The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13480304#post13480304 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JPSKI25
I'm running a 34" tek fixture with 2 6000k bulbs and 2 actinic bulbs and having a horrible time with hair and other algae. Grim what bulbs would you suggest. I was thinking of putting a 14000k in for at least 1 of the 6000k's and maybe a fiji purple. I have lots of different zoa's a couple of candy cane's and an acan. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Make sure your parameters are good and you aren't using cheap lamps.

I would run 2 Blue Plus, 1 Aquasun or GE daylight and a Super Actinic

A little on the blue side but would pop those corals. Swap a Blue Plus out for the Aquablue if you like a whiter look.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13481103#post13481103 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jimnrose
Grim, I contacted Sunlight Supply and they told me thge TEK II reflectors are now 2.75" wide, so I'll go with their retrofit packaage (6x80). Does it pay to wait for a sale or other means of getting a lower price or is this type product only go up in price?
Thanks, Jim

You don't see this stuff on sale very often.

Before you order have the vendor physically measure a reflector for you. There was some info out there saying the Tek II was 2 3/4" but the reflectors were still over 3". Let us know what you find out.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13482304#post13482304 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 90sShooter
Hey Grim, Looks like your the man to talk to...

I know very little about T5's but I have a fellow reefer sending me some bulbs to try out:

D & D Giesemann:
2 Aquablue +
1 Pure Actinic
1 Actinic +

UVL:
1 Super Actinic
1 Actinic White

What do you think of these bulbs? Will that be a good combo for my 48" 6x54w fixture? I want a nice 20k look...

Any recommendations for a better 6 bulb combo for a nice blue color, good coral color and still good growth? I am sure it has been asked time and time again but with 27 pages, I figure I just ask again lol.

Also I am sure this has been asked before, but how long is a T5 bulb good for on average? 12 months? 18 months? 24 months? longer?

Sorry for the total newbie repetitive questions...

Thanks man!

Bulbs last a year at least.

For a 20K look you need a lot more blue lamps. Aquablues are more white than blue. Actinic Plus is the blue lamp.

Front
Actinic Plus
Super Actinic
Actinic white
Actinic Plus
Aquablue
Actinic Plus

 

[Zoos]

Thanks Grim.

I was wondering if T5s would be a good idea on a peninsula style tank where the 2 long sides are viewable. I don't know why I get the feeling that you might see the different colors from the bulbs in the water when you look at it from the front. I know T5s have a lot to do with placement to achieve different colors. Am I crazy and does this make any sense at all?

 

[ooja3k]

Long the long way (parrallel to the fixture) through my tank, i cannot distinguish areas with their representative different color bulb. essentially, as soon as it leaves the fixture its mixed....

 

[Todd March]

Some musings from a Powermodule owner....

That's a good pic flyingphish posted of a Powermodule fixture from the side. But it only very slightly shows one of the things I really like about my PM fixtureâ€"how on one side (where you pull the acrylic shield out from) there are narrow vents for each bulb's separate reflector area.

And while you can clearly see these vents (illuminated from the various lamps) in flyingphish's picture, you can't really see how in person these vents just GLOW from the bulb's escaping light.

Since each T5 lamp is different, each vent glows their respective different color (and the vents seem to amplify this effect to boot), and because I have been playing with bulbs so much (as we all do) as a new PM user, I have learned the colors emitted by each individual bulb, so I can always tell at a glance what bulbs are on and off, and exactly what bulbs they are, just by glancing over at these "colored buttons" (the effect after all is truly electrical!) With a 10 lamp fixture, I really appreciate this... The ABSpecial is white white, the 75/25 is pinkish, but not as pink as the Fiji Purple; the Pro Color is orange; the GE 3000K is really orange; the Blue+ is insane electric blue (so blue, it's by far the easiest bulb to identify even from across the room)...

I've even had keen non-reefer friends notice these "pretty buttons" and ask what the various buttons "signify"...?

 

[lifeform]

Hi, I have a reef tank(mainly sps) with three 150watt double ended metal halide Reeflux 12k bulbs and four Icecap T5 SLR and being driven by two 660 ballasts. Which four t5 lamps would you recommend? Thanks in advance.

 

[P-DUBS]

Hey Grim!

I took recommendations for another tank, but haven't had a chance to set it up. It is time for me to replace the stock bulbs on my Current USA Sundial fixture. I am going to be keeping some SPS in this tank with mostly green corals... Looking for good colour all around though with good pop on the green....

Your Help is much appreciatied

It is a 4x24W 24" Sundial Fixture....

THANKS!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13483281#post13483281 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Zoos
Thanks Grim.

I was wondering if T5s would be a good idea on a peninsula style tank where the 2 long sides are viewable. I don't know why I get the feeling that you might see the different colors from the bulbs in the water when you look at it from the front. I know T5s have a lot to do with placement to achieve different colors. Am I crazy and does this make any sense at all?

Works fine. You just have to place the lamps right.

Example
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Aquablue
Blue Plus

That is going to look just about the same from both sides. I doubt you could see a difference at all.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13483294#post13483294 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ooja3k
Long the long way (parrallel to the fixture) through my tank, i cannot distinguish areas with their representative different color bulb. essentially, as soon as it leaves the fixture its mixed....

Fixtures are more forgiving that retrofits in that aspect.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13483582#post13483582 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lifeform
Hi, I have a reef tank(mainly sps) with three 150watt double ended metal halide Reeflux 12k bulbs and four Icecap T5 SLR and being driven by two 660 ballasts. Which four t5 lamps would you recommend? Thanks in advance.

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

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13483673#post13483673 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by P-DUBS
Hey Grim!

I took recommendations for another tank, but haven't had a chance to set it up. It is time for me to replace the stock bulbs on my Current USA Sundial fixture. I am going to be keeping some SPS in this tank with mostly green corals... Looking for good colour all around though with good pop on the green....

Your Help is much appreciatied

It is a 4x24W 24" Sundial Fixture....

THANKS!

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
GE 6500K Daylight or Giesemann Midday
ATI Blue Plus

Place the lamps so a blue is at the front and the actinic comes on with it for your dusk/dawn pair.

 

[Zoos]

Thanks Grim

 

[jfl14609]

hey grim I have been thinking alott about the lighting you recommended for my 180 and I have been thinking about running 8 t-5s and my 400 watt hqi in the middle for my clams. what are your thoughts? and bulb options

 

[snaza]

Hi Grim,

do you have (or refer me to another thread) with PAR readings from different T5 Fixtures? Whats PAR does your constellations put out at water level (now far from the water)?

thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13488856#post13488856 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jfl14609
hey grim I have been thinking alott about the lighting you recommended for my 180 and I have been thinking about running 8 t-5s and my 400 watt hqi in the middle for my clams. what are your thoughts? and bulb options

Would maybe look kinda funky with the shimmers in the middle only. Lamps would depend on what halide you use.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13489753#post13489753 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snaza
Hi Grim,

do you have (or refer me to another thread) with PAR readings from different T5 Fixtures? Whats PAR does your constellations put out at water level (now far from the water)?

thanks

I don't waste my time trying to get PAR readings at different depths. It's too hard to get an accurat reading without a fixture of some sort to hold the PAR sensor in place. Lamp selection also comes into play. With a Tek loaded up with one super actinic, 2 Aquablues and 3 Blue Pluses I got about 210 17 inches below the surface with the lights about 2" above the water. With 2 Super Actinics, UVL 75/25, one Pro Color and 3 Blue Plus the Constellation did in the 240's under the same conditions.

 

[aquaconnect]

Hey Grim,

I've had my 3 sided viewable 65 gallon set up for about 2 months now. I went with a TX5 Series Aquactinics, running this:
Blue Plus
Blue Special
Aquasun
Blue Special
Blue Plus

My 65 has a little more than 100 lbs or rock, running a bare bottom. My rock is stacked so that it tapers off as it goes up to the top, an I have all the livestock that I'm going to place in the tank in there, mainly chalices, a couple brains, 3 sps, duncans, and several zoa's, and some acans and they are going to stay where they are because it is like a jigsaw. All of my scoly's are at the very top, as is my chalices and such, with zoa's along the sides, down to the bottom. For some reason, it just doesn't seem like enough light to me, am I wrong? I really notice things on the side streching, and somethings like my zoa's, are losing a bit of color. I know how I have it stacked that the corals are a little shaded, but still can get light.

Question is, should I go with an eight or ten bulb fixture? Since it's 3 sided viewable, I have to keep the bulbs in series so that nothing looks funny from one side. If I go with more bulbs, will it look better since I'll be able to get more of a spectrum in there?

I was looking at both the ATI powermodule fixtures, and the Sfiligoi T5 Pendants. First, being this is mainly LPS, would an 8 or 10 bulb be overkill with where I have my stuff placed (chalices, scoly's, and 3 sps at the top), or would I be able to get some more color pop with being able to run actinic, while having a wider fixture to better light the sides, down to the bottom where I also have some chalices and zoa's?

So, what would you recommend as far as a fixture (brand & 8 or 10 bulb) and bulb series suggestions, w/o having it too blue, nor cooking my corals where I have them placed because, like I said, nothing can be moved now? Or would a 6 bulb powermodule fixture work better?

Thanks!

 

[Labman48076]

Grim reflector question?

I have a Aquatinics Constellation 72" it is about 2 1/2 years old it has the old reflectors on it would it make sense for me to get the new reflectors from Aquatinics Made from Miro Silver ( 98% reflectivity ) aluminum. also how much par increase would i expect from these reflectors.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13491010#post13491010 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aquaconnect
Hey Grim,

I've had my 3 sided viewable 65 gallon set up for about 2 months now. I went with a TX5 Series Aquactinics, running this:
Blue Plus
Blue Special
Aquasun
Blue Special
Blue Plus

My 65 has a little more than 100 lbs or rock, running a bare bottom. My rock is stacked so that it tapers off as it goes up to the top, an I have all the livestock that I'm going to place in the tank in there, mainly chalices, a couple brains, 3 sps, duncans, and several zoa's, and some acans and they are going to stay where they are because it is like a jigsaw. All of my scoly's are at the very top, as is my chalices and such, with zoa's along the sides, down to the bottom. For some reason, it just doesn't seem like enough light to me, am I wrong? I really notice things on the side streching, and somethings like my zoa's, are losing a bit of color. I know how I have it stacked that the corals are a little shaded, but still can get light.

Question is, should I go with an eight or ten bulb fixture? Since it's 3 sided viewable, I have to keep the bulbs in series so that nothing looks funny from one side. If I go with more bulbs, will it look better since I'll be able to get more of a spectrum in there?

I was looking at both the ATI powermodule fixtures, and the Sfiligoi T5 Pendants. First, being this is mainly LPS, would an 8 or 10 bulb be overkill with where I have my stuff placed (chalices, scoly's, and 3 sps at the top), or would I be able to get some more color pop with being able to run actinic, while having a wider fixture to better light the sides, down to the bottom where I also have some chalices and zoa's?

So, what would you recommend as far as a fixture (brand & 8 or 10 bulb) and bulb series suggestions, w/o having it too blue, nor cooking my corals where I have them placed because, like I said, nothing can be moved now? Or would a 6 bulb powermodule fixture work better?

Thanks!

Those sclys might not appreciate the added intensity from the ATI. Could you hang a second TX5?