The T5 Q&a Thread

[Luv2Fish]

Grim, or for anyone running Grim's recommended standard 4 bulb setup,

Blue +
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Blue +

How blue is it? I was planning on ordering it but was just wondering how it would compare to the color I'm currently getting out of my 10,000 K MH fixture. Tank pictures might be helpful.

Thanks for the help.

 

[EvilE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12104922#post12104922 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Luv2Fish
Grim, or for anyone running Grim's recommended standard 4 bulb setup,

Blue +
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Blue +

How blue is it? I was planning on ordering it but was just wondering how it would compare to the color I'm currently getting out of my 10,000 K MH fixture. Tank pictures might be helpful.

Thanks for the help.

I took Grim's advice and got that exact bulb setup--I LOVE it!! It's a blue look, but not too blue.

 

[vanillagorila]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12105792#post12105792 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EvilE
I took Grim's advice and got that exact bulb setup--I LOVE it!! It's a blue look, but not too blue.

I'm running that same bulb combo

 

[EvilE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12106317#post12106317 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by vanillagorila
I'm running that same bulb combo

Have you gotten any of these to do well under that combo?

 

[ooja3k]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12104922#post12104922 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Luv2Fish
Grim, or for anyone running Grim's recommended standard 4 bulb setup,

Blue +
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Blue +

How blue is it? I was planning on ordering it but was just wondering how it would compare to the color I'm currently getting out of my 10,000 K MH fixture. Tank pictures might be helpful.

Thanks for the help.

its not too blue. The aquasun gives some nice pinkish tones too. Its by no means 10k, probably around 13-14k

 

[CaribbeanDream]

Need a lighting suggestion please. Im new to T5, I have a 240L 96x24x25. I want to keep SPS. What do you recommend? Thanks!

 

[vanillagorila]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12106460#post12106460 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EvilE
Have you gotten any of these to do well under that combo?

im not sure what that is but I am sure i could grow it with this combo

 

[EvilE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12107918#post12107918 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by vanillagorila
im not sure what that is but I am sure i could grow it with this combo

you know what that is you liehole!!!

 

[Paul_PSU]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12106460#post12106460 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EvilE
Have you gotten any of these to do well under that combo?

I think I saw that on one of my kids shows while he was watching cartoon network.

Paul

 

[tsouth]

Alrighty, before I put in my order I just have a couple more questions to ask. The bulbs recommended for my 55 were from front to back:

Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
UVL Aquasun
Blue Plus

Which bulbs do I wire on the same ballast? Blue+'s on one ballast and UVL's on the other? Also is there any difference between the Universal AccuStart or Vossloh-Schwabe ballast? Which one is better?

 

[dahacker]

FOWLR T5 Start

FOWLR T5 Start

Hey Grim and all,

70G (36L x 18W x 24 Vertical Deep) FOWLR with likely transition to Soft Corals, Zoos, Mushrooms after several months.

Looking at normally driven Icecap Retros.

I know its difficult to peg the light needs since Soft Coral, Zoos and Mushroom needs vary widely based on species, but should I just get 2x39W T5 11k's to start out with, and just add another 2 bulbs in the canopy later.

Or, should I just get 4x39W T5's with Grims normal 4 bulb recommendation to start out with?

Money isn't really a huge driver. Heat might be. I just don't want to look like an idiot with too much light on my FOWLR. And I don't want to do a complete redo on lighting when I want to transition to Reef.

 

[StupidusMaximus]

Well I read the first 80 of the now 487 pages :eek1: of this topic and I still have some questions. My tank is 240gal 72x 24w x 30tall. I see a lot of suggestions for halides if you want a mixed reef, but they're usually on shallower tanks. With a 30 in deep tank do you think I can still keep shrooms on the bottom. My thoughts are 36" ice cap retro fit 8 or 12 bulbs or halides 2 250w and a 400w (lumenbright or lumen arc but that's another argument) in the middle. I would like to be as energy efficient as possible because my wife says so. lol. Thanks for your help especially Grim. They should have a smiley with a brown nose.

 

[SaltyK]

thanks for the response grimm. Next question is could i do a 72" t5 80w system and how many bulbs would i need compared to the 39w system?

 

[alohagreg]

Aloha Grim,

It's been about a year since you gave me good advice for a bulb configuration for a TX5 on a mixed reef tank.

The setup you recommended was as follows
Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue

I need to change the bulbs within a couple months and I have a couple questions

Do you still recommend the same configuration, or are there better bulbs out there? I've been reading through this thread but there is so much info to go through.

Which bulbs should I use for the dawn/dusk. The TX5 has two switches, one that fires two bulbs and teh other fires three bulbs.

And lastly, should I change all the bulbs at once or stagger the changing?

Big thanks for all the help and knowledge you provide!

 

[jfl14609]

Hey grim do you know if the uri ballast are equal to the ice cap 660's? I just read they were but wasnt sure

 

[beef3333]

Lights for a 50 gallon

Lights for a 50 gallon

Hey Grim,

So I am getting lights for my 36*18*18 tank and i was looking at these two units.

Current USA

or the Tek

TeK 36"

The Current commes with everything but with the Tek i would have to buy the legs and 6 bulbs. So my question is it worth the extra money to get the Tek or would the Current Pro be fine. I want to be able to keep almost anything in the end. Also if I get either light what would be the best lights to have. I would replace the original ones that cane in the Current USA fixture.

Thanks,

 

[Pauln27]

Hi, Grim sorry to bother you seems your asked alot of combos with T5 so ill try and ask one too i run 3 10kxm MH over my tank and wanted a good Actinic blue look so here is what i came up with front to back 2 front 2 back of MH

1 ATI True Actinic 03 T5HO
2 ATI Blue Plus T5HO

3 ATI True Actinic 03 T5HO
4 ATI Blue Plus T5HO

Or go with

1 ATI True Actinic 03 T5HO
2 ATI Pro Color T5HO

3 ATI True Actinic 03 T5HO
4 ATI Blue Plus T5HO

What do you think would do best for me

Thx Paul

 

[EvilE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12108920#post12108920 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Paul_PSU
I think I saw that on one of my kids shows while he was watching cartoon network.

Paul

It's wierd, Vanillagorila has tons of them in his tank--he frags 'em out!!

 

[shoprat001]

I hope this is the right place to ask this. I'm thinking about getting the Aquactinic 72" constellation setup. I already own 3 Icecap 660 ballasts.
My question is has anyone switched out the Aquactinic ballasts with Icecaps to overdrive them and for future upgrades when Icecap comes out with their dimmable ballast,

Norm

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12102903#post12102903 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DrDNA
I am going to be receiving two 10x54w powermodules this week to replace 4 x 250 halides (two 2x250 maristar fixtures) on a 24" deep tank. any suggestions for light acclimation? halides currently run 8-10 hrs per day and are 10" from the water.

I'd just set up a 12 hour dusk/danw cycle and gradually increase the full on cycle from about 4 hours a day until you get to what you want. I doubt the ATI's are going to be a huge increase except for the areas not under your current reflectors.