The T5 Q&a Thread

[onecrzyboi4u]

hey grim i need help i have a 29 gal tank with nova extreme 4x39 watt . what would be best light bulbs to have.. i would like to keep some clams and a birdsnest.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12095691#post12095691 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jefnalyssa
Where would you recommend to get a normal driven 48 in t5 retro? On reefgeek its only 60 dollars more to get the overdriven?

If the price difference is only 60 I'd probably just overdrive them all/

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12095460#post12095460 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jfl14609
cool do the workhorse or hamilton ballast overdrive at all?

Workhorse can but I don't recomend it.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12096133#post12096133 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by onecrzyboi4u
hey grim i need help i have a 29 gal tank with nova extreme 4x39 watt . what would be best light bulbs to have.. i would like to keep some clams and a birdsnest.

Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
Aquasun
Blue Plus

 

[jfl14609]

ok I am just trying to work with what I have but it looks like I will just have tog et another ballast. do you see an advantage to either 3 ice cap 430's or 1 430 and 1 660? either of those will work for my 6 bulb config

 

[EvilE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12076561#post12076561 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TwistedTiger
Thanks for the response. Are the Tru bulbs considered quality bulbs like ATI or URL?

Grim?

 

[photobret]

Hey Grimm,

Thanks for all the help I got my teklight 6 x 39w a few months back and T5 definitely is the way forward. I am in the process of planning a new tank and am stuck on lighting. The new tank will be a 180 gallon beast which will measure 48x36x24. My question is would it be possible to run one more 6x 39w on this tank with both fittings going widthways? Tank will be SPS dominant with LPS and Zoas. I dont want to go back to MH and this was just an idea floating around in my head. My tank is 18" deep right now and am growing SPS on the sand. Would 2 Teks work as described above?

 

[SaltyK]

Grimm,

72" x 24" x 18" Wide Tank is the tank i am looking at getting. Should i get a 72" 12 bulb setup. How many bulbs should i get to have a variety of corals like soft, sps and clams?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12096918#post12096918 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jfl14609
ok I am just trying to work with what I have but it looks like I will just have tog et another ballast. do you see an advantage to either 3 ice cap 430's or 1 430 and 1 660? either of those will work for my 6 bulb config

I'd do the 3 430's if you already have 2. It would let you turn on your lights in 3 stages.

 

[jfl14609]

thats what I was thinking I just didnt know if either ballast overdrove the bulbs more. thanks for all your help. do I just wire the ballast normally or do I have to do them different to overdrive them?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12096999#post12096999 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EvilE
Grim?

I've never tried them but you get what you pay for. I've never driven a Mercedes but I still know my 25 thousand dollar Saturn isn't in the same class.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12097358#post12097358 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by photobret
Hey Grimm,

Thanks for all the help I got my teklight 6 x 39w a few months back and T5 definitely is the way forward. I am in the process of planning a new tank and am stuck on lighting. The new tank will be a 180 gallon beast which will measure 48x36x24. My question is would it be possible to run one more 6x 39w on this tank with both fittings going widthways? Tank will be SPS dominant with LPS and Zoas. I dont want to go back to MH and this was just an idea floating around in my head. My tank is 18" deep right now and am growing SPS on the sand. Would 2 Teks work as described above?

The downside to using the Teks is the overhang beyond the reflectors. You would have a gap of better than 4" from the last lamp of the front fixture to the first lamp of the back one. Not sure its a huge deal.

Honestly if I were investing in a tank like that my money would be going into a 10 lamp Powermodule..

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12100837#post12100837 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SaltyK
Grimm,

72" x 24" x 18" Wide Tank is the tank i am looking at getting. Should i get a 72" 12 bulb setup. How many bulbs should i get to have a variety of corals like soft, sps and clams?

If you want just a few SPS and clams on the rocks a Nova extreme PRO would work. If you really want to keep the SPS and clams happy Aquactinics constellation or a 12x39 watt Ice Cap VHO retrofit T5.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12102157#post12102157 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jfl14609
thats what I was thinking I just didnt know if either ballast overdrove the bulbs more. thanks for all your help. do I just wire the ballast normally or do I have to do them different to overdrive them?

Yep, just wire them like the instructions show.

 

[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.

 

[Iostream]

Okay, here goes.... I tried to start this as a separate thread, but realized this would probably be the best place to ask... I am looking to light a 90G RR, 48x18, 24" high.
I have read in the past that T5 actinics were not up to the task so much. Is this still the case? Would I be better off with a 6x54W T5 retrofit or a 4x54W T5 retrofit with 2x110W VHO for actinics? And what bulbs would go with that type of setup? I will be doing mostly LPS with some SPS and softies, maybe a clam.

 

[jamesdawson]

<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.

Dr,

Depending on what bulbs/PAR your 250s are and what bulbs/PAR you put into your ATIs you might not need to acclimate to much. If you are going to hang your ATIs, I would recomend keeping your PowerModules at the same 10" and then lowering them slowly over the course of a couple of weeks. You could also use layers of windowscreen but I never do this as it looks unsightly. When I installed my 8 bulb ATI, I used 6 of the slots for actinic bulbs and every week replaced an actinic (4 total-kept 2) with a higher PAR bulb. It made for alot of work but aesthetically it was worth it.

Good luck,

James

 

[EvilE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12102194#post12102194 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I've never tried them but you get what you pay for. I've never driven a Mercedes but I still know my 25 thousand dollar Saturn isn't in the same class.

Are the TRU bulbs made by Coralife?

 

[cre8or23]

i Have a 20g and am wondering what scheme should i use for my lighting. I have a 4 bulb 24w fixture. I was thinking
2 B+
1 aquablu
1 6k daylight

would that look o.k.?

 

[ihopss]

Grim, I am having a problem with my tank being purple pink,here are my bulbs,front to back.

BP
SA
Pro Color
BP
12K
BP
75/25
BP
What bulb or bulbs should i replace to get blue/white and keep SPS(and some LPS if that is possible)
Thank you for all the help.