The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

In a 15" tall canopy you would want to create a mount so the lamps can be 4~6" above the water. 16 overdriven T5's will get you more PAR than most 250 watt halide systems. Overdriving the lamps will mean you will need to replace them at one year.

There isn't a T5 system I know of that will produce more PAR than a 16 lamp Ice Cap retrofit.

 

[MstgKillr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10786514#post10786514 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
In a 15" tall canopy you would want to create a mount so the lamps can be 4~6" above the water. 16 overdriven T5's will get you more PAR than most 250 watt halide systems. Overdriving the lamps will mean you will need to replace them at one year.

There isn't a T5 system I know of that will produce more PAR than a 16 lamp Ice Cap retrofit.

Thats what Iam talking about.

I think I made up my mind now.

Overdriven wouldn't be too much would it? The tank is 29" deep.

What about bulb selection?

Thanks again.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

On a 29" tall tank overdriven T5's will not be too much. for lamps do rows of two lamps side by side.

Front
Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
GE 3000K
ATI Aquablues
GE 6500K
UVL Super Actinic
Blue Plus
Aquablue

 

[szeth13]

would i be able to keep sps in a 75 with a tek 4 bulb setup?

 

[xenon]

Hey Grim!!

You helped me choose the bulbs for my 48" Limited Edition Tek Light 6x54w. I was really happy with it accept the actinic lights. They are WAY too blue. It almost looks like that 3000 flushes toilet bowl cleaner. lol

I recently downgraded my setup to a FOWLR tank and sold my tek light and replaced it with a 48" tek light with 4x54w.

What bulbs would you reccomend and what actinic bulbs have a more "purple look" to them?

Here is a list of the exaxt T5 bulbs from front to back.

Front
====
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
GE 3000K
GE 6500K
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
====
Back

Thanks once again "T5 god"

 

[TheReefer84]

hi, i just got a 6ft tank and still want to use my 4x54w t5 w/ icecap 660 , but its not long enough so i am getting a 2x80w retro, should i run the 2x80 on the 660 and workhorse 7 on the 4x54 or other way around and should i use the 2x80w lamps for actinic+ supplement and the inner lamps aquablue & 6.5k or use 2x54w actinic+ . thanks!

 

[happyface888]

Will a 24inch 48watt t5 beat my current fixture which is a 18inch coralife 96watt quad pc light? My tank is a 45bow measures 28, 18,18 and what t5 retro should i get? And also will it be brighter than my pcs?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10787399#post10787399 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by szeth13
would i be able to keep sps in a 75 with a tek 4 bulb setup?

You could keep some up on the rocks.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10788184#post10788184 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xenon
Hey Grim!!

You helped me choose the bulbs for my 48" Limited Edition Tek Light 6x54w. I was really happy with it accept the actinic lights. They are WAY too blue. It almost looks like that 3000 flushes toilet bowl cleaner. lol

I recently downgraded my setup to a FOWLR tank and sold my tek light and replaced it with a 48" tek light with 4x54w.

What bulbs would you reccomend and what actinic bulbs have a more "purple look" to them?

Here is a list of the exaxt T5 bulbs from front to back.

Front
====
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
GE 3000K
GE 6500K
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
====
Back

Thanks once again "T5 god"

Giesemann Pure Actinic
Aquablue
GE 6500K
Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10788412#post10788412 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by happyface888
Will a 24inch 48watt t5 beat my current fixture which is a 18inch coralife 96watt quad pc light? My tank is a 45bow measures 28, 18,18 and what t5 retro should i get? And also will it be brighter than my pcs?

Get a 4 lamp Tek retro. Way better color and a little more PAR.

 

[happyface888]

Hmm but would 2 still be enough? and will it beat my current pc lighting?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10788563#post10788563 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by happyface888
Hmm but would 2 still be enough? and will it beat my current pc lighting?

2 lamps would be enough for lower light softies but it isn't going to have the PAR of a 96 watt PC, at least I don't think it will.

 

[TheReefer84]

hi, i just got a 6ft tank and still want to use my 4x54w t5 w/ icecap 660 , but its not long enough so i am getting a 2x80w retro, should i run the 2x80 on the 660 and workhorse 7 on the 4x54 or other way around and should i use the 2x80w lamps for actinic+ supplement and the inner lamps aquablue & 6.5k or use 2x54w actinic+ . thanks!

 

[happyface888]

thanks grim btw what does PAR stand for?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10788601#post10788601 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheReefer84
hi, i just got a 6ft tank and still want to use my 4x54w t5 w/ icecap 660 , but its not long enough so i am getting a 2x80w retro, should i run the 2x80 on the 660 and workhorse 7 on the 4x54 or other way around and should i use the 2x80w lamps for actinic+ supplement and the inner lamps aquablue & 6.5k or use 2x54w actinic+ . thanks!

I'd run the blue plus on the 80 watt lamps and overdrive the 54 watt bank

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10788615#post10788615 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by happyface888
thanks grim btw what does PAR stand for?

Photosynthetically Available Radiation. I am sure I butchered the spelling but it is the rate light photons in the visible light spectrum strikes an object. That is what the critters use to grow.

 

[szeth13]

thanks so much for the help so far grim i have one more and ill be making the order. what bulbs should i get for the tek 6 bulb fixture for my 75 sps tank? thanks again

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Front

Blue Plus
Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun or GE 3000K
Aquablue or GE 6500K (GE for less blue look)
Blue Plus
Aquablue

 

[XSiVE]

I'll throw another bulb question in here..

55g, recently switched to a 4x54W retro setup, I've got:

G-man Aquablue Plus
G-man Pure Actinic
--
Current USA 10k
Current USA Actinic.

I want to replcace those 2 current USA bulbs and was just going to go on the assumption that I could replace em with another Aquablue+ and pureactinic, but something tells me there could be a better combo for looks & growth.

Im keeping all sorts of corals, mostly LPS and SPS though.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Add a Blue Plus as one lamp. For the second if you want a blue look use a second aquablue, for less blue use a GE6500K.