The T5 Q&a Thread

[Twisted]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9030299#post9030299 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Make sure th lamps are seated in the endcaps right. Pretty sure its just not making contact.

Well, switching bulbs around it would be unlikely I would not have gotten any of them seated right. But I checked again to make sure. And it in turned to close the caps, and it clicked into place. But not sure how else to check the connection.

 

[mrcrab]

Mr. Reefer,

Thanks for all your help. You're the BOMB! :blown: That's a good thing...really.

Must have missed this on the page turn:

Original Question:

I have a section of my 125 gal aga sump partitioned off for frag grow out. I was going to run 2 X 39W ATI aquablue specials on a triad ballast. Will this be sufficient for sps? The lights will be approx 10" from the water and the water is 10" deep.

Your Reply:
Id try to get th lamps lower. It will work but with the lamps 10" up your wasting a lot of light.

Question to reply:
So the 2 AB specials will be good for growth and color?
If anything better I'd appreciate it as I'll be putting in an order with Greg on Monday. I can add more lights too if that's what you recommend. Also, I was able to get the lights 4.5 inches above the water if that makes any difference.

Thanks again for all you do here,
Barry

 

[msuzuki126]

Grim, what bulb is the best for growth, GE daylight?

 

[TropTrea]

the GE Daylights are basicly 55,000K bulbs, and while compared to other residental florescent bulbs they are blue when compared to aquarium bulbs they are actualy more yellow.

Better selections if your using GE bulbs would be to see if you can get the 75,000K or 6,5000K SP bulbs which are considerably closer to sunlight. Then I would still ad some atinic lighting to get that blue end of the spectrum up. To the best of my knowledge GE does not put there logo on any atiinic bulbs.

Dennis

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9032583#post9032583 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by msuzuki126
Grim, what bulb is the best for growth, GE daylight?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9032447#post9032447 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mrcrab
Mr. Reefer,

Thanks for all your help. You're the BOMB! :blown: That's a good thing...really.

Must have missed this on the page turn:

Original Question:

I have a section of my 125 gal aga sump partitioned off for frag grow out. I was going to run 2 X 39W ATI aquablue specials on a triad ballast. Will this be sufficient for sps? The lights will be approx 10" from the water and the water is 10" deep.

Your Reply:
Id try to get th lamps lower. It will work but with the lamps 10" up your wasting a lot of light.

Question to reply:
So the 2 AB specials will be good for growth and color?
If anything better I'd appreciate it as I'll be putting in an order with Greg on Monday. I can add more lights too if that's what you recommend. Also, I was able to get the lights 4.5 inches above the water if that makes any difference.

Thanks again for all you do here,
Barry

The AB's will give you the best as far as growth/color. It really depends how much of the tank you are going to use front to back as to whether 2 lamps will be enough or not. 4 lamps would probably be optimal. If you do 4 I would use 2 AB and 2 Blue Plus.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

oops

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9032583#post9032583 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by msuzuki126
Grim, what bulb is the best for growth, GE daylight?

I would probably lean more toward the ATI Aquablues.

 

[msuzuki126]

What would be the best 8 bulb combo for growth and a nice crisp white color with a hint of blue?

Thanks

 

[mrcrab]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9033048#post9033048 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
The AB's will give you the best as far as growth/color. It really depends how much of the tank you are going to use front to back as to whether 2 lamps will be enough or not. 4 lamps would probably be optimal. If you do 4 I would use 2 AB and 2 Blue Plus.

It's 18" from front to back a standard 125 and I'm using 34" of the 6' length for the frag section.

Any suggetions on a photoperiod? Should I start out short and increase it slowly ?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9033120#post9033120 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by msuzuki126
What would be the best 8 bulb combo for growth and a nice crisp white color with a hint of blue?

Thanks

I would try 2 GE 3000K's, 2 UVL Super Actinics, 2 GE daylights and 2 ATI Blueplus. Grab an ATI Aquablue for a spare.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9033332#post9033332 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mrcrab
It's 18" from front to back a standard 125 and I'm using 34" of the 6' length for the frag section.

Any suggetions on a photoperiod? Should I start out short and increase it slowly ?

I'd do 4 lamps. I'd run 8~10 hours a day.

 

[mrcrab]

Thanks Grim. I really appreciate all your help.

When I get the lighting system done tomorrow as per your suggestions I'll post some pics.

Barry

 

[servicky]

Awesome thread ... Ok 150 gallon starphire.60x24x24 and i have exactly 60" inside the canopy for a 5ft fixture if they arent 1/8 over 5ft..... ive always been a MH guy but will from AO is a friend of mine and i have an account there as well he is telling me t-5 all the way... I owned a shop for sevral years about 6 yrs ago and now setting up again.... We were thinking 10 bulb a 6 and a 4 fixture for sps and clams... any imput on this would be great and what would this be like as in mh equivilent.... 2-250s????? keep up the great thread ppl .....

 

[msuzuki126]

What's the best website to order these T5 bulbs from?

 

[hahnmeister]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9033428#post9033428 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I would try 2 GE 3000K's, 2 UVL Super Actinics, 2 GE daylights and 2 ATI Blueplus. Grab an ATI Aquablue for a spare.

You sure Grim? That sounds like alot of yellow to me, without a good compliment of blue+ to balance it out, know what I mean? Going from the look of the 1:1 ratio of GE 6500Ks to blue+ bulbs as a '10,000K-12,000K' look, I would go 1 GE 3000K, as their benefit is realized with just one bulb really. I mean, yeah, you are going 1:1 with the blue and actinic to the daylight bulbs, just like the 6500K/blue+ combo, but you are selecting two even more intense yellow/orange bulbs (3000K), and matching them with Super Actinics... a bulb less capable of balancing as the blue+ bulbs even. I think the result will be too yellow.

I would go 2 GE 6500K (or midday, or sun pro, whatever... 'day bulbs'), 1 GE 3000K, 3 ATI blue+, and 2 UVL Super Actinics (or rather than UVL Super Actinics... the Giesemann true actinic03s)... with a spare Aquablue as the spare again for final 'tweaking'. That way, if the tank is too blue, you can simply swap out one of the blue+ bulbs for the AB. If the tank is too yellow, then swap out a 6500K for the AB again.

I just think that using Super Actinics to balance out day bulbs isnt as effective as blue+ bulbs is, and that using more than one 3000K bulb in a 8-bulb combo is too much yellow.

 

[TropTrea]

Does anyone have spectrum graphs on these bulbs? If those 65,000K bubls are true 65,000K bulbs one realy sould not even need the 30,000K bulbs.

I know in the past for freshwater plan tanks the 30,000K helped out a little when they were mixed with SP75,000K but when Croma 50's were used they just made things look all yellow, with minimal help to the plants.

However I do realize T5-ws are usually narrower spectrumed than standard T-12's. So I'd relay like to see some spectrum charts before making anuy hard decissions.

Dennis

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9034288#post9034288 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
You sure Grim? That sounds like alot of yellow to me, without a good compliment of blue+ to balance it out, know what I mean? Going from the look of the 1:1 ratio of GE 6500Ks to blue+ bulbs as a '10,000K-12,000K' look, I would go 1 GE 3000K, as their benefit is realized with just one bulb really. I mean, yeah, you are going 1:1 with the blue and actinic to the daylight bulbs, just like the 6500K/blue+ combo, but you are selecting two even more intense yellow/orange bulbs (3000K), and matching them with Super Actinics... a bulb less capable of balancing as the blue+ bulbs even. I think the result will be too yellow.

I would go 2 GE 6500K (or midday, or sun pro, whatever... 'day bulbs'), 1 GE 3000K, 3 ATI blue+, and 2 UVL Super Actinics (or rather than UVL Super Actinics... the Giesemann true actinic03s)... with a spare Aquablue as the spare again for final 'tweaking'. That way, if the tank is too blue, you can simply swap out one of the blue+ bulbs for the AB. If the tank is too yellow, then swap out a 6500K for the AB again.

I just think that using Super Actinics to balance out day bulbs isnt as effective as blue+ bulbs is, and that using more than one 3000K bulb in a 8-bulb combo is too much yellow.

 

[TropTrea]

Does anyone have spectrum graphs on these bulbs? If those 65,000K bubls are true 65,000K bulbs one realy sould not even need the 30,000K bulbs.

I know in the past for freshwater plan tanks the 30,000K helped out a little when they were mixed with SP75,000K but when Croma 50's were used they just made things look all yellow, with minimal help to the plants.

However I do realize T5-ws are usually narrower spectrumed than standard T-12's. So I'd relay like to see some spectrum charts before making anuy hard decissions.

Dennis

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9034288#post9034288 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
You sure Grim? That sounds like alot of yellow to me, without a good compliment of blue+ to balance it out, know what I mean? Going from the look of the 1:1 ratio of GE 6500Ks to blue+ bulbs as a '10,000K-12,000K' look, I would go 1 GE 3000K, as their benefit is realized with just one bulb really. I mean, yeah, you are going 1:1 with the blue and actinic to the daylight bulbs, just like the 6500K/blue+ combo, but you are selecting two even more intense yellow/orange bulbs (3000K), and matching them with Super Actinics... a bulb less capable of balancing as the blue+ bulbs even. I think the result will be too yellow.

I would go 2 GE 6500K (or midday, or sun pro, whatever... 'day bulbs'), 1 GE 3000K, 3 ATI blue+, and 2 UVL Super Actinics (or rather than UVL Super Actinics... the Giesemann true actinic03s)... with a spare Aquablue as the spare again for final 'tweaking'. That way, if the tank is too blue, you can simply swap out one of the blue+ bulbs for the AB. If the tank is too yellow, then swap out a 6500K for the AB again.

I just think that using Super Actinics to balance out day bulbs isnt as effective as blue+ bulbs is, and that using more than one 3000K bulb in a 8-bulb combo is too much yellow.

 

[Roland Jacques]

Do dimmer work well with HO-T5? I recieved a bunch of Quicktronic Programable Rapid Start HO t-5 ballast. Any pros or cons to keep in mind when using them?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9034288#post9034288 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
You sure Grim? That sounds like alot of yellow to me, without a good compliment of blue+ to balance it out, know what I mean? Going from the look of the 1:1 ratio of GE 6500Ks to blue+ bulbs as a '10,000K-12,000K' look, I would go 1 GE 3000K, as their benefit is realized with just one bulb really. I mean, yeah, you are going 1:1 with the blue and actinic to the daylight bulbs, just like the 6500K/blue+ combo, but you are selecting two even more intense yellow/orange bulbs (3000K), and matching them with Super Actinics... a bulb less capable of balancing as the blue+ bulbs even. I think the result will be too yellow.

I would go 2 GE 6500K (or midday, or sun pro, whatever... 'day bulbs'), 1 GE 3000K, 3 ATI blue+, and 2 UVL Super Actinics (or rather than UVL Super Actinics... the Giesemann true actinic03s)... with a spare Aquablue as the spare again for final 'tweaking'. That way, if the tank is too blue, you can simply swap out one of the blue+ bulbs for the AB. If the tank is too yellow, then swap out a 6500K for the AB again.

I just think that using Super Actinics to balance out day bulbs isnt as effective as blue+ bulbs is, and that using more than one 3000K bulb in a 8-bulb combo is too much yellow.

Pretty sure, just not positive. Thats why the aquablue for a spare. The new GE daylights are pretty white. I think 2 3000K and then going with blue or aquablue lamps would be too blue for someone looking for white looking light.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9042742#post9042742 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Roland Jacques
Do dimmer work well with HO-T5? I recieved a bunch of Quicktronic Programable Rapid Start HO t-5 ballast. Any pros or cons to keep in mind when using them?

Dunno, hookem up and lets see