The T5 Q&a Thread

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14200314#post14200314 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saltyVT
If you had to choose bulbs from the list here for a Tx5 what would go with??

ATI Aquablue Special
Koralin Zucht Coral Lights
UVL Aquasun
ATI Actinic
Geisman AquaBlue plus
GE 6500

ATI Aquablue
ATI Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Aquablue or KZ Coral
ATI Aquablue


That is tough for me to say. I like the blue and none of those bulbs are really really blue.

 

[reefhippieyeah]

I've got a 24x24x24 and I would like to turn it into an sps tank (Acros middle to top, montis down low) and run t-5's. I would like to retro my own fixture and would like to know if 8x24w ran off of 2 Workhorse 5 ballasts and using individual reflectors (IC? or Tek?) would be fine? Six bulb setup ok?

What bulb combo would you recommend as well?

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14200467#post14200467 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by inerratum
I am setting up a new tank that can only fit a 3 bulb T5 retrofit, powered by an IC660. The tank will be mostly sps, can anyone suggest which 3 bulbs I should go with?

Thanks

Why only 3 bulbs? Have you looked into the Aquactinics reflectors? How about putting 2 bulbs in each IceCap reflector?

For 3 bulbs I would say:

ATI Blue Plus
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus or ATI Aquablue

Might work

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14200598#post14200598 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefhippieyeah
I've got a 24x24x24 and I would like to turn it into an sps tank (Acros middle to top, montis down low) and run t-5's. I would like to retro my own fixture and would like to know if 8x24w ran off of 2 Workhorse 5 ballasts and using individual reflectors (IC? or Tek?) would be fine? Six bulb setup ok?

What bulb combo would you recommend as well?

I'd go with 8 bulbs. Do you already have the Workhorse ballasts?

I would recommend the Triad ballasts that reefgeek carries instead. Also look into Reefgeek reflectors if you are ordering from them. IC is better than Tek.

 

[reefhippieyeah]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14200633#post14200633 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rtparty
I'd go with 8 bulbs. Do you already have the Workhorse ballasts?

I would recommend the Triad ballasts that reefgeek carries instead. Also look into Reefgeek reflectors if you are ordering from them. IC is better than Tek.

No, don't have the WH ballasts yet. Any reason the triad ballasts are more expensive? Got a limited budget on this project, so saving where I can.

 

[rtparty]

They are a much better ballast. The Workhorse is not meant to run HO T5. They also don't have an end of life circuit on them to protect them in case a lamp goes out.

See if Reefgeek can get you a deal on there retro kits. They had them on sale and that is when I got mine from them.

I don't know your budget but the best thing to do is to buy (2) 4x24W retro kits from Reefgeek. They are $289 a piece but that gets you everything you need. Also see if you can get the Reefgeek brand reflectors. They may cut you a deal?

 

[rtparty]

Just doing some quick math:

(2) 4x24W retro kits = $578
That has everything you need.

Build it by yourself:
8 bulbs at ~$22 each - $176
8 pairs of endcaps - ~$80
8 pairs of standoffs - ~$40
(2) WH ballasts - ~$55
8 reflectors - $184

Total: $535

 

[cham]

Hi Grim,
I just bought a Giesmann 11k to use as a white bulb but I've been reading that the GE 6500k might be better. Does it have much better par or are they similar?

Right now I have a 48" two 250w HQI running Phoenix 14k, that should cover the blues nicely. The fixture also has two 54w T5 slots and I bought a Giesmann 11k, ATI pro color, UVL aqua sun, ATI blue +.

Right now I have the Giesmann & pro color in so that I have a white spectrum, red spectrum & my blues from phoenix.

What changes if any would you make?

This is over a 120g 48x24x24 SPS only tank.

Thanks

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14200987#post14200987 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cham
Hi Grim,
I just bought a Giesmann 11k to use as a white bulb but I've been reading that the GE 6500k might be better. Does it have much better par or are they similar?

Right now I have a 48" two 250w HQI running Phoenix 14k, that should cover the blues nicely. The fixture also has two 54w T5 slots and I bought a Giesmann 11k, ATI pro color, UVL aqua sun, ATI blue +.

Right now I have the Giesmann & pro color in so that I have a white spectrum, red spectrum & my blues from phoenix.

What changes if any would you make?

This is over a 120g 48x24x24 SPS only tank.

Thanks

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/12/aafeature1

Just an FYI, we learn in this article that 14k bulbs do not have that much blue in them. A 10K MH has more blue than a 14K but the 10K has more red to wash out the blue look.

If you want some serious blue from MH then the Radium 20K is the bulb for that. But I really like the Phoenix 14K's so I wouldn't change those.

ATI Blue Plus
MH MH
UVL Aquasun or ATI Blue Plus

 

[cham]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14201464#post14201464 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rtparty
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/12/aafeature1

Just an FYI, we learn in this article that 14k bulbs do not have that much blue in them. A 10K MH has more blue than a 14K but the 10K has more red to wash out the blue look.

If you want some serious blue from MH then the Radium 20K is the bulb for that. But I really like the Phoenix 14K's so I wouldn't change those.

ATI Blue Plus
MH MH
UVL Aquasun or ATI Blue Plus

Interesting combo.

I hadn't considered doing the blue + and aqua sun (btw why doesn't anyone like the ATI procolor?)

I use my T5's as before & after lighting to the MH's. I'll check it out as maybe a sunrise/sunset.

 

[rtparty]

It's not that we don't like the Pro Color. You can just get the same effect with the Aquasun or 75/25. Too much red is bad for the corals too.

 

[Chris&Mel]

Hi there, I bought a 36" nova sundial a few months ago. Now I know the stock bulbs are garbage so I want to line up some new ones. I have no idea what to get or what brands to look for.
I have a 18" deep 60gal and have room for 4 bulbs in this fixture. Right now I have some softies and LPS.....in the future I'd like to put a few SPS in the upper part of the tank.
Could you recommend a good combo that will have nice color and will have the right spectrum for my corals?

Thanx for your help
Chris

 

[Creetin]

Hello all, I bought a icecap 3 bulb 80 watt retro kit.
I gotten 2 ATI blue plus, and a ATI pure actinic. Also added a aquascience 22k. Which looks identical to a ATI blue plus.
Got the kit wired up, and almost ready to be installed in the cannopy. I fired it up to see if it worked alright.
After a couple minutes the bulbs started getting more white colored and not what they are suppposed to. The pure actinic looked like a ATI procolor!!! I imagine because it had no cooling fan on it. I let it cool and tried it again, But this time had a fan blowing on the bulbs. It stayed the colors i was used to.
I owned a 4 bulb 54watt VHO retro before and though i did have a fan on it i never seen colors like that before.
Is this normal???
I did hook it up to a Killawatt and it read 298watts so almost 100watts a bulb.

 

[Creetin]

Nevermind, The pure actinic is not as purple as the UVL i was used too. I fired up a UVL and its alot more black light purple than the ATI.

 

[cham]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14201464#post14201464 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rtparty
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/12/aafeature1

Just an FYI, we learn in this article that 14k bulbs do not have that much blue in them. A 10K MH has more blue than a 14K but the 10K has more red to wash out the blue look.

If you want some serious blue from MH then the Radium 20K is the bulb for that. But I really like the Phoenix 14K's so I wouldn't change those.

ATI Blue Plus
MH MH
UVL Aquasun or ATI Blue Plus

I've seen that article.

There is one importiant thing to understand. Going by the mfg's kelvin rating is almost useless. It's more of a ball park guide.

As sanjay joshi has shown us over & over, one mans 10k is the other mans 14k. One mans 20k is another mans 14k (particularly true with the phoenix bulbs).

There is no ryme or reason to kelvin ratings. The manufacturers can call it whatever they want, at times it seems almost random.

 

[silence88]

so iam thinking of getting the 4 bulb light what would be a good combo of bulbs to use?
the lights i can order are aqua science, URI, giesmann, figi purple and i think thats it

 

[Kenmx10]

Hey GRiM, tHANKS For your help. I have a 130 60x28highx18 with fish and soft corals. I want to try different corals in the near future. Would a 6bulb ATI sunpower be OK, or do I need an 8 BUlb Fix.

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14202205#post14202205 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chris&Mel
Hi there, I bought a 36" nova sundial a few months ago. Now I know the stock bulbs are garbage so I want to line up some new ones. I have no idea what to get or what brands to look for.
I have a 18" deep 60gal and have room for 4 bulbs in this fixture. Right now I have some softies and LPS.....in the future I'd like to put a few SPS in the upper part of the tank.
Could you recommend a good combo that will have nice color and will have the right spectrum for my corals?

Thanx for your help
Chris

ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
UVL Aquasun or GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14202402#post14202402 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cham
I've seen that article.

There is one importiant thing to understand. Going by the mfg's kelvin rating is almost useless. It's more of a ball park guide.

As sanjay joshi has shown us over & over, one mans 10k is the other mans 14k. One mans 20k is another mans 14k (particularly true with the phoenix bulbs).

There is no ryme or reason to kelvin ratings. The manufacturers can call it whatever they want, at times it seems almost random.

Good insight. It is very true and it is even more true when you start talking T5's. The Kelvin ratings on T5's are complete garbage.

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14202790#post14202790 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kenmx10
Hey GRiM, tHANKS For your help. I have a 130 60x28highx18 with fish and soft corals. I want to try different corals in the near future. Would a 6bulb ATI sunpower be OK, or do I need an 8 BUlb Fix.

If the tank is 18" front to back you should be ok with a 6 bulb fixture. JMO