The T5 Q&a Thread

[lukinrats]

Ok... I have this question that I am sure will sound stupid, but here it goes... Anyone can answer, but I would love to hear from Grim on this!!!!

I have an 8 bulb Catalina retrofit... I have replaced almost every bulb in it, and also tossed out the individual reflectors that came with it... I probably should have kept them on there with the new bulbs, just for a reference, but it is too late now... Anyway, I replaced the individual reflectors with 4 ice cap SLR's... That means that I have 2 bulbs on each reflector, which I know is considered a NONO... If not a NONO then at least undesirable... I have the fixture about 12" above the surface of the water

Now!! I wanted to know what kind of light I was getting after all this experimentation... I did not want to drop a whole bunch of money on a PAR meter... Instead I looked around on RC and found some Lux values that Halide and T5 users had posted, and decided to compare this first... I just expected my results to be SH*#^^, so I got a Lux, and proceeded to check my lights... Remember that the lights are 12" above the surface of a 30" tall tank w/ 4" sandbed... The numbers I got were equal to what most Halide and T5 users had posted... I was seriously taken a back by this, and I am now wondering what kind of PAR I am getting... I mean if you go by this then my lights are in the 200-300 range for PAR without moving them down any... The LUX measurement that I get with the meter about 6" - 8" under the fixture is in the 35,000 to 45,000 vicinity, meaning 400-600 Par... All the way at the bottom of the tank on the sandbed, I am getting 8,000 LUX, or close to 200 PAR

Just to give an idea... the pictures below are what I am comparing my readings to... This guy is using Halides, and I know the spectrum difference is supposed to cause a slight PAR differences, but this is just preliminary for me

 

[andrsn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12989188#post12989188 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I'd do the 6 lamps with heavy actinic for now so once you decide you want a clam or SOS you don't have to rebuy lights

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

Grim Thank you for your help. I ordered the light last night and now I can tell greg what i need for bulbs. And the website you are working on with another member is really helpful

 

[raynist]

Hi Grim,

This thread is insane!!!

I have an ATI Powermodule that I bought used and I have the following bulbs:


2 - KZ Fiji Purple
2 - KZ CoralLight
2 - ATI ProColor
2 - ATI Pure Actinic
1 - Geissmann AquaBlue+
1 - UVL 75/25
6 - ATI Actinic +
2 - UVL Super actinic

I have tried many different combos and haven't been satisfied yet. This tank is all zoa's and ric's and I am looking for incredible color over growth.

Do you have a recommendation based on the bulbs listed above? I will not be keeping any SPS in this tank. The tank is a 40g breeder.

Thanks for the help. You should get paid to keep up with this thread

--Ray

 

[Mark426]

raynist,

I have a similar tank and I am interested in what lamps you end up with.

BUT...what powermodule do you have? 4, 6, or 8 lamp fixture?

 

[martinphillip03]

Two questions
1) How many bulbs does the fixture hold.
2) What sort of color are you looking for 10K, 12K 14K 20K

Marty

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12993135#post12993135 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by raynist
Hi Grim,

This thread is insane!!!

I have an ATI Powermodule that I bought used and I have the following bulbs:


2 - KZ Fiji Purple
2 - KZ CoralLight
2 - ATI ProColor
2 - ATI Pure Actinic
1 - Geissmann AquaBlue+
1 - UVL 75/25
6 - ATI Actinic +
2 - UVL Super actinic

I have tried many different combos and haven't been satisfied yet. This tank is all zoa's and ric's and I am looking for incredible color over growth.

Do you have a recommendation based on the bulbs listed above? I will not be keeping any SPS in this tank. The tank is a 40g breeder.

Thanks for the help. You should get paid to keep up with this thread

--Ray

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12989339#post12989339 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snaza
Hey grim,

are ATI and Geismann aqua blues exactly the same colour? i love the ATI but Gman and cheaper here.

cheers

Aaron

About the same.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12989654#post12989654 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crazydante
Hey Grim,
I currently run a Current USA Nova Extreme Pro T5 With six 39 watt T5 bulbs. It sits on top of my 40g 36lx15wx16H. Its time for new bulbs and I need some advice. My tank is sort of a mixed reef with lots of zoanthids, some lps and a few sps. I would want a good combination with color that pop and good growth for sps. Thank you.

Front
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
Blue Plus
Aquablue or a second actinic.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12990628#post12990628 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lukinrats
Ok... I have this question that I am sure will sound stupid, but here it goes... Anyone can answer, but I would love to hear from Grim on this!!!!

I have an 8 bulb Catalina retrofit... I have replaced almost every bulb in it, and also tossed out the individual reflectors that came with it... I probably should have kept them on there with the new bulbs, just for a reference, but it is too late now... Anyway, I replaced the individual reflectors with 4 ice cap SLR's... That means that I have 2 bulbs on each reflector, which I know is considered a NONO... If not a NONO then at least undesirable... I have the fixture about 12" above the surface of the water

Now!! I wanted to know what kind of light I was getting after all this experimentation... I did not want to drop a whole bunch of money on a PAR meter... Instead I looked around on RC and found some Lux values that Halide and T5 users had posted, and decided to compare this first... I just expected my results to be SH*#^^, so I got a Lux, and proceeded to check my lights... Remember that the lights are 12" above the surface of a 30" tall tank w/ 4" sandbed... The numbers I got were equal to what most Halide and T5 users had posted... I was seriously taken a back by this, and I am now wondering what kind of PAR I am getting... I mean if you go by this then my lights are in the 200-300 range for PAR without moving them down any... The LUX measurement that I get with the meter about 6" - 8" under the fixture is in the 35,000 to 45,000 vicinity, meaning 400-600 Par... All the way at the bottom of the tank on the sandbed, I am getting 8,000 LUX, or close to 200 PAR

Just to give an idea... the pictures below are what I am comparing my readings to... This guy is using Halides, and I know the spectrum difference is supposed to cause a slight PAR differences, but this is just preliminary for me

It's really imposible to say how you numbers would compare to the halides or what the par is BUT you can play with different configurations, I'd pull back to single lamps per reflector just to see what the difference is.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12993135#post12993135 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by raynist
Hi Grim,

This thread is insane!!!

I have an ATI Powermodule that I bought used and I have the following bulbs:


2 - KZ Fiji Purple
2 - KZ CoralLight
2 - ATI ProColor
2 - ATI Pure Actinic
1 - Geissmann AquaBlue+
1 - UVL 75/25
6 - ATI Actinic +
2 - UVL Super actinic

I have tried many different combos and haven't been satisfied yet. This tank is all zoa's and ric's and I am looking for incredible color over growth.

Do you have a recommendation based on the bulbs listed above? I will not be keeping any SPS in this tank. The tank is a 40g breeder.

Thanks for the help. You should get paid to keep up with this thread

--Ray

Start out all blue and work backwards. You should grab a GE 6500K, or Giesemann Midday to mix in. I'd throw in a sun/midday and actinic with the blues and start tweaking.

 

[raynist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12994211#post12994211 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Start out all blue and work backwards. You should grab a GE 6500K, or Giesemann Midday to mix in. I'd throw in a sun/midday and actinic with the blues and start tweaking.

Thanks, I forgot to give the most important info!!!

This is a 4 x 39w fixture.

--Ray

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I'd do this


Front
Actinic Plus
Actinic
Sun/Daylight/Midday
Actinic Plus or Aquablue depending on your taste

 

[Labman48076]

grim have you goting to look at the Aqua Science bulbs yet?

 

[lukinrats]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12994123#post12994123 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
It's really imposible to say how you numbers would compare to the halides or what the par is BUT you can play with different configurations, I'd pull back to single lamps per reflector just to see what the difference is.

Well Grim, I know that before, you had said there was no way that my fixture was putting out that much... So, I figured that it was something else I was doing, but I can't figure any other reason for the bleaching.

So, WHEN, my Apogee ever gets here I will post the before numbers... Then I want to pull the reflectors off, and post those numbers... Then I will put the reflectors back on, but will try it with just 4 bulbs, and post those numbers

This should give some useful data, NO?

THanks,
Nathan

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12994833#post12994833 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Labman48076
grim have you goting to look at the Aqua Science bulbs yet?

About a year ago. Nothing special except for the special lamp. A slightly whiter version of an Aquablue lamp.

 

[stiki21]

Hey, I have a question for ya grim...

I have a 30 breeder, 36x18x12, and was looking at the current sundial for lighting, which is 4x39 watts. My concern is that the fixture is only 9" wide compared to the 18" depth of my breeder and I wasn't sure if that would light up my tank ok? I was planning on setting it up with the 2" legs that it comes with.

Oh, I am planning on mainly lps and softies with a few easier sps.

Maybe toss in some bulb recs. for the heck of it?

Thanks!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12994917#post12994917 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lukinrats
Well Grim, I know that before, you had said there was no way that my fixture was putting out that much... So, I figured that it was something else I was doing, but I can't figure any other reason for the bleaching.

So, WHEN, my Apogee ever gets here I will post the before numbers... Then I want to pull the reflectors off, and post those numbers... Then I will put the reflectors back on, but will try it with just 4 bulbs, and post those numbers

This should give some useful data, NO?

THanks,
Nathan

As far as figuring out how much the reflectors help the Lux meter might not be all that accurate because you are changing the spectrum when you pull the lamps. Then again you are with the PAR meter too so I guess neither will be perfect but should be close enough for government work

If I remember your setup right 30" tall tank, lamps 12" above and you calculated 450 PAR on the sandbed? I would be impressed if it broke 100 based on all the other fixtures I've done PAR readings on. HOWEVER, you said you have rocks 6" below the waterline. It is possible that you are hitting them with enough to bleach so like I said in that post drop them down some if you can and see what happens. If you can, get us a picture of how the lamps align with the reflectors, you might have come across an alternative to overdriving.

WHen you do your PAR readings try taking a reading when you first turn the fixture on for the day and track the PAR up to it's peak as the lamps warm up. Then let them run for about a half hour after that and see how close the PAR is to the peak. It's possible that you might need to add an external fan to cool the lamps a bit. I am not sure how the cooling is oriented on those units but the lamps gotta be getting toasty two to a reflector like that.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12995133#post12995133 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stiki21
Hey, I have a question for ya grim...

I have a 30 breeder, 36x18x12, and was looking at the current sundial for lighting, which is 4x39 watts. My concern is that the fixture is only 9" wide compared to the 18" depth of my breeder and I wasn't sure if that would light up my tank ok? I was planning on setting it up with the 2" legs that it comes with.

Oh, I am planning on mainly lps and softies with a few easier sps.

Maybe toss in some bulb recs. for the heck of it?

Thanks!

You ma need to raise the fixture up a little to allow the light to spread better.

Front'
Blue Plus
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Blue Plus

 

[stiki21]

Gah, was afraid of that. Really didn't want to hang them with like 12' of cable since I have vaulted ceilings.

Thanks for the advice grim!

 

[MoReefer]

Wow what a thread, and Grim you are quite the reefer and all around awesome guy. I cant believe the number of people you have helped in here. I have been reading through over 60 pages of your recommendations to others and since my bulbs are pretty close to a year, if not older, I’m going to take your advice and change them out. However, I could prolly also use some advice to hopefully produce better results than I have in the past year.

I have a standard 4’x2’x2’ 120 gallon SPS dominated tank with the 8 x 54w TEK fixture 7 inches above the water. My bulb configuration is listed below. Where its gonna get funny is my schedule. For the past 9 months I have only been running 4 bulbs at a time, the front and rear bulbs in the am and late pm, and the mid 4 during the day. I did this because my SPS were just turning pale and looked like they were being cooked. I didn’t have much of a clue what to do about it, so I dropped almost all corals to the sand bed. That improved the corals polyp extension and inflation, but now my Atlantis cap more closely resembles my Superman. My Green Apple Cap looks more Golden Delicious and my Rainbow colony is white with yellow around the new growth area. Purples and greens are slightly different shades of blue and browns turn yellow. I know color can be affected by many different parameters, but my LPS in the tank are strange pale colors too, and these are corals I’ve had for close to a decade. I would like to achieve more accurate coloration across the board and only concentrate on the SPS corals. I’m not a farmer, but would like to see my corals grow. With the new bulbs, I am planning on running a more traditional schedule with staging the bulbs on and off, but running all 8 during mid day. I put in there what I thought you might recommend but I would really appreciate your input and any other changes you would suggest. Thanks in advance!!!

Currently All Giesemann
Front
Actinic+
Actinic+
Actinic+
AquaBlue+
AquaBlue+
AquaBlue+
Pure Actinic+
Actinic+


Recommended???
Front
ATI Aquablue
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight or Giesemann Midday
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Blue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Try what you have listed at the bottom. You might need to switch positions a bit but it should look nice.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12995318#post12995318 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MoReefer
Wow what a thread, and Grim you are quite the reefer and all around awesome guy. I cant believe the number of people you have helped in here. I have been reading through over 60 pages of your recommendations to others and since my bulbs are pretty close to a year, if not older, I’m going to take your advice and change them out. However, I could prolly also use some advice to hopefully produce better results than I have in the past year.

I have a standard 4’x2’x2’ 120 gallon SPS dominated tank with the 8 x 54w TEK fixture 7 inches above the water. My bulb configuration is listed below. Where its gonna get funny is my schedule. For the past 9 months I have only been running 4 bulbs at a time, the front and rear bulbs in the am and late pm, and the mid 4 during the day. I did this because my SPS were just turning pale and looked like they were being cooked. I didn’t have much of a clue what to do about it, so I dropped almost all corals to the sand bed. That improved the corals polyp extension and inflation, but now my Atlantis cap more closely resembles my Superman. My Green Apple Cap looks more Golden Delicious and my Rainbow colony is white with yellow around the new growth area. Purples and greens are slightly different shades of blue and browns turn yellow. I know color can be affected by many different parameters, but my LPS in the tank are strange pale colors too, and these are corals I’ve had for close to a decade. I would like to achieve more accurate coloration across the board and only concentrate on the SPS corals. I’m not a farmer, but would like to see my corals grow. With the new bulbs, I am planning on running a more traditional schedule with staging the bulbs on and off, but running all 8 during mid day. I put in there what I thought you might recommend but I would really appreciate your input and any other changes you would suggest. Thanks in advance!!!

Currently All Giesemann
Front
Actinic+
Actinic+
Actinic+
AquaBlue+
AquaBlue+
AquaBlue+
Pure Actinic+
Actinic+


Recommended???
Front
ATI Aquablue
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight or Giesemann Midday
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Blue