The T5 Q&a Thread
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
- Status
budbreak96
New member
I have a 75 gallon tank and right now i have 2 48" vho and a corallife pc 48" 4 65 watt. bulbs. I want to go with t 5's and want to get the right set up. I want to be able to keep any coral without having to worry if the lighting is good enough or not. Im thinking about an 4 or 6 bulb set up, depending on what you recomend just not sure what to go with and what bulbs to get. I want my colors to be bright and colorful. So bulb choice is something i need help with also. Thanks for the help and all suggestions are greatly appericated.
Thanks, Joe
Thanks, Joe
Last edited:
This is for a 48x36x27 tank.
I am looking for 12 bulbs, but this will be an SPS only tank. I have 2-660 right now to run at least 8 of the lamps, the middle 4 will be on 1, two on the front of that and two to the rear of that will be on another. I am left with the other two to the front and back. Should I run Icecaps for these also or just run regular ballasts as these have not been purchased yet?
I don't know if that makes sense, but I twill be laid out like this.
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
2
3
3
I contemplated running VHOs for actinics front and rear, would this change the bulb selection at all, I am looking for blue coloring. I figured with 12 bulbs I could still get away with a bluer color and use some higher par bulbs. I wanted to use 400w Radiums on Galaxys, but I didn't like the canopy I was going to need to build for the MHs, so I'm hoping to get away with all T5s or T5/VHO mix to get the same color.
If my numbers are right this will take up around 30" of the canopy which should leave a little room to fit a couple sets of the Finnex LEDs to get back the shimmer I won't have with the T5s.
Long winded but over, thanks.
I am looking for 12 bulbs, but this will be an SPS only tank. I have 2-660 right now to run at least 8 of the lamps, the middle 4 will be on 1, two on the front of that and two to the rear of that will be on another. I am left with the other two to the front and back. Should I run Icecaps for these also or just run regular ballasts as these have not been purchased yet?
I don't know if that makes sense, but I twill be laid out like this.
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
2
3
3
I contemplated running VHOs for actinics front and rear, would this change the bulb selection at all, I am looking for blue coloring. I figured with 12 bulbs I could still get away with a bluer color and use some higher par bulbs. I wanted to use 400w Radiums on Galaxys, but I didn't like the canopy I was going to need to build for the MHs, so I'm hoping to get away with all T5s or T5/VHO mix to get the same color.
If my numbers are right this will take up around 30" of the canopy which should leave a little room to fit a couple sets of the Finnex LEDs to get back the shimmer I won't have with the T5s.
Long winded but over, thanks.
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
If your tank is 20" from front to back then 6 will do. But if it is 24" front to back then you need the 8 bulb PM.
Being an SPS tank you will want the most amount of PAR you can over a large area. 8 bulbs doesn't give you more PAR it just gives the same PAR over a larger area. Does that make sense?
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
Depends if you want a fixture or retro fit kit.
Fixture - you want the ATI Powermodule 6 bulb.
Retrofit - 6 X 54W from Reefgeek, normally driven ballasts. You won't need to overdrive on that tank. Call reefgeek and get the reefgeek brand reflectors.
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple or UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
If I got that all then you will only need one more 660 and you will have 3 stage lighting which is way cool. I don't know if you really need to over drive on that tank but just don't put really high light stuff down low.
Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus
May need to tweak a little.
Marcello Salles
New member
Hi guys
i am thinking to use 10 - 24wts over my 30x30x24 cube.
5- UVL 10K Aquasun
5- UVL SA
I know that would be better to mix with ATI or Giesemann ... the problem is that the LFS manager owes me some money and he carries only UVL bulbs.
So that's the point : IMHO using only UVL bulbs this is "the best" that we can do.
What do you think ?
Thx
i am thinking to use 10 - 24wts over my 30x30x24 cube.
5- UVL 10K Aquasun
5- UVL SA
I know that would be better to mix with ATI or Giesemann ... the problem is that the LFS manager owes me some money and he carries only UVL bulbs.
So that's the point : IMHO using only UVL bulbs this is "the best" that we can do.
What do you think ?
Thx
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
10 Will be good over that tank but that mix will not look good. The actinic is nice and purple and the Aquasun is extremely pink. If all you can really get is UVL then tell him to get the UVL 454.
454
SA
454
Actinic White
454
Actinic White
454
SA
454
454
Might look good that way
90g-reefer
New member
I have been following this thread and I cant seem to get one question answered. I am running currents 8 bulb nova extreme with stock bulbs. I want more blue that what I am getting. But I also want good growth. Why wouldn't I use 4 65k daylight bulbs. a lower kelvin gives better growth right? Along with some ATI blue bulbs will that still give me the color pop I am looking for?
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
Lower Kelvin doesn't mean better growth. That is a vast misconception in the hobby. Plus the Current stock bulbs aren't that great PAR wise and they don't last long, maybe 6 months.
If it's not in the budget to change all at once start with the whites and some blues. Maybe get 2 ATI Blue Plus and 1 ATI Aquablue and 1 GE 6500K. Then replace 4 of your stock bulbs. I would end up with something like this:
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple or UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple or UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
- Status
