The T5 Q&a Thread

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I'd overdrive the 4 new ones. Overdriving will make the lamps brighter so you will percieve the light is whiter.

Run the normal driven lamps as the first and last lamp.

Front
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Pro Color
ATI Aquablue
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus

A friend is running a similar setup with Tek reflectors and a couple of lamps with lower PAR and he is getting PAR readings at the sand that are over 250. Easily enough for SPS.
 
Grim, can most T-5 lamps be overdriven? ATI, Korallen, Giesemann, ULV...ETC.

Also I dont see you recommending the Korallen Fiji Purple or the Coral light very often, can you tell me why?

Thanks Again!!!
Brian
 
Last edited:
Hi Grim!
I am planning to upgrade my Current 4-lamp fixture to a 5-lamp Aquactinics. I went and bought some new lamps to burn in before I order the new fixture, and my current configuration is:

Aquablue
SuperActinic
AquaSun
460 actinic

I tried to sub out the actinic for a blue plus, but really missed the pop, and my ricordea looked really blah. However, the tank is a little more pink with all lights on than I would like. I realize the lamps have to burn in, as they are only a few days old right now.

I plan to use the first three (new) lamps in the Aquactinic. What addtional two lamps should I order, and how do I combine the five in the new fixture?

As a final outcome, I'd like a good actinic component to maintain the "pop", and a little less pink tone, but will trust your recommendation.

I only have a very few easy SPS up high in the tank. The rest all softies, zoas, shrooms, etc....

Thanks for your help!
Tracy
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11202190#post11202190 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cashman95
Also I dont see you recommending the Korallen Fiji Purple or the Coral light very often, can you tell me why?
Click to expand...

Because as far as I can tell the Coral light is the same lamp as the ATI Aquablue and the Fiji Purple didn't really impress me. I pulled the one I had out of my system. For the difference in price there are other lamps I would rather run but if you see a mix you like running a Fiji Purple I wouldn't recomend against using it.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11202285#post11202285 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by zotzer
Hi Grim!
I am planning to upgrade my Current 4-lamp fixture to a 5-lamp Aquactinics. I went and bought some new lamps to burn in before I order the new fixture, and my current configuration is:

Aquablue
SuperActinic
AquaSun
460 actinic

I tried to sub out the actinic for a blue plus, but really missed the pop, and my ricordea looked really blah. However, the tank is a little more pink with all lights on than I would like. I realize the lamps have to burn in, as they are only a few days old right now.

I plan to use the first three (new) lamps in the Aquactinic. What addtional two lamps should I order, and how do I combine the five in the new fixture?

As a final outcome, I'd like a good actinic component to maintain the "pop", and a little less pink tone, but will trust your recommendation.

I only have a very few easy SPS up high in the tank. The rest all softies, zoas, shrooms, etc....

Thanks for your help!
Tracy
Click to expand...

Try this

Front
ATI Blue Plus
Super Actinic
Aquasun
460 Actinic
GE 6500K daylight

Keep the Aquablue as a spare lamp. They are a decent replacement for a blue or daylight lamp. Adding the ATI Blue and the GE which has a greenish yellow tint should wash most of the pink out of the look.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11201982#post11201982 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I'd overdrive the 4 new ones. Overdriving will make the lamps brighter so you will percieve the light is whiter.

Run the normal driven lamps as the first and last lamp.

Front
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Pro Color
ATI Aquablue
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus

A friend is running a similar setup with Tek reflectors and a couple of lamps with lower PAR and he is getting PAR readings at the sand that are over 250. Easily enough for SPS.
Click to expand...
 
So it seems that the ATI Powermodules are some nice units. Can anyone tell me what Ballast they are using and where to purchase one.
 
Check with Reefgeek on the ballast. They use Vossloh Schwabbe although I am sure I butchered the spelling. Same ballast as the Sylvania and Osram
 
feelin pretty stupid since im really handy but im havin a heck of a time gettin the lights to stay the correct distance. is there a diagram on settin these lights up and should i put the ballasts on the outside away from most of the moisture?
 
Which T5 Retro Kit to Buy

Which T5 Retro Kit to Buy

I have a standard 90 gallon tank L 48.5 x W 18.5 x H 25 with 3x96watts of PC currently. I was thinking of upgrading to T5s. ReefGeek seems to be the consensus place to buy from.

I currently have softies, LPS and some montipora at the top of the tank. I won't get more into SPS than that.

Bulb suggestions would also be appreciated. Thanks
 
calling the grim reefer,

I just ordered the new Nova Extreme Pro T5HO 6x39w fixture from drsfostersmith.com the other day. If you havent heard of this fixture yet it is the new model with individual reflectors and active cooling. I've been doing a lot of reading comparing different T5 fixtures, bulb combos, par, etc. I'm a noob at this and I want to make sure that my fixture will be adequate enough to support softies to sps. What are you thoughts on this new fixture? Does it look promising? I would like to keep a variety of corals without bleaching my softies and starving my sps.

My tank is not set-up yet, and wont be until August because of moving constraints. It is a 30 breeder (36"x12"x16"). I was also looking into getting a lux light meter to measure the par of this fixture. Any suggestions on methods? I'd like to try it first with the slimpaq bulbs to get a baseline of the fixture "stock." I would then most likely upgrade to geismann and ati bulbs.

Any help or suggestions in any form is much appreciated.

TIA.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11205554#post11205554 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NWhoric
feelin pretty stupid since im really handy but im havin a heck of a time gettin the lights to stay the correct distance. is there a diagram on settin these lights up and should i put the ballasts on the outside away from most of the moisture?
Click to expand...

You talking about spacing the endcap? I just use a lamp mounted in the endcaps. Mark the position for the standoffs and mount one side and install the endcap in the standoff. Then mount the endcap for the other side to a standoff and install a lamp in the two endcaps so you can mark the position for the other side. Make sure you are applying some pressure so the lamp will fit snugly between the two endcaps once installed.
 
Re: Which T5 Retro Kit to Buy

Re: Which T5 Retro Kit to Buy

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11207336#post11207336 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by atlfishes
I have a standard 90 gallon tank L 48.5 x W 18.5 x H 25 with 3x96watts of PC currently. I was thinking of upgrading to T5s. ReefGeek seems to be the consensus place to buy from.

I currently have softies, LPS and some montipora at the top of the tank. I won't get more into SPS than that.

Bulb suggestions would also be appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...

4 lamps should be fine

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL SUPER ACTINIC
UVL AQUASUN
ATI AQUABLUE
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11207430#post11207430 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by siwelk
calling the grim reefer,

I just ordered the new Nova Extreme Pro T5HO 6x39w fixture from drsfostersmith.com the other day. If you havent heard of this fixture yet it is the new model with individual reflectors and active cooling. I've been doing a lot of reading comparing different T5 fixtures, bulb combos, par, etc. I'm a noob at this and I want to make sure that my fixture will be adequate enough to support softies to sps. What are you thoughts on this new fixture? Does it look promising? I would like to keep a variety of corals without bleaching my softies and starving my sps.

My tank is not set-up yet, and wont be until August because of moving constraints. It is a 30 breeder (36"x12"x16"). I was also looking into getting a lux light meter to measure the par of this fixture. Any suggestions on methods? I'd like to try it first with the slimpaq bulbs to get a baseline of the fixture "stock." I would then most likely upgrade to geismann and ati bulbs.

Any help or suggestions in any form is much appreciated.

TIA.
Click to expand...

The one glaring thing I see missing in the company literature is the type of material used for the reflectors. I had a reflector that was made out of polished aluminum that looked like a knock off of an Ice Cap reflector. It wasn't even close. The material makes a big difference.

In your case with a 16" tall tank it isn't a big deal, I would probably use one or two real actinics to drop off the PAR a bit. You can't measur PAR with a Lux meter. You can make an assumption that more Lux = More PAR. That may or may not be accurate.
 
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