The T5 Q&a Thread

[Macksk8]

Have you had any experience using workhorse ballasts with t5s?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

They work but the output isn't as good as the Dynamic and Triad ballast provide.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

They work but the output isn't as good as the Dynamic and Triad ballast provide.

 

[bigfruits]

Mr. Reefer (and class),
i want to set up a 30 gallon aquarium (18 inch depth) and want to go with t5 lighting. i only plan on keeping lps, softies and zoos.
im thinking about the 4 bulb tek fixture and have a few questions.

will i need to keep mushrooms shaded or will they be ok on the sand? how high above the aquarium should i have the fixture so that i dont hurt the softies?

also, i want a blueish look but not too blue. how does this sound?

front
super actinic
aquablue
aquablue
blueplus
back

thanks in advance,
-z

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I would swap the rear most Aquablue for a GE daylight if you don't want too much blue. Tray shifting the fixture to the rear a bit and shrooms should be OK on the sand near the front of the rock where the more powerful lamps light is shaded.

 

[pammy]

confused about which T5 light fixture I should get

confused about which T5 light fixture I should get

Hey all. I don't know why I'm having such a hard choice picking my light fixture. It's the last piece of equipment I need to buy before I can get my tank up and running. I've decided on T5 lighting...but that's as far as I've gotten.

I have a 53g 30.5" x 19.5" x 19.5 " tank. (Elos)

I want to keep fish and soft corals. I've heard from some that 4 bulbs is plenty for soft corals....and others have said I need 4 or 5 bulbs.

Some people in this forum have recommended 5 or 6 bulb T5 fixture, but I can't seem to find any 2 foot long 5 or 6 bulb light fixtures. I know that Aquatinics is coming out with a 5 bulb 24" light fixture soon, but does anyone else make a 5 or 6 bulb T5 light fixture?

I'd really like a light fixture with a built in fan...but is a fan necessary with a 4 bulb T5 light fixture? And I definitely want individual reflectors.

These are the fixtures I've been looking at:

Aquatinics 5 bulb 24" T5 fixture coming out in the next month or so.
Pros....5 bulbs, individual reflectors, Built in fan
Cons.... The styling of the fixture isn't as nice looking as some of the other fixtures out there. I don't like the hard corners compared to the choices below.

Sun Supply Tek Light - 24" 4 bulb light fixture
Pros.... Nice design
Cons..... no built in fan, only a 4 bulb choice that I'm aware of in the 24" fixture

ATI Power Module
Pros....Nice design. Built in Fan and reflectors
Cons....won't be out for about 1-3 months...more likely 2 or 3 months. Anxious to get my tank up in the next few weeks.

Elos Planet 4 bulb Light Fixture
Pros.... Beautiful design
Cons.... Expensive.
http://www.eloseurope.com/index.php...ry_id=14&option=com_phpshop&Itemid=76&lang=en


Any choices I may not have looked at? What T5 fixture would you get for my size tank if you were keeping softies and fish only?

Thanks!
Pam

 

[brandon0350]

will cheap bulbs turn my acros brown? i had halides on my tank with good growth and color but changed to a 4 bulb t5 retro from hellolights and they included 4 tru brand bulbs (never herd of them) 2 actinic 2 10k. since putting them on all of my acros have slowely turned brown. its a 40 breeder 36x18 deep x 16 tall. i know it has something to do with the lights because my maintenance is the same ad i had good results before the light change. thanks for your help

 

[The Grim Reefer]

There are no really good choices out there right now. If you could do a canopy a retrofit would be your best solution.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9570084#post9570084 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by brandon0350
will cheap bulbs turn my acros brown? i had halides on my tank with good growth and color but changed to a 4 bulb t5 retro from hellolights and they included 4 tru brand bulbs (never herd of them) 2 actinic 2 10k. since putting them on all of my acros have slowely turned brown. its a 40 breeder 36x18 deep x 16 tall. i know it has something to do with the lights because my maintenance is the same ad i had good results before the light change. thanks for your help

I suppose if the lamps have pathetic output they could cause that. Grab yourself 1 ATI blue Plus, 1 Aquablue, 1 UVL Super Actinic and 1 Aquasun and see what happens.

 

[widow1]

i'm looking for a bluer look than my current bulb set delivers. i run

front
giesemann atintic+
giesemann atintic+
ati aquablue
ati aquablue
ge 6500k
ati aquablue
giesemann atintic+
geisemann atintic+
back
what is the bluest bulb?
i like my colors to pop. thanks for any advice.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Swap 2 of the aquablues for UVL Super Actinics.

 

[widow1]

thanks for your quick reply. reading this thread has been priceless. thank you Grim

-big A-

 

[Saddler]

Which ballast is the Limited Edition Tek using? Does the lack of active cooling hurt the PAR? It uses the Tek II reflectors, right?

I'm looking at this or the Tek retro w/ upgraded reflectors.

 

[jamesdawson]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9571331#post9571331 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Saddler
Which ballast is the Limited Edition Tek using? Does the lack of active cooling hurt the PAR? It uses the Tek II reflectors, right?

I'm looking at this or the Tek retro w/ upgraded reflectors.

The LE Teklight is exactly the same as the regular Teklight with 2 exceptions: Slightly more shiny MiroSilver reflector that apparently stains easier/worse than the standard Tek and blue paint that looks surprisingly like Ice Cap Blue.

Blue paint is not surprising given that SS released the LE at exactly the same time as Ice Cap released its blue painted Par-monster Solar Flare. This was at the same time that SS was going after IC with a vengeance by threatening legal action and demonstrating its lack of class by having its excuse of a rep post attacks on IC in the IC forum.

In any case all Teklights are poorly designed since they have no active cooling and as a result put out 1/2 or less the Par of the units from quality manufacturers like Aquatinics/IceCap, ATI. Fauna Marin, companies that actually do proper R&D. Amazing that the #1 manufacturer of T-5 fixtures in the US if not the world (SS) did not do its homework. Maybe they didn't care since they were making lots of money from reefers that lacked a quality alternative anyway.

When people realized how poor the retro Tek reflectors are they started to turn to IC SLRs in droves which precipitated (along with the SF) the SS attacks on IC.

The Tek 2 is basically a slightly wider rip-off of the IC SLR reflector, it even used the same material that IC has always used as it resists staining.

Teklights have Triad electronic ballasts and do not have Tek 2 reflectors, nor can they be retrofitted because they would never fit.

About the only thing Teklights have going for them is they a relatively cheap and look sleek.

Last but not least, SS is notorious for poor customer service and warranty support. I highly reccomend the above listed manufactures for fixtures and IC for retros. With IC, if something goes wrong down the road they will deal with it promptly and professionally, SS are just as likely to reject you claim out of hand as deal with it IME.

I for one choose to support the many quality reefing companies out their that do the right thing.

There is you info as well as my rant!

James

 

[Saddler]

This thread has been moving so fast that it's hard to keep up. Grim, I know that you occasionally change your reccomendations, so what is your most current for the 6 bulb layout w/o overdriving? Thanks.

(Yeah, I know, DIL.)

 

[Saddler]

Well, I really would love to go with the IC retro for the better CS and endcaps, but I don't have a need for overdriving and all icecaps overdrive, correct? So that would mean 12 month bulb changes and 480w vs. 324.

 

[JOSEPHLB]

Purchased a 6 bulb, 36" retro for my 65g AGA canopy. Received the product and came to find out all six will not fit; nor will five.

So, out of these bulbs, what would be recommended for running 4 of these bulbs over my 65g?

(2) ATI Blue Plus
(1) Super Actinic
(1) ATI Aquablue
(1) GE 3000K Daylight
(1) UVL AquaSun

 

[revclyburn]

Dag Grim

you make wme want to sell my Tek 6x54 and get a Solor Flare, now if you will let me borrow 500 mo bucks, I should be ok, lol. No for realy Grim, the fact that it doesn't have a fan does bother me a little, but is it really a significant dfference, not having fans?

rev

 

[jamesdawson]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9573137#post9573137 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by revclyburn
Dag Grim

you make wme want to sell my Tek 6x54 and get a Solor Flare, now if you will let me borrow 500 mo bucks, I should be ok, lol. No for realy Grim, the fact that it doesn't have a fan does bother me a little, but is it really a significant dfference, not having fans?

rev

1/2 the Par

 

[jamesdawson]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9572770#post9572770 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Saddler
Well, I really would love to go with the IC retro for the better CS and endcaps, but I don't have a need for overdriving and all icecaps overdrive, correct? So that would mean 12 month bulb changes and 480w vs. 324.

No you don't have to overdrive. ReefGeek should sell you a retro that has IC reflectors and triad ballasts plus endcaps etc. Call em.

James