The T5 Q&a Thread

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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7657907#post7657907 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ChiaJunkie
Thanks for the insanely fast reply. Would you know where I could get a cheap Helios retro kit?
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Check around the LFS there in Cal. I don't know of anywhere online yet. www.commodityaxis.com is their website. I know they dont have the T5lll on there yet but if you e-mail them through the contact us tab you can probably get them, just make sure you make sure you get the lll.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7658055#post7658055 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NiTr0x911
Paging Grim Reefer : I know Im being lazy and can't read the 2 days worth of posts here but If you were me (and trust me you wouldnt want that ! ) and were setting up a 125 with a mix of lps,some softies,and a possible clam or 2 what size bulbs,what brand bulbs and color mix and what type of ballast would YOU use? Thanks in advance !
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The clams mean you need lotsa light. I ran a 6x80 system on my 125 and it did great. I like the mix on a GE daylight, 2 Aquablues, 2 Blue Plus and 1 actinic. Reefgeek has the 80 watt retros with IC ballasts, that is what I'd get.
 
3 triads. They are generally the ballast that comes with the Tek retro.

The "Best" T5 ballast is the Ice Cap under proper conditions. They run the lamps really bright so you have to have the need for crazy intense lighting to get the best use out of them.
 
one more questions grim,

Would it be possible to use a daylight 6500k and two bluepluses to get a 14-15k look on my tank?

My concern is that two bluepluses and an aquablue coudl give me too much blue. I know you already said otherwise, and I'm sorry to ask again, just want to get this right.

Thank you for all of your help.
 
I can tell you that it isnt going to happen. On my 40B, I run 6 bulbs in a tek.... 2xblue+, 2xaquablue, 2xactinic Its as much of a match to the pheonix 14,000K as you can get. If you use only 4 bulbs, and 2 of them are GE 6500Ks, even with 2x blue+ bulbs you are still going to look more daylight/10,000Kish.

This is a pic from a local reefer buddy of mine who runs a 4 bulb tek with 2x 6500K and 2x blue+. Hes happy with it because it looks good enough for a frag tank, and the corals are growing like mad compared to the 150wattDE halide he had there before...
DSC04365.jpg

above image from...
http://web.mac.com/allongue/iWeb/Site/Behind the scene.html

And here is a pic of two of my tanks...the top 40B running a pheonix 14,000K, the bottom 6x39wattT5s like I mentioned above...
101919dual_40s.JPG
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7661576#post7661576 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ChiaJunkie
one more questions grim,

Would it be possible to use a daylight 6500k and two bluepluses to get a 14-15k look on my tank?

My concern is that two bluepluses and an aquablue coudl give me too much blue. I know you already said otherwise, and I'm sorry to ask again, just want to get this right.

Thank you for all of your help.
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The mix will be 14K ish but on the white side rather than the blue. With the aquablue you would have a more blue look.
 
I have a 4 bulb 36" teklight fixture and was planning to put it over a 65g LPS/softie tank I have planned (36x18x24), but just realized that my fixture is only 12" wide. Do you think this will produce dark spots or cause other problems?
 
OK been reading this thread for about 3 hrs now seems that grim reefer is the local expert as well as a few others, this is my situation just bought 125 aga an looking at t5s , tank size is 72x 18x 22 like the effiecency of t5s but the attanic blue of the VHO , this is my question would 4 80 watt 60 inch t5s staggered + 2 72 inch VHO attanic be suffiecent lighting also what ballast configuration would be best as people talk about increasing the brightness of the bulb at the expense of the life of the bulb input would be greatly appreciated thanks in advance
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7656858#post7656858 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
That will be plenty of light. I would run 1 GE 6500K Daylight, 1 ATI Sun, 2 aquablues, 1 Actinic and 3 Blue Pluses. Order the GE as a spare lamp cause they are cheap. Include a 3rd Aquablue in the lamps you get with the fixture. If you lose a blue or day lamp they are a decent replacement for either and you need to have a spare lamp on hand.
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So from front to back:

Blue+
AB
Actinic
ATI Sun - This is the same as Giesemann 6000K Midday Sun right?
GE Daylight
Blue+
AB
Blue+

Which actinic would you guys recommend? Giesemann/ATI Pure Actinic 03 or UV Super Actinic? What would happen if I switch out the actinic and just use 4 Blue+'s instead?

Thanks guys for all the help!
:cool:
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7669759#post7669759 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jaeden
OK been reading this thread for about 3 hrs now seems that grim reefer is the local expert as well as a few others, this is my situation just bought 125 aga an looking at t5s , tank size is 72x 18x 22 like the effiecency of t5s but the attanic blue of the VHO , this is my question would 4 80 watt 60 inch t5s staggered + 2 72 inch VHO attanic be suffiecent lighting also what ballast configuration would be best as people talk about increasing the brightness of the bulb at the expense of the life of the bulb input would be greatly appreciated thanks in advance
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The 80 watt T5's aren't overdriven as far as the shorter lamps on the IC ballasts. The 80 watt standard ballast will also end up costing more than using the IC. I would try 2 Actinic VHO's, 1 GE or Sun T5, 2 Aquablues and 1 Blueplus T5. The mix of T5's will be about like a 10K halide lamp.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7670117#post7670117 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xsiborg
So from front to back:

Blue+
AB
Actinic
ATI Sun - This is the same as Giesemann 6000K Midday Sun right?
GE Daylight
Blue+
AB
Blue+

Which actinic would you guys recommend? Giesemann/ATI Pure Actinic 03 or UV Super Actinic? What would happen if I switch out the actinic and just use 4 Blue+'s instead?

Thanks guys for all the help!
:cool:
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I'd try this

Blueplus
Aquablue or Blue Plus
GE Daylight
UVL Super Actinic or ATI Actinic Blue 03
ATI Sun or D&D Midday
Blue Plus or Aquablue
Aquablue
Blue Plus

If you want a slightly more blue look to the light you can swap the 1st AB out with the #6 Blueplus. Order the GE as a spare lamp (they are cheap) and take as your included lamps:

1 ATI Sun or D&D Midday,
2 Aquablues,
1 UVL SA or ATI Actinic Blue or D&D Pure Actinic,
4 Blue Plus.

You might even want to order a 3rd Aquablue. You need at least one spare lamp which you will have with the GE but having a second couldn't hurt and with those lamps you will be able to tweak things to get a look you will like.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7671223#post7671223 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
The 80 watt T5's aren't overdriven as far as the shorter lamps on the IC ballasts. The 80 watt standard ballast will also end up costing more than using the IC. I would try 2 Actinic VHO's, 1 GE or Sun T5, 2 Aquablues and 1 Blueplus T5. The mix of T5's will be about like a 10K halide lamp.
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Thanks for the advice grim , now where is the best place to purchase them or is that not an appropiate on this forum
 
Grim: guess I'll ask you to weigh in on mine, too: is a 36" 4 bulb Teklight good enough for LPS/softies over a 65g (36x18x24)?
 
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