The T5 Q&a Thread

[rtparty]

double post....

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Re: Weird Tank - Advice?

Re: Weird Tank - Advice?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14118824#post14118824 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mathias999us
Hi,

I was wondering what advice you have for a bit of an unusual tank. Here's an old FTS from my thread:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=12166434#post12166434

The tank is 48" long x 12" wide (front to back) x 8" high. I currently have 2 48" T5s on it - one Giesemann Pure Actinic 03 and one Giesemann 11000K Aquablue Plus with IceCap reflectors. I used to have 4 bulbs, 2 of each of these on this tank (nuts, I know). I had concerns about too much light, so I removed two of them a couple months ago, with some modest positive impact on coral coloration, and no negative impacts. I still have concerns about too much light...

I can fit four 48" bulbs over this tank, with or without reflectors. I have all the equipment for this too. I actually have three separate ballasts too, so I have a lot of options. There are a LOT of SPS corals in this tank, some LPS, a crocea clam, and a few zoa colonies.

Looking for the best growth, and good coloration. Any recommendations you have on bulb combinations would be appreciated, and your time certainly would be as well.

Mathias

Try 4 lamps no reflectors

Front
Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
UVL 75/25
Blue Plus

Should be pretty blue with a hint of purple. Might want to try a Aquablue instead of one of the 75/25 lamps.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14122740#post14122740 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by holdyourlight
Hey Grim
Upgrading to a Oceanic 72 bowfront. i keep zoo and acan dominated and am coming from a 28 bow with Tek2 4 bulb. should i get a Tek2 6 bulb or is there a better option. i dont think i need to spend the extra $ on the ATI if im not keeping SPS and i think you would agree there.

I like it blue as heck and my current setup is
blue plus
blue plus
KZ koral lite
blue plus

what bulbs should i go with on the 6 bulb fixture, could i sneak a procolor or something in there and still keep it extremely blue with a hint of white?

thanks

Get the TX5 from Aquactinics.

Front
Blue Plus
Super Actinic
UVL 75/25 or Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue or Blue Plus or Fiji Purple or UVL 75/25 or ATI Pro Color

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14123165#post14123165 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mathias999us
Hey, also one more question Grim - what do you think about height of the lamps above the water surface on a tank this deep? They are about 3-4" off the surface right now, but I could raise them a couple more inches.

Thanks again,
Mathias

Ditch the reflectors and it shouldn't matter. Maybe paint the inside of the canopy gloss white.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14123829#post14123829 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by holdyourlight
sorry grim
have to add to my ? before you can even answer it, haha!

the tank has a canopy and i was going to take it off
the other option is leave it on with a retrofit system
i know absolutely nothing about retrofits and really dont want to deal with it if there is alot of work i will have to do on my own (with ballasts and fans, reflectors) to make it work
is there a "plug and play" retrofit system that makes better sense for me than a fixture?

For now there is the 4 lamp Ice Cap retro. You would just have to add a couple fans. Other than that I think its just mount it and plug it in. If I had a way to ship the thing I'd sell you a 6x54 watt Ultra Solaris unit that would fit.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14124083#post14124083 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by salmon alley
Thanks for the combo Grim... a quick followup: The 8 bulb ATI has 2 bulbs which are on a separate circuit for dusk and dawn effect. They are bulbs #3 and #6 (counting from the front)...assuming we want the dusk/dawn to be subdued lighting how would you recommend re-shuffling? I also have 2- UVL super actinic on hand which could go into the mix .
Thanks again!!

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

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14124351#post14124351 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by powertec
Is it possible to replace the reflectors in a tek fixtures with the aquatinics reflectors, so i can can get a little better par?

Thanks

I think so but havent had a chance to try it yet. May take a little squeezing. First mod you want to make is a fan. The Azoo 2 fan array fosters and smith sells will work. Clamp it to the back of the tank so it blows horizontally across the back side of the middle of the fixture. Try not to point the airstream directly at the lamps.

 

[mathias999us]

Thanks grim, I'll give it a shot.

 

[sgallagher7]

Grim: I was under the impression that running fans horizontally across the ends of the bulbs was recommended. Is it better in the middle?

 

[holdyourlight]

just found out my canopy is split door on the top that opens down the center. there is no way i could put 48" bulbs on there, it would have to be 24" lights on each sides and i do not want to do that. Does not seem like there is anyway i can keep the canopy on there?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14126169#post14126169 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
For now there is the 4 lamp Ice Cap retro. You would just have to add a couple fans. Other than that I think its just mount it and plug it in. If I had a way to ship the thing I'd sell you a 6x54 watt Ultra Solaris unit that would fit.

 

[tsprice82]

Grim, I just bought a Tek 8x54 for a 90 gallon tank I am setting up. What would be a good bulb configuration? Thanks

 

[snaza]

Hi Grim,

Looking at setting up a SPS Frag tank of my DT and wandering what your thought where in sizing and lighting. I dont want a huge frag tank so was thinking of maybe seting up 36x12x10 or 24x24x10. If i did 36x12x10 would a 4x39w IC retro be ok.

Blue +
Daylight
Blue +
Daylight

If i did the 24x24x10 could i get away with 6 or 8 bulb IC retro?

Or do you thing MH?

Or do would you recommend a different size all together?

thanks

 

[ganjero]

I have a setup with 6 bulbs, I already have a super actinic and a blue plus, what other bulbs should I get there for a good combo?

 

[funkpolice]

wow, what a thread.
I just set up my new ATI 6X54watt fixture on my 55 gal tank. I'm doing a light acclimation now, but the bulbs I selected were,


ATI Aqua Blue Special
Blu Plus
Pro color
Aqua Blue special
ATI Actinic
Blue Plus

My question is if you think I could be sucessfull in keeping sps with this lighting setup? Also, if you wold switch any of the bulbs to get more par, but not change the color too much. I did some par reading yesterday and at about 2" deep the readings were all around 500, and 8" deep the readings were about 350-400. How would this compare to MH? Thanks for reading.
bill

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14126530#post14126530 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sgallagher7
Grim: I was under the impression that running fans horizontally across the ends of the bulbs was recommended. Is it better in the middle?

Talking about blowing the air over a fixture, not the lamps.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14127006#post14127006 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by holdyourlight
just found out my canopy is split door on the top that opens down the center. there is no way i could put 48" bulbs on there, it would have to be 24" lights on each sides and i do not want to do that. Does not seem like there is anyway i can keep the canopy on there?

Not a lot of options with a split lid.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14127185#post14127185 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tsprice82
Grim, I just bought a Tek 8x54 for a 90 gallon tank I am setting up. What would be a good bulb configuration? Thanks

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

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14127610#post14127610 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snaza
Hi Grim,

Looking at setting up a SPS Frag tank of my DT and wandering what your thought where in sizing and lighting. I dont want a huge frag tank so was thinking of maybe seting up 36x12x10 or 24x24x10. If i did 36x12x10 would a 4x39w IC retro be ok.

Blue +
Daylight
Blue +
Daylight

If i did the 24x24x10 could i get away with 6 or 8 bulb IC retro?

Or do you thing MH?

Or do would you recommend a different size all together?

thanks

Depends what you want to raise. doing a square shape tank with T5's is a bad idea.

On a 12 inch deep and 10" tall tank 4 normally driven lamps are good for SPS. If you want to raise lower light stuff too 16" deep would be a better Idea. You could bunch the lamps at the back and use the front for lower light stuff.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14128676#post14128676 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ganjero
I have a setup with 6 bulbs, I already have a super actinic and a blue plus, what other bulbs should I get there for a good combo?

Add 2 more Blue Plus and a UVL Aquasun and a GE 6500K Daylight

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14129661#post14129661 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by funkpolice
wow, what a thread.
I just set up my new ATI 6X54watt fixture on my 55 gal tank. I'm doing a light acclimation now, but the bulbs I selected were,


ATI Aqua Blue Special
Blu Plus
Pro color
Aqua Blue special
ATI Actinic
Blue Plus

My question is if you think I could be sucessfull in keeping sps with this lighting setup? Also, if you wold switch any of the bulbs to get more par, but not change the color too much. I did some par reading yesterday and at about 2" deep the readings were all around 500, and 8" deep the readings were about 350-400. How would this compare to MH? Thanks for reading.
bill

You could change the Pro Color for an Aquasun and pick up some. How high above the tank is your fixture mounted? You can keep it as low as you want. That will give you a big boost in PAR. If you are using a power module I would expect to see numbers in the high 200's to low 300's at the sand with the fixture close to the tank. Thats more than enough to grow whatever you want/