BreadmanMike
New member
Where do you get the KZ and Aquascience lamps?
The T5 Q&a Thread
- Thread starter JohnL
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Quatro
New member
I got the KZ from www.captiveoceans.com
(direct link: http://www.zeovitusa.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=ZUSA&Category_Code=T5Bulbs)
Aquarium Obsessed has AquaScience www.aquariumobsessed.com
HTH
BreadmanMike
New member
Thanks! I'm going to give a couple of them a try.
flapjack1439
New member
Thanks for the reply. Sounds like a winning combination.
I'm assuming the Blue Plus is at the frontand the GE at the back.
Man, Grim....
How do you know what all of these bulb combos will look like?? I don't know the difference in any of these T5 bulbs... blue plus, aqua blue...blue this blue that... how do you know what each combination will look like? You must know these bulbs very well.
How do you know what all of these bulb combos will look like?? I don't know the difference in any of these T5 bulbs... blue plus, aqua blue...blue this blue that... how do you know what each combination will look like? You must know these bulbs very well.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Yep
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
I've played with all of them. Also get a lot of feedback. Everybody sees color a little diferently so all you can really do is get someone into the ballpark. I would be surprised if more than a few people stick with thier first mix long term.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
A year to 18 month is safe.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Let me guess, The LFS wanted to sell you some good lights.
vessxpress1
Premium Member
I've posted these pics before but I don't think I have here. Although it's only one example, they may be helpful to someone.
Here's a pic I took of the water's surface showing the color of my bulbs pretty well, many of which are often refered to in this thread:
From left to right, the first blue bulb you see is the ATI Blue Plus. The next bulb you see, the white one is the ATI Aquablue 11,000k. The yellow one is a Geismann 6000k midday. And finally, the last purple one is an ATI Pure Actinic. I know I'm only giving 4 bulbs as an example but they are commonly refered to. I still have them in this config. and the blue plus is at the front side of the tank, with the pure actinic in back.
Here is my tank 6 months ago under these bulbs just to give an idea of what this configuration will give you:
The bulbs are almost brand new in these pics but they have not lost much since then. You should be able to get at least a good 12 months out of these bulbs if not 18. I'll probably be replacing mine every 12 months just for the sake of feeling better about it.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Sorta depends on your system really. Throw a fan on your tank blowing acrossed your fixture and I bet you get a year of goo color and growth.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Bulb life is a relative thing. Going by mandatory changeout times that someone else suggests is sort of a waste. The only way to know for sure what your bulbs are putting out is by getting a PAR meter. That $270-300 that you spend will quickly be recouped by knowing exactly how much your bulbs are putting out, and when you really should change them, and what the light levels of the new bulbs are so you can raise the bulbs, use sunblock mesh, etc... to manipulate the levels without guessing. The corals you prevent from bleaching might make up for the $300 cost right off the bat.
The reason I say bulb life is a relative thing is because who is to say at what point a bulb is no longer capable of being used? When it loses 5%? 10%? or 40%? Making the daily photoperiod longer could easily compensate for a slightly lower output and help you get a much longer bulb life. Some people freak out when their bulbs lose 10% of their output. Well, almost every T5 bulb can lose this in the first few months. The good news is that after this initial 'burn off' the bulbs can stay at that range for a very long time. So rather than replacing the bulbs every 6 months... why not just use an extra bulb or two, or leave them on an extra hour, and get 12-18 months? While that first 10% might diminish rather quickly, the next 10% takes some time. And that doesnt even take into account the benefits of cooling.
If you arent going to use a meter, even a Lux meter at that, then I would like to suggest a better manner of giving bulb-life suggestions. The bulb change time should be matched with a percentage lost, as in, 15% in 9 months, or 20% in 12. This way people can have a more concrete manner of determining their own system's requirements, and not freak out every 6 months because the guy down the street says he has to change his bulbs every 6 months 'or else!'
The reason I say bulb life is a relative thing is because who is to say at what point a bulb is no longer capable of being used? When it loses 5%? 10%? or 40%? Making the daily photoperiod longer could easily compensate for a slightly lower output and help you get a much longer bulb life. Some people freak out when their bulbs lose 10% of their output. Well, almost every T5 bulb can lose this in the first few months. The good news is that after this initial 'burn off' the bulbs can stay at that range for a very long time. So rather than replacing the bulbs every 6 months... why not just use an extra bulb or two, or leave them on an extra hour, and get 12-18 months? While that first 10% might diminish rather quickly, the next 10% takes some time. And that doesnt even take into account the benefits of cooling.
If you arent going to use a meter, even a Lux meter at that, then I would like to suggest a better manner of giving bulb-life suggestions. The bulb change time should be matched with a percentage lost, as in, 15% in 9 months, or 20% in 12. This way people can have a more concrete manner of determining their own system's requirements, and not freak out every 6 months because the guy down the street says he has to change his bulbs every 6 months 'or else!'
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