The T5 Q&a Thread

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Is the BluePlus similar to an actinic? Could it be used in conjunction with my pure actinic for a dawn/dusk effect or will it be more bright? It's tough to tell (for me) by looking just at the spectral plots.
 
Blue plus likes like a 20k halide sort of... has a lot more par than an actinic. I don't think Grim would approve but I just have blue plus and no actinic and think it looks fine.
 
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Hi Grim Reefer, I just picked up 2 aquactinics tx5 36'. I have 120g 72L x 18w x 22h. The light would be right on top of the tank. I would like keep everything from sps, clams, lps, and sofites. What's the best choice for bulbs to bring out the colors of fish and corals?

Right now I have these used bulbs. I have no idea what order it needs to go in?
ATI Blue Special
UVL Pure Actinic
GE 6500K
ATI Blue+
UVL Aqua Sun
Giesemann Pure Actinic
Aquaz Sun

thanks Grim for your help!
 
So what is the consensus about overdriving T5 with the IC660?

Does that shorten the bulb life?

Is there any benefit?

Also, what is the best fixture on the market?
TIA
 
I got my TX5, and I don't like the look when all the bulbs are on. It looks to bluish/purplish. It kind of makes the live rock look distorted.
Here is what I went with:

Aquablue
Super Actinic
6500k
Blue Plus
Aquablue.

I like the color when the Super actinic and the blue plus are off. But the thing is, I want the brilliant blue color for dusk and dawn. Would it be fine to not even run those two bulbs during the day, or would I be preventing coral growth/health by having them off?

Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks.
 
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I would suggest:

Actinic
AquaBlue
6500k
AquaBlue
BluePlus

If you just turn them off you will be losing quite a bit of par (blue plus in particular). It depends on what you are keeping whether you can get away with it or not.
 
What color is the actinic? Also which brand of bulb? Yeah, I didn't want to just shut them off during the day. I want all bulbs running. I would like the color to be white with a slight tint of blue for the daytime. Than a deep blue for dawn/dusk.

Perhaps, do you think the 6500k was a bad choice for the look I want?
 
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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10790500#post10790500 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by XSiVE
Is the BluePlus similar to an actinic? Could it be used in conjunction with my pure actinic for a dawn/dusk effect or will it be more bright? It's tough to tell (for me) by looking just at the spectral plots.
Click to expand...

Sure, They both cause fluorescence in corals.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10791687#post10791687 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snapperface
Hi Grim Reefer, I just picked up 2 aquactinics tx5 36'. I have 120g 72L x 18w x 22h. The light would be right on top of the tank. I would like keep everything from sps, clams, lps, and sofites. What's the best choice for bulbs to bring out the colors of fish and corals?

Right now I have these used bulbs. I have no idea what order it needs to go in?
ATI Blue Special
UVL Pure Actinic
GE 6500K
ATI Blue+
UVL Aqua Sun
Giesemann Pure Actinic
Aquaz Sun

thanks Grim for your help!
Click to expand...

Try to keep the blue and actinic lamp as the first 2. Because of the way the fistures are switched number 2 and number 4 are on the same ballast so what I usually reco is 2 for the actinic (you want it striking the viewing side of the corals) and a Blue Plus in 4 so you have a nice dusk dawn mix. Then use a Blue Plus or Aquablue lamp at the front. Daylight or sun in the middle and Aquablue in the rear.

If you have the lamps to pull it off this is a nice mix too

Front
Blue Plus
UVL Aquasun
Actinic
GE 6500K
Blue Plus

Your running 3 lamps for dusk, dawn but it looks nice
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10793568#post10793568 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bond007069
So what is the consensus about overdriving T5 with the IC660?

Does that shorten the bulb life?

Is there any benefit?

Also, what is the best fixture on the market?
TIA
Click to expand...

Plus About 35% increase in intensity

Depending on the critters you raise you can take T5's maybe 18 months unless you have a tank full of SPS. Then a year is max and maybe a little long in some cases. I have gotten a year with great results with overdriven 80 watt T5's


For best fixtures I would call it a tossup between ATI and Aquactinics right now. Sfigoli has some that look good but until someone does a PAR test on them I would be scarred off by the price.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10795896#post10795896 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SSalty
What color is the actinic? Also which brand of bulb? Yeah, I didn't want to just shut them off during the day. I want all bulbs running. I would like the color to be white with a slight tint of blue for the daytime. Than a deep blue for dawn/dusk.

Perhaps, do you think the 6500k was a bad choice for the look I want?
Click to expand...

Try this

front
ATI Aquablue
UVL Super Actinic
GE 6500K or UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
Aquablue (order a extra GE 6500K to try here in case its too blue. The Aquablue is a great lamp for a spare because it is a decent replacement for a blue or daylight lamp)
 
I am working to set up a 75g that will start w/ a 4-bulb SLR retrokit and a month or so later I will add another 2-bulb SLR kit. I am looking for a suggestion for bulb layout. I am prefer 14-20k look and would like to achieve this with the 4 and 6 bulbs. Just looking for suggestions.
 
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