The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13470234#post13470234 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wmilas
I on this thread about 9 months ago when I was starting the planning of my new large tank. Well, the tank is hare and I'm in the middle of finishing the fishroom (plumbing, finishing touches, ect). Its come to the point where I need to select the lighting. I decided 9 moths ago to go T5 and that is still my intentions for color and heat issues.

Grim, you helped me out a ton 9 moths ago and hopefully you can help me again Anyone else with any of these large fixtures/option please feel free to speak up too

The tank is 120x36x30, 600 gallons (dual external overflows) with another 400 gallons in sump, frag, growout, quarantine and fuge tanks) I'm not aware of a tank this size lit only by t5, although I'm not up to date on some of the more exotic European systems.

My choice are:

* 2 X 10 bulb Icecap SLR retro (20 bulbs) either VHO or HO. (1600 watts HO, 2000 watts VHO)

* 2 X Sfiligoi Stealth 60" 8 or 12 bulb (leaning toward 12 bulb for the flexability) (1280 watts 8,
1920 watts 12)

* 2 X Ati 48" 10 bulb. (1080 watts)

So here is the question. Which do I chose? I'm looking to keep a mixed LPS/SPS tank. I'm pretty sure I'll be disappointed with the ATI over time.. although maybe not?

The Stealth over the Ice cap is purely a convenience thing. I've been DIYing much of my room (on a tank this big everything is DIY at some point). For about 600 more I can buy two of the stealth 12 bulb pendants and just hang them and be good to go. Also the diy light rack I'd build for the icecap t5 retro would most likely be at least 2x as thick as the stealth unit. I'm not completely space limited but it IS tight. I have about 22" of space above the tank and on a tank this big I'll be on top of it in that space quite alot.

If I go the retro route I'm confused over weather to go VHO or not. I hear a lot of people state they don't like the color shift overdriving the bulbs. Is this a huge issue? I'm leaning towards plain HO if I go this route for the ease of maintenance.

Any idea what the ballasts in the Stealth units are like?

Which option would you chose? Thanks much!

I'd do the retofits. You could mount them so they hang just like the fixtures.

 

[Steve Cuddeback]

Is Nova Extreme Pro 6 bulb OK for 120

Is Nova Extreme Pro 6 bulb OK for 120

Grim Reefer

I am upgrading my lights on my 120. I have LPS's, clams and carpets. Is the Nova Extreme 6 light enough light? Currently I am running 4 110 watt VHOs and 2 175 watt Halides. I would like to eliminate the halides

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13470325#post13470325 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PEACEoutt
hi, i am new to reefcentral, and i have been reading this thread to see what bulbs i want for my tank. i am going to be getting a tek T5 fixture, but i wanted to know what bulbs would be best so that the colors of the corals POP! i really like Szymon's tank and how it looks, so i was wondering if you could help me figure out what bulbs i would need in a 6 bulb fixture so it looks close to that. i don't want my tank to look too white, or too blue though. i just want my corals to look really colorful.

thanks

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=13470334#post13470334 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gary smith
thanks grim, i am based in the uk and can only get some of the lamps you are able to buy in the united states.
i will also be using a 60 led moonlight strip so i get a few glitter lines do you think this will be ok cheers gary

If you can get ATI and Giesemann lamps you will be fine.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Re: Is Nova Extreme Pro 6 bulb OK for 120

Re: Is Nova Extreme Pro 6 bulb OK for 120

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13470640#post13470640 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Steve Cuddeback
Grim Reefer

I am upgrading my lights on my 120. I have LPS's, clams and carpets. Is the Nova Extreme 6 light enough light? Currently I am running 4 110 watt VHOs and 2 175 watt Halides. I would like to eliminate the halides

No way. Either 8 lamp ATI Powermodule, Aquactinics Solar FLare or 8 lamp Ice Cap retrofit.

 

[PEACEoutt]

will those bulbs make my tank look really blue?

thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13470682#post13470682 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PEACEoutt
will those bulbs make my tank look really blue?

thanks

Not as much as you might think. You could use a GE 6500K daylight instead of the Aquablue if you like a 10K with actinics look.

 

[PEACEoutt]

i know this might sound weird, but what does a 10K with actinics look like?

thanks

 

[jpc763]

Hey Grim. I just found this thread. I posted this on another site, but thought I would put it here.

I have a 55g reef tank with LPS, SPS and a maxima Clam.

My lighting is a Nova Extreme 4x54w T5 (single reflector, stock current bulbs - 2 10k bulbs & 2 460 actinic bulbs) and a single 250w MH with an XM 15k bulb in it.

My current T5 bulbs are about 15 months old and the 15k bulb is about 1 month old.

I am looking at replacing the T5 bulbs as they are getting a little old.

So what should I get? Brand and color would be great!

By the way, it looks like you are in my area. Aurora, CO?

Thanks in advance, John

 

[Steve Cuddeback]

Thank you Grim Reefer I will have to run the MHS I cannot afford the ones you recommended.

 

[jimnrose]

Grim, you have patiently got be thru many questions with great advise and now for my last question. I have a 24" wide tank (72x24x17) and you said to raid the reflectors 4" above the tank. There are many choices on reflector widths and for 6 lamps/reflectors the choice is either 2" or 2.5" widths. I did a layout and it seems the 2.5" widths will give me the best coverage but may scatter the light outside the tank enclosure therby reducing light efficiency and also causing excessive light to the room. Sooo, in your opinion what lamp centers is best and also should I include a light shield between the reflector and the tank to avoid stray light into the room?????
Thanks AGAIN, Jim

 

[wmilas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13470605#post13470605 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I'd do the retofits. You could mount them so they hang just like the fixtures.

Would you do the VHO or just the HO variants?

 

[ekrunch]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: The 44" Tank Challenge!

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: The 44" Tank Challenge!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13470434#post13470434 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Try something like this but order a few extra lamps so you can play.

Perfect. I'll give that a shot. Time to make a serious Reefgeek order.

One more question ...

Am I supposed to cool the ends or the center of the bulbs? I doubt i'll be able to run the fans down the length of the bulbs because of the canopy design, so i'll have to push the cool air in from the back. I'm thinking 4 x 4" fans should do the trick, but should I put two on each end, 4 in the center, or spread the 4 out evenly across the bulbs?

BTW, I got the Sylvania QTP 2x54T5HO/UNV DALI Ballasts... now to see if I can find a programmable DALI dimmer and do some neat sunrise/sunset effects.

 

[jfl14609]

Hey grim a long time ago you gave me arecommendation for my 90 and now i am upgrading to a 180 sps and clams and wondering what you recommend i was thinking of using ice caps to overdrive 8 bulbs. is that enough and what geeisman bulbs do you reccomend

 

[jennmac415]

Grim... do you know when the new UV bulbs will be out?

 

[steveoutlaw]

Grim-
I'm putting a Solar Flare fixture on my 120g mixed reef. You had said it was overkill in a previous post. Would I be better off going with a different fixture?

Thanks.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13470824#post13470824 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PEACEoutt
i know this might sound weird, but what does a 10K with actinics look like?

thanks

WHite with a slight hint of blue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13470839#post13470839 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jpc763
Hey Grim. I just found this thread. I posted this on another site, but thought I would put it here.

I have a 55g reef tank with LPS, SPS and a maxima Clam.

My lighting is a Nova Extreme 4x54w T5 (single reflector, stock current bulbs - 2 10k bulbs & 2 460 actinic bulbs) and a single 250w MH with an XM 15k bulb in it.

My current T5 bulbs are about 15 months old and the 15k bulb is about 1 month old.

I am looking at replacing the T5 bulbs as they are getting a little old.

So what should I get? Brand and color would be great!

By the way, it looks like you are in my area. Aurora, CO?

Thanks in advance, John

Yeah, Colorado.

The XM15K halide isn't great for PAR so I would do 2 ATI Blue Plus lamps and 2 ATI Aquablues which have good PAR output. It will be a little luer than you have now but not by a whole lot.

In the future I would go with a stronger halide like the Ushio and use 2 Blue Plus and 2 Super Actinic T5's. Nice look.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13471095#post13471095 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jimnrose
Grim, you have patiently got be thru many questions with great advise and now for my last question. I have a 24" wide tank (72x24x17) and you said to raid the reflectors 4" above the tank. There are many choices on reflector widths and for 6 lamps/reflectors the choice is either 2" or 2.5" widths. I did a layout and it seems the 2.5" widths will give me the best coverage but may scatter the light outside the tank enclosure therby reducing light efficiency and also causing excessive light to the room. Sooo, in your opinion what lamp centers is best and also should I include a light shield between the reflector and the tank to avoid stray light into the room?????
Thanks AGAIN, Jim

The reflectors clamp on the lamps. This allows you to angle the reflectors away from the front and rear walls of the tank. Problem solved.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13471349#post13471349 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wmilas
Would you do the VHO or just the HO variants?

30" tall tank isn't it? in that case go VHO version.