The T5 Q&a Thread

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You would be better off buying quality the first time. I suggest either Solar Flares for the ultimate in PAR plus moonlights built-in or the ATI PowerModule or SunPower (excellently priced at roughly the same price as the TekLight) that ReefGeek is going to have (hopefully) soon. Other options include the Fauna Marin UltraSolaris that Aquarium Obsessed imports or an Aquatinics T5 fixture. All these fixtures have active cooling and produce much better PAR than the Tek. They are also made by quality companies that stand by what they make if there's a problem.
Click to expand...

Solar Flares seem to be 799. everywhere, anyone know anywhere they are less?
Can't find the ATI PowerModule or SunPower anywhere. checked reefgeek with no luck. any ideas??
 
Is $799.00, plus shipping on top for the 4' Solar Flare about the best price out there? I don't want to wait an indefinite amount of time for availability on the ATI's , as the lights will be the only thing holding me up from setting up my 240. It's my understanding that the SF are over-driven to 80 watts, if that is correct, how does that effect lamp life? I will be using these on a 8' tank 24" deep, any thoughts on sps health. Thoughts please, and thanks.
 
With normally driven T5's you can push the lamps 18 months or so. Overdriven 54 watt lamps you would probably want to change a little sooner, maybe 14 months.

Your only other choice right now would be the 4 foot Aquactinics constellation, you would have to contact Aquactinics and see where they are with production of that unit, they currently have a 6 foot version and I am not sure if the 4 footer is out yet or not. That is a 7 lamp normally driven fixture with active cooling and reflectors that are as good or slightly better than the Ice Caps.
 
Grim,
I finally switched from 4 vhos to T5s with IC reflectors. You suggested the following setup:

Front
Blue Plus (660)
VHO Actinic (430)
GE Daylight (660)
Aqua Blue (660)
Blue Plus

In my haste, I did not add the last Blue Plus as I wanted to see how it would look with just the 3 T5s. It's ok...nothing to talk about but definitely brighter. Will adding the last Blue Plus make much of a difference?

I was also thinking of doing the following:

Use the IC 430 for 2 T5s, and a workhorse ballast for the single vho actinic so I would have a six bulb configuration. Will this be ok? Should I switch any of the bulbs for UVLs?

How would I then configure the bulbs for a mixed reef with mostly LPS?
I ask because the canopy is 6' long and I have a hard time getting help to get it off and put it back on, so I want to do this in one shot if I can.

Thanks
 
First off thanks for all of the information over time. You guys helped me about a year ago and need help again please.
I have a 95 gal 48"x24"x17" zoa mostly tank.
Canopy with 2 adjustable fans, 4 x 54 watt T5 Tek retro kit with IC reflectors from reefgeek. Blubs are aquablue+, actinic+, aquablue+, actinic+ front to back.
I get great color but am trying to improve growth.
Any recommendations? I also have a Giesseman 6000K bulb that is unused.
Should I change bulbs or add another 2 x 54 kit? If so which? I cannot replace my entire set up though.
Thanks again.
 
Ok, if I go with two 48" 7 bulb constellation units for my 8 ft. 240, which bulbs would you suggest, the choices are:

Giesemann
54W T5 Actinic Plus Giesemann PowerChrome Bulb 48inch
54W T5 Aquablue Plus 11K Giesemann PowerChrome Bulb
54W T5 Midday 6000K Giesemann PowerChrome Bulb 48inch
54W T5 Pure Actinic Giesemann PowerChrome Bulb 48inch

ATI
54W 12000K ATI Aquablue Special T5HO
54W ATI Blue Plus T5HO


UVL
54W URI Actinic White 12000k
54W URI Aquasun 10,000k
54W URI Super Actinic 420nm

GE
54W 6500K GE Starcoat Daylight T5 HO 48inch

Thank you!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9914276#post9914276 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by allykahn
Grim,
I finally switched from 4 vhos to T5s with IC reflectors. You suggested the following setup:

Front
Blue Plus (660)
VHO Actinic (430)
GE Daylight (660)
Aqua Blue (660)
Blue Plus

In my haste, I did not add the last Blue Plus as I wanted to see how it would look with just the 3 T5s. It's ok...nothing to talk about but definitely brighter. Will adding the last Blue Plus make much of a difference?

I was also thinking of doing the following:

Use the IC 430 for 2 T5s, and a workhorse ballast for the single vho actinic so I would have a six bulb configuration. Will this be ok? Should I switch any of the bulbs for UVLs?

How would I then configure the bulbs for a mixed reef with mostly LPS?
I ask because the canopy is 6' long and I have a hard time getting help to get it off and put it back on, so I want to do this in one shot if I can.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I would add the Blue Plus. You could just try adding a blue plus in place of the Aquablue to get an idea of the look but I would get a fourth T5 in there for sure.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9914429#post9914429 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KafudaFish
First off thanks for all of the information over time. You guys helped me about a year ago and need help again please.
I have a 95 gal 48"x24"x17" zoa mostly tank.
Canopy with 2 adjustable fans, 4 x 54 watt T5 Tek retro kit with IC reflectors from reefgeek. Blubs are aquablue+, actinic+, aquablue+, actinic+ front to back.
I get great color but am trying to improve growth.
Any recommendations? I also have a Giesseman 6000K bulb that is unused.
Should I change bulbs or add another 2 x 54 kit? If so which? I cannot replace my entire set up though.
Thanks again.
Click to expand...

Try the 6000K in place of a Aquablue.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9914700#post9914700 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by r2odie
Ok, if I go with two 48" 7 bulb constellation units for my 8 ft. 240, which bulbs would you suggest, the choices are:

Giesemann
54W T5 Actinic Plus Giesemann PowerChrome Bulb 48inch
54W T5 Aquablue Plus 11K Giesemann PowerChrome Bulb
54W T5 Midday 6000K Giesemann PowerChrome Bulb 48inch
54W T5 Pure Actinic Giesemann PowerChrome Bulb 48inch

ATI
54W 12000K ATI Aquablue Special T5HO
54W ATI Blue Plus T5HO


UVL
54W URI Actinic White 12000k
54W URI Aquasun 10,000k
54W URI Super Actinic 420nm

GE
54W 6500K GE Starcoat Daylight T5 HO 48inch

Thank you!
Click to expand...

Try this for a start

Front
Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun or GE 300K (reefgeek has them)
Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
Blue Plus
Aquablue
 
T5 migration

T5 migration

OK, the summer is now upon us and heat issues are becoming a reality. I currently have 2x 250W Coralvue 14K (colour is nearly 20K) MH bulbs supplemented by 4 39W T5 ATI Blue+ bulbs on a 6' tank.

I'm thinking of removing the MH bulbs and replacing them with more T5s. I am only lighting softies and LPS. I have 12" of front to back space to add the new bulbs. According to my math, I should be able to add another 3 "strips" (6 bulbs) with space to spare for a grand total of 5 "strips" lighting the entire length of the tank.

Is 5 enough on a 24" deep tank?

So, I have (Front to Back)

Blue+
-blank-
-blank-
-blank-
Blue+

What should I add in the middle? My goal is for Blue-er than a 14K Hamilton, but whiter than a 20K XM.

Thanks in advance!
 
With 12" of available space you should be able to add 4 more lamps for a total of 6.

Try this

Front
Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
GE 6500K or UVL Aquasun
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus
 
Well awhile back looked at lighting a 55g. Things have changed and now have a 75 gallon. Looking at lights I see some new(?) offers from Reefgeek for 4X54W T5 HO but they also have T5 VHO? What is the extra money really buying me between VHO and HO? Is it really a big difference?

Also Icecap and Tek 2 are the same amount. Which would be a better choice for retro? And finally could someone suggest a bulb layout or will it be the same as suggested for my 55g?

Thanks for the help!

-David
 
Thanks Grim and Jamesdawson for your responses and help. I wish that there was one dffinative winner in the bunch, but it seems like we are going to go with the Constallations, as they seem more readily available. I hope that will be enough light for SPS corals. We will use the bulbs suggested by Grim, thanks for the help, You guys are great.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9918077#post9918077 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kirkbjerk
Well awhile back looked at lighting a 55g. Things have changed and now have a 75 gallon. Looking at lights I see some new(?) offers from Reefgeek for 4X54W T5 HO but they also have T5 VHO? What is the extra money really buying me between VHO and HO? Is it really a big difference?

Also Icecap and Tek 2 are the same amount. Which would be a better choice for retro? And finally could someone suggest a bulb layout or will it be the same as suggested for my 55g?

Thanks for the help!

-David
Click to expand...

Don't waste your money on the Tek II reflectors, too big and still don't beat the Ice Caps. They would probably be good for supplimenting halides but the unfocused light spread they produce does nothing to help penetration.

4 lamp overdriven system or a 6 lamp Tek retro upgraded to Ice Cap reflectors. The overdriven Ice Cap system is what they are refering to a VHO. As far as I know there isn't a true T5 VHO other than UVL's which were only really designed to withstand overdriving.
 
Soooo many options!! Yikes. I have seen tons of combo's for the popular Tek 4 and 8 bulb setups and even some 7 bulb setups. What would the recomendation be for the Aquatinics 5 bulb light(36" unit on a 50 breeder)? I like the white with a hint of blue look. Though the 20K look seems to really pop colors. I am imagining a BIG change as I am upgrading from PC's. I would like good growth and color of SPS acro's and others, also a clam or two. Maybe a few zoo's and shrooms on the bottom or shaded areas. I would like an option or two (willing to buy a few extra bulbs) to experiment with. Right now my Tri-color and blue Acro look flat and colorless but I knew they would under the PC's. Shoot away! Love to hear from people with the Aquatinics fixture too - what are you using?
 
An idea, wish I had the knowledge and I'd do it (but I don't :(. Seems like a spreadsheet top heading of like 10K, 14K, 20k look and under it a list of bulb combos by various manufactures would be an awesome reference. Just and idea...I'd make the sheet if someone had the info. It'd save a lot of surfing time.
 
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