The T5 Q&a Thread

[Merfin70]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14703897#post14703897 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I'd do an 8 lamp Tek.

Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus

Grim - Spoke to Reefgeek and Tek is no longer making the 8x39w fixture. So, that leaves me with a much pricier 8x39w ATI PM. A little more budget friendly would be the 6x39w ATI Sunpower or 6x39w ATI PM. To refresh, my tank is going to be a 65g 36"x24"x17" shallow reef. Do I need an 8 bulb to cover the 24" width?

 

[NVReefer]

looking for help/opinions

looking for help/opinions

greetings,
i have a 100gal cube 30x30x30 with canopy so i know i want to do a retro setup, due to canopy stiffeners i have 24x10" space available on both the flip section and the stationary section. what would the pros here do, i can get up to a 23x10, 8 tube retro kit in each section. for a total of 16 tubes. is that too much, not enough.....?? i was looking at these..http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product_info.php?cPath=71_7_68&products_id=1352
and i have looked at the icecap stuff too.

i want to be able to do any type of tank, sps, lps, whatever. i do like the idea of ramping up to full bright during day then down at night. i am looking at getting a RKE to help with tank parameters.
what lamps and how should the order be.
i have read through some of this thread but man o man it's hundreds of pages and numerous splits, it just runs together and boggles my mind. i am also following the DIY LED thread for possibilities.
please give me your insights, suggestions and whatever else that can/ will help me to figure it all out.

next on to skimmers and sump/fuges, agh.............................:eek1:

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14726022#post14726022 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CLINTOS
I'm buying poker star monti/superman monti

and I have a 90G with 8-t5's with individual reflector's tek lighting
canopy

2-10 000k
3-20 000k
2-attinic
1-figi KZ

and was wondering about placement

mid or very top?

they will come from 120G squared dual 250 watt 14 000k mh only

system

Probably anywhere in the upper half of the tank.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14726926#post14726926 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by soccerbag
This is a great thread! I have 150g SPS dominated tank (48"l x 24"w x 30"d. Others have told me that I can get by with T5's only with a 30" depth but I am concerned about the bottom 1/4 of the tank. I have a few softies, some chalices, and a few SPS on the bottom 1/4 but most are in the middle to top. Currently running 2 400W 14k's with 2 VHO Super Actinics. Am looking for colors that pop and good growth.

Was looking at the ATI 10x48W" Powermodule. It's an expensive fixture and I want to be sure it will provide enough light for the expensive corals I have in the tank. I would hang the fixture but am unsure as to how high above the tank it should be.

Should I keep the halides or will the T5's be a good choice? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The ATI would give you enough light as long as you keep it fairly close to the tank. The main thing is you want your high light critters under the lamps. I suspect you could probably keep SPS all the way down as long as they are beneath the lamps but I would say for sure in the upper half they will be safe.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14727028#post14727028 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Merfin70
Grim - Spoke to Reefgeek and Tek is no longer making the 8x39w fixture. So, that leaves me with a much pricier 8x39w ATI PM. A little more budget friendly would be the 6x39w ATI Sunpower or 6x39w ATI PM. To refresh, my tank is going to be a 65g 36"x24"x17" shallow reef. Do I need an 8 bulb to cover the 24" width?

How about plan C do 2 4 lamp Tek fixtures?

The 6 lamp PM mounted higher up to let the light spread would work.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Re: looking for help/opinions

Re: looking for help/opinions

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14727345#post14727345 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NVReefer
greetings,
i have a 100gal cube 30x30x30 with canopy so i know i want to do a retro setup, due to canopy stiffeners i have 24x10" space available on both the flip section and the stationary section. what would the pros here do, i can get up to a 23x10, 8 tube retro kit in each section. for a total of 16 tubes. is that too much, not enough.....?? i was looking at these..http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product_info.php?cPath=71_7_68&products_id=1352
and i have looked at the icecap stuff too.

i want to be able to do any type of tank, sps, lps, whatever. i do like the idea of ramping up to full bright during day then down at night. i am looking at getting a RKE to help with tank parameters.
what lamps and how should the order be.
i have read through some of this thread but man o man it's hundreds of pages and numerous splits, it just runs together and boggles my mind. i am also following the DIY LED thread for possibilities.
please give me your insights, suggestions and whatever else that can/ will help me to figure it all out.

next on to skimmers and sump/fuges, agh.............................:eek1:

Forget about the cheap stuff for lights. Get 8 Aquactinics reflectors and stand offs and Ice Cap ballasts. The reflectors and standoffs are 2" wide so they should fit fine. You could do 1 660 ballast for your daylights and 2 430's to controll 2 lamps each so you can ramp up to full lighting. You also need a fan on each end blowing in on the lamp ends/endcaps to cool them.

 

[redtop03]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14726771#post14726771 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rtparty
I think it just depends really. I would definitely run 2 ATI Blue Plus and a KZ fiji purple/UVL 75/25. Maybe even a 3rd Blue Plus or the ATI Aquablue.

Grim is better with recommending supplements than I am. Grim?

Grim,does this sound like a good combo of bulbs to you?

Do I need the IC 660 ballast to overdrive the bulbs,or will the standard ballast be enough?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14729417#post14729417 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by redtop03
Grim,does this sound like a good combo of bulbs to you?

Do I need the IC 660 ballast to overdrive the bulbs,or will the standard ballast be enough?

Using the T5's for purely aesthetic reasons I wouldn't overdrive them.

As far as lamps I would do 2 Blue Plus and 2 UVL 75/25. It will give you blue and actinic pop and some red. Should look good with the 12K.

 

[redtop03]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14729574#post14729574 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Using the T5's for purely aesthetic reasons I wouldn't overdrive them.

As far as lamps I would do 2 Blue Plus and 2 UVL 75/25. It will give you blue and actinic pop and some red. Should look good with the 12K.

Alright,thanks guys

 

[Fishboy9227]

Grim, I have a 33g cube that is 20x18x22. My question is, would the Nova Extreme Pro, 20in w/ 6-18w HO bulbs with individual reflectors be enough over the tank to do sps and clams on the bottom? The bulb options are very limited, only 10,000k and 460 actinic. If I replaced the ballast in the fixture with an icecap 430, would this make a huge difference?

Thanks,
-Josh

 

[Meitzler]

What are the pros and cons of the Icecap retrofits, verse tek 5, verses sunblaze for a 20" deep tank? Or is the ATI a must.

 

[kurtkob]

Hi, I´ve got a question...My tank is 32g and I´ve just change my ATI SUNPOWER 4x24W for the 6x39W one... it means changing from 96W to 234w... Could I have any problem with my corals??? is it to much light??? Now I´m using 3 aquablue special and 3 blue plus... is it correct??? any suggestion for a SPS tank??please???

PD: sorry for my english... :/

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14729942#post14729942 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fishboy9227
Grim, I have a 33g cube that is 20x18x22. My question is, would the Nova Extreme Pro, 20in w/ 6-18w HO bulbs with individual reflectors be enough over the tank to do sps and clams on the bottom? The bulb options are very limited, only 10,000k and 460 actinic. If I replaced the ballast in the fixture with an icecap 430, would this make a huge difference?

Thanks,
-Josh

I wouldn't try clams under it. SPS up highher in the tank would be OK

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14729944#post14729944 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Meitzler
What are the pros and cons of the Icecap retrofits, verse tek 5, verses sunblaze for a 20" deep tank? Or is the ATI a must.

Depends what you want to raise. Unless you want an acro garden on the sand you don't need to overdrive or even a ATI fixture. A Tek light would allow you to grow anything properly placed. The Ice Cap HO retro would allow you to have stonies in most of the tank. Sunblaze would be OK for Acros up high.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14730493#post14730493 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kurtkob
Hi, I´ve got a question...My tank is 32g and I´ve just change my ATI SUNPOWER 4x24W for the 6x39W one... it means changing from 96W to 234w... Could I have any problem with my corals??? is it to much light??? Now I´m using 3 aquablue special and 3 blue plus... is it correct??? any suggestion for a SPS tank??please???

PD: sorry for my english... :/

You might want to decrease your photo period. I would still run dusk/dawn 10 to 12 hours a day but decrease the other lights down to maybe 4 hours and work you way back up from there. Just watch your animals to see if they are stressed/ Take out one aquablue lamp and replace it with the ATI Pro Color.

 

[Fishboy9227]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14730680#post14730680 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I wouldn't try clams under it. SPS up highher in the tank would be OK

Well what would you recommend for my tank? 20x18x22.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14730729#post14730729 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fishboy9227
Well what would you recommend for my tank? 20x18x22.

Probably a halide would be best. You could add some LED's for dusk/dawn.

 

[Fishboy9227]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14730852#post14730852 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Probably a halide would be best. You could add some LED's for dusk/dawn.

A 250w is over it right now. It really heats up the room though. Its in my bedroom. If i decided to run 24" T5 over it and deal with the hang over, how many would i need?

 

[srayna1]

Do you have any good feedback on the Hagen T5 retro kits. I want to add 2x39 to my canopy and it looks like an easy setup with prewired ballast and indv. reflectors.

 

[Opes]

Grim,

I have a 4 bulb Tek over a 20 long frag tank. The tank is plumbed in with my display adn the display runs Phoenix 14K. What bulbs would you recommend for a similar look with good growth?

Thanks!