The T5 Q&a Thread

[ktrandc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14711514#post14711514 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rtparty
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?

Got it. Thank you!!

 

[Reefun]

I’ve played around a lot with different bulbs on my tank (75gal sps with tek 8 bulb).
I now have these bulbs

ATI blue plus
ATI blue plus

75/25
ATI actinic
ATI blue plus
Fiji purple

ATI blue plus
ATI blue plus

Is this a good combo ?
I had more white bulbs (ATI 12K and GE 65K)but they seem to bleach my coral?

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14714199#post14714199 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefun
I’ve played around a lot with different bulbs on my tank (75gal sps with tek 8 bulb).
I now have these bulbs

ATI blue plus
ATI blue plus

75/25
ATI actinic
ATI blue plus
Fiji purple

ATI blue plus
ATI blue plus

Is this a good combo ?
I had more white bulbs (ATI 12K and GE 65K)but they seem to bleach my coral?

If you like it then go with it. I would personally try to add the ATI Aquablue or GE back in somewhere. Maybe only one of them. Also maybe try a different order.

ATI Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus
75/25
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue or Blue Plus

 

[Reefun]

I like the color but didn't know if my par is high enough with what I have now.
I have a few acros I couldn't get to color up under the other bulbs they stayed bleached. ORA Red planet and a few other unnamed acros and my sunset monti. I don't now for sure on the acros yet but the sunset was not liking the light it colored up after I moved it into the shade.

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14714353#post14714353 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefun
I like the color but didn't know if my par is high enough with what I have now.
I have a few acros I couldn't get to color up under the other bulbs they stayed bleached. ORA Red planet and a few other unnamed acros and my sunset monti. I don't now for sure on the acros yet but the sunset was not liking the light it colored up after I moved it into the shade.

Click on the red house in Grim's posts. He has PAR listings on there. The ATI Blue Plus has the highest PAR available.

 

[corvettecris]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14697467#post14697467 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Ice Cap claimed you could run different lamps on a 660 in the past. Not sure why they would change that now. The tech may be a dewbe or something.

I tried it and it works fine. I added a VHO to 3 54W T5s running on mt IC660 and the color addition s NICE.


Another question, is there a thread that better details some aspects on the active cooling of overdriven t5s? Mine are cooled by 10 80mm case fans, but they just blow from the back in across the lamps. I have large convection ports on the top of the canopy too, but they are obstructed by the reflectors. I have pics if anyone wants to take a look. I am wondering if there is a more efficient way...

 

[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

Sorry, I'm a T5 nooob so bear with me. Do I need to point a fan at the Tek to get good, consistent bulb performance? The Tek doesn't look like it has built in cooling fans vs. fixtures like the ATI PM . The Tek 8x39w is for my 36"x24"x17" 65g shallow.

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14715181#post14715181 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by corvettecris
I tried it and it works fine. I added a VHO to 3 54W T5s running on mt IC660 and the color addition s NICE.


Another question, is there a thread that better details some aspects on the active cooling of overdriven t5s? Mine are cooled by 10 80mm case fans, but they just blow from the back in across the lamps. I have large convection ports on the top of the canopy too, but they are obstructed by the reflectors. I have pics if anyone wants to take a look. I am wondering if there is a more efficient way...

If you are a big DIY type person you could build ductwork out of PVC pipe and have it cool it both ends of the bulbs very effectively. I am sure your way is good however. Try to get a laser thermometer and see how hot your bulbs and the ends of the bulbs are getting.

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14715190#post14715190 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Merfin70
Sorry, I'm a T5 nooob so bear with me. Do I need to point a fan at the Tek to get good, consistent bulb performance? The Tek doesn't look like it has built in cooling fans vs. fixtures like the ATI PM . The Tek 8x39w is for my 36"x24"x17" 65g shallow.

Yes you will want to get a fan to help cool the fixture down and help improve output. Go to Foster and Smith and get the Azoo clamp on fans. The 2 fan version should work. Have it blow on the fixture and not the bulbs themselves. If you can have the fan blow down on the fixture at a slight angle that seems to work best.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Grimmies back

 

[Vauche]

I am currently running the aquatinics solor flare over a 90G SPS tank. The tank is still pretty young about 1yr, and all SPS are frags.

My current light configuation:
Front
Blue Plus
Super Actinic
Blue Plus
Aquasun
Blue Plus
Aquablue

Well, I seem to be getting decent growth but my color leaves a lot to be desired.

So, the question.
1) Any recommended changes to improve color (I am willing to sacrifice some growth but not all)?
2) My wife and I really like a more blueish hue and when all lights are lit (mid-day effect) it is really rather white to our eye. Any recommendations as to what lamps might keep par (do have some corals pretty low in the tank), pop colors, and help tone the white down? (I know, asking for the moon.)

For added info, most of the SPS that catch my eye tend to be in the purple to blue colors with a few greens and fewer reds. Basically, I really want the blues and purples to "Pop" as the saying goes.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14717549#post14717549 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Vauche
I am currently running the aquatinics solor flare over a 90G SPS tank. The tank is still pretty young about 1yr, and all SPS are frags.

My current light configuation:
Front
Blue Plus
Super Actinic
Blue Plus
Aquasun
Blue Plus
Aquablue

Well, I seem to be getting decent growth but my color leaves a lot to be desired.

So, the question.
1) Any recommended changes to improve color (I am willing to sacrifice some growth but not all)?
2) My wife and I really like a more blueish hue and when all lights are lit (mid-day effect) it is really rather white to our eye. Any recommendations as to what lamps might keep par (do have some corals pretty low in the tank), pop colors, and help tone the white down? (I know, asking for the moon.)

For added info, most of the SPS that catch my eye tend to be in the purple to blue colors with a few greens and fewer reds. Basically, I really want the blues and purples to "Pop" as the saying goes.

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

The 75/25 and Actinic white will give you red but also actinic so basically all the lamps will be giving you actinic.

 

[Vauche]

Thank you Grim!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14714714#post14714714 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rtparty
Click on the red house in Grim's posts. He has PAR listings on there. The ATI Blue Plus has the highest PAR available.

My readings didn't show the blue plus as the highest PAR. The Apogee sensor over estimates reds and under estimates blues. Because of this I always assumed the Aquablue was probably the highest PAR but Sanjay tested a blue plus with a spectrometer and found it had higher PAR than the Aquasun which was the highest output lamp I had seen among the currently available products. The Aquablue probably has more PAR than the Blue Plus but it couldn't be by much.

 

[75glreef]

Thanks for the help.

 

[nu2reefva]

hey grim im builing a 24" 6 bulb t5 fixture right now and i got a bunch of bulbs for cheap today so i grabbed them up i mean 50 for 8 high end bulbs so i was thinking what do you think of this layout and if theres anything better let me know it will be over a 24x24x14 frag tank with mainly SPS and LPS

Super Actinic
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
Aquasun
Blue Plus
Pure Actinic

I also thought about doing
Super Actinic
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
Aquasun
22k Aquascience
Pure Actinic

oh and i wanted color and growth but not to much blue just enough to keep my LPS happy, the main display will be 2x 250 watt Radiums so i kinda want the same look.

 

[persun87]

hey grimm im getting a tek 6x39 watt fixture for over a standard 65 gallon 36"x18"x24" deep what bulb combo would you recomend for a lps dominate tank

 

[capture]

starting a 40 gallon breeder. Any recommendations for a pendant? 4 or 6 bulbs? I'm leaning towards 6 due to mostly SPS.
looking at the tek fixtures but also like the ATI, other than the price.
I'll come back for combination of bulbs once this is figured out.

Thanks in advance.

 

[rtparty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14719880#post14719880 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capture
starting a 40 gallon breeder. Any recommendations for a pendant? 4 or 6 bulbs? I'm leaning towards 6 due to mostly SPS.
looking at the tek fixtures but also like the ATI, other than the price.
I'll come back for combination of bulbs once this is figured out.

Thanks in advance.

I am setting up the same size tank and same system, mostly SPS. I will be running either the Aquactinics TX5 or ATI Sunpower 6 bulb.

You will be happy to have more than 4 bulbs and can also upgrade in the future if wanted. After my 40 has run its course I will use the tank as a frag tank and the nice lighting will still be used. Just a thought.

If you go with the ATI just run some lower PAR bulbs as the fixture may be a little too much for the system.

 

[capture]

thanks rtparty...
I was looking at the TX5's... how are they? I was hoping for something more low profile but the price isnt bad.
Do you advise against the tek fixture?