The T5 Q&a Thread

[travdixon]

Well, it's the 2nd day, and it isn't as blue as it looks in those pics. My RBTA has almost doubled in size already!!! Really likes the T5's!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11025698#post11025698 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 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!

The Grim had an issue that poisoned the tank a few months ago so there aren't a lot of good corals in it right now.

It doesn't look quite as blue as the pics show. If I set the camera to show the color of the corals it makes the tank look really blue so these are a compromise. The Galaxia and green brain (extreme left side of pic) absolutly glow in real life. Just above and to the right of the BiColor Blenny's head there are a few heads of a lime green candy cane which also glows like crazy. Oddly enough the frogspawn on the sandbed below the hippo tang looks pretty accurate. The Acro here V was an RTNed coloney that was donated as a reclamation project.You can just make out the glow of the live section underneath

This close up shows the colors better. These are all pretty accurate, the colors of the corals are a little more vivid in real life.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11026078#post11026078 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 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

Some people have had good luck with them and others haven't. There are known issues with them blowing out some of the cheaper lamps in a month or two of use. You want to assume they don't effect lamp life in aquarium use more power to you and good luck.

 

[das75]

Can someone tell me the width of the Icecap SLR reflector and the width of the TEK II.

Considering retro kits and space is a factor.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

The Ice Cap is 2 1/2 inches and the Tek II is at least 2 3/4"

 

[Dudester]

Hey Grim, what do you think of this? I have a 10 x 54W Powermodule. Initially I had it like this:

front
blue plus
aquablue
super actinic
aquasun
pro color
super actinic
aquasun
blue plus
aquablue
blue plus

When looking at it from the side, it was like a steak cooked medium rare (pink in the center), and a little too dark in the back.

So I changed the lamps around to this:

front
blue plus
aquablue
super actinic
pro color
blue plus
aquasun
aquablue
super actinic
blue plus
aquasun

This creates more of a blend of colors, and the bands are less distinct. Sorry, no photo yet. Do you think this 'blending' will reduce the pop that T5's create? I don't have enough corals yet to be able to make this determination at this time.

Thanks!!

 

[Tommy Tang]

hey Grim

What would suggest for sps and clam.
ATi fixter 6 54 Watt
Whith combinetion

Thank you

 

[mikellini]

I never said anything about wanting to assume they don't have an effect. Just said what I heard... anyway, there is a lot of favouritism for certain products and/or manufacturers so I was just trying the wade through the BS. I guess if you buy cheap lamps, you get cheap results. Same with the ballasts. But I was just wondering as to the how and why certain products are considered 'inferior' to others

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11027833#post11027833 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dudester
Hey Grim, what do you think of this? I have a 10 x 54W Powermodule. Initially I had it like this:

front
blue plus
aquablue
super actinic
aquasun
pro color
super actinic
aquasun
blue plus
aquablue
blue plus

When looking at it from the side, it was like a steak cooked medium rare (pink in the center), and a little too dark in the back.

So I changed the lamps around to this:

front
blue plus
aquablue
super actinic
pro color
blue plus
aquasun
aquablue
super actinic
blue plus
aquasun

This creates more of a blend of colors, and the bands are less distinct. Sorry, no photo yet. Do you think this 'blending' will reduce the pop that T5's create? I don't have enough corals yet to be able to make this determination at this time.

Thanks!!

Damn I could see why you would have had the red streak

It looks like you have things distributed pretty evenly now.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11028014#post11028014 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mikellini
I never said anything about wanting to assume they don't have an effect. Just said what I heard... anyway, there is a lot of favouritism for certain products and/or manufacturers so I was just trying the wade through the BS. I guess if you buy cheap lamps, you get cheap results. Same with the ballasts. But I was just wondering as to the how and why certain products are considered 'inferior' to others

The T5 lamp manufacturer designed the lamps based on certain ballast specifications. The Workhorse is not a T5 ballast because it doesn't meet the specifications. That is why I dont recomend them in most situations where there are better options. It isn't a matter of favoritism. Same thing with lamps and reflectors. Reefgeek gets mentioned as the vendor of choice because they have a great selection of products, prices are about the lowest out there and they stand behind their products. I know if I recomend reefgeek to someone I will never be embarrased because they burnt someone or failed to fairly resolve an issue. If that is favoritism I plead guilty.

 

[Dudester]

Here's how it looks with the new lamp orientation. I think I'll leave it alone for a while, at least until I can see how some corals look under it.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11027951#post11027951 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tommy Tang
hey Grim

What would suggest for sps and clam.
ATi fixter 6 54 Watt
Whith combinetion

Thank you

Front
Aquablue
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Blue Plus
GE 6500K
Blue Plus

 

[mikellini]

truth be told, i kind of wish i had known about reefgeek earlier. It just seemed like everyone else I checked with wouldn't ship to canada, or wanted $100 for shipping. But I guess I'm getting what I'm getting... at least now I know, if I need to replace the ballasts in the future or if I order more lamps. Seems like a pretty well laid out site, good prices. Haven't asked about shipping though. But you live and you learn.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

If geek wont ship to Canada check out Aquarium Obsessed. They at least have lamps.

 

[Tommy Tang]

Thank you Grim
What look that will give me

 

[jennmac415]

Grim... please show me a FTS of your tank with your current bulb configuration...

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11032979#post11032979 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tommy Tang
Thank you Grim
What look that will give me

Slightly blue. You can play with the lamp positions to tweak the look.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11033073#post11033073 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jennmac415
Grim... please show me a FTS of your tank with your current bulb configuration...

The shots I posted for you on the last page are the best I have. Closeups seem to look close to the actual color. As I pull away from the tank everything washes out blue with the camera I have so I don't even bother.

 

[snapperface]

I just picked up Aquactinics T5 . The lights were really bright for the first 2 weeks then the lighting wasn't as bright as before. Is this because of the burn in period for the lights or is something wrong. My bulbs are
front
Blue+
aquasun
super actintich
6500k ge
blue+

 

[Tommy Tang]

Thank you