The T5 Q&a Thread

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Grim, I have been lurking in the shadows of this thread for a long while now and have decided to change to t5s due in large part to the information supplied by all who have posted. i had decided on an IC 4 bulb retro ( then i read a post stating you sometimes dont like to overdrive t5s with the IC ballast...confidence in my decision starts to fade) and go with the reefgeeks recomended bulb choice(1 sun, 1 aquablue, 2 actinic/blue plus) then i saw recently you recomended 2 D+D aquablues and 2 actinic plus for a setup up which seemed similar to mine(confidence gone and I'm hiding in the corner rocking back and forth).

My tank btw is a 75 (48x18x20) sps dominated tank. although i do have a red bubble tip and few really cool lps pieces down low. I have 4 hqi de 150 watt mh 14k+ supplemented with 2 4 ft actinic bulbs running now and the coral colors are great. Not totaly unhappy with the lights i have, other than the heat produced and the price of replacing these bulbs.

I have read from front to back on this thread and I have to say I need some guidance, as my head is spinning from all the questions you and others have fielded. Main question is will the overdriven 4 bulb retro give me enough light for this 75? After reading the thread I think you will say yes. I could add the spare IC 430 i have with 2 more bulbs if not. And lastly what do you think of the bulb combo's i have given above. If you have any spare time I would like your two cents.

* I'm pretty sure you or someone here has answered this but tonite , the nite before I order my setup, i'm having doubts and just want to be sure.
thanks, mike
 
The 4 lamp IC system will be fine. You could actually get away with having reefgeek set you up with a 4 lamp IC system with a 430 ballast and you could use your existing one to have dusk/dawn and save a couple bucks. I think I would just order the standard 4 lamp IC system though. It is going to come with a 660 ballast which will run 4 lamps. I would wire it up for 2 and use your current 430 for another 2 so you will have dusk/dawn control. Then if you ever upgrade to a bigger tank you are most of the way to a 6 lamp system.

Your first list of lamps is good. I would try 1 ATI Aquablue, 1 ATI Blue Plus, 1 UVL Aquasun and 1 UVL Super Actinic and see what you get.
 
Hey Grim,

I noticed in another thread you said something about not recommending ice cap ballasts for T5 setups.. I though the Icecap ballasts where the best choice if you're interested in overdriving them? Sorry if you've covered this, I'm trying to keep up with this thread :)

Chris
 
Thanks Grim for all the help. I have a 72 bowfront and decided to get the 6 light fixture just so I can upgrade tanks later. I just wanted to say that the 6 lights are about a total of 11 inches (not including the extra casing around the lights) and easily fit over the tank which bows from 12 in. to 18 in. I just thought I would let others with the 72 bow know that the 6 light fixture fits great and looks awesome.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8312207#post8312207 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jamal-188
Hey Grim,

I noticed in another thread you said something about not recommending ice cap ballasts for T5 setups.. I though the Icecap ballasts where the best choice if you're interested in overdriving them? Sorry if you've covered this, I'm trying to keep up with this thread :)

Chris
Click to expand...

ice cap ballasts are good. but, they automatically overdrive th5 t5ho bulbs, and that may be too much light on tanks less than 2 feet tall.

for those tanks, the spec t5ho ballasts get the job done for less money, and dont provide too much light as overdriving can do
 
Hey Grim. Thanks alot for your recommendation on the 6x54W bulbs fixture. I do have a small question. Why did you recommend an actinic white? Is there a pro for using it?

Also, you mentioned about the GE 6500K spare bulb. If I decide to add it into the fixture, what would I replace? The actinic white? About the 6500K bulb itself, a friend told me that I shouldn't keep the 6500K bulb on for too long or I'll get algae problems? Can you verify on that please? What is the pro of a 6500K bulb?

Thanks alot!!!

Thanks!

Thanks!
 
Hey Grim I was hoping you could help me out....Im setting up a 75 gallon (36*24*20) tank..I 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....My lighting now is a 250w Ushio 10K MH and 2 VHO actinic bulbs running on Icecap ballasts.....I am wanting to save some money on the power bill and cut the heat a bit.......Opinions would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8312207#post8312207 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jamal-188
Hey Grim,

I noticed in another thread you said something about not recommending ice cap ballasts for T5 setups.. I though the Icecap ballasts where the best choice if you're interested in overdriving them? Sorry if you've covered this, I'm trying to keep up with this thread :)

Chris
Click to expand...

Only on short tanks. If you want to overdrive T5's Ice Caps are the Schnitz
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8312625#post8312625 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FishNutzBoi
Hey Grim. Thanks alot for your recommendation on the 6x54W bulbs fixture. I do have a small question. Why did you recommend an actinic white? Is there a pro for using it?

Also, you mentioned about the GE 6500K spare bulb. If I decide to add it into the fixture, what would I replace? The actinic white? About the 6500K bulb itself, a friend told me that I shouldn't keep the 6500K bulb on for too long or I'll get algae problems? Can you verify on that please? What is the pro of a 6500K bulb?

Thanks alot!!!

Thanks!

Thanks!
Click to expand...

The Actinic White offers a little different spectum and good PAR output. There are a lot of people running the 6500K GE and a few running 3000K and algae growth isn't an issue unless you have excessive nutients in the water.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8314307#post8314307 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 96p993
Hey Grim I was hoping you could help me out....Im setting up a 75 gallon (36*24*20) tank..I 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....My lighting now is a 250w Ushio 10K MH and 2 VHO actinic bulbs running on Icecap ballasts.....I am wanting to save some money on the power bill and cut the heat a bit.......Opinions would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks
Click to expand...

If you can use a retro kit that would probably be best. Aquactinics has a 5x39 lamp fixture that would work but wont give you much in the way of handling a larger tank. The advantage of a retro is that if you went to a taller tank you could add an Ice Cap ballast to overdive the lamps.
 
I got the UVL Actinic White and UVL AquaSun today. What order should I put them in to achieve a White Blue look and still distrubute the different spectrums (White, Actinic, Blue) evenly throughout the tank?

Right now I have them in this order:

Front
Geisemann Actinic+
UVL AquaSun
UVL ActinicWhite
Geisemann AquaBlue+
Geisemann SuperActinic
Geisemann Actinic+
Back

The look is pretty close from what I want right now but kind of too pink/purple in the back where the pure actinic is reflecting from the tank's back wall. Suggestion?

TIA!
 
I got my 4x24 watter up and running on my 20L on these things are bright! The actinics are great and provide a nice blue look. I went with (2)Aquablue specials, (1) Blue+ and (1) Super Actinic and love them.

Thank you Grim and everyone else for all your help!

Jesse
 
Hey Grim, Thanks for the information big guy. Once I get everything changed over I'll get you a before and after.
Thanks again, mike
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8317269#post8317269 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by somethinfishier
I have a 58 that I am putting 3x39 t5 on. What is the best bulb combo you guys would suggest and where to get them.
Click to expand...

Hit reefgeek. I would do 1 Daylight or UVL Aquasun and 2 ATI Blue plus.
 
Thanks for the response Grim. I have heard some people say that one daylight is to much for just 4 lamps. I guess it is all just personal opinion... I'm going to go with your opinion. :D
 
hey grim reefer i have a question for you. im helping a guy figure out a 1700g reef tank for his living room. he wants to run t5 lights over the entire tank. i know next to nothing about the t5 set ups. he mentioned using the icecap 660's with 4 54w bulbs. this tank will be 10 ft long 6 ft wide and 4 ft deep. what would you recomend for spacing between the bulbs? and how many in a 6 ft span front to back?
also any recomendations for a 100g 3x3x3 pentagon sea horse tank? what ballasts run the t5's with out overdriving them? sorry for the all thequestions, but i dont want to sift through 1000's of posts to try and find this info. by what i have read here your the expert with t5 lighting.
thanks spazz
 
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