The T5 Q&a Thread

[darkcirca]

If you are set on the Blue Plus's, why not order from somewhere else? There are other stores that carry them, such as Premium Aquatics and DIYReef.

 

[MrSpiffy]

Considering they're included in the cost of the retro kit I'm ordering, I figure I might as well get the bulbs from this place. I don't even know what they'll look like, yet. I've never had T5's before, so this is all very new to me.

I paid for the bulbs with the kit, so I suppose I could just get extras for the other 3 right away. But it's just more money to spend, though... it's enough the way it is. So, I'm hoping to get things to look decent right out of the box.

I'm not really set on anything yet. Those were just the recommended bulbs from Grim Reefer. I'm just curious if the Geissman bulbs are similar enough to be a good substitute for now, as they were recommended as a substitute from ReefGeek.

 

[Jay-sun]

Hey guys,
I am setting up a new tank. Its 48"LX18"WX12"H. I was thinking of going with either the ATI Powermodule 4 bulb or 6 bulb. The sand bed will be about 1-1.5 inches deep. Its going to be a softie, LPS, leathers and a few clams. No SPS though. Will either or both of these fixtures be too much at that depth? If not which should I go with and what bulbs? I prefer a somewhat blue look. Something that will make the corals pop and fluoresce.
I currently have a 48"LX18"WX15"H rimless acrylic tank set up with an Aquactinics TX5 on it and I am not happy with the coverage. Doesnt cover the width all that well without being kind of high of the tank and it seems to add alot of shadows.
Any help would be appreciated.


Thanx, Jason

 

[MrSpiffy]

If you're unhappy with coverage (front-to-back coverage..?), which I assume is from the 9.5" width of the fixture, then I would recommend going with 6 bulbs. With the 18" front-to-back, you'll get more coverage with the ATI's 13.5" width, since the bulbs are more spread out, AND you have more bulbs.

I debated the same, and since I have a DIY canopy, I'm using retrofits, and decided to do 6 bulbs on my 40BR (and soon to be 65G, both also 18" front-to-back).

Your other option might be to do 4 bulbs in a retrofit kit so you can space them as you want to, not being confined to a pre-made fixture.

 

[horkn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13008355#post13008355 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Downgrading to T5 spec ballasts would be a good move. Workhorse ballasts are not a T5 spec ballast. I wont use them and don't generally recomend them. The don't have the program start the T5 lamps are designed to use. If it's all thts in the budget they will work.

Grim,

It has been a while, but I still have had no issues with running my 3x39w t4ho retro with a workhorse 5 ballast. Hard start or not, the ballast creates minimal if no darkening on the ends of the bulbs compared to the ballasts used in teklights. Even running my bulbs for more months still has the ends looking better than the teklight bulb ends.


But yes, I would even recommend using sec t5ho ballasts vs w ballasts.

Heck it has been so long that I have now purchased my own house instead of rentinga house, and I have taken my 35g down, and the contents are in rubbermaid troughs awaiting the set up of my 90g.

I will be doing 2x250 SE Mh (probably 10k, but I may go XM15k) and 2x54 of t5ho. I would love to run 3 or 4x54, but there is no room on a 90.

 

[LexSkizzle]

Is there a decent, affordable 48" T5 light fixure that will work well on a 75g tank? BTW, I don't plan to keep SPS but would like my sofites and LPS to do well and thrive.

 

[MrSpiffy]

What's your definition of "affordable"? That's usually where I'd start. What fits your budget?

Then... how many bulbs do you want? Will you need the full fixture? Or just a retrofit?

 

[horkn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13068517#post13068517 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LexSkizzle
Is there a decent, affordable 48" T5 light fixure that will work well on a 75g tank? BTW, I don't plan to keep SPS but would like my sofites and LPS to do well and thrive.

If no sps, ( or lower light ones) or clams are going to be kept, the current nova (non pro) is cheap and effective.

Look for a used one.
Or a used tek light.

 

[horkn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13068517#post13068517 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LexSkizzle
Is there a decent, affordable 48" T5 light fixure that will work well on a 75g tank? BTW, I don't plan to keep SPS but would like my sofites and LPS to do well and thrive.

If no sps, ( or lower light ones) or clams are going to be kept, the current nove (non pro) is cheap and effective.

Look for a used one.
Or a used tek light.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13063900#post13063900 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Porkibear
Grim,

I checked out the Nova Extreme Pro T5 system, and it looks awesome but a little out of my budget range. What do you think of the Nova Sundial T5 w/ 4X39W and two lunars for my 55 gal. 36"X15"X20"?

Here's a link:

Nova Sundial 4X39W T5

I wouldn't try clams or a lot of SPS under it but that would work

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13064049#post13064049 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by krowleey
what do you think of this 8x 24w

the current only seems to have 2x 24 which doesnt sound too good.

If they have the new reflectors a couple of those 2x24 currents would probably match the cat but yes, the 8x24 will work.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13064375#post13064375 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cpeisher
are any of these retro's or kits like TEK or ATI dimmable?

Not that I know of right now

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13064399#post13064399 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MrSpiffy
I guess you really, REALLY wanted me to know that, huh?

I'll probably start out using 4 bulbs on the 40BR to get things acclimated. (maybe even 2 or 3 to start with...)

What would you recommend to do for acclimation? Start with short photoperiod and get longer? Use eggcrate to shield things? Use fewer bulbs and add more? A combination? What timing to start increasing things?

I'd run the Blue Plus and actinic 10~12 hours to start and add the other two in at least a couple hours a day to start. Just watch your critters.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13065379#post13065379 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sgraves2505
Grim - Thanks for the info. After getting this canopy finished, I was able to squeeze another 24" bulb in the back, so I'll be running front to back 24-36-36-36-24-24-24.

How would this change up your recommended bulb combo?

The bulb in the far back will be partially blocked by the tank back brace, but I figure, it will be better than nothing.

Thanks for the help!

Throw in a Blue Plus for the partially blocked position

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Re: Bulb Order

Re: Bulb Order

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13066280#post13066280 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by villious
Hello all. Looking for a little advice on bulb lineup. I just got my new 48” Aquactinics Constellation fixture. I’ve read this thread all the way back to the archived beginning. Great info!!!

My tank: 120 gallon 48x24x24. Mixed reef but SPS dominate.

My bulbs: (recommended by Scott at Aquarium Specialty)
1 x Korallen Zucht Fiji Purple
2 x Korallen Zucht Coral light II
1 x Aqua Science Special 15K
1 x UV Lighting 54W Super Actinic
2 x Giesemann Actinic+

My Questions:
1) What would be the bulb order on the bulbs above? (Taking into consideration the 3 banks/switches on the Constellation)

2) I put the bulbs I have into the fixture in a random order just to test the fixture and make sure it worked. I sat it on top of the tank and the bulbs above had a very bright white color on the tank. I like a little more blue. What would be better bulb suggestions, or do you recommend what I have?

Grim (and everyone else), your very much appreciated for all the time you spend sharing your knowledge. Thank you!!!

Thanks so much,
Woody

Front
Koral Lite
Special
Super Actinic
Fiji Purple
Actinic Plus
Koral Lite
Actinic Plus

If you want more blue lose the first Koral Lite and add a Actinic Plus in its place

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13066926#post13066926 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MrSpiffy
Well, I ran into an issue... the ATI Blue Plus bulbs are backordered at ReefGeek. Would the Geissman Actinic Plus bulbs be a suitable replacement for those? Otherwise, I'd have to wait a couple weeks before they can ship my order out. Or is there another bulb type at ReefGeek I could substitute for the ATI Blue Plus?

Actinic Plus would be fine.

 

[MrSpiffy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13069101#post13069101 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Actinic Plus would be fine.

Awesome! And thanks for the acclimation advice. I'll give that a try and see how things go.

If I stick with 4 bulbs for now on the 40BR until I get the 65 going, how would you recommend I run them? Just do all 4 right away?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13067361#post13067361 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jay-sun
Hey guys,
I am setting up a new tank. Its 48"LX18"WX12"H. I was thinking of going with either the ATI Powermodule 4 bulb or 6 bulb. The sand bed will be about 1-1.5 inches deep. Its going to be a softie, LPS, leathers and a few clams. No SPS though. Will either or both of these fixtures be too much at that depth? If not which should I go with and what bulbs? I prefer a somewhat blue look. Something that will make the corals pop and fluoresce.
I currently have a 48"LX18"WX15"H rimless acrylic tank set up with an Aquactinics TX5 on it and I am not happy with the coverage. Doesnt cover the width all that well without being kind of high of the tank and it seems to add alot of shadows.
Any help would be appreciated.


Thanx, Jason

A nova extreme pro or Tek light 6 lamp system would be plenty for that tank. A 4 lamp Tek retro would be fine also. A 6 lamp ATI is going to have to be mounted sevel inches above the tank at least to keep from harshing your softies.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13067895#post13067895 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by horkn
Grim,

It has been a while, but I still have had no issues with running my 3x39w t4ho retro with a workhorse 5 ballast. Hard start or not, the ballast creates minimal if no darkening on the ends of the bulbs compared to the ballasts used in teklights. Even running my bulbs for more months still has the ends looking better than the teklight bulb ends.


But yes, I would even recommend using sec t5ho ballasts vs w ballasts.

Heck it has been so long that I have now purchased my own house instead of rentinga house, and I have taken my 35g down, and the contents are in rubbermaid troughs awaiting the set up of my 90g.

I will be doing 2x250 SE Mh (probably 10k, but I may go XM15k) and 2x54 of t5ho. I would love to run 3 or 4x54, but there is no room on a 90.

Careful about those 15K XM's , the PAR is dismal on them.

By the way, where the hell you been man

 

[MrSpiffy]

Just in case you didn't see my edit, since you're a fast typer...

If I stick with 4 bulbs for now on the 40BR until I get the 65 going, how would you recommend I run them? Just do all 4 right away without worrying? Photoperiods..?

Obviously going with your recommended setup:

(front)
B+
Super Actinic
AquaSun
B+