The T5 Q&a Thread

[o0jmadr0x0o]

hey grimm i just picked up some bulbs and was wondering what order i should put them in
its an 8 bulb hellolights fixture


bulbs i have are

2x aquablue
4x blueplus
1x uvl actinic white
1x current actinic

i also have these bulbs lying around

4x TRU 10k
4x tru actinic
3x current actinic

if you think i should throw some of those in

 

[jreiss773]

help grim

help grim

grim I have a 20 gal high 24x12x16. 660 icecap ballast and individual reflectors four four bulbs. Not sure which bulbs to get they have to be 24w to fit. I was thinking 2 6000k midday HO
and 2 Actinic. Is this ok and would it limit me to what I could keep sps, lps exc. thanks

 

[Jim96SC2]

I was going to go with the Nova Extreme Pro, but I see the Nova Extremes have individual reflectors and I could fit two 4x39W over my tank. I don't have too many funds to blow, so all those high end fixtures are out.

So..
1x 6-light NEP
or
2x 4 light Nova Extreme's

Unless someone can shoot me in the direction of another alternative in the 300-400 price range?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Blue Plus
Aquablue
Actinic
Blue Plus
Actinic White
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15233712#post15233712 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by o0jmadr0x0o
hey grimm i just picked up some bulbs and was wondering what order i should put them in
its an 8 bulb hellolights fixture


bulbs i have are

2x aquablue
4x blueplus
1x uvl actinic white
1x current actinic

i also have these bulbs lying around

4x TRU 10k
4x tru actinic
3x current actinic

if you think i should throw some of those in

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Re: help grim

Re: help grim

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15233878#post15233878 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jreiss773
grim I have a 20 gal high 24x12x16. 660 icecap ballast and individual reflectors four four bulbs. Not sure which bulbs to get they have to be 24w to fit. I was thinking 2 6000k midday HO
and 2 Actinic. Is this ok and would it limit me to what I could keep sps, lps exc. thanks

I would do

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
ATI Aquablue
UVL Super Actinic

and hope to hell you don't fry the corals. Keep the lamps 6 inches above the water at least.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15235160#post15235160 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jim96SC2
I was going to go with the Nova Extreme Pro, but I see the Nova Extremes have individual reflectors and I could fit two 4x39W over my tank. I don't have too many funds to blow, so all those high end fixtures are out.

So..
1x 6-light NEP
or
2x 4 light Nova Extreme's

Unless someone can shoot me in the direction of another alternative in the 300-400 price range?

See what you can get a 6 lamp Tek light for,

 

[DML08]

grim, someone mentioned that T5 bulbs are designed to only be cooled on the label side, is this true? I have fans blowing on both end caps (perpendicular to bulbs) with that said they said I may be over cooling them and shorting the bulb life.. is this true?.. thanks..

 

[GaryR1984]

Hey Grim,

Here's a question for you.

I got an Outer Orbit 250w MH with 4 24 inch T5's.

I'm wanting to put some good bulbs in there to help get more colors out of my tank, right now I have a 14k bulb.

I would use the lighting cycle as:

T5's on 1 hour before MH, then MH turns on for 6 hours and then off, and the T5's would then turn off an hour later for the moon lights to then turn on.


I was thinking an order of...

ATI Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
250 Watt 14k AquaMaxx HQI
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15235447#post15235447 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DML08
grim, someone mentioned that T5 bulbs are designed to only be cooled on the label side, is this true? I have fans blowing on both end caps (perpendicular to bulbs) with that said they said I may be over cooling them and shorting the bulb life.. is this true?.. thanks..

As long as you are only cooling the ends you are fine. Cooling the label end is more effective with SOME lamps but not all.

 

[tylert]

Is a workhorse ballast comparable to an ice cap when over driving? I have a 5 bulb fixture and want to overdrive them but don't know the best way i.e. what ballasts to what bulbs how many watts etc. right now at HO they are 54watt bulbs. Any tips or suggestions would be a great help.
Thanks guys

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15235522#post15235522 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GaryR1984
Hey Grim,

Here's a question for you.

I got an Outer Orbit 250w MH with 4 24 inch T5's.

I'm wanting to put some good bulbs in there to help get more colors out of my tank, right now I have a 14k bulb.

I would use the lighting cycle as:

T5's on 1 hour before MH, then MH turns on for 6 hours and then off, and the T5's would then turn off an hour later for the moon lights to then turn on.


I was thinking an order of...

ATI Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
250 Watt 14k AquaMaxx HQI
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus

And? Sounds like a plan. I would probably run the T5's longer, couple hours before and after.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15235632#post15235632 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tylert
Is a workhorse ballast comparable to an ice cap when over driving? I have a 5 bulb fixture and want to overdrive them but don't know the best way i.e. what ballasts to what bulbs how many watts etc. right now at HO they are 54watt bulbs. Any tips or suggestions would be a great help.
Thanks guys

I highly recommend against overdriving with a WH. Those ballasts have none of the safety features a spec T5 ballast has. If you are going to overdrive stick with the IC ballasts.

 

[GaryR1984]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15235634#post15235634 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
And? Sounds like a plan. I would probably run the T5's longer, couple hours before and after.

I guess that question was is that a good combo in addition to my MH being it a 14k?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15236715#post15236715 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GaryR1984
I guess that question was is that a good combo in addition to my MH being it a 14k?

I can't really think of a better combo to start with than you listed. If you find it looks too blue I would try a UVL 75/25 in place of the super actinic. Want more Blue use another Blue Plus in place of the actinic.

 

[cdamiano]

Grim,

I currently have 3 250W MH with 10K Reeflux bulbs and 3 T5 80W overdriven with IC ballast. What 3 T5 bulbs would you recommend for use with this setup?

I am looking for something that might help bring out the purple colors more in my Acros.

Also, I am just about to replace my 10K Reeflux bulbs. I am undecided as to whether I will stick with the 10K or switch to the 12K Reeflux. If you or anyone else reading this has a recommendation on that let me know.

Thanks!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15237065#post15237065 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cdamiano
Grim,

I currently have 3 250W MH with 10K Reeflux bulbs and 3 T5 80W overdriven with IC ballast. What 3 T5 bulbs would you recommend for use with this setup?

I am looking for something that might help bring out the purple colors more in my Acros.

Also, I am just about to replace my 10K Reeflux bulbs. I am undecided as to whether I will stick with the 10K or switch to the 12K Reeflux. If you or anyone else reading this has a recommendation on that let me know.

Thanks!

No real opinion on the halides. For T5's I would try 2 ATI Blue Plus and 1 Pro Color.

 

[Lyfey]

I would go with the reeflux 12ks I have 3 waiting to be in use. They have a beautiful soft purple glow on my DE 250w current USA outer orbit pro. I use that along with 3x blue plus and a 75.25 and I think it looks very clean on a 72" system

hope that helps any.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15237065#post15237065 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cdamiano
Grim,

I currently have 3 250W MH with 10K Reeflux bulbs and 3 T5 80W overdriven with IC ballast. What 3 T5 bulbs would you recommend for use with this setup?

I am looking for something that might help bring out the purple colors more in my Acros.

Also, I am just about to replace my 10K Reeflux bulbs. I am undecided as to whether I will stick with the 10K or switch to the 12K Reeflux. If you or anyone else reading this has a recommendation on that let me know.

Thanks!

 

[cdamiano]

Thanks for the responses Grim and Lyfey.

 

[xroads]

[/IMG]

Hey Grim,

I built this T-5 light & am wondering about cooling it. I thought about laying 2 box fans on top blowing upward.

What do you think?

Thanks
Craig

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15237452#post15237452 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xroads

[/IMG]

Hey Grim,

I built this T-5 light & am wondering about cooling it. I thought about laying 2 box fans on top blowing upward.

What do you think?

Thanks
Craig

You only want to cool the lamp ends so I am not sure if using large fans is going to work out. I think a 6" fan blowing horizontally across each end would do good maybe 10" to make sure the air stream will cover both rows of ends on each side, hard to tell how much they are staggered by the picture. Nice rig.