The T5 Q&a Thread

[Mark75]

travdixon,
Your Blue Plus bulbs will lose some blueness over the next week. I thought my tank was going to be to blue when i first put them in but when they burned in they were perfect. Can you post some pics of your bulb combo?

 

[travdixon]

Here ya go!

 

[Mark75]

Sorry travdixon, I was not clear. LOL I would like to see your TANK lit with those bulbs.

 

[travdixon]

LOL

 

[hndakd]

i have a nova extreme with 8 bulbs and not so good reflector. I have over driven the bulbs and now need to replace them i was thinking that im going to do this combo
front
blue plus
super actinic
UVL Aquasun
Blue PLus
GE 6500 daylight
Ge 6500 daylight
Aqua blue
UVL 75/25
Blue Plus

I know that this is not the best fixture out there I just need to replace the bulbs, and i would like to have my tank a little more blue than it is now. I have the Bulbs that is came with right now. Is this going to work for me and can anyone recommend a site to get some of these bulbs from? I have looked at the sponsers and i dont know if im just not looking hard enough or what but i cant seem to find any of the bulbs.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11020640#post11020640 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mikellini
What is it about the Fulham Workhorse ballasts that makes them 'inferior' in a T5 application?

They dont use the programed start and the quality of the materials used in it are likely not as good. The DYnamic and Triad ballasts were able to produce a little more light using slightly less power. In theory the lack of programmed start should make the Workhorse slightly more efficient.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11022940#post11022940 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by travdixon
LOL

Nice tank. I assume you arent using that crappy Arrowhead water in it
(My uncle and cousins worked for Bastanchury for years)

 

[fishlibrary]

For a 4 tubes system, what are your choice from brand UVL, D-D & AquaMedic only ?
RT is a mixed reef of soft corals, Button, mushroom and mainly SPS.

 

[travdixon]

(My uncle and cousins worked for Bastanchury for years)

aahhh, Yosemite, eh? I'll reserve my comments and keep this thread on topic......

 

[mountaindew]

building 24x24x24 reef tank please advise on number of t5 bulbs and lamp configuration. mostly sps coral will be kept! thanks

 

[tereefic]

I plan on ordering a new light (mh with broken t5 supplements currently) and bulbs today. I was planning on the aquactinics tx5 over the tek. 29 bow....so 24 inches long, let me know if you disagree.


lps and sps mostly. I like my lighting more white than blue, also looking to bring out the most colors I can. Looking for suggestions on the 5 bulbs. Thanks

 

[jennmac415]

Grim... I would like to see a full shot of your tank with your current bulb configuration,

since adding the GE 3000k in place of 2 GE 6500s.. I am not so sure that I like it... would love to see your tank lit with those bulbs that you run...

Thanks as always!

 

[scottflanagan]

i am sure if i read through the 377 post on this thread i could find the answers to all of my questions. However i am too lazy and i would like to just ask the grim master.

My scenario is as follows. I have a 40 breeder (36X18X16) with a 440icecap vho setup[2super actinic and 2 actinic white]. I hate the pink look my tank has. i would like a whiter look to the tank or even more blue to bring out the greens in some of my coral.

I will be down sizing to a 32 gal tank (24X18X18) this winter. I realy want to improve my lighting. I keep mostly softies (zoas mushrooms/ricordia some lps and only monties for sps. i know my tank is mostly newbie corals but i enjoy them and it has been easy to maintain).

I don't want to nuke the softies i have nor do i need supper bright lights for what i keep.

It seems like you usualy recomend:

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus

for other people asking the same question i have. Is this the setup you would recomend for me?

I don't want to spend a ton but also don't want a crapy setup.
Should i try to make use of my 440?
should i buy a 4 bulb 660 t5 setup and be done?
should i run a sun tek 2 bulb t5 setup along side my vho's?

Your advice would be greatly apreciated.

thanks
scott

p.s. i am making my own hood so i am only intrested in retro kits.
thanks

 

[travdixon]

Scottflanagan, I just got the IceCap retro kit with 4 bulbs from reefgeek. My configuration is-
Blue Plus
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Blue Plus

Even though it is a little blue now, I am told once the blue plus' burn in, it won't be like that. I have had them for 2 days now, and my corals and anemones haven't looked this good in a loooonnng time!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11024517#post11024517 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by travdixon
aahhh, Yosemite, eh? I'll reserve my comments and keep this thread on topic......

:lol:

(cutthroat water people anyway)

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11024363#post11024363 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishlibrary
For a 4 tubes system, what are your choice from brand UVL, D-D & AquaMedic only ?
RT is a mixed reef of soft corals, Button, mushroom and mainly SPS.

Front
D&D Actinic Plus
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
D&D Aquablue (or Actinic Plus for a more blue look.)

 

[mikellini]

I heard it was because they were 'hard-start' vs 'soft-start'. Then I also heard that the hard start only affect the total life of the bulbs, and since we change bulbs well before they actually burn out, it doesn't have much of an effect on the light they produce in the first 18 months of use

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11024986#post11024986 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mountaindew
building 24x24x24 reef tank please advise on number of t5 bulbs and lamp configuration. mostly sps coral will be kept! thanks

I'd do 8 lamps (actually I'd do a halide) with Ice Cap reflectors.

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

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11025514#post11025514 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tereefic
I plan on ordering a new light (mh with broken t5 supplements currently) and bulbs today. I was planning on the aquactinics tx5 over the tek. 29 bow....so 24 inches long, let me know if you disagree.


lps and sps mostly. I like my lighting more white than blue, also looking to bring out the most colors I can. Looking for suggestions on the 5 bulbs. Thanks

Try this
Aquablue
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Blue Plus
Aquablue

Shouldn't be too blue. The Aquablues are nearly white rather than blue so it wont look as blue as you might think.

 

[scottflanagan]

travdixon thanks for the response i think your tank is a bit too blue for my taste. I will, however, wait and see if it whiteness up a bit with time.
I was also considering keeping 2 of my vho's in there to see how that looks but i would prob be better trying to sell that setup.