The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13624436#post13624436 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chad508
what would you compare 2 of the 48" icecap retros to in mh output. 250's are 400's. i was previously running 2 400 watt 12k reeflux on coralvue ballast. am i close to that. i ask to see if what i am keeping coral wise will be fine.

Depends on the setups. A 20K 400 watt halide mounted 8" above the tank probably isn't hitting the sand with any more PAR than a good normally driven T5 fixture sitting on the tank.

The IC's are easily equal to a 250 watt halide setup.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13625504#post13625504 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jennmac415
Hi Grim... couple of questions... I am still waiting to order new bulbs until hearing how the new UVL bulbs with the internal reflectors weigh in...do you think they will be worth waiting for...I have 14 bulbs to purchase so I don't want to miss out on great bulbs if they turn out to be much better... at the same time, my bulbs really need replacing so if I don't hear some feedback soon, I may have to order anyway...

what do you think of this combo? What will it look like? nIs there a better order for the bulbs?

Blue plus
Super actinic
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
Aqua Sun (or Pro color... which do you think?)
75/25
Blue Plus

14 bulb Constellation...

Thanks!

Jenni

That combo should look fine. I'd do the aquasun.

I see no reason to use an internally reflected lamp when you have good reflectors in your fixture already.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13625802#post13625802 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BIGBIRD123
Grim,
What is the advantages or disadvantages of mounting my T5's perpendicular to the tank? Is this a good idea or not? I have a 6' tank that I want to mount 24" T5's all the way across the tank.

Steve

As long as you are using like lamps or at least equally spacing them out it's ok but you can't have different lamps spaced out or you will see banding.

Blue Plus
Actinic
Sun
Blue Plus
Actinic
Sun

would be OK

But
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Sun
Blue Plus
Actinic
Sun


Isn't
t going to look good because the colors wont be blended.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13625802#post13625802 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BIGBIRD123
Grim,
What is the advantages or disadvantages of mounting my T5's perpendicular to the tank? Is this a good idea or not? I have a 6' tank that I want to mount 24" T5's all the way across the tank.

Steve

As long as you are using like lamps or at least equally spacing them out it's ok but you can't have different lamps spaced out or you will see banding.

Blue Plus
Actinic
Sun
Blue Plus
Actinic
Sun

would be OK

But
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Sun
Blue Plus
Actinic
Sun


Isn't
t going to look good because the colors wont be blended.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13625808#post13625808 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Zimster
hey grim...you seem to be a very popular guy around here...and i have another question for you....

i have a 30G (30"L x 12"W x 18"H) and am running a nova extreme pro with current stock bulbs (3 x 460nm, 3 x 10000K). I haven't had the fixture long and i am going to buy new bulbs for it very soon. I know this is alot of light for a 30G but since the nova doesnt have as great of a reflecting capability, it should hopefully be fine. I have mostly SPS and a few zoos/xenia.

Would you keep the current setup or would you upgrade to better PAR bulbs as you recommend on your site.....3 Blue Plus, 1 super actinic, Pro Color and UVL 75/25?? I hope that wouldn't be too much light for the zoos!

Thanks a million!

Not my site, I just placed a lot of info there

Yeah, you will get a lot better look with those lamps. Probably pretty close to the PAR you have now.

 

[jennmac415]

Thanks, Grim... what do you think that combo would look like as far as a K rating? 14000K, 20000K? or something else? Also, why the aquasun and not the Procolor... just want to know what the difference would be...

 

[spleen93]

whoops .... error

 

[Aqua Keepers]

So, now that I've shown you how I can run 6 t5s on my 55g. Would you recommend 4 t5s + 1 VHO actinic? Or should I just go for the 6 t5's

 

[jiriki]

I have read a good bit. Sorry if this has already been answered.

I have a 4x T5 retrofit kit over a frag tank. The tank itself is only 7" tall (one of those Under-the-bed box).

What bulb configuration would you recommend? What height would you put the fixture from the water.

Currently it is way above. Probably 24" above the water. I figure the depth of the tank is so shallow.. I have SPS and LPS in the frag tank.

 

[snapperface]

Ok Grimm time for some new lights! I have 125g tank running too 36" Aquactinics T5 over it. The current bulbs running right now.
blue+
aquasun
super act
ge
blue+
I have mix reef but mostly sps. I need some kinda lighting that can boost the colors on the sps and give good par or good growth.

 

[garygb]

Grim, thank you so much for all the information you impart to us.

I have a 6 bulb Tek Light (39 watt bulbs) for my 36X18X18 tank. Currently I have 3 10,000K Aquamedic, 2 Aquasun, and 1 6,000K, not sure of the brand, D&D something. I have been running these bulbs almost a year. I have a ritteri and chaeto in the tank along with a few rose anemones. My anemones and chaeto are doing great and the chaeto grows rapidly. What bulb brand/combination would you recommend--the same? Also, should I try to get a little longer out of these bulbs or is 12 months it?

 

[ianiwane]

Grim, I took some par reading off my sfiligoi 12x54.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=13634108#post13634108

How do you think the par would compare to an ati fixture?

4 ATI blue plus
2 UVL actinic plus
3 ATI aquablue special
1 ATI pro color
1 fiji purple
1 ge 6500k

 

[Keith P]

Hey Grim,

Just finished reading like 200 pages of T5 info

I have an Oceanic Tech 70 (same dims as a 65G tall tank) which is 24" tall.

I'm looking at the ATI Powermodule 6X39W. I want to grow all shrooms, zoa's, etc.. Not into SPS (yet).

The tech tank only has a 12" opening with the euro-bracing, so only 5, maybe 5-1/2" of the lights will shine through.

What bulbs do you recommend that will look best (I like it a little blue) and not provide TOO much par to melt my sofites.

I thought about the 4X39W, but I want this to be the last light I purchase for a while...

 

[MstgKillr]

Lighting Help

Lighting Help

Grim,

I need your expert advice again.

Currently I have a 215 Gallon (72x24x30) mixed reef with SPS and clams but I am going more towards SPS everyday and eventually it will be mostly SPS. I have (3) 250 watt Phoenix 14k Bulbs, 250 watt Bluewave HQI Ballast, Lumen Max 3 Reflectors, and (4) 39 watt Super Actinic T5's by UV Lighting.

Here is how I have it on my tank

Back
250 Phoenix / 250 Phoenix / 250 Phoenix
39w Super Actinic T5 / 39w Super Actinic T5
39w Super Actinic T5 / 39w Super Actinic T5
Front

I am looking to get more par so I have been experimenting with a XM XDE 10k Bulb but it seems way to white even with the T5.

What would I need to do to get the XM 10k close to the color of the Phoenix. Add more T5's, different bulbs, etc...?

I was think of adding (4) more T5's and doing something like this

Back
39w Super Actinic T5 / 39w Super Actinic T5
39w Blue+ / 39w Blue+
250 XM XDE 10k / 250 XM XDE 10k / 250 XM XDE 10k
39w Super Actinic T5 / 39w Super Actinic T5
39w Blue+ / 39w Blue+
Front

OR

Just go with
(3) 400w Aquaconnects on HQI Ballasts maybe even Radiums but I just don't want to have to change bulbs every 6 months.

Let me know what you think.

 

[holdyourlight]

Hi Grim-these are the lights you recommended for my Tek light last month.

i really like all of them except for the aquablue and i think its becuase i prefer the look of bulbs with a higher K rating.

here is my question for you: can i replace the Aquablue with a higher K bulb and not hurt the growth of my corals? if so which bulb would you replace it with in the following config? (as i understand it, 10k is best for growth purposes, but it just does not make my coral pop!) :

Actinic Plus
75/25 (14k)
Aquablue (11k)
Actinic Plus

i have access to any type of bulb. thanks so much

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13626644#post13626644 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jennmac415
Thanks, Grim... what do you think that combo would look like as far as a K rating? 14000K, 20000K? or something else? Also, why the aquasun and not the Procolor... just want to know what the difference would be...

Pro Color would be a little too much red. Should look 14Kish

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13627211#post13627211 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pito
So, now that I've shown you how I can run 6 t5s on my 55g. Would you recommend 4 t5s + 1 VHO actinic? Or should I just go for the 6 t5's

If all you want it SPS and clams 6 would be fine. If you want LPS or softies too the VHO actinic would give you a nice effect. I keep forgetting Aquactinics has those standoffs.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13628446#post13628446 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jiriki
I have read a good bit. Sorry if this has already been answered.

I have a 4x T5 retrofit kit over a frag tank. The tank itself is only 7" tall (one of those Under-the-bed box).

What bulb configuration would you recommend? What height would you put the fixture from the water.

Currently it is way above. Probably 24" above the water. I figure the depth of the tank is so shallow.. I have SPS and LPS in the frag tank.

I'd do a 50/50 mix of UVL Aquasun and ATI Blue Plus. I would lower the fixture at least a bit.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13629965#post13629965 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snapperface
Ok Grimm time for some new lights! I have 125g tank running too 36" Aquactinics T5 over it. The current bulbs running right now.
blue+
aquasun
super act
ge
blue+
I have mix reef but mostly sps. I need some kinda lighting that can boost the colors on the sps and give good par or good growth.

Go with what you are running now but use a 3rd Blue Plus in place of the Super Actnic

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13631295#post13631295 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by garygb
Grim, thank you so much for all the information you impart to us.

I have a 6 bulb Tek Light (39 watt bulbs) for my 36X18X18 tank. Currently I have 3 10,000K Aquamedic, 2 Aquasun, and 1 6,000K, not sure of the brand, D&D something. I have been running these bulbs almost a year. I have a ritteri and chaeto in the tank along with a few rose anemones. My anemones and chaeto are doing great and the chaeto grows rapidly. What bulb brand/combination would you recommend--the same? Also, should I try to get a little longer out of these bulbs or is 12 months it?

You can push it a little over 12 months but I don't know I'd try it with an Anemone in there.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Aquasun
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

That will give you more PAR and way better color.