The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Re: Help w/Nova Ext 4X54

Re: Help w/Nova Ext 4X54

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13781061#post13781061 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saltydog64
Let's go right to the Geru...Grim,

Recently installed a the Nova Extreme 4 X54 fixture. First off I'm not that impressed with it's perfomance, fan is a little loud and lite output...well let's just it's a good thing I'm running a custom VHO 2X 110's (powered by a IceCap ballast) also. With out those two the tank would be kind of "dark"

The tank is a 70 g 48" X 18" X 18" was FOWLR and recently I'm adding Zoa's and have a couple of softies in there also.

The Nova is using the blubs supplied :

Front

current 460nm switch 1
current 10k switch 2
current 460nm switch 1
current 10k switch 2

How do I get a little more performance out of this fixture, if that is possible...is it ???

Thanks in advance for your help

Dick

Better lamps will help. Replace the 460's with ATI Blue Plus and one of the 10K's with an ATI Aquablue

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13781409#post13781409 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by trilinearmipmap
Has anyone ever made measurements over time? I have always suspected that the bulb manufacturers encourage people to change bulbs to pad their profits.

Not that I am aware of but I've seen pics of blue lamps that were visably washed out at less than a year. Also some high end SPS keepers in europe who were pushing thing a bit as far as their setups and after 8 months they saw color changes and decrease in growth. I figure having a unit with good reflectors and active cooling could expand that to a year easy.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13781497#post13781497 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WangoTANGo
Great.

I'm running this now:

Front
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Aquasun
ATI Actinic 03
ATI Aquablue Special

Any big difference in PAR?

-Justin

It would be a decent pop in PAR

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13781519#post13781519 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Todd March
Hey Grim,

Have you seen or test the KZ New Gen 14K bulbs...? According to pics released by KZ, it looks noticeably bluer than the KZ Coral Light or Aquablue--which I know you have said you think are probably one and the same bulb...

The new Generation is bluer and has less PAR than the original which looked exactly like a Aquablue.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Re: T5s and Cooling Fans

Re: T5s and Cooling Fans

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13781611#post13781611 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by doovid
Hi guys!!
I'm planning on using a 6 bulb T5 retro appliance for my 90gal 48" X 18" X 24" tank. The bulbs will be about 9" from the water surface. Is a fan necessary to prevent the water temperature from rising significantly, or are T5s cool running, to where they don't need active cooling? If a fan is necessary, should it blow air across the bulbs, versus vacuuming air away?
Tnx

You want a fan blowing in down a row of endcaps from the rear. Make sure the label ends of the lamps are in the endcaps where the fan blows.

 

[Todd March]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13781788#post13781788 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
The new Generation is bluer and has less PAR than the original which looked exactly like a Aquablue.

So, how much bluer is the KZ NG 14K than the Coral Light/Aquablue? Is it just slightly bluer, up to 20% more blue, or is much bluer, more like 40% or more...

 

[Todd March]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13781780#post13781780 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by trilinearmipmap
Has anyone ever made measurements over time? I have always suspected that the bulb manufacturers encourage people to change bulbs to pad their profits.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13781780#post13781780 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Not that I am aware of but I've seen pics of blue lamps that were visably washed out at less than a year. Also some high end SPS keepers in europe who were pushing thing a bit as far as their setups and after 8 months they saw color changes and decrease in growth. I figure having a unit with good reflectors and active cooling could expand that to a year easy.

Granted the phosphors used to make 03 actinics are probably the shortest lived of all, but I have seen a significant spectrum shift in my G-mann Pure Actinics after running for 12 hours a day for 5 months. They fluoresce GFP's much less, and have a more overall bland purple look to them. I can see why many Euro SPS keepers are advocating changing out T5's at 6 months. The fuller spectrums may last longer, but certinaly with the actinics, and possibly the blue tubes, I can see this being beneficial to those of us with $$$ invested in nice frags.

If makes logical sense if you think about the small diameter of the T5's. It gives us intensity, yes, but it also means much less surface area for phosphors. With less phosphores, the shift in spectrum is going to happen sooner than with the much larger diameter T12's...

 

[SoLiD]

To Grim or Anyone with Good Knowledgeable Advice:

I am in the works to make a new light rack set up with 2 X 400W metal halides as my main lighting. I was going to use 8X24" (70watt) T12 VHO's For Strictly Actinic Supplementation. They would be powered by 2 IceCap 660 ballasts.

Does everyone think that it would be better for me to use 8X24" (24watt) T5 HO bulbs with Aquatinic Reflectors for my Actinic Supplementation? They will still be powered by 2 IceCap 660 ballasts.

Thanks in advance.

-SoLiD

 

[saltydog64]

Re: Re: Help w/Nova Ext 4X54

Re: Re: Help w/Nova Ext 4X54

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13781769#post13781769 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Better lamps will help. Replace the 460's with ATI Blue Plus and one of the 10K's with an ATI Aquablue

Grim,

Thank you for your FAST reply...........I'm sure everyone here appreciates your help here's to you............ :beer:

Dick

 

[SunnyX]

Hey grim, Im looking to mix up my lighting again and was looking for a recommendation on placement of bulbs. I have an Aquactinic Constellation fixture and am looking to correctly incorporate an ATi Pro color into the mix.

Now, because of the way my ceiling is I had to hang the fixture slightly towards the back of the tank. The fixture i and inch away from the back of the tank.

What would you think is the best method of incorporating the Pro Color ? Here is what I currently run:

Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Aquablue

 

[LuisC]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13783206#post13783206 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
Hey grim, Im looking to mix up my lighting again and was looking for a recommendation on placement of bulbs. I have an Aquactinic Constellation fixture and am looking to correctly incorporate an ATi Pro color into the mix.

Now, because of the way my ceiling is I had to hang the fixture slightly towards the back of the tank. The fixture i and inch away from the back of the tank.

What would you think is the best method of incorporating the Pro Color ? Here is what I currently run:

Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Aquablue

Wow every bulb you have is blue ...

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13783306#post13783306 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LuisC
Wow every bulb you have is blue ...

Well the Aquablues are actually white.

 

[LuisC]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13783642#post13783642 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
Well the Aquablues are actually white.

Yeah I know Sonny I have the same bulbs . just kidding with ya..

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13783798#post13783798 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LuisC
Yeah I know Sonny I have the same bulbs . just kidding with ya..

 

[Hungriee]

Grim,

Heard your name over from the new to hobby threads, and wanted to seek your input. Right now, I have a relatively crappy size tank 37G AGA Tank (30Lx12Wx23H). I'm running a Sundial 4x24W fixture (8 Hour Per Day). I'm housing Monti's, Digis, and Torts, a ton of acans and frogspawn/torch corals and lots of zoas.

Everything is in check; the corals look great but I plan on buying a larger fixture (36") ATI PowerModule.

I looked into the 4 Bulb Config vs the 6 Bulb Config. The pricing with bulbs is roughly an extra 200 so I was wondering which configuration would be best fit for my current tank. I do plan on upgrading my tank to either a 36" Length (50G Tank) or a 48" Length (75G) and hanging the 36" Powermodule with the sides left out for zoas if I decide on the 75G upgrade.

For now, if I do opt for the 4 Bulb or 6 Bulb, which bulbs should I get for best color and growth for my LPS/SPS corals.

 

[WallyBackm]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13780381#post13780381 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I'd only run 1 pro color. I'd run it with 3 Blue Plus, actinic and one GE 6500K Daylight

Thanks Grim

In what order should I put them?

also, the Geiseman 11000k aquablue plus or the ATI blue plus?

 

[Smoke and Water]

First off thanks for doing what you do. Second, I am sure you have given this out before - sorry but my eyes are killing me after 10 pages.

90 gallon mainly LPS and palys in lower half with some planned sps in the top 1/3 of the tank. I am running the Extreme Pro 6X54. Need a good combo for a crisp look with some blue. Maybe 14k look. My LFS carries a good selection of UVL so if I can get most of the bulbs there that would be a bonus.
I was looking at - ATI Blue+, UVL super actinic, UVL aquasun, ATI Blue+,UVL 75/25, ATI Blue+. Or anything else you can reccomend. Thanks

 

[gindobuck]

so i finally purchased:
3 ati blue plus
2 ati 12k aquablue
1 ati pro color. ( i was gonna go with the figi purple but i have heard many recommendations to get the pro color)

is this enough par
and what are the cons to my light set up

 

[jennmac415]

please show pics when you get those bulbs running...that is plenty of par,... blue plus has now been shown to have higher par than the aquasun...and the aquablue is also a high par bulb..

 

[gindobuck]

any cons for the pro color?