The T5 Q&a Thread
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The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Depending on how many lamp you run I would use 2 blue pluses 1GE 3000K and 1 GE 6500K. For 6 lamps I would add a couple Aquablues.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Try 2 GE's 2 Bluepluses and Aquablue and a Super Actinic. Shoul be white with a hint of blue
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Ugh, no. Those Aquablues are day-blue bulbs... a day bulb on the whiter side. Those 6500Ks are yellower. No actinic or blue there... may not look to cool.
You have many options, but to start out, I would get a mix of various bulbs. This way you can mix/match what you have to experiment and see what you and your corals really like.
1x GE 6500K
1x ATI aquablue
2x ATI blue+ (yeah, more than 1, but youll want them... sort of a staple)
1x G-man true actinic 03
1x G-man midday or the UVL aquasun
This will provide you with a full, rich spectrum that corals will love, and give you the opportunity to leave certain bulbs off for after-hours actinic/blue viewing and see what you really like.
Grim - I have a 5 lamp T5 fixture arriving next week. It is to replace a 10K MH pendant. I am wondering what bulbs I should use (39w ea.). I do not want the tank to look blue, but I want to enhance the color from the 10K. I have mostly softies (leathers, zoas, rics, shrooms) and a couple of candy canes and a pagoda cup. I also want to have growth. What do you recommend for lamps and the order of the lamps - 1,3 & 5 are on a separate switch from 2 & 4? I am relatively new to saltwater and lighting is by far the most complicated issue. Please keep in mind that I am lighting challenged 
Thanks.
Thanks.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Front
UVL Super Actinic
GE 6500K Daylight
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
GE 6500K Daylight
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus
Beenalongtime79
New member
Hey T5 experts,
So, looking to finally add a little actinic supplementation to my lone 250W Hamilton 14K on my 60 gallon cube. With this supplementation, I might switch to XM 10Ks or EVC 10Ks for my MHs to boost par in the tank.
http://oceanencounter.com/Merchant2...e=OE&Product_Code=2TSSTR2TH&Category_Code=ST5
I'm looking at this kit and I was thinking of getting two of the pure actinic 03s or 2 of the actinic/blue pluses. Which ones should I get? Also, are these bulbs that come with the kit any good? Remember, that I'm just looking for them as supplementation to my 250W MH bulb.
Cheers,
John
So, looking to finally add a little actinic supplementation to my lone 250W Hamilton 14K on my 60 gallon cube. With this supplementation, I might switch to XM 10Ks or EVC 10Ks for my MHs to boost par in the tank.
http://oceanencounter.com/Merchant2...e=OE&Product_Code=2TSSTR2TH&Category_Code=ST5
I'm looking at this kit and I was thinking of getting two of the pure actinic 03s or 2 of the actinic/blue pluses. Which ones should I get? Also, are these bulbs that come with the kit any good? Remember, that I'm just looking for them as supplementation to my 250W MH bulb.
Cheers,
John
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Do one of each lamp, Pure Actinic and Blue/Actinic Plus. One is Violet and one is blue. They both provide a little different effect.
Beenalongtime79
New member
Thanks Grim,
So you would say that this setup will give me decent actinic supplementation?
Also, you mentioned different effects, so do they flouresce different colors better?
Thanks,
John
So you would say that this setup will give me decent actinic supplementation?
Also, you mentioned different effects, so do they flouresce different colors better?
Thanks,
John
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
The Actinic will fluoresce green colors really well and the Blue tends to bring out red and blue colors really good.
The Reefer91
New member
hey Grim, i just bought a 50g tank(36"Lx18Wx20H) and i am ordering T5 lighting. i plan on having 6x39 watt with individual SLR reflectors, run on 2 workhorse ballasts. for bulbs i am doing Geiseman(however you spell it 
) and i am wondering what combination would be best if i wanted a crisp white look when i have all the lights on, and what would be the best bulbs for actinic? in total, do you think this will be enough light for SPS and Clams? thank you in advance.
) and i am wondering what combination would be best if i wanted a crisp white look when i have all the lights on, and what would be the best bulbs for actinic? in total, do you think this will be enough light for SPS and Clams? thank you in advance.
servicky
Premium Member
Ok so i got 19 inches to work with by 60inches... What would or could you fit in there 2x250 mh and 4 or 6 t-5's i dont know how much room ya need for all this... any info would be great im leaning towards the pfo mini hqi's but then dont know the room for 4 or 6 t-5s would fit????
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
The Reefer91,
Well, until Grim gets back... yes the 6 bulb system should provide you with loads of output. My only concern would be the WH ballast... yoiu might look into some other true T5 spec ballast by Sylvania, Universal, or Advance (or even Vossloh Schwabe). You will get more output from your bulbs and more life.
As for bulbs, Id do something like this...
2x UVL day/Giesemann midday/GE 6500K... 'SUN' bulbs.
2x ATI blue +
2x Giesemann true actinic03 or UVL Super Actinic
This combo will look whiter than if you used aquablue bulbs for the daylight (then it would look more 14,000Kish), but the actinics will still allow you to have your night viewing.
Well, until Grim gets back... yes the 6 bulb system should provide you with loads of output. My only concern would be the WH ballast... yoiu might look into some other true T5 spec ballast by Sylvania, Universal, or Advance (or even Vossloh Schwabe). You will get more output from your bulbs and more life.
As for bulbs, Id do something like this...
2x UVL day/Giesemann midday/GE 6500K... 'SUN' bulbs.
2x ATI blue +
2x Giesemann true actinic03 or UVL Super Actinic
This combo will look whiter than if you used aquablue bulbs for the daylight (then it would look more 14,000Kish), but the actinics will still allow you to have your night viewing.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
You will need more "blue" lamps than you think. Hahn's reco is good although I personally think I Actinic is enough if you use the UVL Super Actinic lamp. I use a single one in a Helios reflector for the dusk dawn in my 60x18x22 tank and it is plenty for the tank, it really looks incredable for just one lamp. I would probably sneak an aquablue in place of one of the actinics. Running an actinic and blue plus together will make for some tasty nightime viewing.
Run a fan, free output and it should extend the life of the lamps. Like Hahn said, avoid the WH ballast if possible. They will work, but not as well as a real T5 ballast.
Run a fan, free output and it should extend the life of the lamps. Like Hahn said, avoid the WH ballast if possible. They will work, but not as well as a real T5 ballast.
The Reefer91
New member
i was also think about 2xAquablue plus, 2x 6000k midday bulbs, and 2x Pure actinic.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
You might squeeze 4 T5's in with the minis, you nee 2 1/2 inches per lamp.
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