The T5 Q&a Thread

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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10002468#post10002468 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chaffey
I just bought a few jalli t-5 unit and when I turned it on I noticed a sound coming from the ballast...later the sound went away, is this a bad ballast ? the owner told me it's electric starter ballast and it's normal. This is a ballast that run 2 x 54 watt T5 HO

I also have another set up that I converted from 2 x 54 watt to 2 x 39 watt, I using the ballast that run 2 x 54 watt, I just moved the endcaps closer to fit the 39watt bulbs. I noticed that when I first turned it on, only 1/2 of the bulb bright up...it takes a while for the other 1/2 to bright.

Is this normal ? Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...

Isnt normal for any of the ballasts I/ve used
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10002954#post10002954 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Casey J
I will have a 36" x 10" x 10" that I'm thinking about lighting with t5ho in a custom canopy. I was thinking 3 36" bulbs mounted with individual IceCap reflectors. I already have an IceCap 660 and would like to use it here. I plan on keeping a mixed tank. Is that too much light for anything besides mushrooms? How would a ATI Aquablue, ATI Blue +, ATI Aquablue combination work?
Click to expand...

10" tall? Use a Workhorse 7 ballast to run 3 lamps. That will give you enough light for whatever you want to raise.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10001641#post10001641 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
The Ice Cap Retro is way better.
Click to expand...

I've read that the Aquactinics TX5 have been modded to be over-driven by a IceCap 660. Grim, have you heard about this mod? I am having mix feelings about purchasing the Aquactinics TX5 fixture since you said that the IceCap Retro is way better. If I am able to overdrive the TX5 than I will purchase them since I wouldn't have to build a canopy. I need to make my decision soon as I will be purchasing the lighting in a group buy. These lights will be going on top of a 72 gal bow front tank.
 
Hi Grim,

I've been reading post after post after post and I'm not sure exactly which bulbs to use. I have a 6x54 setup right now. The bulbs are old and I need to replace them. A lot of new bulbs have come out since I got my setup.

I got a retro kit from reefgeek.com. I have 3 Triad Ballasts and 6 IceCap Reflectors.

I currently have:

Front:
SuperActinic (I think it is a UVL...got from a buddy to try)
AquaBlue+
ActinicPlus
AquaBlue+
AquaBlue+
ActnicPlus
End:

I have a mixed tank...SPS, LPS, and Softies. I have had great colors and growth with this configuration, but I wanted to switch it up a bit. I figured I might get better colors and growth. I have a 90g with a bunch of LR. This was what I was thinking.

Front:
Actinic Plus
AquaBlue+
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aqua Sun
GE 3K
Actinic Plus

So what do you think? Thanks for the help T5 guru :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10002061#post10002061 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
If you change them it will allow you to spread out the blue/actinic lamps more assumming you use one set as dusk dawn.
Click to expand...


Yeppers, that is exactly what I want to do. Thanks Grim for your invaluable input. Now to figure out what combo of bulbs would be best.

Brock
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10003282#post10003282 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ricwilli
I've read that the Aquactinics TX5 have been modded to be over-driven by a IceCap 660. Grim, have you heard about this mod? I am having mix feelings about purchasing the Aquactinics TX5 fixture since you said that the IceCap Retro is way better. If I am able to overdrive the TX5 than I will purchase them since I wouldn't have to build a canopy. I need to make my decision soon as I will be purchasing the lighting in a group buy. These lights will be going on top of a 72 gal bow front tank.
Click to expand...

You would have to remote mount the ballast but you could overdrive the lamps on the Aqactinics.
 
Hey grim! One last question for you.

How can I determine my lighting schedule? As you know I have the LE Tek 6x54w T5 fixture and most of my tank is SPS with some LPS at the bottom.

I currently run actinics (Two ATI Blue Plus) for 12hrs and daytime for 10hrs.

Thanks!!!
 
10" tall? Use a Workhorse 7 ballast to run 3 lamps. That will give you enough light for whatever you want to raise.
Click to expand...

Would two bulbs on a Workhorse 5 and another bulb on another 5 work as well?

If my hood's inner dimensions are exactly 36", will the endcaps and bulb fit?
 
WOW!!

WOW!!

Because of a heat issue I took the plunge and got an IceCap 39Wx4 bulb setup installed in place of the 175mh this morning. Wow, what a difference. At least as much light as the 175mh Ushio 10K but what is better is the color. PA suggested the following setup and it looks great.

All Giesemann bulbs with IceCap reflectors and driven by a 660

Front

Aquablue+
Pure Actinic
Midday 6000K
Aquablue+

Rear

:D
 
Anyone have any thoughts for a 24"x24"x24" (60g) softy/lps display? Can I get away with 4x24w or 6x24w?

Thank you for any opinions :)
 
Ok, so I'm not sure what to do, I am going to make a 20Gh Nano in the next month. I can't do hanging, and I can't do Canopy so it has to be a built in unit. I would like to stay below 200, so I am thinking of the Nova Extreme, or the coralife PC fixture. I don't have any plans on keeping SPS, more likely I will keep Mushrooms and low light loving LPS. So Grim, do you think the non individual reflectors of the Nova would be too much for mushrooms, and I should go with the PC's or do you think that the 4 bulb version will be just right. Also if it is to much, will it keep SPS. Thank you so much for your knowledge.
 
Hello all

I am going to upgrade my diy hood soon with some t5 lighting. I have currently 4x95w vho's running on workhorse 5's in the canopy. I have some extra workhorse 5's and a few ic 660's that I am not using laying around.

I want to keep two atinic vho. Replace the 2 white spectrum bulbs with 3 t5 bulbs. Space is limited but I figured 3 bulbs with shorter length is better than two bulbs. And it gives me more bulb options.

My real question is can I use just a 660 to run all the bulbs. Or can I just use the 660 on the 3 t5's and the workhorse 5's on the VHO's. My concern is that the 660 is too much for the 3 t5 bulbs.

Thanks in advance for all your input and help.

Ryan
 
GRIM,

I need help!!!!

I just sold my MH setup and I am ready to join the dark side...or should I say the LIGHT side. LOL anyway! I had 2 Iwasaki 175 15K's on electronic ballast that put out a PPFD/par of 87 each. Needless to say they are bright, but I am a man of constant change and wanted to try t-5's. I have a 75 gallon tank and its on its way to become a full blown SPS tank with some zoa's and ricordia on the bottom. The tanks dimensions are 48"x20"tallx18"front to back. Typical setup.

I am buying retro t-5's with t-5 ballasts and Icecap reflectors.

Here's the question now that I hopefully have set the tone:

What lamps, what name brands, how many bulbs for great growth and color, and how far from the water surface.

Grim, I know that people ask this same exact question over and over, but I wanted to get answers(if different) with my personal paramters. Please forgive the repetive newbies(myself included) as we are always learning!

One more question: I am usually a follower of "what works" and after spending many days and weeks in the SPS forum on reefcentral, I have noticed that many if not most of the european tanks that are dedicated to mostly sps are usually running only 2 different bulbs x 10, aquablue and an aquablue plus or actinic plus in a 2:1 or 1:1 setup, and with no disrespect to YOU, I dont ever see you impling that setup on your t-5 thread. Why is that if I might ask? It seems like they have great color and growth...is it just too blue for most of out taste?

Thanks in adavance
Brian
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10011581#post10011581 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tprize
Ok, so I'm not sure what to do, I am going to make a 20Gh Nano in the next month. I can't do hanging, and I can't do Canopy so it has to be a built in unit. I would like to stay below 200, so I am thinking of the Nova Extreme, or the coralife PC fixture. I don't have any plans on keeping SPS, more likely I will keep Mushrooms and low light loving LPS. So Grim, do you think the non individual reflectors of the Nova would be too much for mushrooms, and I should go with the PC's or do you think that the 4 bulb version will be just right. Also if it is to much, will it keep SPS. Thank you so much for your knowledge.
Click to expand...

Go with the nova, if the shrooms seem to be getting too much light run a couple actinic lamps, that will cut down the intensity.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10014200#post10014200 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lockus
Hello all

I am going to upgrade my diy hood soon with some t5 lighting. I have currently 4x95w vho's running on workhorse 5's in the canopy. I have some extra workhorse 5's and a few ic 660's that I am not using laying around.

I want to keep two atinic vho. Replace the 2 white spectrum bulbs with 3 t5 bulbs. Space is limited but I figured 3 bulbs with shorter length is better than two bulbs. And it gives me more bulb options.

My real question is can I use just a 660 to run all the bulbs. Or can I just use the 660 on the 3 t5's and the workhorse 5's on the VHO's. My concern is that the 660 is too much for the 3 t5 bulbs.

Thanks in advance for all your input and help.

Ryan
Click to expand...

The 550 will do the three T5's fine. Just make sure you run a couple fans to keep the lamps from overheating
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10014404#post10014404 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cashman95
GRIM,

I need help!!!!

I just sold my MH setup and I am ready to join the dark side...or should I say the LIGHT side. LOL anyway! I had 2 Iwasaki 175 15K's on electronic ballast that put out a PPFD/par of 87 each. Needless to say they are bright, but I am a man of constant change and wanted to try t-5's. I have a 75 gallon tank and its on its way to become a full blown SPS tank with some zoa's and ricordia on the bottom. The tanks dimensions are 48"x20"tallx18"front to back. Typical setup.

I am buying retro t-5's with t-5 ballasts and Icecap reflectors.

Here's the question now that I hopefully have set the tone:

What lamps, what name brands, how many bulbs for great growth and color, and how far from the water surface.

Grim, I know that people ask this same exact question over and over, but I wanted to get answers(if different) with my personal paramters. Please forgive the repetive newbies(myself included) as we are always learning!

One more question: I am usually a follower of "what works" and after spending many days and weeks in the SPS forum on reefcentral, I have noticed that many if not most of the european tanks that are dedicated to mostly sps are usually running only 2 different bulbs x 10, aquablue and an aquablue plus or actinic plus in a 2:1 or 1:1 setup, and with no disrespect to YOU, I dont ever see you impling that setup on your t-5 thread. Why is that if I might ask? It seems like they have great color and growth...is it just too blue for most of out taste?

Thanks in adavance
Brian
Click to expand...

The Blue lamps are good for growth and pop the colors, just not ALL the colors. I discovered long ago that just running the blues makes yellow colors look dull and dirty and oranges look more red. More recently a number of SPS guys were complaining about the colors looking pastel. Just as a experiment I suggested they try a 3000K lamp to add some red spectrum. The results was pink and purple colors really stood out better. A number of high end tanks in Italy were using a lamp that had red in it.

FOr your tank I would use 6 lamps

Front
Blue Plus
Super Actinic
GE 3000K
Blue Plus
GE 6500K
Blue Plus
 
Hey Grim,

What did you think of my setup? It looks very similar to the one you just posted. My bulbs are also in a different order. Thanks...
 
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