The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10945065#post10945065 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by zergling
Grim, I probably should not have created a new thread and just asked here...

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1225368

I'm about to order new bulbs for my freshwater planted tank. I know, this is a reefing forum, but reefer folks are more into T5 bulb combinations...

I'm looking for a crisp white overall look with as much PAR as I can get (already have IC SLR retrofits). I'm trying to avoid getting colors washed out, especially green (duh), red, and blue. It's a 4-bulb setup so I'm thinking this:

Front
ATI AquaBlue
UVL AquaSun
ATI ProColor
UVL AquaSun

....or....

ATI AquaBlue
ATI Blue Plus
ATI ProColor
UVL Aqua Sun

....or should I just go all Aqua Sun? I'm afraid it might wash out the colors, or look too yellow though....

I'd go with the second like this

Aquablue
Aquasun
Blue Plus
Pro Color

That should be close to what you want.

 

[zergling]

thanks so much Grim!! placing my order now.....

 

[carlos_fb]

Originally posted by carlos_fb
Grim,

Should I upgrade my T5 ballast? I have a 4 x 54 Tek retrofit kit with SLR IceCap reflectors on my 60 gallon reef tank. I only have a few SPS corals that seem to be doing fine for now. Since I plan to do my tank SPS dominated I was wondering if I should upgrade my Tek ballasts for an IceCap 660 to overdrive the bulbs and get more par.

Thanks in advance!

Wouldn't hurt. You could run 2 overdriven and 2 normally so you have dusk/dawn control too.

Grim, what do you think would be a better choice, overdrive the 4 that I have right now with an Icecap 660 ballast or get 2 more regular driven bulbs? I'm kind of concern about the extra heat.

 

[shakara_b]

I just recieved my tek light 8X54w. Is this too much for a 72g? Also what would be a good bulb combination? I have mostly sps almost touching the top of the water along with lps.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I like more lamps myself. As long as you keep the SPS up on the rocks a bit you will be fine with them regularly driven.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10946670#post10946670 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by shakara_b
I just recieved my tek light 8X54w. Is this too much for a 72g? Also what would be a good bulb combination? I have mostly sps almost touching the top of the water along with lps.

Will a 8 lamp Tek even fit over that tank?

You're gonna need to throw a few layers of window screen over the tank to allow the corals to acclimate. Leave each layer on a week or ten days.

For lamps try this

Front
Blue Plus
Actinic
Pro Color
Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
Pro Color
Actinic
Blue Plus

That should look nice. The pro Color is slightly reddish, sorta like an aquasun but not as harsh and doesn't have enough PAR to melt the corals at the top of the tank. The 75/25 is a actinic/daylight that looks off white and has pretty good PAR. I think the combination will look 14Kish and have planty of PAR for the tank.

 

[shakara_b]

Thanks, I had to hang it. May bee a little too far off the water. but hey. Imma try that bulb combo in a few weeks. I ordered some other bulbs with it and then remembered this thread.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

What did you order for lamps?

 

[SD-Fishguy]

Grim:

long time lurker.

I recently purchased an ATI powermodule (8-bulb) from Reefgeek.

I received the following 8-bulbs (currently running it with year old bulbs)

3-ATI blue plus
1-aqua sun
1-ge 6500
1-ati aqua blue special
1-ati acentic blue
1-ati pro color

can you suggest a good order (slots 3 & 6 are dusk dawn)

thanks.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Front
Blue Plus
Pro Color
Actinic
Blue Plus
Aquasun
Blue Plus
GE
Aquablue

 

[SD-Fishguy]

thanks Grim.

 

[Bud's Reef]

I've received my T5 retros from Reefgeek and now I just need a tank to put them on. Hopefully it will arrive in the next week or two. How far above the water should they be mounted and is there a way to protect the reflectors from salt splash? Do people add moonlights as well and if so what kits work well with the retros?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

About 4" above the tank should be enough to keep the salt spray off.

 

[dkuster]

T5 dimmers?

T5 dimmers?

Hi All,

I'm currently driving 4, 39W T5's with my IceCap 660.

Before, when my lighting included "regular" VHO's, I had a
"Digital Oceans IceCast" dimmer connected up to simulate
dawn and dusk. Basically, it would cause the lights to ramp
up/down over the course of an hour.

I tried to contact Digital Oceans, but it seems they are no
longer in business. I'm wondering if my dimmer can be used
with the T5's?

Would there be any harm to the lamps if I just connected it up
and tried it?

Are there any other dimmers out there that will work with T5's?
I found a few products, but they claim to only work with
VHO lamps.

Thanks!

 

[lanman3]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10931951#post10931951 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
What do you want to raise in that tank? Canopy or open top?

In response to:
T5's for an odd-shaped tank?
I just purchased a 225-gallon tank. 5' long x 3' wide x 24" deep. I've been considering three 60" fixtures.
T5 | 2x150W MH | T5
Any suggestions? Choice of 4-bulb or 6-bulb T5's? The 2x150W MH also has two T5 sockets. Is this a bad idea in the first place?
I have a 6-bulb TekLight over my 58-gallon tank, and I'm very happy with it.

It will be SPS-dominated mixed reef; I'm more of a coral person than a fish person - but there will be several fish as well. I'm particularly fond of my chalices and blasto's on the bottom of the tank. Not sure about a canopy yet. Guess that will depend on the lights. But I will put something at least along the front to block stray light.

Thanks,
bob

 

[James11]

The Grim Reefer
I am trying to design a 40 gallon Breeder, and I was thinking about using a 4X24W T5 retro with ice cap relfectors and two 65W pc. The two pc would be the actinics, what would be a good configuration for the T5?

 

[zergling]

Grim, sorry to bother you again. I got an email from Greg and he told me they're out of ATI Blue Plus for now. They proposed giving me a Geisemann Blue Plus instead. Do you thinks this is a good substitute? Or should I go with a diff bulb?

This is for my freshwater planted (looking for crisp white and lots of PAR w/o washing out colors); 4-bulb setup.

Your original suggestion was

Aquablue
Aquasun
Blue Plus
Pro Color

Geisemann Blue Plus? Or should I go with another Aqua Sun?

 

[zergling]

oops corrections. Greg proposed Geisemann Actinic Plus (not Blue Plus, sorry). I don't think I want any actinics, should I go with another Aqua Blue? or another AquaSun? or something else?

 

[yeldarbj]

zergling, I'm not Grim, but I do have both the ATI Blue Plus and Geisemann Actinic Plus bulbs running together and they appear to me identical in color. I think the ATI puts out more PAR though (per Grim's PAR chart, 311 vs 264). Hope that helps.

 

[zergling]

thanks yeldarbj.

unfortunately I went ahead and told Greg to change it to AquaSun. If it doesn't turn out well, I have 4-month old Philips bulbs and unused TRU 10000K bulbs to play with.

I also will be starting my reef later on, so I can order the BluePlus when I order my 6-bulb unit for that.