The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13161979#post13161979 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nap
Hey grim, just wanted to say thanks and offer up another question.

About six months ago I decided to get a 48" Aquactinics Constellation on a 120 (4x2x2) and I am getting great colors out of my sps (better than my old mh set up ever got). In this same period most of my zoanthids and palys are shrinking and shying away from the light. Additionally, many of my chalice corals have bleached.

What kind of output does the constellation put out? My acros look amazing and are colored better than ever but many of my moderate light corals are not able to handle it. My photo period is 9.5 hours and my bulbs are as follows:
4-blue plus
1-75/25
1-Aquasun
1-Aqua blue
I have moved many of my lower light corals to shaded areas but they still shrivel and shrink. I posted this on the aquatinics forum and Tom said he wasn't sure what to do other than reduce the photo period to about 8 hours, any suggestions from the T5 master?
Thanks

-Ian

Running 3 blue plus, 2 super actinic 1 uvl 75/25 and 1 aquasun my constellation ran my RTBA behind the rocks on the sandbed of a 22" tall tank. These things are nazT.

Put your Aquasun and Aquablue in positions 2 and 6 and run them a couple hours a day and see what happens. I would set the other lamps to run 1, 4 and 7 like 8 hours and the last two about 10. Just keep an eye on your SPS and add more time to the Aquasun and Aquablue if they start losing color

 

[LexSkizzle]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13162079#post13162079 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Front
Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
Blue Plus
Aquablue

Thanks for the help grim!

 

[footbagger311]

I don't know if this has been posted, but what corals do best under T5 HO lights?

I have this butternut stylophora that I bought from LiveAquaria and it turned all white after a day or two and is now covered with some brown algae.

 

[Altpers0na]

thanks grim

 

[Labman48076]

more info please

more info please

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13162447#post13162447 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by footbagger311
I don't know if this has been posted, but what corals do best under T5 HO lights?

I have this butternut stylophora that I bought from LiveAquaria and it turned all white after a day or two and is now covered with some brown algae.

for the question you ask need more info how many bulbs do you have what are they. where was it placed, what type of lighting was it under bleaching usually means to much light but could also be alk was too high. done properly almost any coral can be kept under t5. oh what else are you keeping. could have also been stress that killed it.

 

[footbagger311]

Re: more info please

Re: more info please

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13162918#post13162918 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Labman48076
for the question you ask need more info how many bulbs do you have what are they. where was it placed, what type of lighting was it under bleaching usually means to much light but could also be alk was too high. done properly almost any coral can be kept under t5. oh what else are you keeping. could have also been stress that killed it.

I have a 12x39 W fixture and I moved the coral from the middle of the tank to the bottom and back up. It looks dead but I still can see some of the tiniest of green polyps on the white parts.

I also have some LPS corals, zoanthids, various leathers, and others.

 

[donald_202]

im plannin to buy 2 36" 6 bulb t5 for 72" u said i need some blue plus or Actinic Plus lamps but can you give me the light you with recommend from front till end? im sorry for the nobby question.

 

[mrpet]

hey grimm i have the following bulb set up as of now 12 80w
lamps on ic 660s not really happy with "pop" of the my corals i have mostly sps corals as of now i have 2 ati aquablue sp. 6 ati blue plus 2 ati true actinics and 2 ge 6500k bulbs i had 2 3000k ge bulbs and took them off and put the aquablues back on i like the color much better now the actinics really look weak so what do ya think i should do any bulb recommendations? poss get rid of the 6500ks for pro colors or more actinics "better ones " thanks

 

[ReefingBuddha]

could anyone give me some advice on the ATI powermodule dimmable and non-dimmable fixtures. I think I've decided on purchasing one, I'm just unsure as to which one. The dimmable one is a lot more expensive.... is it worth it? Has anyone seen or used a dimmable unit?

Thank you in advance for your help. Also I plan on getting the 10x 80w unit as I'm in the UK and they are available.

Thanks!

 

[youngtimothy]

hey grim I have a 100 gall 48x18x26 mostly SPS. I have from back to front
blue plus
aqua blue special
aqua sun
aqua blue special
blue plus
super actinic
I need to replace the blue plus and aqua blue now, keeping the aqua sun and super actinic for the next 6 months. what do you suggest I replace the 4 bulbs with,(any changes) the aquasun added a little more red than I liked. also does the order matter. I'm looking for good growth and awsome color. thanks

 

[CoralKing]

Would the 7x54w Aquactinics Constellation (with miro silver reflectors) be equivalent to the ATI 6x54w Powermodule in terms of overall PAR? (Assuming the same bulb combinations were used)

 

[snaza]

Hi Grim,

I got an $80 solar max 4x24w unit for my new nano. sinces its only 24x8x8 i figure it will work fine. Im using the stock chinese 3 x actinic and 1 x 10k and the thing is putting out 600 PAR at the water level (about 7 inch above). I was seriously shocked as my 48 inch IC SLR do about the same. It has an acrylic sheild which doesnt block any output but after running about 10 mins the PAR drop to about 500. I understand this is because of the heat so where should i mount some small fans. I could mount some on top to pull the air out or mount them in the ends which would be blowing across the ballasts. The bulbs and ballast are only separated by the reflectors.

thanks

 

[wramy]

Grim,

Any comments on T5s not being able to produce a complete purple acro?

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1452146

 

[eggiel]

Hi Grim

How do you compare UVL t5 lights to ATI

Colors,PAR,spectrum

 

[snaza]

Oh sorry 1 more Question,

I like how fiji and pro colour bulbs bring out reds but i think its to much for my new 4 bulb fixture. do aqua suns bring out reds and pinks?

thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Re: Re: more info please

Re: Re: more info please

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13163300#post13163300 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by footbagger311
I have a 12x39 W fixture and I moved the coral from the middle of the tank to the bottom and back up. It looks dead but I still can see some of the tiniest of green polyps on the white parts.

I also have some LPS corals, zoanthids, various leathers, and others.

Open brain corals don't seem to do as well and acros can have a slightly more pale color under T5's.

In your case it sounds like the coral is dying r died back for whatever reason.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13163407#post13163407 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by donald_202
im plannin to buy 2 36" 6 bulb t5 for 72" u said i need some blue plus or Actinic Plus lamps but can you give me the light you with recommend from front till end? im sorry for the nobby question.

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

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13163438#post13163438 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mrpet
hey grimm i have the following bulb set up as of now 12 80w
lamps on ic 660s not really happy with "pop" of the my corals i have mostly sps corals as of now i have 2 ati aquablue sp. 6 ati blue plus 2 ati true actinics and 2 ge 6500k bulbs i had 2 3000k ge bulbs and took them off and put the aquablues back on i like the color much better now the actinics really look weak so what do ya think i should do any bulb recommendations? poss get rid of the 6500ks for pro colors or more actinics "better ones " thanks

Not sure if we are talking 12 rows or 6 rows of 2 lamps each but try using pro color in place of the actinics and see what you think. Having the red spectrum does a lot for the colors while actinic doesn't make a huge difference when you have blue pluses in the mix.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13163515#post13163515 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by thirschmann
could anyone give me some advice on the ATI powermodule dimmable and non-dimmable fixtures. I think I've decided on purchasing one, I'm just unsure as to which one. The dimmable one is a lot more expensive.... is it worth it? Has anyone seen or used a dimmable unit?

Thank you in advance for your help. Also I plan on getting the 10x 80w unit as I'm in the UK and they are available.

Thanks!

If you can afford it they are a cool toy, Not really sure they have a real practical advantage but then again since when do we have a reef tank for practibility's sake

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13163559#post13163559 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by youngtimothy
hey grim I have a 100 gall 48x18x26 mostly SPS. I have from back to front
blue plus
aqua blue special
aqua sun
aqua blue special
blue plus
super actinic
I need to replace the blue plus and aqua blue now, keeping the aqua sun and super actinic for the next 6 months. what do you suggest I replace the 4 bulbs with,(any changes) the aquasun added a little more red than I liked. also does the order matter. I'm looking for good growth and awsome color. thanks

You want the actinic toward the front. The positions of the lamps do make a small difference Go with the Aquasun again but change one of the aquablues for another blue plus, problem solved, I think