The T5 Q&a Thread

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That option seems more expensive to maintain so I think I like the retro better. Is that the best retro deal you know about? I've read that the IceCap reflectors are better than the Tek, but I haven't seen how much better anywhere. Is the difference enough that I should be trying to locate a package with those instead of the Teks?

Thanks again.
 
The difference is worth it, about 20% more light. Ice Cap will cut you a deal on the reflectors if you contact them. Just order the 6 lamp retro from reefgeek minus reflectors.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8630582#post8630582 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I guess we'll have to wait until the US version of the ATI comes out. The unit I have here is insanly bright. It spanks my 4x54 watt T5's. Until someone checks a US version I would stick with the Solar Flare despite my misgivings about the fan operation..
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Those arent being overdriven, just higher frequency than most of the US made crap ballasts we see. I have two of those ballasts now (an OSRAM engineer confirmed the model #s for me). As it turns out, the US version should be the same as the EU one... the ballast is designed to accept 110-220.. so its a simple plug/wiring change only to adapt the unit to US. I suppose the AC-12vDC converter for the fans might change, but thats a task a high-school student could get right. Okay, sorry high-schoolers reading this... I should have said 'cave man'. Oh, wait, now that I said that all, it sounds even worse, like high-schoolers=cave-men... oops. So sorry.
 
According to the distributor, Reefgeek, these are not Osram ballasts in the fixture. I assume he got his info from ATI direct. The 120 volt stand alone ballasts from the company that supposedly makes the ballasts do not drive 54 watt lamps any harder than the triads. I'll try to dig up on of those tomarrow and post the name, it is the initials V S.
 
quote:
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Originally posted by crvz
I asked a few questions many pages ago, but i thought i was due for another. I placed an order for an Oceanic 156 with a euro-brace today, and i'm trying to confirm my lighting decision. I intend to run bare-bottom with mostly SPS corals. I have two icecap 660's on my 58 gallon running 6 39w bulbs. I was planning on running 7 54w bulbs in SLR reflectors in the new 156 (which is 24" deep). 2 questions;

In terms of available light, would there be a limit to what i could keep in this tank?

I like the look of 14k metal halide systems. What bulb pattern would be a good immitation of this?
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Originally posted by hahnmeister

What are the overall dimensions of this tank BTW?

Ok, for limitations, well, for 156gallons you will have a medium light level. You will have about 560 watts of T5s with those Icecap ballasts. For a bulb mix to match a 14,000K, I use the following mix, and its a near identical match to a pheonix 14,000K... only better because there is more actinic and daylight...

Run a ratio of 1: aquablue to 1:true actinic03 to 1: blue+.
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Man, step away for a week, and it takes a while to find a post in this thread!

The tank is 5'x2'x2', and my intent was to run the 54W bulbs (48"). Here is my current plan and run times per day, using all ATI bulbs

Back
- AquaBlue <-- 5 hours
- Blue Plus <-- 10 hours
- AquaBlue <-- 10 hours
- BluePlus <-- 5 hours
- Actinic 03 <-- 10 hours
- BluePlus <-- 5 hours
- AquaBlue <-- 10 hours
Front

Anyone have recommendations? Again, the tank will be mostly comprised of SPS corals, and their health/growth is a priority (which may be at odds with my desire to have a similar look to 14K MH bulbs).
 
If you want to have the most flexibility I would overdrive 4 lamps with the Ice Cap ballast and drive 4 normally. For a blue look I would try this:

Front
Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun or GE 3000K
Blue Plus
GE Daylight
Aquablue
UVL Super Actinic
Blue Plus

That should be a bright 14K color. Using the daylight and either Aquasun or 3000K lamps will bring out colors that are masked if you only use the blue and aquablue lamps.
 
I am shopping for a new bulb for my 36" Aquactinics Fixture (5x39W). One of my Aquaz Blue burn out over the weekend. I had it in this config for about 5 months:

Front
Aquaz Blue Pro
D&D Pure Actinic
Aquaz Sun Pro (10K)
Aquaz Blue Pro
Aquaz Ocean Pro (20K)
Back

What bulb should I go with and what config should I place them in the fixture? Also, should I ditch the higher kelvin bulbs and get replacements for them?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8634239#post8634239 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mahoneyc3
http://translate.google.com/transla.../&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/

yep, its translated from German but its got some really great info for anyone who is still a t5 skeptic. check out the huge coral farm that uses t5 only on all its frags, the comparison to the 400 watt MH, and the long term bulb info, pretty compelling stuff IMO

if that link doesnt work let me know and ill try to find another way to get it to work
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Those links work fine. Ive been posting several links to the technology reports on that site that work fine. The technology reports is where you will find all the T5/MH comparison stuff.

Keep in mind that this is also the site that does all the interzoo 2006-2004 coverage. Great place!
 
Grim -

Per your post above, i actually have 2 icecap 660 ballasts, and intend on using them for the lights. Does that change your recommendation? You mentioned running four at normal output.

Also, i assume you run every other bulbs for sunrise/sunset, correct (starting with the second from the front in your list)? Is 10 hours for four bulbs and 5 hours for the other four bulbs a good pattern? It's how I'm doing it now, but maybe you've had better experience with a different photoperiod.
 
I put in T5s for my actinic instead of VHO on my new 450.

I ordered UVL Super Actinics and just don't like the color of them. I have a smal tank that I run VHOs on anf the URI actinics on them make the corals absolutly glow when on by themselves. These just make a blue look. i'm assuming it's a spectrum difference. Any suggestions on which T5 actinic would get me closest to the URI VHO Actinic look?
 
Time has come for me to replace the bulbs in my (4) 54w T-5 system. Skimming through this thread I see a lot of bulb configuration recommendations on 8 bulb systems. Can someone recommend a good mix for my (4) bulb system. Right now I have (2) GE Daylight (1) ATI Actinic 03 and (1) Super Actinic. My dusk and dawn lightning is being provided by (2) 40w NO Actinic 03 bulbs. Should I just replace the bulbs with the same bulbs or are there better bulbs on the market. Also any input on vendors would be great.


Thanks

Ben
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8636113#post8636113 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crvz
Grim -

Per your post above, i actually have 2 icecap 660 ballasts, and intend on using them for the lights. Does that change your recommendation? You mentioned running four at normal output.

Also, i assume you run every other bulbs for sunrise/sunset, correct (starting with the second from the front in your list)? Is 10 hours for four bulbs and 5 hours for the other four bulbs a good pattern? It's how I'm doing it now, but maybe you've had better experience with a different photoperiod.
Click to expand...

I would run the first 2 and last 2 lamps for dusk/dawn. I would still stick with the same lamps if all 8 are overdriven. Maybe swap the first Super Actinic out for a Pure Actinic or Actinic blue.

Reefgeek can make you a deal for Ice Cap T5 retros minus ballasts as long as you already have them You should post your serial numbers in Ice Caps forum to make sure the ballasts are new enough to run on T5's without the mod..
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8636999#post8636999 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kwl1763
I put in T5s for my actinic instead of VHO on my new 450.

I ordered UVL Super Actinics and just don't like the color of them. I have a smal tank that I run VHOs on anf the URI actinics on them make the corals absolutly glow when on by themselves. These just make a blue look. i'm assuming it's a spectrum difference. Any suggestions on which T5 actinic would get me closest to the URI VHO Actinic look?
Click to expand...

Try a Geisemann Pure Actinic with the UVL lamp. The Pure Actinic will pop greens really well but not much else. The combination is about the best you can get out of T5's.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8637231#post8637231 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skierguy
Time has come for me to replace the bulbs in my (4) 54w T-5 system. Skimming through this thread I see a lot of bulb configuration recommendations on 8 bulb systems. Can someone recommend a good mix for my (4) bulb system. Right now I have (2) GE Daylight (1) ATI Actinic 03 and (1) Super Actinic. My dusk and dawn lightning is being provided by (2) 40w NO Actinic 03 bulbs. Should I just replace the bulbs with the same bulbs or are there better bulbs on the market. Also any input on vendors would be great.


Thanks

Ben
Click to expand...

I would drop one GE and replace it with an ATI blue Plus.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8615053#post8615053 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
Grim, arent those ballasts in the ATI powermodul just OSRAM's? OSRAMS do tend to run at a higher mhz than what we get here in the US (Triads/Advance). Its kinda like the Icecap, but not so extreme. The wattage to the bulb is the same, but the frequency is much higher. This might account for the greater output.

Ill know next week, I have some on the way. But first I have to find an Advance ballast to compare to.
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Name of the ballasts is Vossloh Schwabe
 
Just wanted to post a few pics of my MH/T5 setup...

I have the following :

4x 54W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent

4x 54W Actinic Plus T5 HO Fluorescent

and 4x 250w Ham 14k SE on IceCaps...

Actinic+, Blue+, and MH

MH+T5s-trueWB1.JPG


MH+T5s-trueWB2.JPG


I really like the Blue Plus T5s... I will run this setup for a little while and I may end up adding 4 more T5s...
 
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