The T5 Q&a Thread

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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12271336#post12271336 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tsouth
it's not coraline. There is no surfacing that you can remove. It's as if it is in the reflector.

So its almost like its been eroded... There really isn't a way to remove that I believe.

Unless you use a dremel or something to try to polish off that erosion down to the fresh metal underneath...

Just a thought...
 
I don't even know. Man i've had these for less than a month. What is going on. They are definitely more-so blemishes from something.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12269167#post12269167 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
As long as you stick to the good T5 units they can raise high light items.

With 14 or 20K halides you don't have to do actinics but it will help if you have corals that fluoresce green.

Hey Island for LFS in DDenver.

Thanks Grim for everything AND the LFS advice.

The reflectors are the biggest thing right? Those and bulbs?
Should I seek 4, 6, or 8 bulbs to keep high light corals and clams in my 75 gallon?
 
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T5 fixture for 48"x48"x24" tank?

T5 fixture for 48"x48"x24" tank?

Suggestions for lighting this sized tank. I'm looking into the new Giesemann Matrix, ATI module, and perhaps Tek fixture.
Need help knowing what size light is needed for a 48"x48"x24" tank since the manufacturers don't always give the light's dimensions
I'm concerned with light spillage, and wonder if all T5 fixtures have it.
Have mainly LPS, and would like to venture into a few more SPS, and maybe a clam.
 
Howdy! You helped me once before and it's time for new bulbs. I'm really not sure what to replace with as far as bulbs. I've moved from a lot of softies to more SPS. Everything looks pretty much the same drab color and I'm getting ok growth. I've got a 29" tall by 60 inch tank with 6 48" bulbs staggered. The two ends are are where I keep my softies, although my anemones migrate to that end so the light must be ok!

I'm running on two Icecap 660s on two timers. Timer one is 1, 4, and 5, timer two is 2, 3, and 6 (front to back).

What do I put in here and what order to encourage growth and color - I do know that I want some actinic fluorescing going on!

Thanks for all that you do Grim!

Kathy
 
t5s002.jpg


got my kit today grim, any tips on installing them? should i mount to an aluminum L bracket or a piece of wood?
 
Grim,

I bought new bulbs a week ago. With your advice I got 2 Blue Plus's 1 Super Actinic and 1 Aquasun, wich look great so far. I added 1 bule the first week and the atinic the second week for my day/night bulbs. My question is do I have to be worried about the aquasun for coral burn at all and should I add the aquasun next or the other blue.

The original bulbs were 2 actinic and 2 65k (guessing) in a current fixture. wich will be replaced soon.

And now that I am here, when I upgrade, do I go Ati or Aquactinics?

Thaks,
Chris
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12269666#post12269666 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TwistedTiger
Grim or others,

Been following this thread for a while and haven't seen much posted about the AccuStart or Vossloh-Schwabe electronic ballast which ReefGeek has with their SLR retro kits. I understand they are not icecaps but are they quality T5 ballasts or is there a better alternative without going icecap. Also am I correct in saying that the AccuStart and Vossloh-Schwabe ballast do not overdrive the bulbs like the icecap? Thanks in advance.

Those are good ballasts and they don't overdrive.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12270649#post12270649 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TracyZeuner
I'm going to order extra bulbs in case it is "too" blue. What would you recommend? also will I lose any of the bright green colors of my corals?

Order a spare Aquablue. They are more white than blue. If you think its too blue swap the position of the aquasun and aquablue lamps before changing out any lamps.

Your greens should still shw up fine. If you have a lot of softies you might want to get a Super Actinic in place of a blue, they seem to respond a little better to the actinics than the blues sometimes as far as bringing out the green fluorescence.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12270770#post12270770 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tsouth
Well I tried water and there seems to be something on my reflectors that I can't get off. It's on all four and they look like blemishes ranging from sand size to pencil eraser size. They're purpley and idk what the deal is. Any idea?
DSCN2774.jpg

DSCN2773.jpg

Dunno but it looks purdy, Looking at the picture it looks like you removed the protective plastic from the reflector but I can't tell for sure. You did remove the plastic right? You wouldn't be the first one to miss that step. One guy went months before he was cleaning his reflectors and figured it out. Amazing how bright they are without the plastic he said.

If its an Ice Cap post that pic up in their forum. I dont know if its the lights or what but I've never seen salt spray do that where its colored.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12271756#post12271756 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by urville
Thanks Grim for everything AND the LFS advice.

The reflectors are the biggest thing right? Those and bulbs?
Should I seek 4, 6, or 8 bulbs to keep high light corals and clams in my 75 gallon?

Go 6 lamps with Ice Cap reflectors. The store is Key's Island. I gotta get me some glasses :D

There are some good stores up north too around Greely. If you hit the club forums section of RC there is the MASC forum. There are a lot of northern Co guys that post there that can point you to the right places.
 
Re: T5 fixture for 48"x48"x24" tank?

Re: T5 fixture for 48"x48"x24" tank?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12271757#post12271757 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by summer6
Suggestions for lighting this sized tank. I'm looking into the new Giesemann Matrix, ATI module, and perhaps Tek fixture.
Need help knowing what size light is needed for a 48"x48"x24" tank since the manufacturers don't always give the light's dimensions
I'm concerned with light spillage, and wonder if all T5 fixtures have it.
Have mainly LPS, and would like to venture into a few more SPS, and maybe a clam.

A beast. I would probably use 2 8 lamp ATI's or the Aquactinics Constellations over that tank. Either could be sat right on the top of the tank so light spillage wont be an issue.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12273001#post12273001 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by katlongo
Howdy! You helped me once before and it's time for new bulbs. I'm really not sure what to replace with as far as bulbs. I've moved from a lot of softies to more SPS. Everything looks pretty much the same drab color and I'm getting ok growth. I've got a 29" tall by 60 inch tank with 6 48" bulbs staggered. The two ends are are where I keep my softies, although my anemones migrate to that end so the light must be ok!

I'm running on two Icecap 660s on two timers. Timer one is 1, 4, and 5, timer two is 2, 3, and 6 (front to back).

What do I put in here and what order to encourage growth and color - I do know that I want some actinic fluorescing going on!

Thanks for all that you do Grim!

Kathy

Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12276199#post12276199 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gsxunv04
t5s002.jpg


got my kit today grim, any tips on installing them? should i mount to an aluminum L bracket or a piece of wood?

Hard to say with out seeing what you are mounting them in.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12279701#post12279701 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chris1017
Grim,

I bought new bulbs a week ago. With your advice I got 2 Blue Plus's 1 Super Actinic and 1 Aquasun, wich look great so far. I added 1 bule the first week and the atinic the second week for my day/night bulbs. My question is do I have to be worried about the aquasun for coral burn at all and should I add the aquasun next or the other blue.

The original bulbs were 2 actinic and 2 65k (guessing) in a current fixture. wich will be replaced soon.

And now that I am here, when I upgrade, do I go Ati or Aquactinics?

Thaks,
Chris

Adding the aquasun after the actinic should be good because the actinic doesn't add a whole lot of PAR. As far as upgrading it depends on your long range goals, what you want to raise, bigger tank etc.
 
I removed the plastic. It's colored like that from the flash on the camera. It's the only way I could've gotten the blemishes to show up. Any way to get them out?
 
Re: Re: T5 fixture for 48"x48"x24" tank?

Re: Re: T5 fixture for 48"x48"x24" tank?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12280477#post12280477 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
A beast. I would probably use 2 8 lamp ATI's or the Aquactinics Constellations over that tank. Either could be sat right on the top of the tank so light spillage wont be an issue.

I haven't seen these lights up and running, but they both look good, and have read positive posts about them.
My only worry with this type of fixture is the light spillage -my husband has a low tolerance if he has to "compete" with a widescreen t.v. When set-up so close to the water, I'll have to figure out how to get them out of the way when working on the tank.
I wonder if ATI and Aquactinics lights are tension controlled with the suspension cables ? That's important for me when choosing a system, so it's easy to get in the tank.
 
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