The T5 Q&a Thread

[Jacob D]

If anyone wants to see tank pics of various bulb combinations let me know. I just started a blog to illustrate this, and to follow my progress using some 3000k T5 HO bulbs.

I have a 6 bulb setup and can put together quite a few combinations I'm sure. The lamps I have available to play with:

6 Blue +
2 Aquablue
3 GE 6500k
2 GE 3000k
2 UV Superactinic on the way...

I'm running Triad ballasts with Sunlight Supply SLR's.

 

[hahnmeister]

I can do the same if anyone is interested...My cameras also have manual/lockable white-balance so they will be accurate.

I have the following bulbs I can mix 6 at a time...
sorted 'whitest to bluest'...
GE6500K
G-man Aquablue/11,000K
UVL Dayactinic/12,000K
G-man Blue +
UVL Actinic 03
G-man True Actinic

 

[yamaha racer]

grim the mtank is 24"x18"x18" so its only 18"tall, will he be able to have clams?

 

[NorthernCF]

Yes, he can have clams, sps, and sunbathing Mer-people.

 

[horkn]

what about sea monkeys?

 

[MJAnderson]

With my luck I'd get a merman and not a Darrly Hannah lookalike as a hitchiker on my LR.

 

[latazyo]

what about a 33L

48x13x12

is 4x54 t5 - 48" too much?

mainly soft/lps, but some sps, no clams planned

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I'd look at the corallife normal output T5's for that tank.

 

[yamaha racer]

or a tek 2x54 retro

 

[cbcostanza]

I have a 15 gal. 24"x12"x12" tank with 96 watts of pc and I want to upgrade my lighting. I want to grow some softies, lps, and some acros. What t5 setup do you suggest? Thanks for your help!

CC

 

[latazyo]

yamaha, how would you configure the bulbs (colorwise) in a 2 bulb set up?

1 daylight, 1 actinic, or 2 50/50s?

 

[FatCow]

hi all,

I decided to go with t5ho for my lighting on my 175 BF.
have 6 5ft t5ho on 2 icecap 660 with individual SLR reflectors in staggered setup.
would have gone with 8 but the not wide enough.
dimensions are 72x18 (24 at the center)x29

front
B+
A
AB
GE
A
B+

will this be enough to grow sps and clams?

thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

SPS will be fine if they are off the bottom. Clams might be a challenge if you are talking a maxima on the sand but if you have a bigger one it would probably be fine.

 

[danskim]

How often do t5ho bulbs need to be replaced?
I'm not talking about how long the light will last, but the correct intensity and spectrum.
Most people say 8-12 months for halides although some manufacturers claim 5 years bulb life...

 

[The Grim Reefer]

People have gotten over 18 months but I think any time after a year you need to start thinking bout new lamps.

 

[Jacob D]

I started to have some algae issues when I pushed my bulbs past 16 months. I would change them between 12-16 months (still very good bulb life).

 

[mattliu]

grim i'm starting to ge confused more and more.

ok so now ati has a bulb that's around 11000k that's more intense than it's predecessor, which was the same as the current giesemann aquablue + ?

on the box the giesemann aquablue + says it's 15000K but everyone calls it a 11000k bulb which is right ?

so does an ice cap ballast do programmed rapid start ? what's the bulb life in terms of acceptable spectrum and intensity for ice cap driven bulbs and the triad/advance t5 ho designed ballasts ?

thanks

 

[Justin74]

The splitting of companies does make it confusing.Just a year ago ATI was D&D ATI with an advertised spectral rating of 11k. But looking at my newly purchased Geismann D&D you are indeed correct sir,15k right on the box

-Justin

 

[mission man]

I posted this in a different thread, but I am wondering if T5 would be alright on a 72 in long tank. I realize that the max bulb length is 60 in. Anyone done this and how did it turn out. The tank i'm looking at is 72x24x24. I was originally going to do 48x24x24 but changed my mind. How many bulbs should I use and should I overdrive any of them to have a mixed reef setup. Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

ATI and D&D/Guisemann are now different lamps. As far as I know D&D/Guisemann are still selling the Narva lamps that ATI used to sell. ATI went with a different manufacturer.

The Ice Cap ballast is program start, overdrives the lamps and keeps the spectrum close.