The T5 Q&a Thread

[sfarid123]

Hey Grim,

I have a 48" SLR Tek fixture , 4X54W have a 55g mixed reef w/BTA. If I want to keep the BTA happy what config should I set the bulbs?

ATI Aquablue 12000K
UVL 75/25 14000K aquablue
GE 6500K
ATI Blue plus

Thanks

 

[nieszhw]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10862002#post10862002 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jamesdawson
ReefGeek has lots of different 60" bulbs (ATI, GMan, GE, etc). I don't know where you live, but if you are in Canada you could try Aquarium Obsessed for Aqua Science bulbs. KZ bulbs also can be had in 60" lengths but you have to special order them. I'm sure many other shops have them or can get them on request.

Good luck,

James

Thanks. I'll give ReefGeek a try. I'm down in the states, so I don't think I can make it to Aquarium Obsessed, though. Maybe on my next vacation...


... 5 minutes later ....

Am I missing something?? I only see 80W bulbs in that length. My 46.5's were 110W, and I thought there were some 5-footers in 140W...?

 

[jamesdawson]

80 watt bulbs are 60" HO T5 lamps being normally driven by a spec t-5 ballast. Since you are overdriving with IC 660s, they are going to run at like 100 watts each so its the mildest overdrive of the 4 lengths available in T5s. With IC reflectors they will still be extremely bright and last a year if you cool them. Just don't overcool them as this drops PAR. You want the ends of the lights to reach 95 fahrenheit to be at maximum PAR.

James

 

[barjam]

Its not the surface temperature of the bulb is it? I always measure the ambient air around the bulb.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10859834#post10859834 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ganjero
Grimm, which fixtures/retros have you used?

Are the sylvania ballasts that are now used on constellation good?

Do you know what ballast does the ATI use?

Sylvanias are good, Sylvania, Osram and VS are all the same ballast. ATI uses VS.

I've used or at least tested Retros: (reflectors) Tek, Ice Cap, AquaZ, ATI (reflectors) Ballats: Sylvania, Triad, Ice Cap, Dynamic, Workhorse, URI, Unbranded x 2

Fixtures ATI Powermodule, ATI Sun Power, Fauna Marin Ultra Solaris, Aquactinics TX5, Aquactinics Solar Flare, Helios T5 III.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Re: photo tank setup

Re: photo tank setup

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10861430#post10861430 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Labman48076
ok this tank is going to be a photo shot tank hopefully for both down shots and front shots it's going to be Sapphire glass on the front. 24 1/8 X12 3/W4X18 1/2H 22 gallons this tank won't really be for keeping corals probably just have the tank light and a pump for circulation I am wondering what would be a good reasonable cost fixture I was thinking of the 24" Nova Extreme 4x24 watt T5HO w/ 2 Lunar Lights I like to here thoughts on it or is this a waste also on a good bulb configuration for it. I want something easy to set corals in get them happy then move them back to the main tank. I have some zoo's and pally's but mainly LPS and SPS

I'd get at least a Tek fixture.

FOr lamps I would try 1 Aquasun, 1 Super Actinic, 1 ATI Aquablue and 1 Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10862193#post10862193 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sfarid123
Hey Grim,

I have a 48" SLR Tek fixture , 4X54W have a 55g mixed reef w/BTA. If I want to keep the BTA happy what config should I set the bulbs?

ATI Aquablue 12000K
UVL 75/25 14000K aquablue
GE 6500K
ATI Blue plus

Thanks

That mix should be good but I would rather have a super actinic than the 75/25.

 

[tas5tas]

Grim.....

What kind of actinic look does the Geismann Pure Actinic 03 bulb give off? I'm looking for an actinic bulb to pair with the ATI aquablue which is a 12k bulb and I don't want the tank to look blue, but I want my corals(GSP, Hammer, and Frogspawn) to glow.

 

[builderguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10856873#post10856873 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
UVL super Actinic

Thanks...I have a 150g (30" tall) with (2) 250w MH. I have a 4-pack T5 setup with IceCap 660 ballasts.

Would you run 2 or 4 bulbs with the MH...and if 4 would you make them all Super Actinics?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10863399#post10863399 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tas5tas
Grim.....

What kind of actinic look does the Geismann Pure Actinic 03 bulb give off? I'm looking for an actinic bulb to pair with the ATI aquablue which is a 12k bulb and I don't want the tank to look blue, but I want my corals(GSP, Hammer, and Frogspawn) to glow.

The Pure actinic is probably the lamp you want. They don't have a lot of visible light but will get green corals to fluoresce nicely

 

[AD87]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10864921#post10864921 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
The Pure actinic is probably the lamp you want. They don't have a lot of visible light but will get green corals to fluoresce nicely

Which one makes the coral fluoresce better UV super actinic or the geismann atc 03(54W) ? The reason I ask because the UV spectrium spikes more at 420?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

420nm will catch the green colors better but the 460nm gets other colors. The UVL has some blue in its output so it catches both, it doesn't get the greens quite as good as the 420's.

 

[AD87]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10868437#post10868437 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
420nm will catch the green colors better but the 460nm gets other colors. The UVL has some blue in its output so it catches both, it doesn't get the greens quite as good as the 420's.

Thanks which bulb do you suggest, lps, zoos.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I personally would do the UVL Super Actinic

 

[cuddle fish]

Hi, I've read 19 pages of this thread and gained A LOT of knowledge about lighting right down to the bulbs. But I'm still confused as to what the best option is for me on purchasing T5 lighting. I'm upgrading from power compacts. I have a standard 6 ft long 125 gal reef tank with a canopy. I saw the recommendations for the Constellation but I think the cost will be too much for me. Also, I don't want a fixture in my way when my hands are in the tank. So I'm leaning towards a retro kit. It will be more affordable for me because I can buy two kits at a time and slowly convert to all T5's. That said...is there an advantage to a fixture over a retro kit or the other way around? If I go retro, would you suggest I go with the Tek kit or the IceCap with the SLR reflectors or something else entirely? It seems the ballasts for the retro kits run two lamps. Are there any ballasts that run more than two lamps since I'm estimating I'll have 12 - 36" lights? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated! And thanks for all the help you already provided just by having this thread.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I don't know of a ballast other than an Ice Cap that will drive 4 39 watt lamps. Use Ice Cap reflectors for sure. You could use the 60" 80 watt lamps instead. 6 of those with 2 Ice Cap ballasts and you would be set.

 

[sayn3ver]

Grim, I hope this is the last time i have to bother you for atleast a year.

I know i've been all over the board with questions so i'll try to keep this short.

Surprisingly, Reefgeek called today cause I was on the waiting list for an ati powermodule and said they came in. I asked them to hold one for me and i would get back to them cause i wanted to ask you for a bulb recommendation.

I am getting a 4x39w power module for my 40g breeder(finally).
This will be my first reef/salt and i am not sure what i'll be keeping initially, probably mixed at this point.

I don't want a blue tank, but i don't want a yellowish one either. I'd like to mimic a shallow topical lagoon at midday, crisp, white, but i'd like to have some color pop as well.

I was thinking..

ati aquablue
ge 6500k
UV 10k aqua sun
ati aquablue


Your thoughts?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Do a blue plus in place of one of the aquablues and you should be there. The Aquablues are nearly white.

 

[sayn3ver]

thank you very much. I suppose run the blueplus in front or in the very back, right?

Also, could i swap a 3k for the 6500k if i went

aquablue
aquablue
3000k
blueplus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Id do the blue plus up front. I am not a big fan of the Aquablue. I'd stick with the UVL and GE with the blue plus and Aquablue.