The T5 Q&a Thread

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Many 240 items are listed at other voltages. When I installed my xray machine due to calibration of output legal issues, we had to determine the actual line voltage and it came out 240something. Then according to that, I had to have a certain voltage regulator/transformer unit to match.

It only mattered in operation due to the output not whether it would physically work or not. In a lighting application it wouldn't be as critical. i.e. many 250 watt ballasts will put out around 300-350 watts.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8334982#post8334982 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by loweryster
And wouldn't a dryer be 3 phase?? I'm sure that ballast only has one hot leg (277v).
Click to expand...

277v comes from connecting phase of 480v 3 phase and neutral. 480 3 phase in only available to Commercial Buildings.
 
Thanks for clarifying that for me, phase wasn't the correct word. So I guess this ballast would be useless, unless like you said it was used in a commercial environment with 480v.
 
Should be good

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8334402#post8334402 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by siskiou
Thanks!

If I group the Super actinics and the actinic pluses on the outsides (one of each in the front and back slots), would this be a good choice for the dusk/dawn cycle?
And then have the GE daylight, Aquasun, 10k and Blue plus in the middle?
Click to expand...
 
this question is probably a change of pace.... but i am wondering about arrangement of my T5's. I have a 29 gallon aquarium (29") long. I also have 4 24w T5 bulbs to mount in the hood. I was wondering if i should stack them in a column in the middle, or offset each lamp from the outmost edges so there is coverage all the way to the edges? Know what i mean..... ? or should i stagger them just a couple inches in the middle so i can achieve maximum light in the middle of the tank without neglecting the right and left sides of the tank.

I am using the following bulbs: DD aquablue+, DD pure actinic, DD actinic+, and GE 6500 starcoat. Any suggestions for lamp arrangement while i am at it?
 
I wouldnt bother staggering them. You will have good coverage.

Front
Actinic Plus
Pure Actinic
GE
Aquablue

Good place to start
 
Hey Mr. Reefer...

I am about to buy a couple IceCap retro T5 kits from ReefGeek. I want to get 5 bulbs total and was thinking of the following configurations:

(the black bars represent the braces in my 125 gallon tank)

lighting_a.jpg


I was thinking I would go with the staggered configuration.
Do you think this setup will be too blue?

Thanks for your input

Amb
 
Thats fine, should give you a 12,000K look. You could even swap one of the aquablues for another 6500K if you want more light.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8341058#post8341058 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ambaratur
Hey Mr. Reefer...

I am about to buy a couple IceCap retro T5 kits from ReefGeek. I want to get 5 bulbs total and was thinking of the following configurations:

(the black bars represent the braces in my 125 gallon tank)

lighting_a.jpg


I was thinking I would go with the staggered configuration.
Do you think this setup will be too blue?

Thanks for your input

Amb
Click to expand...

That should be fine.

If you have room I would go for 2 660 ballasts and run 5 T5's and a 5 ft VHO actinic. You can run T5's and VHO's on the same IC ballast. I'd go 1 GE, 1 Geisemann Midday, 1 ATI Aquablue and the 2 ATI Blue Plus and the VHO Actinic. Pay attention to the brands. In the 54 watt T5's the ATI has better output, I assume 80 watt lamps are the same.

Like Hahn said if you go for the 5 T5's only and want a brighter look swap out one of the aquablues but I would use the Geisemann Midday so you would have that and a GE daylight instead of 2 of one or the other.
 
ok, since this seems to be the definative internet thread (referred to over 30 times from different sites that ihave visited), i am looking for some definative answers about my T5's!

I have had these T5's running for 8 months now, and i want to know, do i have enough/the right kind of lights for Clams(blue maxima) and sps corals. I am running 2 actinic, 2 blue+, 1 6k daylight and one 6500k daylight.

This is my unit http://www.specialty-lights.com/960040.html

I have had one maxima clam die, and i am seeing one green pocillopora (recently moved up in the tank,a nd into direct light) start to bleach.

Do i have too much light with those two items at 1/2-3/4 the way up the 24" tank? (90G) Or is it not enough? The two anemones seem to love it, and hammer coral is doing well, all my mushrooms lay flat, none reach up like i saw in the lfs under MH.

The reason im asking is i want to order 2 acroporas and a purple montipora frags, but ot without knowing that i have adaquate lighting for them.

I know its not a lot of watts/gallon, but was wondering about the PAR's with the TEK light setup i showed up top there. the bulbs are now 8 months old.

Thanks for any info.
 
As long as you keep the acros up in the tank they should be fine.

Dunno what to tell you about the bleaching. People have had issues with SPS lightening up under T5's but if your coral is bleaching I would move it back down some.

I would ditch the actinic lamps. Get yourself a ATI Blue Plus and a UVL Super actinic. The look will be better and you will get a lot more PAR with those. I would also grab a GE 3000K lamp and try it in place of the GE Daylight and then the 6000K midday to see what you think. It has better output and does nice things to pink and purple corals becaus of the red. Reefgeek will have those lamps. The lamp is chap and it never hurts to have a spare lamp around if you dont like the look,

Stick with ATI, UV Lighting and GE lamps where you can.
 
I wouldnt be looking at the T5s as the reason your clam died. Clams are in direct control of how much light they get, and if given too much they just dont expand as much until they reduce their symbiotic algae count or increase their reflective pigments. Even if given too little light, clams will hold on for quite some time before bleaching and dying. If it was a smaller maxima, FWIW, they can be touchy no matter what. IME, any maxima less than 3" has an increased risk of dying suddenly for no apparent reason. Others have reported this as well.

The green poscii was no doubt getting too much light. Poscii and Stylo types seem to be among the most sensitive when it comes to light increases right next to some montipora species.

For new acros, I start them out on the bottom so they can acclimate to the chemistry first, then I begin to move them up the tank until they look about right. But keep in mind that with so many acros coming from other systems that are halide, almost every coral will go through an adjustment phase where it may brown out or show odd coloration for a few weeks, or even a few months until it adjusts. But once it adjusts... man, watch out! I have never had such blue corals as those I have under my T5s. My purple millis turned green for a few months while they encrusted, but after that... they turned hot pinkish-purple with deep blue tips. And my blue milli (bright royal blue) turned neon compared to under the halides. I think Im at the point where I have too much blue really... need to throw a sun bulb or two into the mix to even things out.
 
I would use the ATI based on being a known quantity. I don't know anything about the Osram lamp, for all I know they could be the same.
 
This looks like the perfect thread to ask this question--

I currently have a 72 gal display with SPS frags in the top half and some LPS and a clam near the bottom. I currenty run (2) 250w 20,000K Ushios and (2) T5 54w true actinic. Yes... I love the blue look. I want to add (2) T5 bulbs that will add more PAR, yet still maintain the blue look (blueish white would be okay). I found a (2) bulb T5 fixture on clearance at a good price so I bought it. So, now I have room for two more T5 bulbs... what kind should I buy? In summary-- I want a pair of T5's that will add a good amount of PAR yet still look pretty blue. I plan on the actinics coming on first, then the new T5's, then the MH. That should create a nice dusk to dawn.
 
Seeing as how your sig talks mean about USC I would suggest a couple of Catalina blues:D

I would try 1 ATI Aquablue which is blue/white and a Blue Plus which is a 20Kish blue. Both have good PAR.

UCLA STINKS!!!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8346102#post8346102 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Seeing as how your sig talks mean about USC I would suggest a couple of Catalina blues:D

I would try 1 ATI Aquablue which is blue/white and a Blue Plus which is a 20Kish blue. Both have good PAR.

UCLA STINKS!!!
Click to expand...
USC ALL THE WAY!!!
 
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