The T5 Q&a Thread

[reefcrazy0821]

ok that sounds like a good plan...so what you are sayin have 6 on one side and 6 on the other...thats would be alot better imo...and yeah greg does know what he is talkin bout he has been a big help to all my ?s...thanks grim ill let you know what i get.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Yeah, 6 on each side.

 

[spleen93]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11811745#post11811745 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
If you were to read PAR 2" away from the lamps you are only having light from a small area of a single lamp striking the sensor. As you move away from the source (lamp) not only will light from a greater area of the lamp start striking the sensor but also from the other lamps so it wouldn't be surprising to see an increase. But even with the fixture sitting a few inches from the water once your get far enough below the water to start placing corals aint no way you are going to see light increase once you start moving lower in the tank.

Grim - yeah, I was wondering about the effect of multiple bulbs vs single bulb as you moved away from a point very close to the fixture to a point farther away and can see how you might gain light in that situation. But like you said, once you get below the water in any reasonable tank setup, there's no way that you're going to GAIN any light

 

[kenyacat]

Grim, thanks for the help.

 

[snaza]

Hi grim,

got any PAR readings for fiji purple bulbs, and other KZ bulbs. I can't seem to find much info on these bulbs. what K rating would they be? what colour spectum do they put out? I'm running 1 and its very purple. looks nice though.

thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11814343#post11814343 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snaza
Hi grim,

got any PAR readings for fiji purple bulbs, and other KZ bulbs. I can't seem to find much info on these bulbs. what K rating would they be? what colour spectum do they put out? I'm running 1 and its very purple. looks nice though.

thanks

The KZ coral light appears to be a ATI Aquablue with a different label on it. Same look, Same PAR. The Fiji Purple is about 10% below an Aquablue

 

[ghstrider]

hey grim,

I see you are the T5 guru so let me get some feedback. I have a 72 gal bowfront with softies, lps, rics, and shrooms. I have begun to add a few easy sps frags like an orange cap, a milli, some other encrusting monti frags and all are doing well under my pc's (4x65watts sunpaq). the sps is even slowly growing but i want to start putting in more sps and a clam so i want to do t5s and skip the chiller that i would need if i did mhs (tank runs 77-81 right now without using the fan).

I would like to really start getting some growth out of all my corals and get some great coloration out of sps when i put some in so what do you recommend specifically? I'm including a pic of my tank so you get some ideas as to my needs. I have a canopy on my tank and need a retro kit and was looking at the icecap kits w/ the 660 but i know nothing yet. I also want to keep this under $500 if possible... can i get a full rigged out system for this much?

also gimme a run down of the specific bulbs you recommend and the order to put them in. i have a yellowish look now with my daytime lights (white and actinics) and i really dont like that. I dont know what the 14k phoenix bulbs put out but everyone always raves that it looks great... im just rambling so ill stop now

 

[ghstrider]

here is a unit i was looking at from marine depot...

4ft IceCap T5 4-Lamp Complete Retrofit Kit (with ballast and reflectors)
FREE SHIPPING*
Availability: Usually ships the next business day


Item Code: IC1535

Our Price: $320.99


but these are only 4 lamps.... would a 6 set be better?

 

[mjstover]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11811551#post11811551 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I'd do this
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus.

I can find all of them but the 75/25 UVL i dont see anything like that on there site. Also The Aquasun is only a 20W not 24W does this matter?

 

[Milhouse]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11816065#post11816065 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mjstover
I can find all of them but the 75/25 UVL i dont see anything like that on there site. Also The Aquasun is only a 20W not 24W does this matter?

It's also listed as the UVL Aquablue.

 

[jennmac415]

go to reefgeek.com UVL aquablue is not the same as the 75/25 or the aquasun...these are all different bulbs and you can find them on that website...20 watts is not a T5 HO wattage... you are probably looking at a normal flourescent 20 watt bulb... all T5s HO bulbs are either 24 watts, 39 watts, 54 watts or 80 watts...hope that helps

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11815320#post11815320 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ghstrider
here is a unit i was looking at from marine depot...

4ft IceCap T5 4-Lamp Complete Retrofit Kit (with ballast and reflectors)
FREE SHIPPING*
Availability: Usually ships the next business day


Item Code: IC1535

Our Price: $320.99


but these are only 4 lamps.... would a 6 set be better?

Dont think you will get 6 over that tank. 4 will be plenty.

48" 4x54W SLR T5 High-Output Retrofit Kit w/ Bulbs
by IceCap
List Price: $349.00
Our Price: $299.00
You Save: $50.00 (14%)

Thats from reefgeek. Cheaper and includes lamps. And people wonder why I recomend the Geek. I never get embarresed by their pricing or customer service.

For lamps

Front
Blue Plus
ATI Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11816065#post11816065 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mjstover
I can find all of them but the 75/25 UVL i dont see anything like that on there site. Also The Aquasun is only a 20W not 24W does this matter?

Reefgeek has them. The lamp is referred to as the UV Lighting 75/25 Aquablue.

The wattages are
24" 24 watts
36" 39 watts
48" 54 watts
60" 80 watts
72" 105 watts

 

[Milhouse]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11816334#post11816334 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jennmac415
go to reefgeek.com UVL aquablue is not the same as the 75/25 or the aquasun...these are all different bulbs and you can find them on that website...20 watts is not a T5 HO wattage... you are probably looking at a normal flourescent 20 watt bulb... all T5s HO bulbs are either 24 watts, 39 watts, 54 watts or 80 watts...hope that helps

You are.........incorrect. The UVL aquablue IS the same as the 75/25. Go to reefgeek and look again...."24W 75/25 14000K AquaBlue T5 HO Fluorescent by UV Lighting". ATI has an Aquablue. Giessemann has an Aquablue. This is UVL's Aquablue. On Premium Aquatics site it's listed as the UVL 14k. If you look at the part number it says 75/25. So there you go!

 

[mjstover]

what would be the difference between the ATI Blue Plus and the Giesemenn Actinic Plus

 

[snaza]

Do i need a pure actinic bulb in a 6 bulb combo for a mixed reef or will the 3 blue plus give me enough actinic spectum?

 

[snaza]

I got a cheap 2x54w unit of ebay. only has 1 reflector which seems to be made of aluminium plastic or something. pretty crappy anyway. This is just for a second tank of softies but was wandering how much less output would it give than an icecap 2 bulb retro? half the output?

 

[kenyacat]

Grim, I guess I have another couple questions. You said:

4 would be fine but 6 would allow you to upgrade from the 55 someday and probably be better for the Sebea. If you do 4 grab one of the Azoo fan arrays fosters and smith sells and clamp it to the back frame of the tank blowing across the fixture.

For lamps

Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Aquablue

for 6
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Aquablue

I took a look at the graph on reefgeek.com but I don't really know what I am looking at. My question is for the 4 or 6 what kind of color am I getting? Right now I run just plain PCs on a 29 gallon. 65w 10,000K and a 65w actinic. The actinic is on when the white is on.

I don't want something that is too blue either. Not sure if anyone out there has a picture of their tank with these colors. I do not I can swap them out if I don't like them, but I would like to know what to expect in terms of what look would I get with either of them.

I still can't decide if I want 4 or 6. I keep thinking I will have more algae if I have the extra wattage I don't need.

Oh, and I hear a lot about par. Since I do not know what that means, are mine good in that respect?

Thanks for helping.

 

[tinnghe]

For anything that has the height with 24+ would hallidecombo be better or aqatinics 6 better

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11816608#post11816608 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mjstover
what would be the difference between the ATI Blue Plus and the Giesemenn Actinic Plus

Different manufacturers producing a lamp with pretty much the same output