The T5 Q&a Thread

[R33f3r]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8094970#post8094970 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ryan115
So are URI and UVL are the same? And I found an ATI Sunlight Daylight bulb that is 6K, is this the same as the Sun Pro or is it a different bulb all together?
And will 6 39w be to much over a 40 breeder, should I go with 4 or 5 bulbs instead?

URI is now UVL and they are the same. The T5 versions are VERY close to their VHO cousins, the VHO actinic is only slightly better IMO. The ATI 6500K is called the sun pro while Giesmann is called the Midday Sun which is rated at 6000K. To me, they look the same. I am planning on running a much redder spectrum around 3K which is made by GE.

 

[coraladdict]

Grim,

Will a glass shield on a Tek produce a heat issue and burn the bulbs faster?

 

[ultraxr]

folks with the Tek Light hoods/fixtures. Where are the power switches located on them? on top? on the ends/sides? Also, the length of 48" fixtures. Are they really 47" in length as listed on Reefgeek.com? reason i'm asking is that i have only 48.5" of room for a fixture. I took out my mini-bar in my living room out and placed my 120gal in place.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8094970#post8094970 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ryan115
So are URI and UVL are the same? And I found an ATI Sunlight Daylight bulb that is 6K, is this the same as the Sun Pro or is it a different bulb all together?
And will 6 39w be to much over a 40 breeder, should I go with 4 or 5 bulbs instead?

ATI came out with a new series of lamps which the "sun" lamp is called the Sun pro. In there old lamps (same as D&D) the sun had pathetic output. I would run the UVL Aquasun or D&D Midday for now. ATI is changing up the Sun Pro lamp and is supposed to be bringing out a white lamp in the intern. Forget that, wait until they come out with a new sun. A white lamp wont do as much to bring out colors in the corals.

Another option is to include a GE 3000K lamp in the mix. They are kinda an orange look but really pop pink and purple colors. In a 6 lamp setup I would try this:

Front
Blue Plus
Super Actinic
GE 3000K
Blue Plus
D&D Midday
Blue Plus

 

[96p993]

Hey Grim I was hoping you could help me out....Im looking at a 75 gallon (36*24*20) tank..I am looking at a retro kitI would like to mainly do softies and LPS with maybe a few pieces of SPS. I want to get a lighting system that can grow with the tank if I decide to go in a different direction down the road. I have heard several opinions on the manufacturers out there, dont want to break the bank but dont want a POS either....Opinions would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks

 

[johnfaas]

First shot of 120 !

First shot of 120 !

Well started setting the 120gal with liverock and put the tek 48" 8 bulb on
here is a pic of 4 bulbs on :
2 6000k midday giesemanns
2 aqua blue + giesemanns

 

[coraladdict]

Pretty nice!
Did you put a glass shield ?

 

[revclyburn]

Looks good to me, a little on the blue side, but cool nonetheless. Got to definitely retro my hold with t5's

Edwin

 

[ccoral]

does the tek hood have unprotected bulb sockets. Not all that safe without the glass sheild

 

[coraladdict]

I added a 1/8 th tempered glass sheild.Can't see the difference.

 

[johnfaas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8102843#post8102843 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coraladdict
Pretty nice!
Did you put a glass shield ?

Came with plastic ,will get glass when plastic gets worn.

 

[horkn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8103185#post8103185 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ccoral
does the tek hood have unprotected bulb sockets. Not all that safe without the glass sheild

they come with non waterproof endcaps. although it may not be safe to run w/o a shield, many do it.

 

[banditfl]

For Grim or horkn.
I am converting my 75g from PC to T5's. It is now a mixed reef with mostly SPS in the upper half. Zoos, Lps and Mushrooms and Rics in the lower half.
So far I have added a D&D Actinic+ and GE Daylight to my existing 4x55w compacts. I must say the colors are poppin' and growth is awsome. I am adding the next 4 lamps and removeing the Compacts.

This is what I am thinking of:
front
D&D Actinc+ (existing lamp)
UVI Super actinic
GE Daylight (existing lamp)
ATI Blue +
UVI Actinic/White
UVI Super Actinic
or
D&D Actinc+ (existing lamp)
UVI Super actinic
GE Daylight (existing lamp)
UVI Super Actinic
UVI Actinic/White
ATI Blue+

I like a little on the blue side with lots of color pop. Would this give me what I am looking for? Or some other suggestions to think about.

 

[Robert Patterso]

T5ho vs RTN on sps

T5ho vs RTN on sps

Ok I don't mean to open up a can of worms here, but I'm asking this because someone I deal with for buying frags from has advised me not to go to t5ho or any other t5 because they know other people that had t5 over thery're frag tanks (sps only) and claim they lost almost all of they're frags due to RTN. My question is can t5 or any other lighting be blamed for rtn, or is it usually due to other issues.

 

[corywilson]

Grim,
You have been talking about this GE 3K bulb but I don't see it online at reef geek. Could you give us a little detail on how it looks. Right now i have:

Blue +
Super Acitnic
Blue+
ATI Sun Pro
Super Acitnic
Aquablue

I have been thinking about swapping out the aquablue and one of the super acitnic for another blue plus and possibly this 3k bulb. how does the 3k bulb look with coralline algae and orange colors?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8109021#post8109021 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by banditfl
For Grim or horkn.
I am converting my 75g from PC to T5's. It is now a mixed reef with mostly SPS in the upper half. Zoos, Lps and Mushrooms and Rics in the lower half.
So far I have added a D&D Actinic+ and GE Daylight to my existing 4x55w compacts. I must say the colors are poppin' and growth is awsome. I am adding the next 4 lamps and removeing the Compacts.

This is what I am thinking of:
front
D&D Actinc+ (existing lamp)
UVI Super actinic
GE Daylight (existing lamp)
ATI Blue +
UVI Actinic/White
UVI Super Actinic
or
D&D Actinc+ (existing lamp)
UVI Super actinic
GE Daylight (existing lamp)
UVI Super Actinic
UVI Actinic/White
ATI Blue+

I like a little on the blue side with lots of color pop. Would this give me what I am looking for? Or some other suggestions to think about.

I'd go with the second mix accept instead of actinic white I would go for the UVL Aquasun.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Re: T5ho vs RTN on sps

Re: T5ho vs RTN on sps

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8109477#post8109477 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Robert Patterso
Ok I don't mean to open up a can of worms here, but I'm asking this because someone I deal with for buying frags from has advised me not to go to t5ho or any other t5 because they know other people that had t5 over thery're frag tanks (sps only) and claim they lost almost all of they're frags due to RTN. My question is can t5 or any other lighting be blamed for rtn, or is it usually due to other issues.

RTN can hapen because your tank is not aligned with magenetic north

Blamming lights is pretty lame. Too many nice SPS tanks around under T5's for that to hold true.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

You will have to call the geek to see if he still has the 3k's in stock, they were not listed on the site. To my eye the lamp itself looks a little orange. That is going to really pop red and yellow colors and of course orange. It makes the overall tank color look a little warmer, brings up pink and purple colors noticably.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8109668#post8109668 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by corywilson
Grim,
You have been talking about this GE 3K bulb but I don't see it online at reef geek. Could you give us a little detail on how it looks. Right now i have:

Blue +
Super Acitnic
Blue+
ATI Sun Pro
Super Acitnic
Aquablue

I have been thinking about swapping out the aquablue and one of the super acitnic for another blue plus and possibly this 3k bulb. how does the 3k bulb look with coralline algae and orange colors?

 

[Abengochea]

quick question, I want to get a 4 x 54 tek retro with upgraded to ice cap reflectors for my softie/lps tank. I was wondering what is the best bulb combination and in what order to place these bulbs to get a nice blueish look. I currently have 4x65 pc at 2 of them being 10k and 2 actinic but I wouldnt mind if it were a little bluer Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
D&D Midday or UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus