The T5 Q&a Thread

[goofball310]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14796612#post14796612 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I think 10 months is safe if you are pushing the limits of the lamps. Guys in Europe were going 9 months with no cooling and before the good reflectors came out

I personally think 6 months is a little soon but thats just my opinion.

thanks grim, but i'm really interested in seeing some numbers. this is really the make or break point for me. I'd hate to invest solely in T5's and research shows the life of the bulbs is no better that PC's. Even worse, putting my money back into MH and finding out I could have save on both electricity and bulbs. it really wouldn't matter if i could get away with a 4-8 bulb unit, but with 36x36x30 dimension that's really not an option.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14796636#post14796636 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by solareclisped
UVL brand T5HO lamps along with Sylvania 6500K and Coralvue Actinic Blue were the only choices I had less the 454

Dunno what to tell you. You aren't going to get a nice look and good growth with just UVL lamps. You could try the 6500K and a Actinic White with 4 super actinics but there isn't gonna be a whole lot of PAR.

I would tell them to come up with a usable selection of lamps or discount the price.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14797390#post14797390 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by goofball310
thanks grim, but i'm really interested in seeing some numbers. this is really the make or break point for me. I'd hate to invest solely in T5's and research shows the life of the bulbs is no better that PC's. Even worse, putting my money back into MH and finding out I could have save on both electricity and bulbs. it really wouldn't matter if i could get away with a 4-8 bulb unit, but with 36x36x30 dimension that's really not an option.

I tested a Aquablue lamp that had been running about 14 months in my Ice Cap overdriven system using the 5 foot 80 watt lamps and it still had like 83% of the PAR of a new lamp, not too bad. But that doesn't take into account the change in spectrum as the lamp ages and color shifts.

The guys in Europe where noticing color changes after 9 months so they were changing lamps at 8 months. Again they were not cooling the lamps and didn't have good reflectors. I have no doubt T5's last far longer than PC's.There are people who have ran them better than 18 months and didn't notice any loss of growth. Color is hard to say because it happens so gradually over time you might not notice it unless you had before and after pictures.

 

[GKE1026]

Yo Grim, my new bulbs are here. I was running 2 nova slr fixtures. I am replacing the original bulbs (4 sunpaq 460 and 4 sunpaq 10K). I am replacing them with 2x454, 2xblueplus, 2xaquablue special, 1xUV actinic white, and 1xUV aquasun. Can I just add all the new bulbs at once? Or is there a large enough difference that I should acclimate the coral to new light by only adding a couple bulbs at a time?

My tank is really dominated by softies with some LPS, and just a couple SPS. I guess I am a little old-school, but I prefer nepthea, litophyton, xenia, etc... over SPS. I just love the movement that softies provide.

Thanks,
JJ

 

[budbreak96]

bump

 

[budbreak96]

bump

 

[villious]

Hello there you T5 experts! I have a 120 gal tank (48x24x24).

The question is.....If you were going to put 9 T5's over that tank, what would be your 9 bulb choices given it's an SPS dominate tank? Shooting for keeping SPS as far down as possible. I like crisp white, and some blue is nice too.

Thanks all!!!!!!
Woody

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14800571#post14800571 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GKE1026
Yo Grim, my new bulbs are here. I was running 2 nova slr fixtures. I am replacing the original bulbs (4 sunpaq 460 and 4 sunpaq 10K). I am replacing them with 2x454, 2xblueplus, 2xaquablue special, 1xUV actinic white, and 1xUV aquasun. Can I just add all the new bulbs at once? Or is there a large enough difference that I should acclimate the coral to new light by only adding a couple bulbs at a time?

My tank is really dominated by softies with some LPS, and just a couple SPS. I guess I am a little old-school, but I prefer nepthea, litophyton, xenia, etc... over SPS. I just love the movement that softies provide.

Thanks,
JJ

If you've been running the nova fixtures for a while I would add a lamp a day. The Nova SLR's arent that good but if your critters have acclimated to the lower light dumping in all new lamps will probably stress them big time.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14804414#post14804414 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by villious
Hello there you T5 experts! I have a 120 gal tank (48x24x24).

The question is.....If you were going to put 9 T5's over that tank, what would be your 9 bulb choices given it's an SPS dominate tank? Shooting for keeping SPS as far down as possible. I like crisp white, and some blue is nice too.

Thanks all!!!!!!
Woody

First off you need to use Aquactinics reflectors and standoffs to fit 9 lamps in there.

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

Should get about what you are looking for. Kinda 14K halide look to it.

 

[mray]

Any suggestions for a 5 bulb setup?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14804730#post14804730 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mray
Any suggestions for a 5 bulb setup?

Use 5 lamps









I just kill me


Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Actinic Whte
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue

That would give a 15k or so look

Front
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue

High PAR slightly less blue look but still pretty blue

 

[rtparty]

Grim,

I will be ordering the ATI Sunpower soon for my 40 gallon breeder. I have a few questions myself for you. How far from the water should I place the fixture to begin? Most corals are coming from a tank lit by PC. I was thinking at least 8" for the first couple weeks.

Secondly what's a good combo of bulbs? I have played around in my mind with a lot of ideas but can't settle on one.

ATI BP
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI BP
GE 6500K or ATI Aquable
ATI BP
ATI Aquablue

or

ATI BP
UVL SA
KZ Fiji Purple or UVL Actinic White
ATI BP or Aquablue
UVL SA
ATI BP

or I even thought of this

ATI BP
UVL SA
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Aquablue
ATI BP or UVL 75/25
ATI BP

I am trying to keep the Fiji Purple but also don't want really HIGH PAR because the tank is only 18" deep.

 

[coralfragger101]

OK Grim - My ATI arrived. Great unit I might add.

The bulb combo isn't exactly what I was hoping for though and was wondering what I need to do to fix things.

The original suggestion was this:

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


Which does give a nice crisp light effect. However, I wanted a tint of blue that I do not see. What can I do to fix this? You must remember - I was used to the LED 20k unit that was on the tank. It was very blue (almost too blue).

Also. #3 and #6 are on for the dusk to dawn. Currently I hate the way that looks with the 65k in that mix. I think they both need to be on in the blue spectrum.

So with purchasing the least amount of additional bulbs - what would you suggest.

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14805677#post14805677 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralfragger101
OK Grim - My ATI arrived. Great unit I might add.

The bulb combo isn't exactly what I was hoping for though and was wondering what I need to do to fix things.

The original suggestion was this:

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


Which does give a nice crisp light effect. However, I wanted a tint of blue that I do not see. What can I do to fix this? You must remember - I was used to the LED 20k unit that was on the tank. It was very blue (almost too blue).

Also. #3 and #6 are on for the dusk to dawn. Currently I hate the way that looks with the 65k in that mix. I think they both need to be on in the blue spectrum.

So with purchasing the least amount of additional bulbs - what would you suggest.

Buy another ATI Blue Plus if not 2. Put on in place of the UVL Actinic White and if that still isn't blue enough change out the Aquablue for a Blue Plus also.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14805368#post14805368 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rtparty
Grim,

I will be ordering the ATI Sunpower soon for my 40 gallon breeder. I have a few questions myself for you. How far from the water should I place the fixture to begin? Most corals are coming from a tank lit by PC. I was thinking at least 8" for the first couple weeks.

Secondly what's a good combo of bulbs? I have played around in my mind with a lot of ideas but can't settle on one.

ATI BP
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI BP
GE 6500K or ATI Aquable
ATI BP
ATI Aquablue

or

ATI BP
UVL SA
KZ Fiji Purple or UVL Actinic White
ATI BP or Aquablue
UVL SA
ATI BP

or I even thought of this

ATI BP
UVL SA
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Aquablue
ATI BP or UVL 75/25
ATI BP

I am trying to keep the Fiji Purple but also don't want really HIGH PAR because the tank is only 18" deep.

Nothing wrong with any of your choices. One thing to think about if you are worried about too much PAR is go with the UVL 454's instead of the Blue Plus. Same look from what I can see but less output.

454
purple
454
6500
454
Aquablue

Or

Blue Plus
75/25
Blus Plus
75/25
Blue Plus
Aquablue

Could look sweet if you want a lot of blue. You could place the aquablue to the front keeping the same order after that and have a brighter version of the same look.

 

[ReefEnabler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14804549#post14804549 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
First off you need to use Aquactinics reflectors and standoffs to fit 9 lamps in there.

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

Should get about what you are looking for. Kinda 14K halide look to it.

not a big deal... but its possible to use the icecap standoffs if you stagger them so they can be closer together than their 2.5" width... but I guess if you need to buy the endcaps might as well get the aquactinics ones...

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14805677#post14805677 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralfragger101
OK Grim - My ATI arrived. Great unit I might add.

The bulb combo isn't exactly what I was hoping for though and was wondering what I need to do to fix things.

The original suggestion was this:

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


Which does give a nice crisp light effect. However, I wanted a tint of blue that I do not see. What can I do to fix this? You must remember - I was used to the LED 20k unit that was on the tank. It was very blue (almost too blue).

Also. #3 and #6 are on for the dusk to dawn. Currently I hate the way that looks with the 65k in that mix. I think they both need to be on in the blue spectrum.

So with purchasing the least amount of additional bulbs - what would you suggest.

Grab 2 more Blue Plus lamps

Then

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

If that look works for you but you don't like the 75/25 in the dusk/dawn combo just swap the position of it with the blue plus thats right behind it. Also try swapping out the Actinic White with the GE. If you find that is not enough blue swap out the Aquablue with the second additional blue plus you get.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14805916#post14805916 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefEnabler
not a big deal... but its possible to use the icecap standoffs if you stagger them so they can be closer together than their 2.5" width... but I guess if you need to buy the endcaps might as well get the aquactinics ones...

You can stagger them if you have room. You can also trim them down but for the price I would just buy the smaller standoffs.

 

[rtparty]

What if I ran the ATI 6x24W version? That way I would have 6" on each end for my acans and other LPS. I am really worried the acans will be ****ed with the Sunpower. I only need the bottom of my tank to be hitting 120 PAR or so and for the money the Sunpower is my best bet.

After the legs/hanging kit and fan to cool a TEK I am pretty close to the ATI and we all know the ATI will kick major arse!

 

[villious]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14804549#post14804549 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
First off you need to use Aquactinics reflectors and standoffs to fit 9 lamps in there.

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

Should get about what you are looking for. Kinda 14K halide look to it.

Thank you very much Grim! You tha man! Two more questions and I'm good to go:

1. With that 9 bulb setup, how far down in the tank do you think I'll be good for SPS? All the way down?

2. For 9 lamps, I'll have 3 ballast. If you were gonna set up "light banks" to be able to ramp up/down groups of bulbs (to go from dusk to dawn), what would be your opinion on the group combination's (bulb type and quantity)? I hope that made sense.

Thank you for the time you spend helping here.
Woody