The T5 Q&a Thread

[Fliger]

I'd recommend you get one and play with it. Just to cut down your MH photoperiod. Giesemann 14.5K's are expensive to replace. :lol: Its white but ya got 4 bulbs!

I think I'm up to date on our emails. I'm not really sure why I want to change, my light is working very well now. Maybe if I get the 160XL.

 

[Henry Bowman]

________Get some blacklight posters for a tank background.

OHHH!, I just kill me
__________

ROTFLMAO:lol:

 

[rp marine]

just tagging along

 

[er1c_the_reefer]

sorry, noob to t5ho lighting here.

i've been reading on this thread. so it would be possible to keep a mixed sps dominant reef with just t5ho's and no halides? what's the recommended number of bulbs for a 48x24x24 120g? does it matter if it's a 48" or 36" fixture or can someone help me out with how to calculate the amount of lighting i need?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Get a 6 lamp Ice Cap T5 Retro from reefgeek and you'll be fine. Stick with the 48" lamps. Even with the moisture resistant endcaps installed they are less than 48" long so you should have room.

If you need a full fixture you could use an 8 lamp Tek unit but you would need to keep the higher light Acros and such in the upper half of the tank.

Option B is the Aquactinics (check out the sponsors page) Solar Flare. It uses Ice Cap components which makes it a little spendy compared to the Tek but you could keep your SPS about anywhere you want with it.

 

[er1c_the_reefer]

cheaper please, i'm a poor college student. lol... i have a budget of around $350 to $400...

 

[sarduci]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8278782#post8278782 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fliger
I'd recommend you get one and play with it. Just to cut down your MH photoperiod. Giesemann 14.5K's are expensive to replace. :lol: Its white but ya got 4 bulbs!

I think I'm up to date on our emails. I'm not really sure why I want to change, my light is working very well now. Maybe if I get the 160XL.

MH bulbs degrade by on/off cycles.

 

[plc001]

Hello all,

First let me thank you all for all the info that you guys provide. You make this hobby much easier by sharing your ideas. I have a couple of questions that I will like your opinion, but first here is my set up:

90 Gallon tank with about a 5" dsb. It's a mix tank with LPS, just started adding SPS, Zoo's softies, Shrooms, LR and of course fish;-) My current light system is 4 54w T5s overdriven by a IceCap 660 with SLRs reflectors plus 2 more T5s 54w in a separate ballast. Sorry no name. The bulbs are about 20 months so its time to replace them. I currently have:

Ballasts:
1. IceCap 660
2. Sorry no name (Dusk/Dawn)


Back:
1 Aquablue+
1 Pure Actinic
1 Aquablue+
1 Aquablue+
2 Pure Actinic
2 Pure Actinic
Front

I'm currently on a project to upgrade to a 120gl in-wall. The 120 is going to be 60" long so I plan to stay with my current setup my questions:

1. What would your recommendation be for the bulbs and in what order?
2. Since it will be in-wall, I'm not going to need a hood, but was thinking of mounting the lights on a way that could be lifted out of the way, any ideas or pics?

Thanks!

 

[sarduci]

What color of light are you looking for? Blue? Light blue? Blue white? white? Bright white?

 

[plc001]

What color of light are you looking for? Blue? Light blue? Blue white? white? Bright white?

I guess what ever is best for the corals, I could go iether way. My wife likes blueish but I prefer as close to natural.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

You could mount the lamps to a board and hinge it at the rear so it lifts out of the way. I have mine set up that way in a canopy, no pics right now.

Lamp wise I would stick with a ATI Blue Plus and UVL Super Actinic on the normally driven pair and run an UVL Aquasun, ATI Aquablue, and 2 ATI Blue Pluses on the IC. Grab a GE daylight as a spare lamp so you can play with different combinations.

 

[reefman23]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8281027#post8281027 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sarduci
What color of light are you looking for? Blue? Light blue? Blue white? white? Bright white?

What would be the best assortment for a 4-lamp retro to obtain a blue look?

Jesse

 

[sarduci]

front
Super Actinic--UVL
Aquablue------ATI
Aquablue------ATI
Blue Plus------ATI
back

Having the SA/AB in the front gives that blue look to it.

 

[reefman23]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8281826#post8281826 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sarduci
front
Super Actinic--UVL
Aquablue------ATI
Aquablue------ATI
Blue Plus------ATI
back

Having the SA/AB in the front gives that blue look to it.

Perfect, that's what I was going to order! Thanks alot!

Jesse

**EDIT**

I just placed my order on the phone with reefgeek.com... great service and very friendly! I will be picking them up on Sat. morning.

Jesse

 

[plc001]

Thanks,

Would this order work?

Ballasts:
1. IceCap 660
2. Sorry no name (Dusk/Dawn)

Back
1 ATI Blue Plus
1 UVL Super Actinic
2 UVL Aquasun
2 ATI Aquablue
2 ATI Blue Pluses
2 ATI Blue Pluses
Front

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8281568#post8281568 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
You could mount the lamps to a board and hinge it at the rear so it lifts out of the way. I have mine set up that way in a canopy, no pics right now.

Lamp wise I would stick with a ATI Blue Plus and UVL Super Actinic on the normally driven pair and run an UVL Aquasun, ATI Aquablue, and 2 ATI Blue Pluses on the IC. Grab a GE daylight as a spare lamp so you can play with different combinations.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8281908#post8281908 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by plc001
Thanks,

Would this order work?

Ballasts:
1. IceCap 660
2. Sorry no name (Dusk/Dawn)

Back
1 ATI Blue Plus
1 UVL Super Actinic
2 UVL Aquasun
2 ATI Aquablue
2 ATI Blue Pluses
2 ATI Blue Pluses
Front

Try this

Back

2 Blue Plus
2 Aquasun
2 Blue Plus
2 Aquablue
1 Super Actinic
1 Blue Plus

front

Grab a GE daylight and try adding it in place of the aquablue and then the center blue plus to see the different looks you get. You need a spare lamp and the GE is cheap.

Grab a GE and try it in place of

 

[sarduci]

I just placed my order on the phone with reefgeek.com... great service and very friendly! I will be picking them up on Sat. morning.

Jesse

I had a few conversations with Greg from reefgeek.com and he was extreamly easy to work with, even though the snafu was my fault.

 

[J & Jr]

Hi, new to the hobby and to the fourm, I have been reading this thread to get suggestions on the bulbs for my new TEK 6 bulb fixture and noticed most have been for the 4 or 8 bulb fixtures are the 6 bulb not as popular? I have a 75gal 48X18 footprint and did not think the 8 bulb would fit very well. I would like to get the bulbs that are first off best for the health of my corals and animals and second bring out colors of these same animals.
any sugestions will be appreciated.

 

[plc001]

lol,

Grim, let me take this one:

"Try this

Back

Blue Plus
Aquasun
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Super Actinic
Blue Plus

front

Grab a GE daylight and try adding it in place of the aquablue and then the center blue plus to see the different looks you get. You need a spare lamp and the GE is cheap.
"

That is a quote from the Master that I just got.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8282731#post8282731 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by J & Jr
Hi, new to the hobby and to the fourm, I have been reading this thread to get suggestions on the bulbs for my new TEK 6 bulb fixture and noticed most have been for the 4 or 8 bulb fixtures are the 6 bulb not as popular? I have a 75gal 48X18 footprint and did not think the 8 bulb would fit very well. I would like to get the bulbs that are first off best for the health of my corals and animals and second bring out colors of these same animals.
any sugestions will be appreciated.

 

[J & Jr]

Thanks for the list. just learning to navigate these forums its easy to get lost or lose somthing you found and think might be important.