The T5 Q&a Thread

[ebayes11]

Grim,

I've got a 29" deep 140 gal tank with an 8-bulb Ice Cap T5 retrofit kit going. I'd like to replicate color in the 17000k -20000k. What bulbs should I go with to accomplish this? Is this the optimum bulb configuration?

Thanks,

 

[jstlsn]

Grim,

Thanks for the previous responses.

How much better are the IceCap T-5 Retro than the Tek T-5s? How are they compared? I currently have an IceCap IC430 Ballast running my VHOs. Is this the same IceCap Ballast that powers the T-5's in their retro kits? I think that the IceCap and Tek Retros will work out to the same price if I don't have to buy both IceCap Ballasts. I can't decide if I want the IceCap Retro's or the Tek Ready Fits. I do like the clean wiring with the Ready Fits. But if the IceCaps are just that much better I might go with them. Any opinions?

Thanks
Brad

 

[jstlsn]

OOPS!!!!

Posted twice.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9385238#post9385238 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by victor_c3
to get straight to the point, I have a 30 gallon tank that measures 31.5" long x 13.75" wide x 15.5" tall and I would like to keep mostly SPS in my tank and a few of the more light hungry LPS and softies (i.e. an elegance coral on the bottom of the tank, a maze brain coral on bottom, and a yellow fiji leather coral [placement yet to be decided]).

I have my lighting narrowed down to a 4x 24 watt T5 system or a 6x 24 watt T5 system. Due to budget constraints, I'd rather stick to the 4x bulb system, but I'm worried that it wouldn't be sufficient to support the corals I'd like to keep. What would you recommend?

Any guidance I could receive would really help and be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Victor

4 lamps should be plenty on that short of a tank.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9385491#post9385491 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ebayes11
Grim,

I've got a 29" deep 140 gal tank with an 8-bulb Ice Cap T5 retrofit kit going. I'd like to replicate color in the 17000k -20000k. What bulbs should I go with to accomplish this? Is this the optimum bulb configuration?

Thanks,

I am hoping I guess right about the lamps your using, 54watts I hope?

Front
Blue Plus
Super Actinic
Aquablue
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Super Actinic
Aquablue
Blue Plus

That should be pretty vivid. You can play around with the positions to try to get 2 Super Actinics and 2 Blue Pluses on one ballasts for Dusk/dawn.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9386642#post9386642 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jstlsn
Grim,

Thanks for the previous responses.

How much better are the IceCap T-5 Retro than the Tek T-5s? How are they compared? I currently have an IceCap IC430 Ballast running my VHOs. Is this the same IceCap Ballast that powers the T-5's in their retro kits? I think that the IceCap and Tek Retros will work out to the same price if I don't have to buy both IceCap Ballasts. I can't decide if I want the IceCap Retro's or the Tek Ready Fits. I do like the clean wiring with the Ready Fits. But if the IceCaps are just that much better I might go with them. Any opinions?

Thanks
Brad

A 4x54 watt Ice cap retrofit did 183 PAR to the sandbed of my 125. Using spec T5 ballasts but still using IC reflectors dropped it to 135.

You can run 2 T5's with your 430 ballast. Would be good to run 1 Aquablue and one Daylight or sun on that ballast and use the standard triad ballasts for the other lamps.

 

[jstlsn]

So, having all bulbs running on IceCap ballests would provide the most amount of light. Any reason this could be considered too much?

Thanks
Brad

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9388448#post9388448 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
A 4x54 watt Ice cap retrofit did 183 PAR to the sandbed of my 125. Using spec T5 ballasts but still using IC reflectors dropped it to 135.

You can run 2 T5's with your 430 ballast. Would be good to run 1 Aquablue and one Daylight or sun on that ballast and use the standard triad ballasts for the other lamps.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

If your tank is less than like 22 inches tall open brains and shrooms can get too much light if you arent careful how you place them.

 

[yeldarbj]

What is the total length of a 39w T5 bulb including the endcaps? Do I need to factor any additional length for getting them in or out?

 

[Hawkphish]

I've been following this forum for about a month now trying to figure out what to do for my lighting. I have a 120 gallon All-Glass Aquarium with a All-Glass Aquarium stand and canopy. My canopy sits 9 inches above the water line in the tank. I was going to do a 6 bulb IC Retro but I'm worrind the bulbs would be to far from the water. How much will the distance effect the light in the tank? Would I be better off getting the tek fixture and using the legs and have it under the canopy? Not sure what kind of heat problems I would have if any with either application. The canopy is fully open in the back, I was hoping I wouldn't need to run fans. I was planning on mounting the ballasts for the retro either in the stand under the tank or in the opposite room with my refugium.

Any advice you could give or other solutions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Hawkphish

 

[The Grim Reefer]

T5 lamps are slightly shorter than their advertised length end to end with the moisture proof endcaps installed. I think it is about 3/4" under but I don't have a 39 watt system set up to get you an exact number.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9389629#post9389629 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by yeldarbj
What is the total length of a 39w T5 bulb including the endcaps? Do I need to factor any additional length for getting them in or out?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9390004#post9390004 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Hawkphish
I've been following this forum for about a month now trying to figure out what to do for my lighting. I have a 120 gallon All-Glass Aquarium with a All-Glass Aquarium stand and canopy. My canopy sits 9 inches above the water line in the tank. I was going to do a 6 bulb IC Retro but I'm worrind the bulbs would be to far from the water. How much will the distance effect the light in the tank? Would I be better off getting the tek fixture and using the legs and have it under the canopy? Not sure what kind of heat problems I would have if any with either application. The canopy is fully open in the back, I was hoping I wouldn't need to run fans. I was planning on mounting the ballasts for the retro either in the stand under the tank or in the opposite room with my refugium.

Any advice you could give or other solutions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Hawkphish

Just did a little experiment on lamp height last night. Going from 4 1/4" above the water down to 2 3/4" increased PAR from 333 to 363. The fixture started out low enough that there wasn't an issue with the light spilling over the front and back of the tank. You would probably see an even bigger gain going from say 8" above down to 5" because you are beginning to get low enough that the light is being confined to the inside of the tank rather than scattering over the front and back.

Fans are you friends. Even normally driven cooling the lamps and ballasts gains a lot of output. I am not sure what you have for room and openings in your canopy. It the top hinges open you could mount the lamps lower in the canopy on a board that is hinged at the back so you can just lift the lights up out of your way. That might still work if the top doesn't open up. you just need to play around and see what kind of room you will have to be able to access the tank without pulling the canopy.

As far as fans you don't want to air blowing directly on the lamps, it isn't hard to overcool them and you only need to cause air movement to see a nice gain in output. I would have a fan at each end of the canopy blowing in at the endcaps and very ends of the lamps. As far as the ballasts if you can place them so air is passing over them you gain an advantage too.

 

[sgallagher7]

I am about to make my first light purchase for my 75. Reef geek has a great sale right now on Tek lights. Will the 6x54 set-up be enough for my 75? Im interested in having a clam or 2 as well as some zoa's, softies, and lps's in the future. I want to do the right thing the first time around. I appologize if this question has come up. My eyes's are crossed trying to search through the 34 pages of very good information.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Go for the limited edition Tek. It hase better reflectors. Get the splash shield and keep the fixture low on the tank and you will be fine. If you add a small clip on fan blowing over the top of the fixture you get a nice boost in output.

 

[sgallagher7]

Thanks grim. You rock!

 

[aquamariner]

If I'm going with that ReefGeek IceCap retro with the overdriven bulbs, how do I get the bulbs to start at different times on timers if there is only one ballast?

 

[Aaarrrggg]

Wow this is the longest thread I have ever seen! Amazing work Grim, look at that post count! Hehe

I have come here seeking your T5 wisdom!
What would you recommend for:
- 57g (120cm x 40cm x 45cm)
- Softies (zoas, mushrooms, leathers, yumas)
- RBTA (one day)
- More blue than white, so the coral colour really pops.

I’m looking at a Tek x6 bulb, maybe 4 blue and 2 white….would that be too much for the mushrooms?

Any advice would be much appreciated

 

[jstlsn]

WOW, everytime I ask a question I get more confused and come up with 5 more questions. And, I still don't know which T-5 Setup will be the best for my tank. So, I am going to try and make this easy for myself.

I have a 75 Gallon tank. It is 20" tall. It has a 4" deep sand bed. This leaves 16" from the top of the water to the top of the sand. I have a custom canopy over my tank and the top is 12" above the water level. The custom canopy also has two 4" IceCap Fans (one on each side) blowing into the tank over the top of the water.

I would like to add T-5's to my tank and make sure I have enough light for anything I might decide to put in my tank.

So, which T-5 setup would be the best for my tank? Here are the options I am considering.

Option #1 - IceCap 48" Retrofit: 6-54W T5 HO Fluorescents (could reuse my current IC430 ballast)

Option #2 - IceCap 48" Retrofit: 2-54W T5 HO Fluorescents (could reuse my current IC430 ballast) & Tek 48" Retrofit: 4-54W T5 HO Fluorescents (upgrade to the IceCap Reflectors)

Option #3 - Tek 48" Retrofit: 6-54W T5 HO Fluorescents (upgrade to the IceCap Reflectors)

Based on the option that is best for my tank, what blub configuration would work best?

Hopefully this will clear everything up for me and I can order my new lights.

Thanks
Brad

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9393419#post9393419 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aquamariner
If I'm going with that ReefGeek IceCap retro with the overdriven bulbs, how do I get the bulbs to start at different times on timers if there is only one ballast?

Only way to get dusk dawn would be to use 2 Ice Cap ballasts. You could use the IC for 2 lamps and get a Triad ballast for a couple of the blue lamps.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9393511#post9393511 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Aaarrrggg
Wow this is the longest thread I have ever seen! Amazing work Grim, look at that post count! Hehe

I have come here seeking your T5 wisdom!
What would you recommend for:
- 57g (120cm x 40cm x 45cm)
- Softies (zoas, mushrooms, leathers, yumas)
- RBTA (one day)
- More blue than white, so the coral colour really pops.

I’m looking at a Tek x6 bulb, maybe 4 blue and 2 white….would that be too much for the mushrooms?

Any advice would be much appreciated

Depends on the look you want. 3 Blue Pluses, a Super Actinic, Aquablue and one of the suns or daylights would be kinda 14K halide like.