The T5 Q&a Thread

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14632026#post14632026 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Leopard Man
Hi,

I have a 30Lx25Wx18H tank. I'm planning to purchase an ATI 24w powermodule to keep SPS and clams in any part of the tank. Which fixture would I need:

- 4x24w?
- 6x24w?
- 8x24w?

Also, could you guys recommend a bulb combo.

Thanks in advance.

At 25 inches from to front to back you will want 8 bulbs.

ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
ATI Aquablue
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14632906#post14632906 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kenmx10
Hi Grim, Thanks for all your help in helping me find the right fixture. Im ready to order a 6x54w 48" ATI fixture for my 130 which is 27" tall. I want as much PAR as possible , I also would like to have reds, greens, yellows and oranges stand out to contrast all the purple rock during the day. And have a blueish, purple tint at night. What would be your recommendations for a bulb selection? Thanks Ken

ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple or UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

May need to switch the back 2 bulbs for dusk/dawn

 

[erc]

hello there,

I am setting up a 150 gallon (72X18X29) and have 7 sets T5 endcaps ,48" reflectors, and three ice cap 660 ballasts. I hate to think of buying twelve 39 w bulbs , five 36" reflectors and 5 sets of endcaps.
If I were to put seven 80w bulbs over a 72" tank and stagger them a little would I get good coverage? I could even run six 80w and one 54w between the overflows in the back of the tank. The bulbs will be inside the AGA modern canopy which I do not have yet.
Will T5's be sufficient on this tall of a tank?

any other help would be appreciated,

thanks for your time

 

[Leopard Man]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14633636#post14633636 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rtparty
At 25 inches from to front to back you will want 8 bulbs.

ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
ATI Aquablue
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus

Thanks for this, would 10 be too much?

 

[tripinpn01]

Hey guys, i just got the TEK Fixture . currently i am running

ATI blue plus
AT AQUABLUE
UVL 75/25
UVL actinic white
ATI Aquablue
ATI blue plus

my color right now is pretty white, should i take out one of the aquablues for another blue plus to make it more blue? and will this take a big hit on my growth?

thanks,
marcus

 

[awesomefam]

I have a 120g tank (4x2x2) that I have reciently changed the lighting system and Im not to pleased with the colors I am getting. I currently am running 2 x 250w DE mh (pheonix bulbs) with 2 x 54w T5's retros. I plan on getting a IC660 along with 2 more t5's. The bulbs would be arranged with 2 t5's in the front of the tank and 2 t5's in the back, with the MH in the middle.
I am looking for recommendation on bulbs for a 14000k look but with a nice "pop" in the colors. I have a mostly SPS tank with some LPS as well.
Also if I did decided to go all T5's (getting rid of mh's) how many bulbs would I need to go with?


Thanks

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14629694#post14629694 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefEnabler
wow this thread moves quick, forgot to check back and I miss several pages like that :lol:

Is there any info somewhere that describes the 'pecking order' for reflectors? I have no idea how good the icecap ones are.... my understanding was that the Sunlight Supply Tek2 reflectors were the best?????

ATI (Aren't sold in this country as far as I know)
Reefgeek Brand
Aquactinics
Ice Cap
Tek II

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=13751280#post13751280

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14629897#post14629897 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by plancton
Interesting, so just for the front area which is the area where I got superman monti and sunset monti, plus acans and favias at the bottom how about this:

KZ fiji purple
ATI aquablue plus
UVL actinic white

Would that give me an awesome look on the montis, fluorescence on the favias, and good growth?

Blue Plus. I don't know who came up with the lame name aquablue but that lamp is almost white.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14630073#post14630073 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FAITOJAN
your opinion for kz coral 14 t5 new generation

Under the right circumstances the Koral Light could be usefull but its really just a more blue version of an aquablue.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14630091#post14630091 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by customdusty
I'm looking to order my new light fixture, but I'm torn between the ATI powermodules and the Aquactinics (both Solar Flare and Constellation).

Can anybody give me some advice on which route to go. Right now, I'm leaning towards the Aquactinics because the ATI only comes ceiling/hanging kit - which I can't do.

This is for my 90 gal mixed reef, which is evolving into an SPS tank.

My narrowed filed consists of:

6 or 8x54 ATI powermodule
6x54 Solar Flare (overdriven)
7x54 Constellation

Constellation could be sweet for a mixed reef. Full Blown SPS too as long as you place the corals right. Solar flare is good but there better not be any lower light stuff in the tank

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14630723#post14630723 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rtparty
The PM still wins. The powermodule is the mac daddy of T5 fixtures. Grim can correct me if I am wrong but I am pretty sure he has had nothing even come close to the output of a PM.

For pure output the Solar Flare would probably win,

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14631426#post14631426 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by corvettecris
So would a 8 lamp PM outperform an icecap 8 lamp retro, despite the large watt difference? Would a 10 lamp PM blow away a 8 lamp retro?

News to me, but amazing.

If so, any idea on HOW?

Depends

The PM has really precise cooling that makes a huge difference. Fauna Marin had a fixture with decent reflectors but their cooling system made up for a lot and gave the fixture pretty good output overall.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14631544#post14631544 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by corvettecris
I have another question.

When considering the order of lamps, what is the logic?

I currently have mine arranges
Front:
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Aquasun
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI BLue Plus
ATI Aquablue Special

I like the color pretty well, but just curious how you determine what order is most beneficial?

You want specialty lamps that you may only have one of (Actinic or one of the reds) towards the front a little so its light is striking the viewing side of the coral. You also want to make the balance of light as even as possible so you don't have a really blue area in one section and a yellow in the other.

It's really just a matter of personal preference though. If you like having all the blue at the front it isn't going to hurt anything.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14632026#post14632026 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Leopard Man
Hi,

I have a 30Lx25Wx18H tank. I'm planning to purchase an ATI 24w powermodule to keep SPS and clams in any part of the tank. Which fixture would I need:

- 4x24w?
- 6x24w?
- 8x24w?

Also, could you guys recommend a bulb combo.

Thanks in advance.

I'd do 8 lamps just so you don't have to worry about clams not getting enough light on the sandbed.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14632906#post14632906 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kenmx10
Hi Grim, Thanks for all your help in helping me find the right fixture. Im ready to order a 6x54w 48" ATI fixture for my 130 which is 27" tall. I want as much PAR as possible , I also would like to have reds, greens, yellows and oranges stand out to contrast all the purple rock during the day. And have a blueish, purple tint at night. What would be your recommendations for a bulb selection? Thanks Ken

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Aquablue
Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
Blue Plus

You might actually be happier going 8, I think that gives you 4 lamps for dusk/dawn instead of 2

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25

ATI Aquablue
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight

UVL 75/25
Blue Plus

Should give you a really cool purplish dusk/dawn and hit all the spectrum good.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14634293#post14634293 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by erc
hello there,

I am setting up a 150 gallon (72X18X29) and have 7 sets T5 endcaps ,48" reflectors, and three ice cap 660 ballasts. I hate to think of buying twelve 39 w bulbs , five 36" reflectors and 5 sets of endcaps.
If I were to put seven 80w bulbs over a 72" tank and stagger them a little would I get good coverage? I could even run six 80w and one 54w between the overflows in the back of the tank. The bulbs will be inside the AGA modern canopy which I do not have yet.
Will T5's be sufficient on this tall of a tank?

any other help would be appreciated,

thanks for your time

If you get Aquactinic reflectors and standoffs you could get 7 lamps in there, otherwise 6 is all you will fit. Your top tank frame cuts the open area down to under 18" so the light is wasted at the front and back of the tank.

You could just do 6 lamps not staggered and use some LED's over the last 6 inches on each end of the tank and use those areas for shrooms and such.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14635332#post14635332 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tripinpn01
Hey guys, i just got the TEK Fixture . currently i am running

ATI blue plus
AT AQUABLUE
UVL 75/25
UVL actinic white
ATI Aquablue
ATI blue plus

my color right now is pretty white, should i take out one of the aquablues for another blue plus to make it more blue? and will this take a big hit on my growth?

thanks,
marcus

front

Blue Plus
75/25
Blue Plus
Actinic white
Aquablue
Blue Plus

The extra blue plus and position change should get you what you want.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14635517#post14635517 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by awesomefam
I have a 120g tank (4x2x2) that I have reciently changed the lighting system and Im not to pleased with the colors I am getting. I currently am running 2 x 250w DE mh (pheonix bulbs) with 2 x 54w T5's retros. I plan on getting a IC660 along with 2 more t5's. The bulbs would be arranged with 2 t5's in the front of the tank and 2 t5's in the back, with the MH in the middle.
I am looking for recommendation on bulbs for a 14000k look but with a nice "pop" in the colors. I have a mostly SPS tank with some LPS as well.
Also if I did decided to go all T5's (getting rid of mh's) how many bulbs would I need to go with?


Thanks

8 lamps for a pure T5 system.

For the hybrid system

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
halide
UVL 75/25
Blue Plus

The UVL's should help with pink and purple colors. You might try a UVL Actinic white instead of the rear 75/25 to get a little more red.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I am finally burning in the UVL lamps.

Running

Actinic white
75/25
454
454
75/25
Actinic white

that tank doesn't look as awful as I would have expected. I don't have anything in the tank to judge how well it pick up color but I would imagine someone with a planted tank would love this look.

 

[tripinpn01]

awesome grim, thanks!