The T5 Q&a Thread

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Hi Grim
Sorry to bother again , i tried to find a similar setup on your thread but i couldn't.
so here i go
I am expecting my new light which is 8x54 with dimmable ballasts (with GHL profilux) for my Elos 120 (80g|) and i have 2 questions for the you.
If i go with all ATI bulbs (easy access for them) what would be a good compo for sps dominated tank and most important what would be a good fotoperiod if you consider that i have 4 switches ( pairs x2)
thanks for your time and patience
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14359991#post14359991 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
What brand of fixtures do you have and what are you trying to grow?

ASSUMING you have a mixed reef with decent fixtures like the Tek

Front
Blue
Blue
ATI Aquablue
10K
ATI Aquablue
10K
Blue
Blue

Or however has your blues on your dusk/dawn channel.

Now if you have a low end fixture (Current Nova, Catalina etc) and are doing much as far as high light corals you REALLY need to get good lamps. If that is the case

Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI BLue Plus
UVL Aquasun
ATI Aquablue
GE 6500K Daylight
Aquablue
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

I have the Currnet Nova Extreme. I thought the Currents were at least decent, not low end. Thats too bad for me. :( The bulbs are configured in an alternating fashion, this way:

Blue
Daylight
Blue
Daylight
Blue
Daylight
Blue
Daylight


I am not trying to keep anything too crazy, I guess it would be called a mixed reef. I have some zoos, mushrooms and my first monti's are arriving today.

Thanks for the help

:thumbsup:
 
Hi Grim, I notice you tend to advise people to get ATI bulbs for the most part. The place I'm going to be buying them from only carries UVL and Giesemann and the fixture I have is a Nova extreme pro 6x54. Tank is a standard 75g. I prefer a bluer color more like the bulbs that come with the fixture rather then a purple look. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 
Based on the advice here, I ordered 4 Aqua Blue bulbs as a starting point. Doing some more research, it seems that I should minimize the red spectrum, and maximize blue for better coral growth.

So where I will be when the bulbs arrive is:

Blue
Aqua Blue
Blue
Daylight 10k
Blue
Aqua Blue
Blue
Daylight 10k

I will see how it looks color-wise, and proceed forwad towards your suggestion of changing all the bulbs. Not that I dont believe your advice, just that its really expensive to do all at once. :eek2:
 
Grim - Thanks for all the help!

Just an update to. I ordered a ATI Sunpower fixture today from reefgeek. Only a 24" 4 bulb. I will get pictures when it arrives next week.

-Dave
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14360442#post14360442 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sixshot00
Hi Grim,
Tried to read as much as I can and from the looks of things I think this is the consensus for a 8x54W fixture.
Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI BLue Plus
UVL Aquasun
ATI Aquablue
GE 6500K Daylight
Aquablue
Blue Plus
Blue Plus
I have a Current Nova. Tank is LPS and softies. Would like to try an SPS here and there eventually. But is the configuration above sufficient for my type tank? It won't be too blue? Thanks in advance and great thread.


Thats should be good. SPS anywhere in the upper half of the tank.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14360896#post14360896 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by geomanolo
Hi Grim
Sorry to bother again , i tried to find a similar setup on your thread but i couldn't.
so here i go
I am expecting my new light which is 8x54 with dimmable ballasts (with GHL profilux) for my Elos 120 (80g|) and i have 2 questions for the you.
If i go with all ATI bulbs (easy access for them) what would be a good compo for sps dominated tank and most important what would be a good fotoperiod if you consider that i have 4 switches ( pairs x2)
thanks for your time and patience

4 ATI Blue Plus, 2 Pro Colors and 2 Aquablues

I would do 2 Blue Plus for 12 hours as dusk/dawn and then add in a Blue Plus and Pro Color for 10 hours, the other 2 8 hours and the 2 Aquablues for 6 hours as midday.

10AM 2 Blue Plus on
11AM Blue Plus and Pro Color on
12PM Blue Plus and Pro Color on
1PM Aquablues on
7PM Aquablues off
8PM Blue Plus Pro Color off
9PM Blue Plus Pro Color off
10PM blue pluses off.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14361262#post14361262 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MarcB
I have the Currnet Nova Extreme. I thought the Currents were at least decent, not low end. Thats too bad for me. :( The bulbs are configured in an alternating fashion, this way:

Blue
Daylight
Blue
Daylight
Blue
Daylight
Blue
Daylight


I am not trying to keep anything too crazy, I guess it would be called a mixed reef. I have some zoos, mushrooms and my first monti's are arriving today.

Thanks for the help

:thumbsup:

Use Aquablues in place of the center 2 10K's, you will like it.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14361876#post14361876 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ugotfish?
Hi Grim, I notice you tend to advise people to get ATI bulbs for the most part. The place I'm going to be buying them from only carries UVL and Giesemann and the fixture I have is a Nova extreme pro 6x54. Tank is a standard 75g. I prefer a bluer color more like the bulbs that come with the fixture rather then a purple look. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Giesmann lamps are fine.

I am assuming 2 and 4 are aired up in your fixture for dusk/dawn

Front
GMANN Actinic Plus
UVL Super Actinic
Gmann Midday
Gmann Aquablue
Actinic Plus
Aquablue

It will be pretty blue.
 
ok grimm

despite two 35 cfm fans on my 65 gallon tank 7 bulb icecap t5 system..
i lost two bulbs in the past month
just the other day my actinic was putting out over 800 par today its at 150 par.
before that a daylight 1200 par. now 50 or so

why are they burning out so fast?
should i throw more fans on the tank?
turn all the bulbs the same way so the lables are all on the same side them gap the reflector on that side to allow a better cool spot?
should i use two 80 cfm fans instead.
the fans blow back to front. i have no way of doing side to side as the back of the endcaps are right against the wood of the canopy
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14364293#post14364293 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MarcB
Based on the advice here, I ordered 4 Aqua Blue bulbs as a starting point. Doing some more research, it seems that I should minimize the red spectrum, and maximize blue for better coral growth.

So where I will be when the bulbs arrive is:

Blue
Aqua Blue
Blue
Daylight 10k
Blue
Aqua Blue
Blue
Daylight 10k

I will see how it looks color-wise, and proceed forwad towards your suggestion of changing all the bulbs. Not that I dont believe your advice, just that its really expensive to do all at once. :eek2:

I would try replacing 2 of the stock blues and 2 10K's with the aquablues and see what you think. If it looks too white then just replace all the 10Ks with the aquablues.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14364550#post14364550 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by A.T.T.R
ok grimm

despite two 35 cfm fans on my 65 gallon tank 7 bulb icecap t5 system..
i lost two bulbs in the past month
just the other day my actinic was putting out over 800 par today its at 150 par.
before that a daylight 1200 par. now 50 or so

why are they burning out so fast?
should i throw more fans on the tank?
turn all the bulbs the same way so the lables are all on the same side them gap the reflector on that side to allow a better cool spot?
should i use two 80 cfm fans instead.
the fans blow back to front. i have no way of doing side to side as the back of the endcaps are right against the wood of the canopy

What brand of lamps are you using?

Setting all the labels at the same end and creating the gap between the endcap and reflector is a good idea.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14364554#post14364554 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I would try replacing 2 of the stock blues and 2 10K's with the aquablues and see what you think. If it looks too white then just replace all the 10Ks with the aquablues.

Just a question. Do you mean replacing 2 stock blues with Blue Plus, and replacing the 10k's with Aquablues, or replace all of them with Aquablues?

Thank you for all the help!!!
 
I've read a good deal of this thread, but am having difficulty deciding on what bulbs to purchase.

My tank is a standard AGA 75g (48" X 18" x 20" I think). I have a 6 bulb 48" tek light. The tank will have a shallow sand-bed and will be SPS dominated with a few chalices and possibly some zoas and acans on the bottom. I would also like to have a clam (crocea or maxima).

I want to compromise between growth and aesthetics with a look that's a little blue and colors that "pop."

Suggestions would be appreciated.
 
Hey Grim,

I recently upgraded my 4x24watt Sundial fixture to the following bulb combo:


Front

Super Actinic (UVL)
AquaSun (UVL)
Super Actinic (UVL)
AquaSun (UVL)

Back


The tank has a kind of reddish tint to it when all the lights are on and very purple with just the actinic.

Is this red tint normal for the bulb combo I have? If so, is it caused by the Super Actinics or the AquaSun's?

Thanks a lot for your help.


I should add that I was aiming for maximum growth while still keeping a nice crisp blue tint will all lights on.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14365065#post14365065 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LJA
Hey Grim,

I recently upgraded my 4x24watt Sundial fixture to the following bulb combo:


Front

Super Actinic (UVL)
AquaSun (UVL)
Super Actinic (UVL)
AquaSun (UVL)

Back


The tank has a kind of reddish tint to it when all the lights are on and very purple with just the actinic.

Is this red tint normal for the bulb combo I have? If so, is it caused by the Super Actinics or the AquaSun's?

Thanks a lot for your help.


I should add that I was aiming for maximum growth while still keeping a nice crisp blue tint will all lights on.

While I am not Grim, The Aquasuns put off a red tint. I might look into getting an ATI blue plus, maybe two for that matter. Or an ATI blue plus and Aquablue to replace one aquasun and one super actinic...

JMO! :)

Brad
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14364950#post14364950 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Monkeyfish
I've read a good deal of this thread, but am having difficulty deciding on what bulbs to purchase.

My tank is a standard AGA 75g (48" X 18" x 20" I think). I have a 6 bulb 48" tek light. The tank will have a shallow sand-bed and will be SPS dominated with a few chalices and possibly some zoas and acans on the bottom. I would also like to have a clam (crocea or maxima).

I want to compromise between growth and aesthetics with a look that's a little blue and colors that "pop."

Suggestions would be appreciated.


ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Puple
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue

That is a very high PAR combo for your SPS and clam. I would also go to foster and smith and get the Azoo clamp on fan. Have it blow on the fixture and not the bulbs directly. It is good for a 20% increase or so.
 
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