The T5 Q&a Thread

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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13960333#post13960333 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by yellowslayer13
Grim I want to have a sps system is this a truly good idea going with T5 over halides on a 24" deep tank.
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As long as you stick to a good T5 system it is fine.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13963403#post13963403 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tsiebel
I was hopeing to get some opinions on lighting. I plan on upgrading to a 125 soon, havnt decided whether it will be all glass or marineland, my concern about the aquarium brand is all glass has 2 braces on the top and marineland only has 1. I want to get a very nice lighting set up and so far my plan is to get 250 metal halides and t5's for actinics. my question is if I only get 2 metal halides will that give me a shadow line on the all glass aquarium with the 2 supports? Also if I get 3 should I get 2 10k and 1 15k for nice color? my worry is that if I get 3 10k and I get 4 36watt t5s 72" in front and back of the metal halides that it will be a greenish hue. Also is this too much lighting for a tank 22" tall? If I would place the halides 10 or 12" above the water would it be a good idea to place the t5's lower? Any thoughts/experiences would be helpful
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If you use the single braced tank get 2 250 halides in larger reflectors. The dual braced tank works great with 3 halides. Stick with 14K halide lamps and do a row of T5 actinics in front of the halides and a Row of Blue T5's behind the halide. With 14K halides you aren't trying to wash out any yellow so two rows of T5's will work.

14K 250 halides shouldn't be overkill at all as long as they aren't HQI's.
 
Re: Grims Da Man

Re: Grims Da Man

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13963461#post13963461 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NateDiggity
Hey Grim,

I have read all the posts and checked out your website. Because of what I read I have decided to give a ALL T5 setup a shot before going to MH.

I currently use PC at around 400w.

I purchased a couple T5 retros. 1 being an Icecap and one being the std. ballast from reefgeek.

I have a 72g bowfront so I can only fit 4 bulbs with the Icecap reflectors. But afetr getting some suggestions in another thread I will also run a 24" bulb up front for a total of 3 overdriven 54w and 1 54w and 1 24w.

This is what I am thinking as I would like the end result to be about 14k look.

Back
ATI 54w AquaBlue Plus (IceCap)
ATI 54w ProColor (IceCap)
UV 54w Super Actinic (Std. Ballast)
ATI 54w AquaBlue Plus (IceCap)
UV 24w Super Actinic (Std. Ballast)
Front

Then I can run actinics for 10 hrs, and all lighting for 7-8 hours.

My though was that the overdriven 54w ProColor would balance out the 78w of Super Actinic and balance out with the AquaBlue.

Any thoughts about this? Would you recommend anything different? Thought I would check with guru before ordering any bulbs.

Also, do you have information on acclimating current corals to the new lighting? I have some high end zoos and I have heard about bleaching.

THANKS!!
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Unfortunatly you cant run a 24 watt T5 on a 54 watt T5 ballast so your actinic plan wont work. You could overdrive the 24 watt lamp on the IC ballast BUT you need to cool the lamps ends when overdriving so that is not going to be an option either.

What I would do is run 3 54 watt lamps on the Ice Cap in the back and at the front 2 24 watt T5's side by side in a slight V pattern to cover the bow

Front
Actinic Actinic
ATI Aquablue IC
ATI Pro Color IC
ATI Blue Plus IC

Mount the front 2 lamps first and then mount the other three as far toward the front of the tank as possible. Should balance out nice.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13964374#post13964374 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mmm55645
I asked a question in the reef discussion forum, and wanted to bring it over here for further advice.

I was asking about using either one or two coralife fixtures on a 20L and everyone agrees that LPS would be okay, but I am curious about keeping other things about about the coralife fixtures specifically.

Here is a link to the other thread
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=13963504#post13963504.

One other thing, is it better to get 30" long bulbs for the tank or is that going to go to waste enough where 24" will worth as well.

I appreciate any help. Thank you.
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24" lamps.

I would look at a 4 lamp nova T5 fixture instead but the corallife would support everything you listed.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13964563#post13964563 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefpimp#1
sorry if i repeat any questions, new to thread and just jumping in.
150 gal. 48 x 24 x 30tall lots of sps top and bottom. love the look of T5s have been wanting to switch (currently 2-400mh). any suggestions on lighting that may work for me. retro is also an option cuase its an in wall tank. thanks for any help.
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8 lamp Ice Cap retrofit would work fine. You need a fan at each end blowing down the row of endcaps from the rear to cool the lamp ends.
 
Hey Grim, I went w/ this combo on my 90 mixed reef and it isn't bad, but I was wondering if you could give me your opinion on a all UVL bulb combo. I would prefer to buy from my LFS and they only stock UVL and Glo in t-5 lights.Thanks!

ATI Blue+
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue+
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue+
 
The 2x39w T5's on my frag tank are aged and need to be replaced. It's a 36x30x12 unit, primarily lit by a 250w 12k Reflux. What would be the best bulb with decent looks and decent par to help cover the area? Blue+, Aquablue (11, 12, 14k?), etc?

Thanks.
 
Hey Grim, I'm back...;)

Just wanted your opinion on the timing of my lights (on off), I have 4 timers, so 1 timer per two rows of lights.

front
VHO UVL SuperActinic
T5 ATI Blue Plus
VHO UVL Actinic White (will eventually replace with Aquasun)
T5 ATI Blue Plus
VHO UVL Actinic White
VHO UVL SuperActinic

So my thoughts are....

12 hours of the 2 VHO SuperActnics
11 hours of the 2 T5 AquaBlues
10 hours of the 2 VHO ActinicWhites

How does this sound, with the SuperActinics going on first and off last of course?

Thanks!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13964584#post13964584 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cash cow
hey grim............ i'm buying a new t5 fixture with 6 bulbs........which do you recommend.......the sunlight supply tek light or the new ATI sunpower.......that sunpower looks awesome and i like the built in fans........plus give me your bulb recommendation...... oh yeah, where and when can i get my hands on the ATI sunpower???
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Reefgeek is the ATI distributor so they should be carrying the Sunpower which is an awesome fixture for the price. I think they are supposed to be available next month.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13965133#post13965133 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gorey
Grim thanks for the response, I have another question for ya. Will them bulbs in a 2 bulb fixture also be able to grow some easy stuff if i put them near the top of the tank? Thanks, Jeff
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Shrooms and zoos would be OK.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13965405#post13965405 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CJBDFRAZ
I have a 180 mostly sps tank and I think I want to switch from halides to t5. I would like to like to try do a retro fit setup using 80w bulbs, probably 6 or 7 of them. Right now I have a workhorse 7 ballast running vho actinics. I have had it for probably 3 or 4 years and I think it is a pretty reliable ballast and you can't beat the price of them. I want to know how much of an advantage there is to buying Ice Cap. How much do Ice Cap ballasts overdrive T5s?
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The Workhorse ballasts don't drive the 54 watt lamps quite as good as the real T5 ballasts, I suspect they do an even worse job on the 80 watt lamps. On a 180 you need to run the Ice Cap ballasts.
 
Hey Grim,

I am looking at the bulbs on reefgeek and I see they have a spectrum analysis chart. What does the relative intensity number mean? How does it relate to PAR?

Thanks
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13968266#post13968266 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Smoke and Water
Hey Grim, I went w/ this combo on my 90 mixed reef and it isn't bad, but I was wondering if you could give me your opinion on a all UVL bulb combo. I would prefer to buy from my LFS and they only stock UVL and Glo in t-5 lights.Thanks!

ATI Blue+
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue+
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue+
Click to expand...

The Combo you have should look good, kinda 15K look. Until they bring out their new lamps there is no good all UVL mix of lamps.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13968894#post13968894 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RokleM
The 2x39w T5's on my frag tank are aged and need to be replaced. It's a 36x30x12 unit, primarily lit by a 250w 12k Reflux. What would be the best bulb with decent looks and decent par to help cover the area? Blue+, Aquablue (11, 12, 14k?), etc?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I'd use Blue Plus. They have high PAR and bring out some nice colors in corals.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13969010#post13969010 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gig
Hey Grim, I'm back...;)

Just wanted your opinion on the timing of my lights (on off), I have 4 timers, so 1 timer per two rows of lights.

front
VHO UVL SuperActinic
T5 ATI Blue Plus
VHO UVL Actinic White (will eventually replace with Aquasun)
T5 ATI Blue Plus
VHO UVL Actinic White
VHO UVL SuperActinic

So my thoughts are....

12 hours of the 2 VHO SuperActnics
11 hours of the 2 T5 AquaBlues
10 hours of the 2 VHO ActinicWhites

How does this sound, with the SuperActinics going on first and off last of course?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

That sounds good
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13969632#post13969632 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jedheuer
Hey Grim,

I am looking at the bulbs on reefgeek and I see they have a spectrum analysis chart. What does the relative intensity number mean? How does it relate to PAR?

Thanks
Click to expand...

It's relative to the output of the particular lamp. They are meant to give you an idea of the color light produced by the lamp.
 
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