The T5 Q&a Thread

[gilweb]

Hey Grim,

I have a 180 24" deep. It will be a mixed reef mostly sps and lps and zoa's. I have a 72" Aquatinics Constellation. I am looking to get good growth but have good color too.

After doing some research and reading through this great thread I came up with this from a few of your past resonses.

Do you think this is a good combo? Should I keep the bulbs in this order?

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

Thanks for all of your help!
Gil

 

[hefeweizan]

Hey Grim what do you think would be the best combo...

Best T5 combination for 2 x250 halides...

ATI Blue +
ATI Procolor or Fiji Pink

2 250 HAMILTON 14Ks

UVL Super Actinic or Procolor or Fiji Pink
ATIBlue+


what do you think would be the best combo???

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14285210#post14285210 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gilweb
Hey Grim,

I have a 180 24" deep. It will be a mixed reef mostly sps and lps and zoa's. I have a 72" Aquatinics Constellation. I am looking to get good growth but have good color too.

After doing some research and reading through this great thread I came up with this from a few of your past resonses.

Do you think this is a good combo? Should I keep the bulbs in this order?

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

Thanks for all of your help!
Gil

That is the exact set of lamps I use. I am going to experiment with a UVL Actinic white in place of the pro color but its the best look I have seen. Kinda 14K.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14287006#post14287006 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hefeweizan
Hey Grim what do you think would be the best combo...

Best T5 combination for 2 x250 halides...

ATI Blue +
ATI Procolor or Fiji Pink

2 250 HAMILTON 14Ks

UVL Super Actinic or Procolor or Fiji Pink
ATIBlue+


what do you think would be the best combo???

Blue Plus and either the Fiji Purple or UVL 75/25. The 75/25 has a lot of actinic and red in it so it will bring out some pink and purple colors you might be missing now. Same with the fiji lamp.

 

[taku]

I love ReefCentral!!!!!! Great thread!

I'm interested in changing the reef lights on my 120g to something more economical as far as how much power consumption the lighting system uses. My power bill is already astronomical so I'm hoping to cut back on my monthly bill. Would T5's be what I'm looking for?

My specs are:
-120g softie reef tank (5ft long version, 25in tall)
-lighting right now consists of 2 x 250w MH's + 2 x 98w PC actinics dusk/dawn

I was considering VHO's but I'm not sure how they compare (power usage wise, to T5's)

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

[danecook]

Hey,

Sorry for busting in on the thread, but I have a T5 Question...

Would 5x 14 W daylight 10,000 K T5's and 5x 14 W 460nm Actinics T5's be enough for my 75 gallon (48x18x21) tank with softies? Each 14W bulb emits 2100 lumens of light. As of now I have, 4x 65W PC's (2 daylight, 2 Actinic), but but I know that T5's have a different light output.

Thanks,

DC

 

[jennmac415]

Busting in???? this thread is here for all who want to, to learn all about T5s....so ask away!!

 

[twelvejewelz]

grim is this a good shot how you would like it to be?bulbs are brandnew so this shot 1.in 4 months ill post 4 pictures one for each month and well see how the color holds up



from top down
1x ATI 12000K Aquablue Special
1x current 460nm Actinic Blue
1x current 10,000k
1x ATI plue plus

 

[ReefKeeperRob]

Grim -
I have a 55 gallon tank with a 4 fixture current usa sundial light. I would like to keep mostly sps. LFS who I trust said this light should be fine as long as I upgrade the bulbs given that the light has individual reflectors.

What kind of light scheme is going to give me the power I need with pleasing color at the same time.

I was thinking:

front
Blue+
Aqua Sun
Fiji Purple
Blue+

 

[hefeweizan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14287086#post14287086 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Blue Plus and either the Fiji Purple or UVL 75/25. The 75/25 has a lot of actinic and red in it so it will bring out some pink and purple colors you might be missing now. Same with the fiji lamp.

Grim I can you 4 T5's not just 2

2 x ATI Blue +
1 x UVL 75/25
1x ????

 

[cdmurphy]

Hi Grim, I'm looking at purchasing an ATI Powermodule 48" 6 x 54 watts and would like some suggestions on bulb configuration. I have a 90 gal Oceanic Tech tank that is SPS dominate. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Gatorzone19]

I have a 55g with some LPS and Soft corals with a 4x54 watt T5 fixture. I want a more blue tint than white. Will this bulb combination work and will it be a bluish tint>

FRONT OF FIXTURE-
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aqua Blue
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus

 

[taku]

Are T5's more energy efficient than their equivalent watts in VHO's?

 

[louisvilleboy]

shout out to grimm you are the man i ordered my 60"8x80watts tek2 t5 very high output retrofit kit with bulbs today should i put these in a canopy or have something made will they work in a canopy once again tou are the man

 

[Todd March]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14289790#post14289790 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by taku
Are T5's more energy efficient than their equivalent watts in VHO's?

Much, much more efficient...

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14287310#post14287310 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by taku
I love ReefCentral!!!!!! Great thread!

I'm interested in changing the reef lights on my 120g to something more economical as far as how much power consumption the lighting system uses. My power bill is already astronomical so I'm hoping to cut back on my monthly bill. Would T5's be what I'm looking for?

My specs are:
-120g softie reef tank (5ft long version, 25in tall)
-lighting right now consists of 2 x 250w MH's + 2 x 98w PC actinics dusk/dawn

I was considering VHO's but I'm not sure how they compare (power usage wise, to T5's)

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

As long as you use a good T5 system you will get more light into the tank for less power usage. For a softie tank a 6 lamp Tek light would be fine. For a retro a 6 lamp retro will again be fine.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14287452#post14287452 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by danecook
Hey,

Sorry for busting in on the thread, but I have a T5 Question...

Would 5x 14 W daylight 10,000 K T5's and 5x 14 W 460nm Actinics T5's be enough for my 75 gallon (48x18x21) tank with softies? Each 14W bulb emits 2100 lumens of light. As of now I have, 4x 65W PC's (2 daylight, 2 Actinic), but but I know that T5's have a different light output.

Thanks,

DC

If you get a Nova extreme Pro 6 lamp HO T5 fixture you could keep softies and LPS in that tank. A 4 Lamp Tek light would be fine for softies and a few LPS. I wouldn't fool around with the normal output T5's, all the nice lamps are in the HO 54 watt version of the 48" lamp

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Doesn't need to be so large but yeah, that would be great.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14287820#post14287820 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by twelvejewelz
grim is this a good shot how you would like it to be?bulbs are brandnew so this shot 1.in 4 months ill post 4 pictures one for each month and well see how the color holds up



from top down
1x ATI 12000K Aquablue Special
1x current 460nm Actinic Blue
1x current 10,000k
1x ATI plue plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14288395#post14288395 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefKeeperRob
Grim -
I have a 55 gallon tank with a 4 fixture current usa sundial light. I would like to keep mostly sps. LFS who I trust said this light should be fine as long as I upgrade the bulbs given that the light has individual reflectors.

What kind of light scheme is going to give me the power I need with pleasing color at the same time.

I was thinking:

front
Blue+
Aqua Sun
Fiji Purple
Blue+

Not mostly LPS because the reflectors are pretty cheesy but you could keep them in the upper half of the tank. That should be a pretty high PAR mix of lamps.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14288719#post14288719 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hefeweizan
Grim I can you 4 T5's not just 2

2 x ATI Blue +
1 x UVL 75/25
1x ????

Do 2 of each, Blue Plus and 75/25