The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14934759#post14934759 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fredflinstone
Hi T5 lighting Gods,
I have a NOVA Extreme 48" 4 bulb fixture. Some of my corals are loosing colors and a couple of my SPSs are loosing color as well. Should I get a new 6 bulb fixture or can I just get away with new ATI bulbs?

If it's a 55 gallon good lamps will probably get you most of the way there. If the tank is more than 18" tall and 12" deep you really need a better fixture, 6 lamp Tek at a minimum for serious SPS or clams.

 

[fredflinstone]

I have a 80G tank Grim. So should I get TEK or just upgrade to bettr bulbs?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14934880#post14934880 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fredflinstone
I have a 80G tank Grim. So should I get TEK or just upgrade to bettr bulbs?

Get the Tek.

 

[jmsalt1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14934765#post14934765 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Aquactinics has 2" wide reflectors and standoffs (The mounts for endcaps) that work really well.

Thanks for the tip Grim.

 

[fredflinstone]

Thanks for the tip grim

 

[jmsalt1]

I'm guessing I can't retrofit the 48" 54W T5's in a canopy over a 90 gallon since they would be too long. So are most people with standard tanks like a 75 G or 90 G tank going with the 39W 36" T5's and staggering them slightly? Will 6 39W 36" T5's produce more light than 4 96W Power Compacts?

 

[spider8u]

Hey grim right now i have some lps and soft corals in my tank but would like to start doing some sps. The light i have right now is a nove extreme 8x54 light fixture i was looking at getting the TEK 6x54 light fixture. The tank is a 100gl from my sand to the top of my lights is 23inches deep so would i be ok with getting just the TEK 6x54 light fixture thx

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14935436#post14935436 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmsalt1
I'm guessing I can't retrofit the 48" 54W T5's in a canopy over a 90 gallon since they would be too long. So are most people with standard tanks like a 75 G or 90 G tank going with the 39W 36" T5's and staggering them slightly? Will 6 39W 36" T5's produce more light than 4 96W Power Compacts?

You can usually put a "49" inch T5 in a 48" canopy. With the moisture proof endcaps installed they are about 47 1/2" long.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14935457#post14935457 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spider8u
Hey grim right now i have some lps and soft corals in my tank but would like to start doing some sps. The light i have right now is a nove extreme 8x54 light fixture i was looking at getting the TEK 6x54 light fixture. The tank is a 100gl from my sand to the top of my lights is 23inches deep so would i be ok with getting just the TEK 6x54 light fixture thx

As long as you keep the SPS on the upper half of the rocks you be fine.

 

[spider8u]

Thx for the fast reply grim just have one more question right now with me having 8 bulbs with the nova would i be losing a lot of light with just going with the 6x54 TEK light thx

 

[mray]

I was wondering if a 75g tank with a corner overflow could get away with using 6 36" bulbs placed away from the overflow. I feel that going with 48" is a waste because a lot of the light will be lost from the bracing and overflow.

 

[picassotrigger1]

Anyone know what's going on with my hellolights T5 fixture? I touch certain spots on the top, like today I reached to turn the switch off and arm grazed a corner of the fixture and I got stung...I get shocked when I touch other places of the fixture

 

[60Cubed]

I haven't seen a lot of comments on reflectors. Anyone out there recommend reflectors for a DIY setup in a standard hood. Or are all the individual reflectors pretty much the same?

 

[60Cubed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14935748#post14935748 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spider8u
Thx for the fast reply grim just have one more question right now with me having 8 bulbs with the nova would i be losing a lot of light with just going with the 6x54 TEK light thx

You would be losing 25% of your lights. Sounds pretty substantial if you ask me.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14935748#post14935748 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spider8u
Thx for the fast reply grim just have one more question right now with me having 8 bulbs with the nova would i be losing a lot of light with just going with the 6x54 TEK light thx

Go with a Tek or ATI fixture and you will increase PAR.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14935909#post14935909 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mray
I was wondering if a 75g tank with a corner overflow could get away with using 6 36" bulbs placed away from the overflow. I feel that going with 48" is a waste because a lot of the light will be lost from the bracing and overflow.

You will have about 34" of illumination with a 36" fixture, if that works out for your stocking scheme it will be fine.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14936215#post14936215 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by picassotrigger1
Anyone know what's going on with my hellolights T5 fixture? I touch certain spots on the top, like today I reached to turn the switch off and arm grazed a corner of the fixture and I got stung...I get shocked when I touch other places of the fixture

Contact Hello lights.

Make sure you are not touching anything else when you get zapped. For instance is it when your hand is in the tank that you get bit? If thats the case it could be that you have a bad heater/pump etc. and you are grounding out to the fixture. If you are getting zapped by the fixture without touching other equipment then you need to check to see if your wall outlet is properly grounded. Without a ground your fixture will energize the housing somewhat, it is common to get a little nip when touching retrofit reflectors which are typically not grounded.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14936532#post14936532 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 60Cubed
I haven't seen a lot of comments on reflectors. Anyone out there recommend reflectors for a DIY setup in a standard hood. Or are all the individual reflectors pretty much the same?

This will sorta address your comment about the 8 to 6 lamp fixture as well. Reflectors make a big difference so while going from a 8 lamp to 6 lamp Nova going from an 8 lamp nova to a 6 lamp fixture with good reflectors you willl gain output.


Reefgeek brand reflectors have the best output

Aquactinics are next followed pretty close by Ice Cap.

Because they are narrower (2" vs 2 1/2") but seem to spread the light in a wider pattern I would use Aquactinics for supplementing halides where you only use a few lamps to light a big area.



Here are the numbers

ATI (Center 37) (3" 36) (6" 31) peak 38 @1/2" offset
Reefgeek (Center 37) (3" 35) (6" 26) Peak 38 @ 1"
Aquactinics (Center 33) (3" 32) (6" 30) Peak 34 @ 1 1/2"
Ice Cap (Center 32) (3" 28) (6" 28) Peak 34 @ 1"
Tek II (Center 26) (3" 25) (6" 23) Peak 23 center
Fauna Marin (Center 23) (3" 22) (6" 22) Peak 23 Center

9" 0ff center

ATI 20
Reef Geek 22
Aquactinics 24
Ice Cap 24
Tek II 20
Fauna Marin 20

 

[picassotrigger1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14937384#post14937384 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Contact Hello lights.

Make sure you are not touching anything else when you get zapped. For instance is it when your hand is in the tank that you get bit? If thats the case it could be that you have a bad heater/pump etc. and you are grounding out to the fixture. If you are getting zapped by the fixture without touching other equipment then you need to check to see if your wall outlet is properly grounded. Without a ground your fixture will energize the housing somewhat, it is common to get a little nip when touching retrofit reflectors which are typically not grounded.

I've contacted hellolights a while back since it first happened. They told me since this was a black friday sale fixture, that they really couldn't do anything and that they never heard of that before. They told me to check the ballast. That's about it.

And it's when I touch the fixture itself without touching anything else. Don't know if this helps or not but I got a volt meter (screwdriver type) and touched the fixture at various places and got readings. So....? I'm gonna try to get a friend to check the outlets and such

 

[jmsalt1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14937420#post14937420 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Here are the numbers

ATI (Center 37) (3" 36) (6" 31) peak 38 @1/2" offset
Reefgeek (Center 37) (3" 35) (6" 26) Peak 38 @ 1"
Aquactinics (Center 33) (3" 32) (6" 30) Peak 34 @ 1 1/2"
Ice Cap (Center 32) (3" 28) (6" 28) Peak 34 @ 1"
Tek II (Center 26) (3" 25) (6" 23) Peak 23 center
Fauna Marin (Center 23) (3" 22) (6" 22) Peak 23 Center

9" 0ff center

ATI 20
Reef Geek 22
Aquactinics 24
Ice Cap 24
Tek II 20
Fauna Marin 20

Grim,

What do these numbers represent? What about the Giesemann retrofit package? I couldn't find the specs., but their reflectors look a bit wider than 2".