The T5 Q&a Thread

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14502898#post14502898 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ejocam
Bump...

Greeting T-5 Guru's!

I am in need of some serious hand holding here Just kidding.. Anyhow I have been having my Echinophyllia and SPS bleach/fade.

I have been using the Tek-5 8 Bulb fixture using these bulbs:

ATI Blue Plus
ATI Actinic
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Pro Color
ATI Aqua Blue Special
KZ Fii Purple
ATI Actinic
ATI Blue Plus

I tried adding more white with Daylight bulbs and it did not change anything after a month and went back to this but replaced one of the Blue Plus in the middle with Aqua Blue Special.

Not sure what the deal is but when I put them under halides they seem to recover and respond better. Are T-5's brighter or dimmer than MH? Do I need to feed more or less to compensate for something here? I am stumped. Any help would be appreicaited.

I would try changing out your bulbs and their order. I wouldn't be running a Pro color and Fiji Purple together. Too much red IMO. Corals like blue light more than red.

ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus

 

[anin]

since my canopy is ~10" high, for my 4x39 retro, should i make a frame, mount stand off/endcaps to it and then attach it to the canopy? what can be used to make the frame? i seen others use metal framing, but not sure how i would weld to the size i need? otherwise i can 2x1 wood studs(or smallest size avaliable at HD) to make frame? then attach that to canopy and the height i want...thinking of best way to do it so canopy stays open for cooling reasons...

 

[ejocam]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14503362#post14503362 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rtparty
I would try changing out your bulbs and their order. I wouldn't be running a Pro color and Fiji Purple together. Too much red IMO. Corals like blue light more than red.

ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus

I will try this and post back any results (good, bad or same) Thanks for your time.

 

[tinnghe]

My friend is needing some guidance. He is wanting his t5 6 bulbs fixture to bring put the best coloration. What bulbs should he get?

 

[rivensteve13]

hello, i just bought a nova extreme pro and was wondering what i should do about the stock bulbs. i read a post awhile back that Grim said to leave the blues and change the 10Ks. Or should i just change them all out now?

also since i am changing lights from a 130w pc to a 234w t5 fixture, how high should i start the fixture away from the tank. 29gallon 18" deep. I have mostly lps.

thanks for all the trouble you all go through to help us out,
steve

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14503572#post14503572 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ejocam
I will try this and post back any results (good, bad or same) Thanks for your time.

I can't promise anything. It could be flow or temp. Water quality? I am not sure. Maybe move it down a little?

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14503736#post14503736 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tinnghe
My friend is needing some guidance. He is wanting his t5 6 bulbs fixture to bring put the best coloration. What bulbs should he get?

ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14504139#post14504139 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rivensteve13
hello, i just bought a nova extreme pro and was wondering what i should do about the stock bulbs. i read a post awhile back that Grim said to leave the blues and change the 10Ks. Or should i just change them all out now?

also since i am changing lights from a 130w pc to a 234w t5 fixture, how high should i start the fixture away from the tank. 29gallon 18" deep. I have mostly lps.

thanks for all the trouble you all go through to help us out,
steve

You could keep them for a few months but colors may suffer.

How many bulbs?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14501696#post14501696 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tinnghe
Thanks grim for the other bulb I'm putting in super atinic is that ok

You didn't say PLEASE

Should be fine.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14501745#post14501745 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by honda70kid
i have a 29 gallon i want to have a variety of corals what light would be the best?
i was thinking about buying a 36 inch nova extreme

Get the Pro version, little better output.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14502318#post14502318 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by levischilz
So being this thread has split 2-3 times I was spending some time reading through. I just looking for a quick tip. Wanting to switch a older hamilton magnetic ballest MH/PC setup for a new T5 setup. Tryin to work on a budget but also get what I want. I am very interested in the NEP 36" 6x39 setup. Wondering if I would be able to keep some hard corals in the top half of the tank and or if clams would live on the sand bed? I have tried to keep clams on the top half but it never works they always make it to SB. Thanks for any tips. Levi

Split 2 or 3 times? Are you working on your standup routine? Put a 2 or 3 in front of that number

SPS yes, Clams no. You can place SPS on top of the rocks and keep them under less intense light but there is no way around needing good stuff to keep the clam party at the beach going.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14502510#post14502510 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by levischilz
So playin around online I also noticed this Coral Vue 6x39 T5 Fixture. Has anyone used one of these? They are setup with individual parabolic reflectors and they are a good price. Im sure they use a cheap ballast but just curious. Thanks again Levi

The good stuff is all going to be around the same price. Not sure about the Coralvue stuff but if it is much cheaper than the "good" brands they are likely using inferior materials.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14503552#post14503552 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by anin
since my canopy is ~10" high, for my 4x39 retro, should i make a frame, mount stand off/endcaps to it and then attach it to the canopy? what can be used to make the frame? i seen others use metal framing, but not sure how i would weld to the size i need? otherwise i can 2x1 wood studs(or smallest size avaliable at HD) to make frame? then attach that to canopy and the height i want...thinking of best way to do it so canopy stays open for cooling reasons...

Using studs to make a frame is probably your best bet.

 

[nanug7]

I need some help. I am building a new tank and i will start a build thread soon with pics. I need help with the lighting. currently I have a 210 with heavy SPS. I will be transferring most all of my sps to the new tank. now I use 3 400 watt MH 14K with 4 36" super blue VHO. The new tank is 30X30X88. I guess 375 gallon.

I would like to know about T5 lighting in this size tank. It will be mostly SPS with a few LPS. looking for any input on lights and fixtures.

thanks

matt

 

[Fish dude32]

I need to push 2 39w T5 bulbs and I have two different ballasts. What do you recomend. I have an ACCUSTART (2) F54T5HO and a ARO Ballast Model # AS-220 Electronic VHO Ballast rated at Max 220w and Max 1.82 Amps. Please help me. TIA

 

[redfishsc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14504964#post14504964 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nanug7
I need some help. I am building a new tank and i will start a build thread soon with pics. I need help with the lighting. currently I have a 210 with heavy SPS. I will be transferring most all of my sps to the new tank. now I use 3 400 watt MH 14K with 4 36" super blue VHO. The new tank is 30X30X88. I guess 375 gallon.

I would like to know about T5 lighting in this size tank. It will be mostly SPS with a few LPS. looking for any input on lights and fixtures.

thanks

matt

If you are using and IceCap ballast, you may only need to change out your endcaps and get new reflectors. Ask down in the IceCap forum if there is any question about whether your ballast will drive T5HO. Many IceCap VHO ballasts will power T5HO very well.

Now that being said, if you are running 4 36" VHO, just swap out for 4 T5HO 36" long. Sure, the "wattage" will be substantially lower but that does NOT mean light output will be lower.

The parabolic reflectors you can fit around the T5HO tubes allows you to shoot a LOT more light from the bulb down into the tank.


As for bulb choices, I would suspect a great color combo could be had from using two UVL Super Actinics and two ATI Blue+

 

[redfishsc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14504139#post14504139 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rivensteve13
hello, i just bought a nova extreme pro and was wondering what i should do about the stock bulbs. i read a post awhile back that Grim said to leave the blues and change the 10Ks. Or should i just change them all out now?

also since i am changing lights from a 130w pc to a 234w t5 fixture, how high should i start the fixture away from the tank. 29gallon 18" deep. I have mostly lps.

thanks for all the trouble you all go through to help us out,
steve

I have some of the Current bulbs right now. I am using the blues in tandem with one UVL Actinic White and one UVL Super Actinic. They look great.

I will keep the 10,000K bulbs for "backup".


Don't be afraid to use them, especially for the amount of light you are dumping over your 29g with LPS. I have no doubt whatsoever that the stock lights would do you just fine for a solid year, although it might look a bit odd b/c the color output of the 10,000K and blues just looks strange.

If you were to take out two of the 10,000K bulbs and replace with a UVL Super Actinic and and ATI Blue+ (thus leaving one of the 10,000K in there) your tank would look great!

 

[nanug7]

i am not so much worried about using the ballast i have. i am building a new 375 gallon tank and everything will be new. my question is can i grow a heavy sps tank with T5's and no MH and if so, what setup would be recommended. keep in mind this is a custom tank set in wall and i would be lying if I said there was NOT on some kind of a budget but that being said, i will spend what every money needed to do it right. i have budgeted around 20K to do this total project i want to do it right.

thanks

 

[Harleyguy]

My new tank from AO will be here soon and I need to start thinking about lighting. To this point I have always used MH and never really considered anything else, but times are changing… My new tank will be 60”x36”x26” it will have a 3” sand bed and the tank will be for SPS. Here are my questions. Will T5’s be able to give me the par I need to grow SPS down low in the tank? If so, what would you recommend? Note that I already have a few Icecap 660’s and 430’s so I’d like to use them if possible.

Thanks,

Shane

 

[serum153]

Hey Grim! I like the look you gave me for my ic660 retro and I am running:
Blue+
Super Actinic
Aqua Sun
Blue+

Getting into sps now to go along with my lps and crocea. I am adding 2 more bulbs and will be replacing the existing, so what would you suggest for a 6 bulb retro? I would like a little more blue look than I have currently