The T5 Q&a Thread

[Primetime33]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13123213#post13123213 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pinkcoral
Where can I get the best deal on T5 bulbs 48" (reefgeek.com)?

Also try aquarium specialty dot com.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13121758#post13121758 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lovetoreef
grim -

i was hoping you could help me with my bulb selection - i am looking at the 24" sunlight tek fixture for a 22"x17"x16" (lwh) with no sand bed tank - i will have zoas, clams and some sps towards the top - thanks.

Gerard

Front
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Aquasun
Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13122116#post13122116 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tguy890
Grim,
I have been running T5's on my 6' long 24"depth 125 gallon for about a year. Currently I have a fixture from catalina aquarium that has 8 80W Geisman bulbs in a staggered arrangement to span the 6'.
Current arrangment:
Actinic Blue
Aqua Blue
Aqua Blue
Aqua Blue
Aqua Blue
Aqua Blue
Aqua Blue
Actinic Blue

Suggestions?

Actinic Plus or Blue Plus
Same
Pure or ATI Actinic
Same
Midday
Same
Aquablue
Aquablue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13122194#post13122194 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lovetoreef
in regards to my question, i was thinking of the following arrangement ...

front
Blue Plus
AquaBlue
AquaSun
Blue Plus

i wonder if i should try to add a pro color though?? Thanks.

Not in a 4 lamp fixture

 

[AquAsylum]

Morning...I have the outer orbit HQI/T5 combo fixture and it is time to replace my bulbs. I've been using UVLs, 2 50/50 and 2 blue, but want to switch to ATI.

My halides are 2 175 watt XM 15,000
Which combo would be better supplementation for a mixed reef?
1 Procolor
2 Blue Plus
1 Aquablue

1 Procolor
1 Blue Plus
2 Aquablue

I like a pretty balanced spectrum. Thanks!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13122484#post13122484 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snaza
yeah we can get ATI now
been waiting 2 years. cost about $30 each but thats ok.
Because its going to be a SPS frag tank i want good growth. would 4 bulbs bleach them? Do the pro colours have any green/yellow spectrum? i will have a lot of blue so will growth be ok?

cheers

The Blue lamps have a lot of par. The Pro Color does have green and yellow. Every Fluorescent lamp out there has some green due to one of the eliments in the gas that causes a spike at 546nm.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13123189#post13123189 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mike de Leon
Cool...thanks!

So what bulbs should I go with? I love a little bit of blue.

Keep a couple rows of the 10K's that xome with the fixture and add 4 blue plus, 2 UVL Super Actinic and 2 ATI Aquablues

Front
Blue Plus
10K
Super Actinic
10K
Blue Plus
Aquablue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13123189#post13123189 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mike de Leon
Cool...thanks!

So what bulbs should I go with? I love a little bit of blue.

Keep a couple rows of the 10K's that xome with the fixture and add 4 blue plus, 2 UVL Super Actinic and 2 ATI Aquablues

Front
Blue Plus
10K
Super Actinic
10K
Blue Plus
Aquablue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13124470#post13124470 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AquAsylum
Morning...I have the outer orbit HQI/T5 combo fixture and it is time to replace my bulbs. I've been using UVLs, 2 50/50 and 2 blue, but want to switch to ATI.

My halides are 2 175 watt XM 15,000
Which combo would be better supplementation for a mixed reef?
1 Procolor
2 Blue Plus
1 Aquablue

1 Procolor
1 Blue Plus
2 Aquablue

I like a pretty balanced spectrum. Thanks!

Second mix would be best

 

[AquAsylum]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13124516#post13124516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Second mix would be best

Thank you

 

[lovetoreef]

Thanks grim - i will try it out!

 

[MrSpiffy]

As promised, here are a few pics:

Canopy setup:


Fully-collapsed: (note the hinges in the above photo)


Staggered bulb setup:


Lamp test:


UVL Super Actinic and Giesemann Blue+ bulbs: (one of each)


All 4 bulbs (above, plus one more Blue+ and UVL AquaSun):


The colors in the pics aren't perfect, but they're fairly close. It's pretty blue at this point, but I'm happy with it for now. Plus I can always swap bulbs to get things looking how I want them. I'm happy I made the switch. Oh, and I moved the Super Actinic to the front, so it's centered on the tank. I moved the Blue+ to the second spot. I'm also only using the first 4 for now, and slowly working up to all 6 bulbs.

Order is: (front-to-back)
UVL Super Actinic
Giesemann Blue+
UVL AquaSun
Giesemann Blue+
UVL Aquasun
Giesemann Blue+

 

[stiki21]

Damn, the bulb combo you have running is what I was going to use as well in my 4 lamp fixture but it's too blue for my tastes. Feel free to mix up the combos some so we can get a good idea on the colors!

 

[MrSpiffy]

It'll brighten up a bit once I use the additional bulbs with the second AquaSun bulb. But, I agree that it is kinda blue. I might switch out one of the Blue+ bulbs for something whiter. We'll see...

 

[robojet]

MrSpiffy - thanks for the photos... very helpful in determining what folks my want on a bulb configuration... certainly helping me.

 

[MrSpiffy]

No problem! I did some searching for comparison photos, too, and didn't find too many. So, I figure I'll help spread some information.

 

[knockout]

Hey people, just purchased an used Aquactinics TX5,

Your thoughts on the existing bulb config:

all Giesemann

Pure Actinic
Actinic +
AquaBlue +
Actinic +
Mid Day

My objective is great color with some decent growth, is there anything I should change?

 

[MrSpiffy]

While I'm thinking of it...

If my bulbs are roughly 6" off of the surface, how should I acclimate my tank to the new lighting..? I have 6 x 24W, but only run 4 bulbs right now. (Just set it up yesterday, anyway...) And previously, I had 2 x 175W MH's. I know that I asked this previously, but I mounted the lights higher up than I had initially planned. Maybe it'll change the acclimation period..? Grim..? Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Primetime33]

Would a 4 lamp TEK fixture be enough to cover a 24x24x12 frag tank? I am scared the width 12" deminsion would not be enough front to back.

The fixture..
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...t_Fixture_w!_Bulbs_(Black)_by_Sunlight_Supply

 

[wiso reef]

ok Grim you say a Super Actinic UVL have 2 Super Actinics one 03 and one just Super Actinic wish one is beter? and my set up is for 5x54w how is mush 20k looks with a 6x54w set up thanks!