The T5 Q&a Thread

[JNye]

I have a 20L frag tank. 2 sunpaq ballasts, individual reflectors, 4 lamp retro. I have a rack with SPS on it, some LPS on the edges. Mushrooms and zoas on the bottom growing on rocks. I want great coloration. Most SPS browns out currently. Peak PAR right now on the rack is only around 260ppfd, about 6 inches from the bulbs. I know I need new bulbs. I have 2 white and two blues, who knows what the are, they are being replaced. Which 4 bulbs do I need? Thank you in advance.

 

[Nap]

Try eliminating the 2 actinics for a while and up your blue plus cycle to 10 hours. Leave the daylights at 4 hours. I am thinking perhaps you are getting too much UV light. Try that for a few weeks and let us know what happens. That won't drop your PAR a huge amount so if I am right you should see a color change pretty quick.

Thanks Grim! I'lle let you know in a few weeks. If this doesn't work I am going to pull out some old (as in 1998) 175w MH's that are just collecting dust in the garage. That better make some kind of difference...positive or negative!

-Ian

PS-On a serious note, if it doesn't work I hope you have a few more tricks up your sleeve!

 

[saline solution]

SO...I am about to order a 6x54 sunpower for my 80Gal SPS tank. I like the 150 watt phoenix's HQI I have, with 260 watts of good ol current actinics. But it is time for T5's

Thinking

Blue plus
Fiji purple
Blue plus
GE 6500
Blue plus
Blue plus

My wife really likes the "POP." Should I drop the last blue plus for a super actinic? I am going to order 7-8 bulbs from reef geek, so I have a little play room. I am thinking of an extra aqua blue or actinic white to have on hand.

Your thoughts?...Anyone?

 

[redhanded77]

here is a shot of my dual ati fixtures. the t5's provides crisp, clean light with awesome detail.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15143220#post15143220 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by poo-tang
I have a 20L frag tank. 2 sunpaq ballasts, individual reflectors, 4 lamp retro. I have a rack with SPS on it, some LPS on the edges. Mushrooms and zoas on the bottom growing on rocks. I want great coloration. Most SPS browns out currently. Peak PAR right now on the rack is only around 260ppfd, about 6 inches from the bulbs. I know I need new bulbs. I have 2 white and two blues, who knows what the are, they are being replaced. Which 4 bulbs do I need? Thank you in advance.

Try 3 ATI Blue Plus and a UVL Actinic White.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15143484#post15143484 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nap
Thanks Grim! I'lle let you know in a few weeks. If this doesn't work I am going to pull out some old (as in 1998) 175w MH's that are just collecting dust in the garage. That better make some kind of difference...positive or negative!

-Ian

PS-On a serious note, if it doesn't work I hope you have a few more tricks up your sleeve!

I have an 8 foot wingspan. My sleeves are long

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15143854#post15143854 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saline solution
SO...I am about to order a 6x54 sunpower for my 80Gal SPS tank. I like the 150 watt phoenix's HQI I have, with 260 watts of good ol current actinics. But it is time for T5's

Thinking

Blue plus
Fiji purple
Blue plus
GE 6500
Blue plus
Blue plus

My wife really likes the "POP." Should I drop the last blue plus for a super actinic? I am going to order 7-8 bulbs from reef geek, so I have a little play room. I am thinking of an extra aqua blue or actinic white to have on hand.

Your thoughts?...Anyone?

The Blue Pluses should get you the pop. An Actinic white would help bring out pink and red if the fiji doesn't do it for you. An Aquablue is a great spare.

 

[burned]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15139275#post15139275 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Do an ATI Blue Plus and a UVL 75/25. The pink from the UVL lamp will bring out pink or purple colors you may be missing now.

Thanks Grim

b

 

[launchnukes]

I had a quick question if anyone could help me.

I'm looking at purchasing a new 240w tank. the dimensions are 72"l x 30"w x 25"t. i plan on keeping sps from the middle to top of the tank and lps and softies down lower and on the sand bottom. can i go t5s only or do i need to get 3x 250w MHs (i have 4x 96w PCs for acintic) like i originally planned? i'd like to get away from the MHs for heat, cheaper bulbs, and to keep the power bill down but i don't want to sacrifice coral growth.

thanks.

 

[Me No Nemo]

Hey Cham...today's the day!

I'm setting up my 10 bulb ATI module. I have the following bulbs and and would love some feedback on lamp placement for a 30" high 215 mostly SPS. I've been using Tek Lights on my farm and am very happy with the light combo there, but this is the first time I'm using the GE or Fiji Purple:

(1) Fiji Purple
(1) GE 6500K
(2) ATI Actinic
(2) ATI Blue Special
(4) ATI Blue +

Thanks!!!

 

[cham]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15147033#post15147033 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Me No Nemo
Hey Cham...today's the day!

I'm setting up my 10 bulb ATI module. I have the following bulbs and and would love some feedback on lamp placement for a 30" high 215 mostly SPS. I've been using Tek Lights on my farm and am very happy with the light combo there, but this is the first time I'm using the GE or Fiji Purple:

(1) Fiji Purple
(1) GE 6500K
(2) ATI Actinic
(2) ATI Blue Special
(4) ATI Blue +

Thanks!!!

Awesome set up Marcye!! We'll have very similar bulb set ups. Lets see some pictures in your build thread (that thread is so dead!).

I have the 8 bulb fixture since my tank width is only 24"

 

[Me No Nemo]

I'll get some new shots up soon. Here's the placement I'm thinking of going with:

Front:
Blue+
Actinic
Blue+
GE 6500
Actinic
Fiji Purple
Blue Special
Blue+
Blue Special
Blue+

 

[Me No Nemo]

Wow, just fired the fixture up and I love how the tank looks! I like this color combo very much.

 

[cham]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15147734#post15147734 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Me No Nemo
Wow, just fired the fixture up and I love how the tank looks! I like this color combo very much.

Will you stop teasing us!

I hope Tom doesn't get this treatment!!!

 

[Me No Nemo]

Tom wouldn't let me take any pics because he does tank cleaning on Sundays so the glass wasn't "spotless." You know how he is.... Hopefully I'll grab some shots when I get back from work tomorrow. I really love the lights though. I can't believe the pop I'm getting on the zoas and ricordea. I'm glad I went with the GE 6500K. I see a huge difference in the colors in this tank over the colors at the farm.

 

[Me No Nemo]

Here's the final setup and I really do like the way it looks (top is rear of tank, bottom front):

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15146725#post15146725 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by launchnukes
I had a quick question if anyone could help me.

I'm looking at purchasing a new 240w tank. the dimensions are 72"l x 30"w x 25"t. i plan on keeping sps from the middle to top of the tank and lps and softies down lower and on the sand bottom. can i go t5s only or do i need to get 3x 250w MHs (i have 4x 96w PCs for acintic) like i originally planned? i'd like to get away from the MHs for heat, cheaper bulbs, and to keep the power bill down but i don't want to sacrifice coral growth.

thanks.

Aquactinics Constellation would work, ATI's 8x60 inch Powermodule would also work.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15147109#post15147109 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Me No Nemo
I'll get some new shots up soon. Here's the placement I'm thinking of going with:

Front:
Blue+
Actinic
Blue+
GE 6500
Actinic
Fiji Purple
Blue Special
Blue+
Blue Special
Blue+

Try this

Front
Blue Plus
Actinic
Aquablue
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus
GE
Blue Plus
Actinic
Blue Plus
Aquablue

This will do a couple things for you.

#1 is you get an ectinic and Blue Plus for duck/dawn, looks really cool.

#2 It moves the Fiji Purple forward so its light hits the viewing side of the corals more.

#3 It spreads your blue plamps out more so that spectrum is more evenly distributed.

 

[A. Grandis]

Hey Grim:
:bounce1::bounce2::bounce3: Got my 6 bulb ATI fixture for the 75 gal.:bounce1::bounce2::bounce3:

The bulbs are:

front-
Blue plus
Aqua Blue
Super Actinic
75/25
Aqua Blue
Super blue
-back

Any chages for their placements?

I need to know if there is any suggestions for the position of the ends (the way to attach the bulbs in fixture). Does it matter, like some metal halides?

How far from water surface should I place the fixture?

What about the fan speed? How can I know the best set for that?

Thanks.
Grandis.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15151170#post15151170 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by A. Grandis
Hey Grim:
:bounce1::bounce2::bounce3: Got my 6 bulb ATI fixture for the 75 gal.:bounce1::bounce2::bounce3:

The bulbs are:

front-
Blue plus
Aqua Blue
Super Actinic
75/25
Aqua Blue
Super blue
-back

Any chages for their placements?

I need to know if there is any suggestions for the position of the ends (the way to attach the bulbs in fixture). Does it matter, like some metal halides?

How far from water surface should I place the fixture?

What about the fan speed? How can I know the best set for that?

Thanks.
Grandis.

Front
Aquablue
Super Actinic
Blue Plus
75/25
Super Blue (I assume this is some kind of blue lamp()
Aquablue