The T5 Q&a Thread

[mskurdah]

Hi:

My current configuration:

2 ATI1005 54W 12000K Aquablue Special T5 HO Fluorescent ATI 0
2 ATI1013 54W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent ATI
1 UVL0021 54W Super Actinic T5 HO Fluorescent UV Lighting
1 KZ0005 54W Fiji Purple T5 HO Fluorescent Korallen Zucht

Tank is 48 inches long, 24 inches wide, 15 inches deep. I have a real 'bland' white look on it and the colors on my corals are definitely NOT popping. What do you suggest? I'd like it to be much more blue. I have a mixture of SPS / LPS / Zoas, Maxima clam.

Thanks!!!

 

[jh2pizza]

Anyone measure your Par using a T5 set up?

 

[ataller]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14983735#post14983735 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I know what you want to do, there is a thread floating around where someone did it. The problem is without testing it with a PAR meter it is impossible to know how it will work. The external fan I have.

If you mount an probe that will read ambient air temp in a reflector channel and set it to hold 95 degrees in theory you will be close.

I would say maybe 3 mini fans mounted at one end blowing in with the label end of the lamps at that side of the fixture would do better than blowing in from the top. You need to get the air in the reflector channels to move, not sure you are going to get much blowing in from the top unless you were to seal the reflector ends and drill holes in the ends of the reflectors like the ATI Unit has. You would also have to seal off all the cooling ducts in the fixture too.

Thanks Grim, looks like my idea isn't so hot afterall (no pun intended, har har).

Maybe someone out there has a link to the thread of the guy that did something like this? Im curious.

Adam

 

[serum153]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14983801#post14983801 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Taqpol
The IceCap brand retrofits from reefgeek.

I had the exact same problem....Superglued mine and been great ever since.

 

[Taqpol]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14984160#post14984160 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by serum153
I had the exact same problem....Superglued mine and been great ever since.

I was thinking about doing that, how bad is it to have the end caps permanently mounted to the mounting brackets?

 

[serum153]

I don't see a real need to ever remove it unless something is failing and then I will use some superglue remover. What i did is set the end cap in the mount and then glued around the seam.

 

[plancton]

What light config do you recommend the most for an 8 bulb setup?:

?

 

[david821]

hello has anybody tried the wave point tubes cant find any info guess there fairly new to the market

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14983819#post14983819 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mskurdah
Hi:

My current configuration:

2 ATI1005 54W 12000K Aquablue Special T5 HO Fluorescent ATI 0
2 ATI1013 54W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent ATI
1 UVL0021 54W Super Actinic T5 HO Fluorescent UV Lighting
1 KZ0005 54W Fiji Purple T5 HO Fluorescent Korallen Zucht

Tank is 48 inches long, 24 inches wide, 15 inches deep. I have a real 'bland' white look on it and the colors on my corals are definitely NOT popping. What do you suggest? I'd like it to be much more blue. I have a mixture of SPS / LPS / Zoas, Maxima clam.

Thanks!!!

Ditch the aquablues for more Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14985676#post14985676 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by plancton
What light config do you recommend the most for an 8 bulb setup?:

?

Top one

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14985804#post14985804 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by david821
hello has anybody tried the wave point tubes cant find any info guess there fairly new to the market

Havent seen them. If they don't cost more than 15 bux a piece probably not worth messing with unless they are a daylight lamp

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14983958#post14983958 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jh2pizza
Anyone measure your Par using a T5 set up?

I've gotten anywhere from 140 to 370 on a 22" tall tank at the sandbed using different brand fixtures. A guy with a 135 got in the 240's at the sand with a 6x80 watt retro

 

[onetrickpony]

here are some interesting par numbers

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1634188

 

[corywilson]

Grim,

I am upgrading tanks from a 95 gal wave to a standard 120(4'x2'x'2). I currently have a 6 bulb tek unit, but am looking to get a retrofit into my new canopy. i have a mix of sps, lps, and softies(zoas/palys/rics) in my tank. i was thinking about a getting 4x80w overdriven T5's to place over the rockwork for the sps and then 4x54w standard T5's to split on either side of the overdriven ones. What would you recommend(number/brand/reflectors)?

Also what would you suggest for a bulb combo? I really like the blue look and i currently have front to back: blueplus, bluplus, aquablue, ati procolor, blueplus, and blueplus. I find with this combo i really don't get the good coloration i'm looking for.

thanks in advance!

 

[corywilson]

also how high is everyone running their bulbs off the water currently?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14986907#post14986907 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by corywilson
Grim,

I am upgrading tanks from a 95 gal wave to a standard 120(4'x2'x'2). I currently have a 6 bulb tek unit, but am looking to get a retrofit into my new canopy. i have a mix of sps, lps, and softies(zoas/palys/rics) in my tank. i was thinking about a getting 4x80w overdriven T5's to place over the rockwork for the sps and then 4x54w standard T5's to split on either side of the overdriven ones. What would you recommend(number/brand/reflectors)?

Also what would you suggest for a bulb combo? I really like the blue look and i currently have front to back: blueplus, bluplus, aquablue, ati procolor, blueplus, and blueplus. I find with this combo i really don't get the good coloration i'm looking for.

thanks in advance!

Front
Blue Plus
Actinic White
Super Actinic
Blue Plus
overdriven
Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

Just Ice Cap retros would be fine.

 

[vangoghfish]

grim, where do you think the best source is for buying these bulbs online?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14986929#post14986929 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by corywilson
also how high is everyone running their bulbs off the water currently?

About 4 inches above the water is the sweet spot. Just enough not to get salt spray on the lamps and low enough you get very little light spillage

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14987373#post14987373 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by vangoghfish
grim, where do you think the best source is for buying these bulbs online?

Reefgeek usually has the best prices, aquarium specialtys also has a good selection.

 

[corywilson]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14987328#post14987328 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Front
Blue Plus
Actinic White
Super Actinic
Blue Plus
overdriven
Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
Blue Plus
Blue Plus

Just Ice Cap retros would be fine.

grim are you saying that the 4 overdriven and 4 standard is what you would recommend? also it looks like you are suggesting putting the 4 overdriven bulbs at the rear of the tank rather than in the middle, is this for any particular reason?