The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Depends on the color look you want. If you want neutral to a little blue in the look what you have should be fine. If you prefer a little red go with the second Aquasun
The T5 Q&a Thread
- Thread starter JohnL
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Depends on the color look you want. If you want neutral to a little blue in the look what you have should be fine. If you prefer a little red go with the second Aquasun
Todd March
Premium Member
Grim's not a big fan of the FJP, but I like it a lot. It has a pinkish violet color, due to it's mixed spectrum of blue and red. It fluoresces greens almost as well as an actinic, but still really makes purples, pinks, magentas and reds look incredible. Though it's got lots of blue/actinic in it, the overall color is warm, though not nearly as warm as ATI's Pro Color which is almost exclusively red in spectrum.
For yellows, it's okayâ€"you'd probably have better luck with yellows with a more full spectrum bulb like an Aquasun or 6500K. For supplementing the Phoenix it would add both actinic punch and warmth to the Phoenix's cool blue color. You might like it, you might hate it. The FJP seems to be like that...
What's amazed me with the FJP is how versatile it isâ€"greens, blues, oranges, purples, reds, pinksâ€"they all look better with a little FJP in the mix. Can't think of too many bulbs that can pull that off without washing one of the major color groups out...
Lowredranger
New member
Grim,
I have been debating tanks and was originally going to go with the 180g 72x24x24 but i am considering a 270 72x36x24 would these light be enough for that tank 60" 8x80W RG Reflectors T5 Very High-Output Retrofit Kit w/ Bulbs which are the 100w version. I too am trying to keep costs down, this tank will be a peninsular tank so length wise they only have to cover about 66" b/c of the end overflows.
Let me know what the widest i could go with these lights and how far apart i should space them, looking to keep mixed reef.
Thanks
Jason
I have been debating tanks and was originally going to go with the 180g 72x24x24 but i am considering a 270 72x36x24 would these light be enough for that tank 60" 8x80W RG Reflectors T5 Very High-Output Retrofit Kit w/ Bulbs which are the 100w version. I too am trying to keep costs down, this tank will be a peninsular tank so length wise they only have to cover about 66" b/c of the end overflows.
Let me know what the widest i could go with these lights and how far apart i should space them, looking to keep mixed reef.
Thanks
Jason
saltwater4life1
Member
Ok Thank you,
~Nick
tibbs2
New member
I rebuilt my 75 gallon tank into a jawfish tank. It has 8 inches of sand and no rocks on the floor. I do have 3 aqua-rocks attached to the back wall for corals (man-made rocks that attach by magnets) that I plan to grow LPS corals on such as acans chalice and other fleshing things.
I currently have a a 4 T5 bulb setup in my canopy.
AquaBlue
BluePlus
AquaBlue
BluePLus
I think that puts the corals probably about 15 inches away from the lights. Do I need to downgrade my bulbs to less PAR bulbs so I don't burn these types of corals and throw on an actinic or less PAR bulb?
I know 4 bulbs doesn't seem like alot but I was able to keep croceas in my tank without much issue.
Thanks for any help,
Chris
I currently have a a 4 T5 bulb setup in my canopy.
AquaBlue
BluePlus
AquaBlue
BluePLus
I think that puts the corals probably about 15 inches away from the lights. Do I need to downgrade my bulbs to less PAR bulbs so I don't burn these types of corals and throw on an actinic or less PAR bulb?
I know 4 bulbs doesn't seem like alot but I was able to keep croceas in my tank without much issue.
Thanks for any help,
Chris
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
If I was you and you can run the lamps in pairs I would try the fiji's first and then decide what you would like to do with the color.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
I would group the 8 lamps right in the center and keep the high lighting stuff like SPS and clams under the lamps and use the sandbeds for stuff like open brains which aren't real fond of being exposed to direct T5 light.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Depending on the corals you are raising a Pro Color ATI lamp in place of a aquablue might be nice. It would really bring out the pink and purple colors in corals. If you have softies throw in a UVL super actinic instead
Lowredranger
New member
Sounds good thanks, I just was not sure how wide the T-5's provided light for compared to the Halides. That is good to know so i should be fine whether i go 30" or 36" wide then.
Thanks
Jason
Thanks
Jason
ok Guys, I need some help.
I have a solar flare setup with this light Combination.
Front
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
I won a 2 bulb retro kit at a frag swap last weekend. I was thinking of adding it to the back/front of my setup. I want to try a red/purple figi bulb or bulbs. Is there anything you guys recommend I do? The tank is behind a wall, so it wont matter how it looks. I can put one on each side for that matter. I wanted to see what other bulb will help coloration.
Thanks.
I have a solar flare setup with this light Combination.
Front
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
I won a 2 bulb retro kit at a frag swap last weekend. I was thinking of adding it to the back/front of my setup. I want to try a red/purple figi bulb or bulbs. Is there anything you guys recommend I do? The tank is behind a wall, so it wont matter how it looks. I can put one on each side for that matter. I wanted to see what other bulb will help coloration.
Thanks.
Todd March
Premium Member
I like Grim's advice to try the Purples, and go from there... With the Phoenix lacking a 420 nm output, I always ran actinics with them. But then I am an actinic addict, and any tank with any lighting that doesn't have a little violet-blue actinic light peeking through isn't for me...!
Todd March
Premium Member
I know I'd like that combo...!
T5 Set Up
T5 Set Up
Got a question for the man,
I have a 55 gallon tank I have room for 4 T5 lights across the top. I have an IceCap 660 on its way to me and individual reflectors. I was thinking about wiring it to over drive 3 of the lamps. Then to get a second ballast to power the 4 T5 lamp normally(54W). so that i can have some type of dusk\dawn period in my lighting schedule.
My question is which lamp should I power normally for the dusk\dawn period and what recommendations do you have for lamps in general across the tank?
Do you feel this is good set up for an anemone and some mixed corals?
Any other suggestions
T5 Set Up
Got a question for the man,
I have a 55 gallon tank I have room for 4 T5 lights across the top. I have an IceCap 660 on its way to me and individual reflectors. I was thinking about wiring it to over drive 3 of the lamps. Then to get a second ballast to power the 4 T5 lamp normally(54W). so that i can have some type of dusk\dawn period in my lighting schedule.
My question is which lamp should I power normally for the dusk\dawn period and what recommendations do you have for lamps in general across the tank?
Do you feel this is good set up for an anemone and some mixed corals?
Any other suggestions
Hello Grim, and everyone else. I am buying a new nova extreme pro fixture which will hosue 12 39w t5s. I am not fond of the bulbs that come with the fixture, and want to switch them out. Can you give me a good light combination that would resemble a 20k look? My tank is 80% sps and 20% lps. I run 400w halides now with 12k reeflux bulbs. I like the crisp blue look. So I am looking for high par with a nice crisp blue to it. Thanks for your advice,
Grim,
You are THE man! I've read this thread (and your website) several times and when I made the switch from Powercompacts over to T5's it was because of you. I had actually purchased one of the Solaris units and returned it after reading all your info. I've got a custom tank built into my bookshelves (using the available space, but have since figured out the tank is WAY too small for me to be happy so am selling my house so I can build a house around a nice 300 gallon tank). I've got one of the 6 bulb Tek 5 fixtures crammed into the space above my tank. I originally went with the "more light is better light" mantra but have since figured out that the front and rear bulbs are only lighting the glass and the rock. What bulb comb would you suggest for zoos, 'shrooms, and some LPS? I want good growth and good color (have some red animals) with a more blue look. What combo would you suggest - keeping in mind that the front and rear bulbs are probably just throwing more scatter light than actually contributing to growth - unless you tell me this assumption is wrong? I'm buying all new bulbs so I don't need to work with any existing parameters. Thanks!
You are THE man! I've read this thread (and your website) several times and when I made the switch from Powercompacts over to T5's it was because of you. I had actually purchased one of the Solaris units and returned it after reading all your info. I've got a custom tank built into my bookshelves (using the available space, but have since figured out the tank is WAY too small for me to be happy so am selling my house so I can build a house around a nice 300 gallon tank). I've got one of the 6 bulb Tek 5 fixtures crammed into the space above my tank. I originally went with the "more light is better light" mantra but have since figured out that the front and rear bulbs are only lighting the glass and the rock. What bulb comb would you suggest for zoos, 'shrooms, and some LPS? I want good growth and good color (have some red animals) with a more blue look. What combo would you suggest - keeping in mind that the front and rear bulbs are probably just throwing more scatter light than actually contributing to growth - unless you tell me this assumption is wrong? I'm buying all new bulbs so I don't need to work with any existing parameters. Thanks!
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