The T5 Q&a Thread

[pheryes]

hey grim i have mix sps,lps,softy,two clams,(2 175 HALIDE,2 SUPER ACTINIC VHO)my tank is 72x24x30(due to dual over flows on both the right side tank lenght would be 66" with a high canopy),,i have catalina aquarium built a retro for me it's a 8 54watt bulbs t5 48" but it will be staggered to 60"to compenstae with dead spots,would this be ok for my set up
and what bulb combinations should i get,,thanks hope to get some inputs soon as my retro is almost finish..

 

[mojo~]

Grim Once again i took your advice when going from my 75 to my 90 and I love the look of the bulbs. After you told me to switch bulbs I ordered from the geek that night. I just put them in today and its awesome.
Runing
VHO Actinic
B+
Procolor
B+
GE 6500k
B+
Aquablue special
VHO

Aquatinic reflectors. Very nice crisp white blue look with good pop. Thanks Grim.

 

[Cantonesefish]

Hi Grim Reefer, really great thread! I'm sorry if this has been covered before (most likely) but do t-5's run cooler than halides (i.e. in a canopy) or does it give off the same heat watt for watt?

Thanks!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14002475#post14002475 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pheryes
hey grim i have mix sps,lps,softy,two clams,(2 175 HALIDE,2 SUPER ACTINIC VHO)my tank is 72x24x30(due to dual over flows on both the right side tank lenght would be 66" with a high canopy),,i have catalina aquarium built a retro for me it's a 8 54watt bulbs t5 48" but it will be staggered to 60"to compenstae with dead spots,would this be ok for my set up
and what bulb combinations should i get,,thanks hope to get some inputs soon as my retro is almost finish..

For a 30" tall you need a Overdriven T5 setup and good reflectors. Unless Catalina is using Ice Cap 660 ballasts and either Ice Cap, Aquactinics or even Tek reflectors I wouldn't try anything but softies and LPS. You would be much better off getting a good quality retrofit and installing it in your canopy.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14005922#post14005922 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mojo46825
Grim Once again i took your advice when going from my 75 to my 90 and I love the look of the bulbs. After you told me to switch bulbs I ordered from the geek that night. I just put them in today and its awesome.
Runing
VHO Actinic
B+
Procolor
B+
GE 6500k
B+
Aquablue special
VHO

Aquatinic reflectors. Very nice crisp white blue look with good pop. Thanks Grim.

What, no pictures?

Glad you like it

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14006035#post14006035 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Cantonesefish
Hi Grim Reefer, really great thread! I'm sorry if this has been covered before (most likely) but do t-5's run cooler than halides (i.e. in a canopy) or does it give off the same heat watt for watt?

Thanks!

T5's will not heat a tank as much as halides. They do cause heat but to compare watt for watt isn't really an accurate standard. 2 250 watt halides will give you a lot of light for a 90 gallon tank. However a 6x54 watt T5 system will provide about the same light. 324 vs 500 watts. Halides also tend to have more UV output and are designed to get hot so they just cause more heat to enter the water. Even assuming watt for watt they did create the same amount of heat (which they dont) the T5's have a lot more surface area to dissipate the heat from so it isn't as apt to radiate into the water.

 

[pheryes]

Originally posted by pheryes
hey grim i have mix sps,lps,softy,two clams,(2 175 HALIDE,2 SUPER ACTINIC VHO)my tank is 72x24x30(due to dual over flows on both the right side tank lenght would be 66" with a high canopy),,i have catalina aquarium built a retro for me it's a 8 54watt bulbs t5 48" but it will be staggered to 60"to compenstae with dead spots,would this be ok for my set up
and what bulb combinations should i get,,thanks hope to get some inputs soon as my retro is almost finish..
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



For a 30" tall you need a Overdriven T5 setup and good reflectors. Unless Catalina is using Ice Cap 660 ballasts and either Ice Cap, Aquactinics or even Tek reflectors I wouldn't try anything but softies and LPS. You would be much better off getting a good quality retrofit and installing it in your canopy.


no it's not gonna be ice cap(it will be advanced ballast),due to buget i could not afford it right now,but in the future i will(2 660 or 3 waht u think?),but for now thats all i got,well can you just at least give me a good bulb combination,i will just try to put my sps close to the top as much as possible,thanks grim..:bum:

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14008625#post14008625 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pheryes
Originally posted by pheryes
hey grim i have mix sps,lps,softy,two clams,(2 175 HALIDE,2 SUPER ACTINIC VHO)my tank is 72x24x30(due to dual over flows on both the right side tank lenght would be 66" with a high canopy),,i have catalina aquarium built a retro for me it's a 8 54watt bulbs t5 48" but it will be staggered to 60"to compenstae with dead spots,would this be ok for my set up
and what bulb combinations should i get,,thanks hope to get some inputs soon as my retro is almost finish..
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



For a 30" tall you need a Overdriven T5 setup and good reflectors. Unless Catalina is using Ice Cap 660 ballasts and either Ice Cap, Aquactinics or even Tek reflectors I wouldn't try anything but softies and LPS. You would be much better off getting a good quality retrofit and installing it in your canopy.


no it's not gonna be ice cap(it will be advanced ballast),due to buget i could not afford it right now,but in the future i will(2 660 or 3 waht u think?),but for now thats all i got,well can you just at least give me a good bulb combination,i will just try to put my sps close to the top as much as possible,thanks grim..:bum:

I wouldn't waste Ice Cap ballasts on Catalina's crappy reflectors

Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Aquablue
GE 6500K Daylight
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

If you have many SPS corals just use all Aquablue lamps. That will give you the most PAR and a pretty decent look.

 

[RokleM]

I picked up two 39w ATI Blue Plus for further coverage on a 36 wide, 30 deep, 12 tall tank. The are VERRRRY blue, almost bluer than the UV Super Actinic. Is this correct or is something squirrely with my ballast? They seriously have really good PAR still even though they're incredibly heavy on the blue spectrum?

 

[kmacartney]

Mine is super blue as well.

 

[divewsharks]

Yes and Yes. Very blue, and very good par. I've seen really good growth of my SPS under B+ lighting.

 

[arctictwist]

grim, i did alot of reading...so much my eyes got blurry! But im still unsure so im just going to give you my particular case. Im building an AIO (well a tank builder is currently building it, the rest is on me.) the Display area will be 24x24x20. I would like to keep most corals (with an extensive zoa garden) and eventually even a clam. I was thinking a 250w MH and 4 x t5s. Is this overkill? Do i just need 2 x t5s with the mh or can i even do all t5s, say 8? also how high would you mount. If i did the 4 x t5s, and the MH, i was thinking lumenarc, and for the i would have to mount the t5s on a slant from the edge of the mh to wall of the hood. so what do you think, and what combo for bulbs selection?

 

[JosefDevaty]

My tank will be 48x22x12. Shallow, I know. It will be primarily SPS. Will 6 icecap reflectors and endcaps on accustart ballasts do the trick? I want a very blue look to the tank. Right now I have a standard 75 gallon with 2x250 halides, Icecap ballasts with 12k reeflux bulbs. Will I notice much of a difference in color and growth going with a shallower tank and T5's? Will it be better?

 

[zippgirl]

I could use your expert advise. I currently have a 29 gal with a Sundial, which I replaced the bulbs with 2 blue plus, 1 aquablue, and 1 procolor (I like the pink color). I am going to upgrade to a 75 gal but I am going to put a false wall in to hide my equipment and set up a refugium ( I'm afraid of a flood with a sump), so it will end up being a little over 55 gal display. I was considering a Nove Extreme Pro 6 bulb, but decided a Icecap retrokit would be better. Here is the problem? Do I get the 4 bulbs with the 660 (called VHO) or will the regular icecap (called HO on reefgeekk) be enough, it has 2 ballast that don't overdrive the bulbs. I try to read alot before asking questions, but I just don't completly understand this lighting stuff. I should mention I only have xenia, softies, and LPS. Merry Christmas and any help would be appreciated. The bulb choice would be the same as above except I would like to replace the blue special with another blue plus. What do you think? Thank you again.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14010944#post14010944 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RokleM
I picked up two 39w ATI Blue Plus for further coverage on a 36 wide, 30 deep, 12 tall tank. The are VERRRRY blue, almost bluer than the UV Super Actinic. Is this correct or is something squirrely with my ballast? They seriously have really good PAR still even though they're incredibly heavy on the blue spectrum?

Thats what they are supposed to look like. They have been found to have more PAR than the Aquasun lamp when measured with a spectrometer.

Actinic light is violet which is harder to see than blue. That is why these look so much more intense.

 

[the2ofus]

Grim,
I've read allot here "blurry eyed too". and would like your input.

This is on a budget so........I have a 75 gal. , 5-6 inch sand bed, 130 lbs. LR. Mostly zoas right now with a leather and shrooms.
My current lighting is 260w PC, and I would like to retro t-5's in the hood (two at a time). Could you recommend reflectors and bulbs for this and the progression for adding the bulbs. Eventually I would like to have 8 t-5's with out the PC's. Add two t-5's, then in a couple months two more, then remove the pc's and add two more, then the final two.

Pretty much going to stay with zoas and softies. Maybe a monti.

Any help and links for purchase would be appreciated.


~Matt~

 

[RokleM]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14012326#post14012326 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Thats what they are supposed to look like. They have been found to have more PAR than the Aquasun lamp when measured with a spectrometer.

Actinic light is violet which is harder to see than blue. That is why these look so much more intense.

What's the best ballast to drive these bulbs, especially if mounted say 6-10" or so above a tank? I assume the icecap 440/660 would be ideal. AccuStart Triad?

The two I have that I've been using for actinic dusk-dawn/supplementation is a Workhorse 5 (looks like I should get rid of this one) and a "Metropolis TR-254B". Not sure exactly what that one is.

 

[pheryes]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by pheryes
Originally posted by pheryes
hey grim i have mix sps,lps,softy,two clams,(2 175 HALIDE,2 SUPER ACTINIC VHO)my tank is 72x24x30(due to dual over flows on both the right side tank lenght would be 66" with a high canopy),,i have catalina aquarium built a retro for me it's a 8 54watt bulbs t5 48" but it will be staggered to 60"to compenstae with dead spots,would this be ok for my set up
and what bulb combinations should i get,,thanks hope to get some inputs soon as my retro is almost finish..
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



For a 30" tall you need a Overdriven T5 setup and good reflectors. Unless Catalina is using Ice Cap 660 ballasts and either Ice Cap, Aquactinics or even Tek reflectors I wouldn't try anything but softies and LPS. You would be much better off getting a good quality retrofit and installing it in your canopy.


no it's not gonna be ice cap(it will be advanced ballast),due to buget i could not afford it right now,but in the future i will(2 660 or 3 waht u think?),but for now thats all i got,well can you just at least give me a good bulb combination,i will just try to put my sps close to the top as much as possible,thanks grim..
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



I wouldn't waste Ice Cap ballasts on Catalina's crappy reflectors

Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Aquablue
GE 6500K Daylight
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

If you have many SPS corals just use all Aquablue lamps. That will give you the most PAR and a pretty decent look.


__________________

thanks very much grimm for the help.


I wouldn't waste Ice Cap ballasts on Catalina's crappy reflectors:rollface: :rollface: :rollface: haha

 

[VinnieChenzo]

Grim:

1.) What is the difference between H.O. and V.H.O.? I have been reading the post but I have not had any luck finding an all inclusive explanation.

2.) I have an anemia now with my 260w PC hood. I want to grow what ever i want in my tank and grow all of my corals out fast to frag it and give it to people in trade. Its only a 55 but i would have to build a hood that kinda why I am undecided with buying a unit or building one. I would like to have a hood but I want what ever is better for the tank.

Happy Holidays and thanks again.

 

[jtunafish]

I'm changing out my bulbs on my constellation to, front to back:

ati blue plus
ge 6500k daylight
blue plus
uvl 75/25
blue plus
uvl aquasun
blue plus

I'm thinking of running 3 blue pluses like 12 hours a day and the rest of the bulbs 8 hours a day, does this seem like a good
schedule or I'm open to suggestions, thanks Joe.