The T5 Q&a Thread

[snaza]

Last night a saw these crossflow fans at an electorics shop. They push heaps of air at 9v and fairly quiet. I have it blowing air on the side of my cheap ebay T5 fixture (just for my 30x8x8 nano)

PAR at water level is 800.
PAR at water level with fan on is 975.

20% more PAR from a simple $20 fan. VERY COOL.

http://www.jaycar.com.au/ShowLargephoto.asp?id=10137&IMAGE=

 

[rcranf1]

hey grim what is the difference between Giesemann Aquablue Plus and ATI Blue Plus?????

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13860841#post13860841 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gig
Hey Grim, quick followup for my future setup

front to back
VHO - UVL Super Actinic
T5 - UVL Aquasun
VHO - UVL Super Actinic
T5 - ATI Blue Plus
VHO - UVL Daylight 10K
VHO - UVL Super Actinic

how about this, upside/downside? I keep only LPS and Softies, maybe might look for some easy SPS down the line, change out the aquasun t5 and have two rows of ATI Blue Plus? then the daylights would be 2 UVL VHO's, then 2 UVL Super Actinics.

VHO - UVL Super Actinic
T5 - ATI Blue Plus
VHO - UVL Daylight 10K
T5 - ATI Blue Plus
VHO - UVL Daylight 10K
VHO - UVL Super Actinic

I dunno, try it and see. You will still get a lot of PAR from the Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13860855#post13860855 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Canarygirl
Is it possible to run a pair of VHO bulbs (UV lighting Super Actinic, I think they're 110 watts?) and a pair of 80 watt T-5 bulbs off of the same Icecap 660 ballast? That would save me some hassle and a few dollars...

one more question...lifespan of the big VHO bulbs? Do they last longer than 6 months without too much shift or loss of PAR? Mine have been run on a PFO ballast

Cant run the 80 watt lamps and 2 VHO's on the same IC ballast. If you cut back to 1 VHO you could get away with it.

I've heard the VHO running on Ice Cap ballast can go maybe a year.

 

[rcranf1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13863171#post13863171 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rcranf1
hey grim what is the difference between Giesemann Aquablue Plus and ATI Blue Plus?????

correction
what is the difference between Gmann Actinic Plus and ATI blue plus

 

[gig]

Hey Grim, here's the pics using this config

front to back
VHO - UVL Super Actinic
T5 - UVL Aquasun
VHO - UVL Super Actinic
T5 - ATI Blue Plus
VHO - UVL Daylight 10K
VHO - UVL Super Actinic

My camera sucks, I'm not sure it's capturing the colors that great, they look more washed out than in person. Although some of my corals are slightly bleached from a lack of lighting and even a short day timing cycle as I had some algae/dino issues. I've since added to the two rows of t5's and recently extended my lighting cycle to 10 hours a day from 8, which I hope turns things around.

and my new orange shoulder tang

 

[RobertK]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13859731#post13859731 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Flip a coin.

If you do the 3/2 run a Blue Plus, Aquablue and GE 6500K Daylight for the T5's/

Why the GE 6500 over the UVL Aquasun in this setup?

 

[Saddler]

I'm considering doing an all (6 bulb) Blue+ tank. Does anyone have any photos or experience with this? Does the limited spectrum eventually affect corals in a negative way, or do they thrive?

I'm also considering running one super actinic in the front, and maybe also 1 pro color near the back. But I'm worried that the pro color will either turn the tank purple when mixed with the blues, or wash out the color pop from the blues. That's what happens with my aquasun in my very varied current setup of bulbs, and I hate it. What I'm looking for is something that's basically the glowing color contrast and pop of Blue+ bulbs, but with just an extra kick to show off the purple and red coralline on the rocks, but without loosing any of the pop to the coral colors from the blues.

 

[Saddler]

Oh Master Grim,

I see on your website the following:

Grims Tek 6 bulb combo -
3 Blue Plus, 1 super actinic, Pro Color and UVL 75/25

How do you like that look? Does it look really purple, and does the 75/25 do anything for showing the coralline? That combo seems somewhat similar to what I've been thinking of doing in my post above. Any photos of a tank with this combo?

Also, why do you list this combo specifically for a "Tek" fixture or reflectors? I'm running a non-overdriven 6 bulb retro kit with SLS reflectors.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13863478#post13863478 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rcranf1
correction
what is the difference between Gmann Actinic Plus and ATI blue plus

The name of the lamp. ATI has a little better output,

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13863507#post13863507 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gig
Hey Grim, here's the pics using this config

front to back
VHO - UVL Super Actinic
T5 - UVL Aquasun
VHO - UVL Super Actinic
T5 - ATI Blue Plus
VHO - UVL Daylight 10K
VHO - UVL Super Actinic

My camera sucks, I'm not sure it's capturing the colors that great, they look more washed out than in person. Although some of my corals are slightly bleached from a lack of lighting and even a short day timing cycle as I had some algae/dino issues. I've since added to the two rows of t5's and recently extended my lighting cycle to 10 hours a day from 8, which I hope turns things around.

and my new orange shoulder tang

Looks like more blue would help.

 

[Richieboy]

Hi, just wondering if I will be able to keep crocea and maxima clams on the sand bed of a 24" high tank with a Aquatinics 72" Constellation which is 39watt x14. Tank is 6x2x2feet. Any bulb combos to help with par output but still be pleasant to the eyes.
Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13863820#post13863820 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RobertK
Why the GE 6500 over the UVL Aquasun in this setup?

Why not. Either will work

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13864628#post13864628 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Saddler
Oh Master Grim,

I see on your website the following:

Grims Tek 6 bulb combo -
3 Blue Plus, 1 super actinic, Pro Color and UVL 75/25

How do you like that look? Does it look really purple, and does the 75/25 do anything for showing the coralline? That combo seems somewhat similar to what I've been thinking of doing in my post above. Any photos of a tank with this combo?

Also, why do you list this combo specifically for a "Tek" fixture or reflectors? I'm running a non-overdriven 6 bulb retro kit with SLS reflectors.

Not my website, another member offered to put all that info up, I just provided that. I made some specific combos for the 5 and 7 lamp aquactinic fixtures. Other than that non specific as far as fixtures go so I don't know why that is listed that way.

Anyway for your mx try 4 Blue Plus, 1 Aquablue and 1 UVL 75/25.

all blue plus looks nasty to me. Blue Plus with Aquablue is OK but you don't get good yellow or pinks. The 75/25 has a ton of actinic but also a little red but it's subtle. 2 75/25 might be the way to go but I've never tried it.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13864759#post13864759 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Richieboy
Hi, just wondering if I will be able to keep crocea and maxima clams on the sand bed of a 24" high tank with a Aquatinics 72" Constellation which is 39watt x14. Tank is 6x2x2feet. Any bulb combos to help with par output but still be pleasant to the eyes.
Thanks

Sure.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus

 

[gig]

thanks again Grim, so based on what you see here, I have two options, I had planned on swapping out a VHO 10K with another SuperActinic, but the other option is keeping only two Actnics and going 2 blue plus t5's:

Option 1 - 2 Actinic, 2 Daylight, 2 Blue Plus
VHO - UVL Super Actinic
T5 - ATI Blue Plus
VHO - UVL Daylight 10K
T5 - ATI Blue Plus
VHO - UVL Daylight 10K
VHO - UVL Super Actinic

Option 2 - 3 Actinic, 2 Daylight, 1 Blue Plus
VHO - UVL Super Actinic
T5 - UVL AquaSun
VHO - UVL Super Actinic
T5 - ATI Blue Plus
VHO - UVL Daylight 10K
VHO - UVL Super Actinic

As always, thanks!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Stick with the blue plus for the T5's, you get more out of those.

 

[Canarygirl]

all blue plus looks nasty to me. Blue Plus with Aquablue is OK but you don't get good yellow or pinks. The 75/25 has a ton of actinic but also a little red but it's subtle. 2 75/25 might be the way to go but I've never tried it.

Which bulb can promote better pinks/yellows without creating a pinky-purple tone like the figi purple and the pro-color both do? I need a 60" bulb and I haven't been able to find the 75/25 bulb in a 60" length. There is an Aqua Perfekt bulb (the "Duo") that says it has a peak in that red area...would that be a good alternative?

 

[gig]

ok, so I am better off using 2 rows of T5 Blue Plus, then 2 VHO SuperActinics and 2 VHO 10K's daylights? that would likley get me the most PAR versus the 3 Super Actinic VHO layout.

oh and what about doing 1 row T5 ATI aquablue and 1 row t5 ATI blue plus?

Thanks Grim...

 

[gig]

oh and what about doing 1 row T5 ATI aquablue and 1 row t5 ATI blue plus?