The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

6 will get you started if 4 are overdriven. I would go with the 660 for 4 of the lamps and a standard ballast for the other 2. I think having 2 rows of overdriven Daylights or sun lamps with 4 rows of standard driven lamps will provide plenty of light unless you want to do mainly SPS.

 

[sbcaes]

hey grim wouldnt an ati powermodule be overkill on a tank that isnt really tall? what would be the reccomendations for a mixed reef?

 

[cuddle fish]

Thanks so much! I'm going to place my order tomorrow. One thing...did you mean 4 rows of overdriven lights and 2 rows of standard lights or am I missing something?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10874808#post10874808 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sbcaes
hey grim wouldnt an ati powermodule be overkill on a tank that isnt really tall? what would be the reccomendations for a mixed reef?

Yes and no. If you like the styling just raise it up a little higher or use lower PAR lamps.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10874966#post10874966 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Barb7
Thanks so much! I'm going to place my order tomorrow. One thing...did you mean 4 rows of overdriven lights and 2 rows of standard lights or am I missing something?

2 rows overdriven, 4 lamps total.

 

[cuddle fish]

Ok, thanks again for everything!!

 

[fours2many]

Grim,

This might be a stupid question, but I need to ask it anyway.

A friend was at macna and saw aquasun 10,000 bulbs 54" 85 watt bulbs.

I didn't know they made 85 watt T-5 bulbs. I was under the impression that the bulbs were just 54 watt and overdriven with ice cap ballests. Here is a link for these bulbs. Are they really 85 watts? My friend has a retro icecap set up, he wants to know if he has to buy the 85 watt bulbs or if the 54 watt bulbs push more with the ice cap.

AquaSun 10000°K T-5 HO Fluorescent Tubes

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+16768&pcatid=16768

CD-29813 24" 40 watt $17.99

CD-29810 36" 60 watt $17.99

CD-29807 48" 85 watt $17.99

Thanks, Kristin

 

[shackscs]

Grim, I have a 20 long that I am going to use for a frag tank. What you recommend for lighting that is more for growing than color?

I am working with softies: Zoas, 'shrooms, xenia, etc.

I don't have fixture yet so I am open to fixture\lighting options.

Thanks

 

[shackscs]

Grim, I have a 20 long that I am going to use for a frag tank. What you recommend for lighting that is more for growing than color?

I am working with softies: Zoas, 'shrooms, xenia, etc.

I don't have a fixture yet so I am open to fixture\lighting options.

Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Here's the deal. Those are 54 watt lamps designed to withstand being overdriven. I am not sure if their is really even a industry spec for VHO T5. I do know they increase about 35% in output overdriven. It isn't a bad idea the way they are doing it because one product covers the HO and VHO segments. Keeps cost down but confuses the hell out of people.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10876297#post10876297 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fours2many
Grim,

This might be a stupid question, but I need to ask it anyway.

A friend was at macna and saw aquasun 10,000 bulbs 54" 85 watt bulbs.

I didn't know they made 85 watt T-5 bulbs. I was under the impression that the bulbs were just 54 watt and overdriven with ice cap ballests. Here is a link for these bulbs. Are they really 85 watts? My friend has a retro icecap set up, he wants to know if he has to buy the 85 watt bulbs or if the 54 watt bulbs push more with the ice cap.

AquaSun 10000°K T-5 HO Fluorescent Tubes

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+16768&pcatid=16768

CD-29813 24" 40 watt $17.99

CD-29810 36" 60 watt $17.99

CD-29807 48" 85 watt $17.99

Thanks, Kristin

 

[boxerzz]

The ATI pro colour bulb is there any advantage of it, is it a better photo output source than blueplus ? Will the spectrum colour cause algae blooms ? Sorry for so many questions I got one instead of a blueplus so now I got pro colour, blue plus and two aquablue.

 

[IMPERATORFAN]

I just recently switched over an icecap 430 from VHO's to running two 48" T-5's. I'm new to T-5 and just trying things out. I had a 3k sylvania and a UV super actinic in there to test. Within 10-20 minutes, the 3k bulb burned out. I had made a DIY fixture and apparently the end caps were mounted too far apart. I figured that it was a bad connection and the power arc'd and burned it up. I fixed that and tried another 3k bulb a few days later and the same thing happened.

Can I not run this 3k bulb in there or is there something else going on here?

thanks
Scot

 

[JerseyWendy]

Hi Grim

I've been following this thread for ages, and when I set up my tank in the beginning of the year I bought the 6-bulb, 48" TekLight from Reefgeek with the following bulbs:

(front to back)
Actinic 03
Blue Plus
11k
6,500k GE
Super Actinic
Blue Pus

This is what my tank looks like:
Picture taken yesterday

I'm quite happy with the growth of my SPS, but would like a little more "pop" for the overall color, especially my frogspawns and hammer.

Is there anything I should change? And if so, will the growth suffer if I make any changes?

Thanks so much in advance.

---
Wendy

 

[Aquactinics]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10878768#post10878768 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by IMPERATORFAN
I just recently switched over an icecap 430 from VHO's to running two 48" T-5's. I'm new to T-5 and just trying things out. I had a 3k sylvania and a UV super actinic in there to test. Within 10-20 minutes, the 3k bulb burned out. I had made a DIY fixture and apparently the end caps were mounted too far apart. I figured that it was a bad connection and the power arc'd and burned it up. I fixed that and tried another 3k bulb a few days later and the same thing happened.

Can I not run this 3k bulb in there or is there something else going on here?

thanks
Scot

Scot,

First, are you using 54W T5 HO lamps? Second, could you please post how you wiring the 430 ballast into the endcaps and what style endcaps are you using?

Thank you,

Tom
Aquactinics

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10878691#post10878691 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by boxerzz
The ATI pro colour bulb is there any advantage of it, is it a better photo output source than blueplus ? Will the spectrum colour cause algae blooms ? Sorry for so many questions I got one instead of a blueplus so now I got pro colour, blue plus and two aquablue.

It is like a Aquablue lamp with red spectrum added, at least thats what it looks like to me. It looks to be the same lamp as the Fiji purple to me. Shouldn't cause any algae blooms. If all you are running is aquablue and blue plus lamps having one of these is a definate plus in my opinion.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Was there any physical damage to the lamp? Burnt pins, black marks on the lamps etc.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10878768#post10878768 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by IMPERATORFAN
I just recently switched over an icecap 430 from VHO's to running two 48" T-5's. I'm new to T-5 and just trying things out. I had a 3k sylvania and a UV super actinic in there to test. Within 10-20 minutes, the 3k bulb burned out. I had made a DIY fixture and apparently the end caps were mounted too far apart. I figured that it was a bad connection and the power arc'd and burned it up. I fixed that and tried another 3k bulb a few days later and the same thing happened.

Can I not run this 3k bulb in there or is there something else going on here?

thanks
Scot

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10878822#post10878822 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JerseyWendy
Hi Grim

I've been following this thread for ages, and when I set up my tank in the beginning of the year I bought the 6-bulb, 48" TekLight from Reefgeek with the following bulbs:

(front to back)
Actinic 03
Blue Plus
11k
6,500k GE
Super Actinic
Blue Pus

This is what my tank looks like:
Picture taken yesterday

I'm quite happy with the growth of my SPS, but would like a little more "pop" for the overall color, especially my frogspawns and hammer.

Is there anything I should change? And if so, will the growth suffer if I make any changes?

Thanks so much in advance.

---
Wendy

Nice tank

I am not sure if this is going to help with the frogspawn or hammer but try either a ATI Pro Color or a UVL 75/25 in place of the 11K lamp. The added red spectrum should bring out pink and purple colors better.

 

[JerseyWendy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10879738#post10879738 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Nice tank

I am not sure if this is going to help with the frogspawn or hammer but try either a ATI Pro Color or a UVL 75/25 in place of the 11K lamp. The added red spectrum should bring out pink and purple colors better.

Thank you, and thank you again, Grim.

Will replacing the 11k with a ATI Pro Color have any impact on the growth?

---
Wendy

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Perhaps but it would be so slight. The Pro Color adds the red spectrum the corals use. The lamp has less overall PAR but the addition of the red spectrum may more than make up for that, hard to say.

There is a range within PAR called PUR which is the spectrum that is actually used, at least used more efficiently. Green and Yellow isn't used as well and Red and Blue.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Thanks again, Grim. Thanks very, very much. You rock!

---
Wendy