The T5 Q&a Thread

[BigEasy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9263204#post9263204 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by anin
. My friend told me that his 3000k grew alot of algae on his tank. I wanted to know if this is true? He has the 5 bulb setup.TIA
Anindo

I have the 3k and have no increase in algae growth that I would attribute to the bulb. I did have a flare (now almost gone) but it was due to nutrients being stirred up on a rearrangement of the tank.

Hey Grim,
How about PAR on the 3k to add to your list?

Also I got a new 6500k and I agree with an earlier statement that it is WAY more white to the eye than the old 6500k. Do you know if the spectral output changed when the visual color changed?

 

[drstupid]

hey grim, i took your advice and added a UVL super actintic and ATI blue plus to my phoenix 14K HQI lighting, got them running today, and i'm very psyched. my MH's are already very blue, but the T5's fill in the shadows beautifully and very subtly enhance the coral colors. i can't wait for the halides to turn off to see what the actintics look like at night.

it's a sunlight supply tek 2 retrofit, which i know you sort of frown on, but the whole thing came together at the right price and with only a couple of hours of work.

kudos to reefgeek for an excellent job packaging the shipment. i have a buddy that took three shipments to get his T5's from a different company, these guys know exactly what they're doing.

i still love the halides for the glitter lines, but the T5 actintics are a great complement, they fill in the color beautifully. and are totally worth the minimal cost of the retrofit, plus the what 1 amp draw on the ballast? insane. it's like buying my wife a hybrid to complement my diesel pickup.

thanks for your help, buddy! i hope i can return the favor someday.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9268138#post9268138 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BigEasy
I have the 3k and have no increase in algae growth that I would attribute to the bulb. I did have a flare (now almost gone) but it was due to nutrients being stirred up on a rearrangement of the tank.

Hey Grim,
How about PAR on the 3k to add to your list?

Also I got a new 6500k and I agree with an earlier statement that it is WAY more white to the eye than the old 6500k. Do you know if the spectral output changed when the visual color changed?

I ont remember the exact number but the 3000K was a bit better than the 6500K. The 5000K was a lot lower.

 

[paisleyw]

Grim and Hahn,

I'm glad that I listened to your advice, I can't tell you how happy I am with the new lighting! My tank temp dropped from 83 down to 79 degrees with the new setup. Not to mention that I went from a 18In tall canopy to 6 inches! I was almost shocked to see that the T5's are brighter than the Halides (and I'm using less power now :lol: ) The colors didn't "pop" like others had said but they are a lot more vivid now.

I promised pics of before and after shots once I upgraded!
Before with 2X250W XM 10K's and 2 T5 Atinics:

Now with 8X54W T5's:

The lights inside are a tight fit:

Hopefully SanJay's test will show what I have seen since switching, I can't wait to see the results now

 

[Beenalongtime79]

If only T5s has glitter lines...

 

[paisleyw]

In my case the trade off should be worth it. Missing glitter lines is only another excuse to plan a diving trip :rollface:

 

[anin]

My nitrates right now are <.5 and I don't have any phosphate test. It seems like the the bulb isn't an issue as i figured..

 

[CorradoGuy]

I have a 4 bulb retro with icecap reflectors and icecap ballasts (2 430 ballasts). The bulbs I use are from front to back: actinic +, aquablue, aquablue, and actinic +. The 2 actinic+ and one aquablue are about 6 weeks old and the other aquable is about a year (got 4 new bulbs and one aquablue burnt out within a month so put in a spare) My tank is a 37gal (30L x 12D x 22T)

I love the look i get from them but I dont know if i have to much light and am bleaching a red monti cap or dont have enough and its fading away. What do you guys think? I've had the red cap for about 6 weeks and its been fading for about the last 3 to 4 weeks. The tank it came from was a 75g that had two 1 year old 175w 15k XM bulbs and 2 54w actinic+ bulbs. All my other sps' seem to be fine. The monti is 6 to 7inches below the water and the bulbs are 3 inches above. Other sps are slightly higher than monti.

If its not enough light i'd light to hear some suggestions on bulb combo's and if its to much do you think its to late to put some screens up and aclimate it?

Sorry for long post but i tried to be detailed as possible.

Also, to Grim or to anyone else that might know. Your par reading for the different bulbs what was the depth on the par meter?

 

[eg617]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9246752#post9246752 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I would run a 4 lamp Ice Cap retro and a 2 lamp Tek retro for dusk/dawn.

Front
UVL super actinic 9Tek Ballast)
Blue Plus
UVL Aquasun or GE 3000K
Blue Plus
Aquablue
UVL Super Actinic (Tek Ballast)

Hey grim will this bulb setup have a nice blue/purple tint to it?
I currently have a 90 gal with 2 2x54 tek retrokit 2 aquablue 2 superactinic. I want to add some sps in my tank so Im planning on overdriving them with a IC ballast and keep one of the 2x54 retro.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9270161#post9270161 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CorradoGuy
I have a 4 bulb retro with icecap reflectors and icecap ballasts (2 430 ballasts). The bulbs I use are from front to back: actinic +, aquablue, aquablue, and actinic +. The 2 actinic+ and one aquablue are about 6 weeks old and the other aquable is about a year (got 4 new bulbs and one aquablue burnt out within a month so put in a spare) My tank is a 37gal (30L x 12D x 22T)

I love the look i get from them but I dont know if i have to much light and am bleaching a red monti cap or dont have enough and its fading away. What do you guys think? I've had the red cap for about 6 weeks and its been fading for about the last 3 to 4 weeks. The tank it came from was a 75g that had two 1 year old 175w 15k XM bulbs and 2 54w actinic+ bulbs. All my other sps' seem to be fine. The monti is 6 to 7inches below the water and the bulbs are 3 inches above. Other sps are slightly higher than monti.

If its not enough light i'd light to hear some suggestions on bulb combo's and if its to much do you think its to late to put some screens up and aclimate it?

Sorry for long post but i tried to be detailed as possible.

Also, to Grim or to anyone else that might know. Your par reading for the different bulbs what was the depth on the par meter?

The lamp PAR reaings were dry readings for comparisons only.

Try swapping out one of your Aquablues for a Pure Actinic lamp if you have one.

 

[CorradoGuy]

So Grim, if I understand you right, you agree I might have to much light and bleaching the monti. I dont currently have a pure actinic but planned on buying a bulb or two this week from reefgeek to replace my year old aquablue. I don't mind buying the UV pure actinic if you think it wil help.

So with my current set up of 4 bulbs what bulb combo would you use?

front:
actinic+
uv pure actinic
aquablue (will pick up the ati when i put in order)
actinic+
back

or would you throw a ge 6500k in the mix as well? I could possible add a 5th bulb but it would be a very tight fit. I will completely redo my light set up if you think it could be better. Any advice would be greatly aprreciated.

The reason i say this is b/c I have the oportunity to pick up my friends 175w MH setup but will still cost me money to buy reflectors w/mogles, new bulbs and redoing my canopy to raise it to allow the MH to fit. I would rather fine tune my t5 setup than put in the MH's but want my corals to grow and look good.

Anyone elses input is also welcome.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I am guessing that you have greatly increase your light. The XM 15K is a nearly worthless light source so I am betting the Aquablues are hitting the corals with a lot more mojo than they are used to.

 

[cashman95]

Guys please dont flame me to death here, but I have had my head in Reef Central ALL day reading about bulbs and such, at the same time taking care of my sick wife and demanding 8 month old!

Now that I have asked for forgivness for not searching this post more.....Its just sooo damn long!!!

Grim do you prefer UV bulbs over Gman? I am getting ready to order bulbs and was looking at Gman from marine depot, but after a few pages in this thread it looks like UV is your prefered taste. I would REALLY like to stick with all the same name brand making it easier to replace them when the time comes.

Can you explain to me why the different name brands in one light setup?

Thanks In advance for your time!!!

Please have mercy on me Flamers!!!!

 

[cashman95]

Had another thought...probably been thought of before but here goes.

Grim since you are the Master of T-5 info why dont you make a link to a page explaining reason behind your input. Like color setups, intensity, Name brands your prefer and why. You know create a page of just plain out Great information, that way when people like me ask the same old questions 10 times a day you can just link it to us and not have to get bogged down in all the clutter?

Just a thought.. I mean you could probably write a Book!?!?!?

Thanks Again!

 

[CorradoGuy]

Thanks Grim for the input. I had read so much on MH and T5's just recently that it didn't even really occur to me that the 15k XM had such a weak par reading. This thread is awesome and I've learned so much from it.

I do have another question however.

When reading about MH's, people were saying you need a par reading of over 400, i think it was, for sps growth. But by your reading T5's are well under that. Why is it the T5's still grow sps' just fine with par reading under that? I still think T5's are awesome but just kinda wanted to know if the MH people were right about the 400par thing or if 400par for a MH and 400par on a T5 are completely different. Maybre I'm answering my own question here but could it be the par reading for all the T5 bulbs together are more than the 300ish par for the individual T5's.

Enough rambling thank for the input.

 

[i2go]

Hey,
Currently i have 4x54w t5's HO, individual reflectors. 2daylight 10k, and 2 actinic. I want to start getting some SPS to actuallly grow in my 50g. I was thinking of adding 2 more daylight, or actinic, which one....? or theres like UVB 6500k and UVB 11k.
thanks just throwing it out.

 

[TropTrea]

I personaly like the top picture better however I'm definatly aware that no camera is identical to the eye in all cases. Just looking at the teflections on the base of the tank I can see that the camea used different color corection alogrithims between the two pictures.

I will admit though that the t-5 lighing does look brighter and it my calcculations are correct you have about 2.3 of the power being used with the T-5's as you had with the combination.

I also see an advantage with the T-5 system that if you do not like the color balance you can change it quicker by simply changing one or two bulbs to a different color temp.

Personaly I'm still debating on my 120 if I'll go with 2 10K hides and 2 T-5's or 6 T-5's. However for my 40 gallon I'm definatly going to run 4 t-5's.

Dennis

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9268607#post9268607 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by paisleyw
Grim and Hahn,

I'm glad that I listened to your advice, I can't tell you how happy I am with the new lighting! My tank temp dropped from 83 down to 79 degrees with the new setup. Not to mention that I went from a 18In tall canopy to 6 inches! I was almost shocked to see that the T5's are brighter than the Halides (and I'm using less power now :lol: ) The colors didn't "pop" like others had said but they are a lot more vivid now.


Hopefully SanJay's test will show what I have seen since switching, I can't wait to see the results now

 

[TropTrea]

Personalky that 400Par for SPS I think ir realy a minimium. In nature where SPOS's flourish the PAR is many times that. Now where you got the 300 number for t-5's is interesting because I have yet to see a non-bias specrtrum analysis on T-5's.

As far a combining bulbs to get higher PAR values is the truth however it is not always a one to one ration. But if you had 2 bulbs equal distant from the same point and focused on it the total PAr at that point would be 2 times what one individual bulb would be,. Simularly with 8 bulbs at the same distance and focused on the same point you would 8 tames what one bulb would give you.

Now on the down side with multiple bulbs some will be closer and some witll be farther from that point. Also each bulb will have its own focus point or area and in a 8 bulb arangement it is possible that the far bubls may not even be focusing light at all on the same point. Therefore the only true means of determining what a group of bulbs will give you at any given point is to actually take measurements.

Now if one bulb were putting out a PAR of 300 at a given point it is possible for a group of 8 bulbs in a 16" fixture to give out a total of probably 900 to 2,400 at a given point, dependent upon how they were focused.

Dennis

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9274406#post9274406 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CorradoGuy


When reading about MH's, people were saying you need a par reading of over 400, i think it was, for sps growth. But by your reading T5's are well under that. Why is it the T5's still grow sps' just fine with par reading under that? I still think T5's are awesome but just kinda wanted to know if the MH people were right about the 400par thing or if 400par for a MH and 400par on a T5 are completely different. Maybre I'm answering my own question here but could it be the par reading for all the T5 bulbs together are more than the 300ish par for the individual T5's.

Enough rambling thank for the input.

 

[scoutmaniak]

Grim ive read every page of this very long thread, and still dont know the exact bulbs to buy. Im getting the "limited Editon" tek 6 bulb light, with the better refectors. They are simulare to the ice cap refectors. I want a 14k look in the tank. Not to blue, but no yellow. What would you recomend?? Im getting the light in the next few days, so chime in soon, lol. Oh and I want he daun to dusk affect. I like the 1 actinic and 1 blue plus idea, and I will use that, I just need to know the other 4 bulbs, lol. If you dont chime in before I get it, I plan to use:

Front
G-man Pure actinic 03
ATI Blue Plus
G-man 11k aquasun
GE 6500k
G-man Pure actinic 03
ATI Blue Plus

Let me know how this will look,

Michael

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9276823#post9276823 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TropTrea
Personalky that 400Par for SPS I think ir realy a minimium. In nature where SPOS's flourish the PAR is many times that.

And most corals start to photosaturate, and then photoinhibit my 10 AM in these conditions. SPS evolved to SURVIVE these conditions, not thrive.