The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15110860#post15110860 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 60Cubed
Just checking to see if this fan set up will be sufficient:

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Need to know if I need to add more or in a different configuration. All help is appreciated....

The one end with the fans pointing right down the row of endcaps looks good. If you don't have any vents in the canopy you need to add them. You want the hot air to be able to escape out the top and fresh air to enter from somewhere. It also doesn't appear you have heat sinks on the IC ballasts??? If you got them use them. I would set the fans on that end like the other. hopefully that will get some airflow around the ballasts as well

 

[Tater11]

the you grim for the bulb choice help.here are some before and after pics 1st 2 are the original bulbs that came with fixture nova extreme pro 6- 54watt.2nd pics with new bulbs 5 ati aquablue+ and one fiji purple.

 

[60Cubed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15111385#post15111385 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
The one end with the fans pointing right down the row of endcaps looks good. If you don't have any vents in the canopy you need to add them. You want the hot air to be able to escape out the top and fresh air to enter from somewhere. It also doesn't appear you have heat sinks on the IC ballasts??? If you got them use them. I would set the fans on that end like the other. hopefully that will get some airflow around the ballasts as well

I can add a few more fans to the hood if needed. Should I have a fan dedicated to the ballast seperately?

Also, I have never used the heatsink with my I/C ballast before. Is there some benefit to doing so?

 

[tgbaby1]

im setting up a new solana thats going to be mainly sps. im going to get an ati pm or sunpower. my question is do i buy the 4x24 or the 6x24? i think the 4 bulb would be enough light but the 6x24 would give me more color options, do you think this would be too much light over a small tank?

 

[JDL]

For a 120g tank i have a nova extreme pro 6 bulb fixture. Mainly softies and LPS.

saw some posts suggesting, but i think that was for SPS
Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue

or is that too powerful

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15111898#post15111898 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 60Cubed
I can add a few more fans to the hood if needed. Should I have a fan dedicated to the ballast seperately?

Also, I have never used the heatsink with my I/C ballast before. Is there some benefit to doing so?

A dedicated fan for the ballasts would be a good idea. Tyhe benefit of the heat sink is not having your ballast performance or life compromised due to running too hot. It might not be a big deal with VHO's but T5's are harder to run so the ballast will get hotter.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15112874#post15112874 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tgbaby1
im setting up a new solana thats going to be mainly sps. im going to get an ati pm or sunpower. my question is do i buy the 4x24 or the 6x24? i think the 4 bulb would be enough light but the 6x24 would give me more color options, do you think this would be too much light over a small tank?

Well you sorta answered your own question. Having more lamps will allow you to have a better mix. It really isn't going to create a huge amount more Peak PAR having 6 vs 4, it just just broadens the area that receives the high PAR.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15113695#post15113695 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JDL
For a 120g tank i have a nova extreme pro 6 bulb fixture. Mainly softies and LPS.

saw some posts suggesting, but i think that was for SPS
Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue

or is that too powerful

I'd change the first actinic white to a UVL Super Actinic and make sure it's placed with Blue Plus for your Dusk/dawn. You really wont notice much difference with all the lights on but your dusk/dawn will look a little better (softies really pop under actinics) and 2 Actinic Whites would probably give you a little too much red.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15111561#post15111561 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tater11
the you grim for the bulb choice help.here are some before and after pics 1st 2 are the original bulbs that came with fixture nova extreme pro 6- 54watt.2nd pics with new bulbs 5 ati aquablue+ and one fiji purple.

Nice Tank. Hard to figure what it looks like in person but I like the look of the top pic better because the colors seem to come through better. If it is a hazy blue color in real life try a GE 6500K in place of a Blue Plus unless you like the look, then never mind

 

[UWUALineman]

Grim, have you had a chance to get ahold of any Ice Cap T5 bulbs yet?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15116043#post15116043 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by UWUALineman
Grim, have you had a chance to get ahold of any Ice Cap T5 bulbs yet?

Soon, very soon

 

[UWUALineman]

Will you be testing these solely as IceCap is advertising them i.e. their ballasts and overdriven, or will there also be tests done with other fixtures: ATI, Sunlight Supply. etc.

Thanks for your contributions as well.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15116273#post15116273 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by UWUALineman
Will you be testing these solely as IceCap is advertising them i.e. their ballasts and overdriven, or will there also be tests done with other fixtures: ATI, Sunlight Supply. etc.

Thanks for your contributions as well.

I'll throw them into another fixture but that is just to see how much the overdriving changes things. I also have some UVL lamps I'll match them against to.

 

[ryanb91]

Grim
Whats the best 5 bulb combo for a SPS dominant tank for growth. Not so much into the really blue look. A little blue I dont mind but the bark haze blue I dont care for
Thanks

 

[spllbnd2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15093119#post15093119 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefbound1
I would love to duplicate this look...

I'd love to have that look as well but I don't really see that happening with a 4 bulb set up. Can it be done with 4 bulbs? If not what about with a 5 bulb set up?

Tank is a 20 long frag tank and I am looking at having all the colors pop with color of a 14K and not to blue.

Cheers,
Alex

 

[spllbnd2]

Hey all you T-5 reefers and Grim too.

I am getting ready to set up a 20 long frag tank with mixed corals and would like to know what bulb set up would be good for both growth and eye popping colors.

I am looking at doing a retro with either 4 or 5 bulbs and use the Universal Ballasts (Triad) to run them as I've heard bad things of the Workhorse ballasts running T-5HO bulbs.

Cheers,
Alex

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15117396#post15117396 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ryanb91
Grim
Whats the best 5 bulb combo for a SPS dominant tank for growth. Not so much into the really blue look. A little blue I dont mind but the bark haze blue I dont care for
Thanks

do 3 Blue plus, an Aquablue and UVL Actinic White. If you have the TX 5 fixture place the Aquablue at the front and the Actinic white in the middle so you will have 2 blue plus for dusk/dawn.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15117796#post15117796 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spllbnd2
I'd love to have that look as well but I don't really see that happening with a 4 bulb set up. Can it be done with 4 bulbs? If not what about with a 5 bulb set up?

Tank is a 20 long frag tank and I am looking at having all the colors pop with color of a 14K and not to blue.

Cheers,
Alex

Try an actinic WHite and 3 Blue Plus. It may not be exact but should be very close.

That might be a little more blue. If you want a brighter look 2 Fiji Purple and 2 Blue Plus might get you there too

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15117805#post15117805 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spllbnd2
Hey all you T-5 reefers and Grim too.

I am getting ready to set up a 20 long frag tank with mixed corals and would like to know what bulb set up would be good for both growth and eye popping colors.

I am looking at doing a retro with either 4 or 5 bulbs and use the Universal Ballasts (Triad) to run them as I've heard bad things of the Workhorse ballasts running T-5HO bulbs.

Cheers,
Alex

2 Blue Plus 1 Actinic White UVL and 1 ATI Aquablue. or the actinic white and 3 blue plus if you want a more deepwater look. Either should get you great growth/

 

[kean2906]

hey grim im currently running 12 tubes on my 5x2x2.5 tank and want to upgrade the cheap globes.i am thinking of running 6 blue,5 white and a fiji purple.living in australia im really limited on the tubes i can choose.for the blue i have the choice between aqua science blue and geissman actinic+.for the white i can choose between geissman aqua blue+ or aqua science special.i can get ati but they are a bit more expensive and also a longer wait for them.of course i can get other aqua science or geissman tubes if you can think of a better combo.can you also suggest what order you would put the tubes in.thanks kean