The T5 Q&a Thread

[TulsaReefer]

Sounds good, I keep hearing that when using IceCap ballast you need cooling down the length of the tubes for best results. That sounds like a winner, and would evenly distribute the cool air over both ends, which would be good. And vent what heat there is straight up and away from the tank.

 

[virginiadiver69]

Okay Grim, here goes. I am using Tek T5 6 x 54 retrofit lighting on my 125. I have these staggered to cover the length of my hood. It came with TRU actinic and TRU 10k (three each) and sure these bulbs are not very good, I want to upgrade. Kind of yellow with all of the daylights on.
I keep a mixed reef with a few sps and plan on adding a clam or two at the bottom of a 18" water depth with the lights 8" above water surface. What is your bulb choice (and where do I get them?) and configuration?

As an aside...In about a year I plan on upgrading to a 8' long tank and would like to utilize the lights I have now and add on either more T-5 or MH. The future tank will be 24" deep. What would you do? Will all T-5 give me the coverage I will need or will I need more umph via MH? Depending on your answer, would upgrading my three balsasts to Ice Caps be smart, cost wise?

 

[skippy823]

do you think 6 54w and 6 24w t5 is enough light to run some sps and lps in a 31 deep tank or shouls i go with hqi or mh

 

[msn711]

I dont have a picture but I can tell you Halides will heat your tank more than T5's. I ran both over the very same tank. If you are trying to avoid a chiller T5's are a better idea but that doesn't mean you still wont have to get one if your tank is in a very warm room.

So would 6 bulbs be enough for a mixed reef? I'm thinking sps at the top, lps and softies mixed throughout. For bulbs (I want the 14k Phoenix look), how does this sound: All ATI - 3 blue plus, 2 aqua blue, and 1 actinic?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10596754#post10596754 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by virginiadiver69
Okay Grim, here goes. I am using Tek T5 6 x 54 retrofit lighting on my 125. I have these staggered to cover the length of my hood. It came with TRU actinic and TRU 10k (three each) and sure these bulbs are not very good, I want to upgrade. Kind of yellow with all of the daylights on.
I keep a mixed reef with a few sps and plan on adding a clam or two at the bottom of a 18" water depth with the lights 8" above water surface. What is your bulb choice (and where do I get them?) and configuration?

As an aside...In about a year I plan on upgrading to a 8' long tank and would like to utilize the lights I have now and add on either more T-5 or MH. The future tank will be 24" deep. What would you do? Will all T-5 give me the coverage I will need or will I need more umph via MH? Depending on your answer, would upgrading my three balsasts to Ice Caps be smart, cost wise?

If you try a clam make sure you put it in the center where all the lamps overlap. I would overdrive 2 rows of lamps when you upgrade the tank.

For your current yank Id do this for lamps

Front
Blue Plus
Blue Plus
UVL Aquablue
UVL Aquablue
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10597075#post10597075 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skippy823
do you think 6 54w and 6 24w t5 is enough light to run some sps and lps in a 31 deep tank or shouls i go with hqi or mh

Not unless you are going to overdrive

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10597417#post10597417 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by msn711
So would 6 bulbs be enough for a mixed reef? I'm thinking sps at the top, lps and softies mixed throughout. For bulbs (I want the 14k Phoenix look), how does this sound: All ATI - 3 blue plus, 2 aqua blue, and 1 actinic?

That will be fine. As far as lamp selection add a Daylight or sun in place of a Blue Plus.

 

[skippy823]

what does overdrive mean

 

[skippy823]

so i should get mh

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Overdriving means using an Ice Cap ballast which pushes more wattage through the lamps making them brighter. You would eaither need to do that or go with halides.

 

[virginiadiver69]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10597751#post10597751 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
If you try a clam make sure you put it in the center where all the lamps overlap. I would overdrive 2 rows of lamps when you upgrade the tank.

For your current yank Id do this for lamps

Front
Blue Plus
Blue Plus
UVL Aquablue
UVL Aquablue
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

1) Are any of these equivalent to an actinic bulb? I want to be careful not to go overboard blue light.
2) Which 2 rows should be over-driven (I'm guessing the aqua-blues) ?
3) What is your recomended source for the bulbs?

 

[skippy823]

ok yhank you

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10598205#post10598205 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by virginiadiver69
1) Are any of these equivalent to an actinic bulb? I want to be careful not to go overboard blue light.
2) Which 2 rows should be over-driven (I'm guessing the aqua-blues) ?
3) What is your recomended source for the bulbs?

The Blue Plus and Aquablues both have Actinic output but neither are actinic. Overdrive the Aquablues

 

[virginiadiver69]

Where do I get them and....
:beer: :celeb2: Congrats on the post count roll over!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Reefgeek

 

[virginiadiver69]

Thank you for your help.

 

[tbone28]

Powermodules 8x39w

Powermodules 8x39w

Grim,

How high off the water should they be?

Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

You can keep them pretty low. Really depends how often you want to clean the splash shield/

 

[REEFY1]

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z46/NVMYNOVA/DSC00124.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a> This is my tank with Aquatinics T5'S and geiseman Bulbs

 

[tbone28]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10599030#post10599030 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
You can keep them pretty low. Really depends how often you want to clean the splash shield/

Are there any significant differences in regards to coral growth/coloring if I go lower than what you see in the pic? I'm trying to find the "sweet spot" - i.e low enough for good coral growth and coloring, but not so low where the additional heat I add to the water outweighs the benefit to the coral, and not so low where the additional time I spend cleaning the splash shield outweighs the benefit to the coral.

Thanks

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