The T5 Q&a Thread

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Re: Help Again Please, Grim

Re: Help Again Please, Grim

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13546751#post13546751 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ashdo
Have a 75 gal mixed tank (sps, lps, clams, softies), viewable both sides with Aquactinics Constellation light. This is the current setup:
F
UVL Super Actinic
50/50 daylight
UVL AquaSun
UVL Actinic Plus
UVL Aqua Sun
50/50 daylight
UVL Super Actinic
B

Would like more "pop" for color and tank seems a bit white. Would like a more "natural" blueish tint. Please make suggestions on new bulbs. Also would appreciate suggested time for each light sequence to come on and off. Your help is always appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Front
ATI Blue Plus
Aquasun
Blue Plus
UVL super actinic or 75/25
Blue Plus
Aquasun
Blue Plus


3 & 5 12 hrs

1, 4 & 7 10 hours

2 & 6 6~8 hours
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13546703#post13546703 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I would go VHO on at least half the lamps anyway. The Aquasun and Aquablues are the highest PAR lamps So I would run those on the IC ballast. Grab a spare Blue Plus and a GE 6500K daylight for spares to play with.
Click to expand...

Thanks Grim,

Would it be worth the extra $55 to run all 8 bulbs as VHO? The only major downside I can see is with two 660s I would be limited to a 4 bulb dawn/dusk and 4 bulb midday setup... I'm guessing that running 3 Blue + and 1 Super Actinic would be a bit of overkill for "dawn" huh?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13547106#post13547106 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mykel Obvious
Thanks Grim,

Would it be worth the extra $55 to run all 8 bulbs as VHO? The only major downside I can see is with two 660s I would be limited to a 4 bulb dawn/dusk and 4 bulb midday setup... I'm guessing that running 3 Blue + and 1 Super Actinic would be a bit of overkill for "dawn" huh?
Click to expand...

It might be advantagious not to overdrive all 8 if you are going with lower light critters. There are no places to hide from the light and brains arent particularly thrilled with intense T5 light.
 
Hey, I did notice a few pictures, but I would REALLY like to see some lamp configurations with coresponding pics as close to the actual real life color as is possible :)

B
 
Hey Grim
Thanks for the help. I am getting ready to place the order and didn't know if I should get some bulbs with it or if there are better ones you might suggest?
 
hello

hello

hello Grim...

I have just read thru the 34 pages of this thread and my head hurts. Everywhere i go i keep hearing that TheGrimReefer is the T5 king. So hail to the king!!.. :D So enough butt kissing. I have a 20H and i am looking to upgrade my lighting fixture. I want to go the the Tek Light from reefgeek.com along with the riser brackets and acrylic shield. Total with bulbs is about $400 and some change.

Or Should i go with the Aquatinics tx5 plus the bulbs for about 475. One more thing... i want to keep a mixed reef. I mainly have softies because i fell into the trap of the noobie reef... the one where i tell myself that i only want to keep softies and never SPS or LPS. Well that idea went to hell and my PC's (more like POS's) are not gonna cut it. So bulb configurations would be greatly appreciated along with your lighting fixture recommendation.

BTW, if i ever meet you, remind me to buy you a beer or several. Thanks in advance for the help.

Joe
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13547628#post13547628 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
It might be advantagious not to overdrive all 8 if you are going with lower light critters. There are no places to hide from the light and brains arent particularly thrilled with intense T5 light.
Click to expand...

Thanks again, Grim!! That's what I needed to know
 
I think I am just going to go with the 2 rows of 6 bulbs and if need be I can add a few more later whats the bulb selection you recommend to give me the 14k look
 
Grim, I am in the proces of upgrading from an aga 125 to an aga 210 which is 30" tall... on my 125 I have a constellation fixture and really like the t5 effect. would I be able to use this same fixture on my 30" tank?

Thanks

matt
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13548535#post13548535 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by achillestang
Hey Grim
Thanks for the help. I am getting ready to place the order and didn't know if I should get some bulbs with it or if there are better ones you might suggest?
Click to expand...

If you are getting the TX 5 go for this

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
 
Re: hello

Re: hello

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13548830#post13548830 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chefjbs
hello Grim...

I have just read thru the 34 pages of this thread and my head hurts. Everywhere i go i keep hearing that TheGrimReefer is the T5 king. So hail to the king!!.. :D So enough butt kissing. I have a 20H and i am looking to upgrade my lighting fixture. I want to go the the Tek Light from reefgeek.com along with the riser brackets and acrylic shield. Total with bulbs is about $400 and some change.

Or Should i go with the Aquatinics tx5 plus the bulbs for about 475. One more thing... i want to keep a mixed reef. I mainly have softies because i fell into the trap of the noobie reef... the one where i tell myself that i only want to keep softies and never SPS or LPS. Well that idea went to hell and my PC's (more like POS's) are not gonna cut it. So bulb configurations would be greatly appreciated along with your lighting fixture recommendation.

BTW, if i ever meet you, remind me to buy you a beer or several. Thanks in advance for the help.

Joe
Click to expand...

The Tek would work but I would pass of the shield, it traps in too much heat.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinc
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13549454#post13549454 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jfl14609
I think I am just going to go with the 2 rows of 6 bulbs and if need be I can add a few more later whats the bulb selection you recommend to give me the 14k look
Click to expand...

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13549643#post13549643 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Iammatt219
Grim, I am in the proces of upgrading from an aga 125 to an aga 210 which is 30" tall... on my 125 I have a constellation fixture and really like the t5 effect. would I be able to use this same fixture on my 30" tank?

Thanks

matt
Click to expand...

I would at least give it a try. I wouldn't use any actinics in the mix of lamps, stick to the higher PAR lamps as much as possible.
 
Quick question Grim. I have a 29 gal tank and I'm going mostly lps/zoas and other softies I guess, with maybe a few encrusting Montis. I'm currently running an ATI blue plus, ATI blue specieal and have a VHO ballast with an Actinic and a 50/50 bulb. I'm going to upgrade to a 660 from my 430 and add just one more T5 and remove the VHO 50/50, but keep the actinic bulb. What should I use as the 3rd bulb for the T5s. I was thinking the UVL Aquasun. Do you suggest something different. I'm not getting the best colors out of some of my zoas that came from a tank with 400w MH that were closer to the 10k color.
 
help

help

yo grim you are the man i just got turned on to this thread from my vegas reef club i wanted to see if you had any opinion on this i was wandering if you had ever heard of anyone using neon tubes for lighting since they are they same as a t5 a mercury vapor exact same glass but neon uses a cold cathode electrode meaning the glass stays room temp does not emit heat like a t5... neon has a 8300k, 6500k, 3000k, and antic blues and such thousands of colors to choose from... just not sure the par reading it would get... i have a 150 gal tank i custom built myself and inset it in the wall..im having a hard time with lighting because i lose 6"around the top of the tank on the front and one side from the wall thickness... so my top is like 12"w and 71"L on the top its wierd anyways im currently using 6- 65w pc.s i heard there not the greatest go t5s.. im leaning towards them big time but i work for a major sign company in las vegas and neons are a dime a dozen and i could get them made in the lengths i need... i was thinking t5 reflectors and neon bulbs in a 6500k and antic blue and some horizon blue that is close to aqua blue t5s have you ever heard of such a thing.... i know your the t5 master just wandering your thoughts on this or if you have ever heard of such a thing?
 
Hi Guys,

Looks like I found the right place for T5 questions. I'm in the process of setting up a 90 Gal Reef to replace my 29G. The 90G dimensions are the usual 48x18x24 (LxWxH). I've narrowed down my choices to two fixtures. The ATI Powermodule 6x54 or the Aquaactinics Constellation.

I know they are both considered the highend and in the end they actually come to very similar prices (I was actually surprised that if you add in the cost for bulbs the Constellation is actually $20-$30 more).

I also know that the ATI is suppose to be the best. But the Constellation has an extra bulb. I also see different opinions on if just the ATI or both are overdriven. If so, is bulb life that much different? I was hoping to get some real experiences before I lay down the $800+.

O yea I guess what I want to keep would be helpful. I definitely want to keep SPS/LPS lower middle and up, yet I don't want to fry mushrooms on the bottom.

Any insite would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
 
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