The T5 Q&a Thread

[sbcaes]

Hi Grim , Me Again
Was wondering if you could give me your take on the current usa t5ho bulbs the new 16.5 " ones for the t5ho extreme fixtures.

Would these be overdrive able with an icecap? any side effects ya think? or even a workhorse 33 would overdriving the bulb from 18-24 be such a big step? or would i end up blowing bulbs? same Q for the icecaps?

 

[gsxunv04]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12347515#post12347515 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by caribngg
Hi Grim,
I notice that youe are the holy grail of t5's, and I come te seek your wisdom.
I have 6 36" coralife t5 lamps over a 75 gal dims, 48x18x18.
Slimpaq ballasts, 4 10000 and two460 actinic. After reading the thread i realize i have the cheap stuff.
Can I run The 54w ati's off of this ballast? and if not, what would you suggest for a retro system. I have 48" in my custom hood to play with.
I also would like to keep some softies and lps what bulb combo would yopu suggest. to include a dusk/dawn cycle?

Thanks a mill for the help


Geoff

why didnt you get 48" lamps? do you have a pic of how this is setup?

 

[randyorr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12332452#post12332452 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I'd set up 3 fans, one at each end blowing in from the back and a third in the center so the air is blowing near the ends of the lamps at the endcaps. Id either vent the top or add vents in the back at the top. Take advantage of the convection effect. I'd do the larger 4" fan at the center.

ATI Blue Plus
UVL Aquasun
UVL Super Actinic
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus

Wont look as blue as you might think.

Grim, would this be like a 12K look after all these bulbs are on? Instead of Blue Plus can I use Actinic Plus by Giesemann? They are they same color right?

 

[jpitch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12304857#post12304857 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bezlar
Grim, Just ordered the 7 lamp 48 inch const form aquatinics. Tanks has mainly sps one frogs and one hammer and sum very large green hairy mushrooms. What would be good bulb choice?

Thanks
Barry

I just spoke with Tom, from Aquatinics. He just told me the Constellation fixtures are on backorder and won't be ready for another 3 weeks or so. The reason I called was I ordered the constellation on 4/10 with no update until yesterday. So I sucked up to the wife and coughed up some more dough for the Solar Flare.


Grim, it's amazing how you can keep up with all this. I think I read every post in this thread and hopefully I'm not being redundant in my question:

Now that I'm getting the Solar Flare 48" version, I've heard that since the icecap ballast overdrives the bulbs that these 54w bulbs put out a slightly differrent spectrum that what it is originally intended. Your suggestion of:

Blue Plus
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus

Will this look differrently than a normal driven setup? Should I change anything? Many thanks in advance!

 

[dphins]

Anybody running the New Generation KZ coral light II? Likes and dislikes?

 

[elinder]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12329984#post12329984 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Front

Blue Plus
Aquasun
UVL Super Actinic
current 10K
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue

Grim, Thanks for the recommendation. I just got my lights from reefgeek and love them.

 

[gsxunv04]

how much PAR is lost raising your bulbs to 6-7" above the waters surface as opposed to 4-5"

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12332983#post12332983 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drama07
You don't think it'd be better to get 36" bulbs in place of 24"? I'm worried that for the money I bought it for, it wouldn't be worth it. But then again if I try selling it I might just get about 50-75% of the money back.

Thanks

Yeah but the 24's will work.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12334636#post12334636 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jddaniel
I am maintaining a 110g custom acrylic tank (60x18x24)with 4x54w T-5's on Triad's offset over the 5ft tank. Currently there are the following bulbs over the tank.
1-URI Super Actinic (front)
1-URI Actinic White
2-ATI aquablue+'s (back)

The tank is still being stocked, but will house beginner corals for the most part. So far there are Mushrooms, Anthelia, Frogspawn, misc zoo's and paly's and an open brain coral which are all doing well. I will be adding a couple diff leather frags from my tank in the near future and other than a few Ricordea I don't think much else will be added species wise.
Is there a different bulb combo that is recommended, it seems this combo is missing a little something? I am not going for a 20k look, but would like to show off the colors as well.

Do a UVL Aquasun in place of the actinic white.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12335238#post12335238 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SaltyK
Grim,

I finally picked out my tank and it is 60L X 24W X 21H. I decided not to go with sps. But i would like to do clams, lps, softies and maybe some rics. Would an 8 bulb 48" unit work for me? And what bulbs and placement should i go with?

If you are serious about clams don't buy a cheap fixture.

Front
Blue Plus
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
Aquablue
Super Actinic
Blue Plus

I'd stick with the Tek fixture.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12347515#post12347515 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by caribngg
Hi Grim,
I notice that youe are the holy grail of t5's, and I come te seek your wisdom.
I have 6 36" coralife t5 lamps over a 75 gal dims, 48x18x18.
Slimpaq ballasts, 4 10000 and two460 actinic. After reading the thread i realize i have the cheap stuff.
Can I run The 54w ati's off of this ballast? and if not, what would you suggest for a retro system. I have 48" in my custom hood to play with.
I also would like to keep some softies and lps what bulb combo would yopu suggest. to include a dusk/dawn cycle?

Thanks a mill for the help


Geoff

CHeck to see what wattages the lamps are. Coralife mades normal output T5 units where the 36" lamps were like 19 watts or something like that. If its a HO unit they should be 39 watts.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12348621#post12348621 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sbcaes
Hi Grim , Me Again
Was wondering if you could give me your take on the current usa t5ho bulbs the new 16.5 " ones for the t5ho extreme fixtures.

Would these be overdrive able with an icecap? any side effects ya think? or even a workhorse 33 would overdriving the bulb from 18-24 be such a big step? or would i end up blowing bulbs? same Q for the icecaps?

Dunno. I'd wire it up on the Workhorse setup for a 24 watt lamp and see what happens.

 

[pong]

ok...

im transitioning from fowlr to semi-reef

i decided to use t5 ho's combined with no's
(since this is all diy, i somehow have a backup
in case something goes wrong... the no's)

anyways, here is the canopy set-up
(its divided into 2)

a) 3 t5's

t5
t5
t5

b) 2 t5's
3 no's

t5
no
no
no
t5

-----------------------------------------------

set a) placed towards the back of the tank, where most of the lr is placed now... and where the corals would
most probably be...

set b) towards the front where there is a big space...

i need help on what bulbs should i put there to
maximize growth and have nice colors...

currently, i have 2 x t5 ho 54W helios 11000k lights
and 1 36w marine blue by arcadia (due for replacement)

so what else do i put in there?

oh btw, im thinking that the max ill be putting in there
are lps... (wondering if sps can survive that set-up?)
and clams too...

since lights are hard to find here...
pls help in terms of K rating or actinic
regarding brands, havent seen a lot nor
have i seen the blue plus, aquasuns...
all i see are K ratings...

if things go well and no problems with the t5's
down the road... the no's will be gone and
replaced with 4 t5's @54W

thanks!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12349888#post12349888 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by randyorr
Grim, would this be like a 12K look after all these bulbs are on? Instead of Blue Plus can I use Actinic Plus by Giesemann? They are they same color right?

Probably more like 14K look. Actinic Plus will look about like the blue plus. If you want a more white look with a bit a blue like 12K would be use a second Aquablue lamp as the front lamp.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12353076#post12353076 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jpitch
I just spoke with Tom, from Aquatinics. He just told me the Constellation fixtures are on backorder and won't be ready for another 3 weeks or so. The reason I called was I ordered the constellation on 4/10 with no update until yesterday. So I sucked up to the wife and coughed up some more dough for the Solar Flare.


Grim, it's amazing how you can keep up with all this. I think I read every post in this thread and hopefully I'm not being redundant in my question:

Now that I'm getting the Solar Flare 48" version, I've heard that since the icecap ballast overdrives the bulbs that these 54w bulbs put out a slightly differrent spectrum that what it is originally intended. Your suggestion of:

Blue Plus
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus

Will this look differrently than a normal driven setup? Should I change anything? Many thanks in advance!

It is my opinion that overdriving the lamps will not change the spectrum a whole lot. Although it might "look" whiter because the lamps are burning brighter I wouldn't be surprised to find out the blue output is slightly increased. Old lamps tend to lose there blue because blue requires more enenrgy to produce.

Anyway short answer is stick to that lamp mix, should look fine.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12354542#post12354542 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gsxunv04
how much PAR is lost raising your bulbs to 6-7" above the waters surface as opposed to 4-5"

I'd say at least 20% probably more like 30.

 

[caribngg]

my setup

my setup

gsx I dont, but i am working on that
I did not get 48" becasuse I only use to shop at That Fish Place or Dr Fosters, I never knew that it had better setup's.
The cus serv person said that the bulbs were 48" long so I figured that withe the endcaps it would be to long.
It came with reflectors that were 3.5" wide, The hood is only 18" wide so i flattened out the reflec to make ong big one .
Now I know that this was not good . So now I am looking for help

 

[caribngg]

gsx Chech out my gallery

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12354876#post12354876 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pong
ok...

im transitioning from fowlr to semi-reef

i decided to use t5 ho's combined with no's
(since this is all diy, i somehow have a backup
in case something goes wrong... the no's)

anyways, here is the canopy set-up
(its divided into 2)

a) 3 t5's

t5
t5
t5

b) 2 t5's
3 no's

t5
no
no
no
t5

-----------------------------------------------

set a) placed towards the back of the tank, where most of the lr is placed now... and where the corals would
most probably be...

set b) towards the front where there is a big space...

i need help on what bulbs should i put there to
maximize growth and have nice colors...

currently, i have 2 x t5 ho 54W helios 11000k lights
and 1 36w marine blue by arcadia (due for replacement)

so what else do i put in there?

oh btw, im thinking that the max ill be putting in there
are lps... (wondering if sps can survive that set-up?)
and clams too...

since lights are hard to find here...
pls help in terms of K rating or actinic
regarding brands, havent seen a lot nor
have i seen the blue plus, aquasuns...
all i see are K ratings...

if things go well and no problems with the t5's
down the road... the no's will be gone and
replaced with 4 t5's @54W

thanks!

Try This

Front
NO Blue 22000K 460nm
T5 Blue
T5 sun/daylight/6500K/Midday/11000K
NO Actinic 420nm
T5 sun/Daylight/6500K not 11000K
NO Blue
T5 11000K only
T5 Blue

 

[caribngg]

ballast type

ballast type

Grim,
They Are slimpaq t5 mod#1915 39w 2l amp's