (3 actinic, 3 50/50's).

I see that the T5's have become the darling of bright lights for reef tanks.

I currently have a mixed reef tank with a ratio of approximately 75% softies and 25% LPS corals. I am in the process of reversing that and going with 75% LPS and 25% softies (with perhaps some easy SPS corals thrown in as well).

I know there aren't any 72" T5 lights, but is there a way I could retrofit T5's into my existing canopy without completely overhauling what I currently have (that works so well)? Or would I even benefit from T5's vs my current VHO setup? I have the lights connected to three relatively new ballasts (1 660 and 2 430's).

Here are some pics of my current setup so you can see what I have:

I would like to keep this simple by using the same canopy and the Icecap ballasts but I just don't know what kind of setup as far as the T5 bulbs I'd need. Obviously I want as much light in the canopy as I could get (within reason) of course.

Thanks to anyone who can offer up some help!

-Jeff

 

[Justin74]

My first thought would be to just put 2 36" 39 watters end to end, but that depends on if you have the extra inches to accommodate for the endcaps and wirring;if not, try putting a 36" end to end with a 24 inch. Keep the 24's on the 430's and overdrive the 36's on your 660.I think Ideally though if you could get the 36" end to end thatd be your best bet.But whatever combo you go with,Id suggest putting the bulbs on the 660 over wherever you feel the most light is needed,whether that be for your animals on the bottom of the tank or your SPS up top.HTH>

-Justin

 

[Justin74]

Like this:

-Justin

 

[jdsabin1]

This is all so confusing. Anyway, I have six 72" VHO's in the canopy now with no problem with endcaps and wiring, etc so I don't see why having two 36" bulbs back to back would not work I guess.

It appears the reflectors are 2.5" wide and I've got 17" of width in the canopy so I could get six bulbs for each side as well right? That would mean I would have 12 T5 bulbs total.

If that's the case, how many ballasts would I need and with the 430's I can't overdrive the T5's then? Woud I need all 660's?

The more I talk through this the easier it seems to keep my 960 watts of VHO which is more than the T5's anyway. I guess I'm just not seeing the benefit.

Hmmm.

 

[vic8361]

I would run 6 x 5 footers staggerd with two 660's running them with slr's reflectors.
You'll go from using 960 watts to using 600 watts and have more light then your present set up. That's the set up I am switching to from running 4 175 mh and tw vho atinics. I'll have it set up in a few weeks and post the results then.

Vic

 

[jdsabin1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6607619#post6607619 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by vic8361
I would run 6 x 5 footers staggerd with two 660's running them with slr's reflectors.
You'll go from using 960 watts to using 600 watts and have more light then your present set up. That's the set up I am switching to from running 4 175 mh and tw vho atinics. I'll have it set up in a few weeks and post the results then.

Vic

Thanks for the replies guys.

Vic - Do you have your brand and colors of the bulbs picked out already?

I was also thinking some more that I could keep the actinic VHO bulbs that I currently have on both ends of my canopy and place four 5 foot T5 bulbs between the VHO actinics.

Options, options.

 

[rickburdeniuk]

Sadly I don't think SLR's come in 5' lenghts, but the idea is right on. Aqualux and SLS/TEK sell the 60" reflectors and Aqualux have been reported as the better of the two though most SLS/TEK owners seem very happy with their purchases.

AFAIK 430 does overdrive as well, not as much as a 660, but it will be more then a spec T5 ballast.

Lamps below 4' is out of my area of expertise, but I think the general rule is a 660 will drive 16" of lamps in total; so...

430 can drive two 60" lamps, three 48"
660 can drive three 60" lamps, or four 48" lamps

Try posting in the Icecap forum; they're great about support.