The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15394434#post15394434 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scott11
I played around with the bulbs I have a little more.

I have a blue + and a pure antinic up front, and I love the blue/purple look. Thinking about leaving those and adding the same or just 2 blue + in the rear. How would that be for par? I would like to cut back my MH a little, and would like to run the T5 primarily. Maybe just use the MH for a few hours. They only run 5 hours now, and growth is good. The other option woulb be a bluer MH bulb, and maybe a aquablue for par.

The Blue Plus has a lot of PAR. More than daylights so they will give you good growth. You could do the Aquablue and Blue Plus and have a nice look and decent PAR. You could also do a Fiji Purple and Blue Plus. That would give you good pink and purple colors when just the T5's are running. If all your corals show up well with the blue plus and actinic then you don't need the Fiji lamp.

 

[mnemonix]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15394270#post15394270 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
You would probably be OK 1 foot above if you had to. I would probably shoot for 6 to 8 inches.

Cheers.
Is there any need for concern in regards to tip burn etc due to the fixture being too low if I place it below 6"? If I acclimatize the corals at the bottom of the tank and then bring them up?

 

[daveonbass]

I have a 58 gallon tank with a 36" ATI PM over it. Front to back:

Front
Blue+
Fiji Purple
Blue+
Blue+
Aquablue Special
Blue+

it looks like the pic...

The light used to be about 6" off the water...But lately the corals have started to not come out...and most of my new additions are bleaching...

I have moved the light up to 10" and even provided a shaded area over the tank to literally BLOCK the light on one side of the tank. That helped and those coral that bleached came back into color (massive shading). But once I removed the "board" that was shading the tank...the corals started to bleach again. So the shade is back.

I love the ATI PM but it seems that it is almost too much light. It's extremely bright white...and I was hoping for a deep water blue light, even more purple.

Also I have just now started to add in SPS...and all my params are in order...but the tank just seems so bright white. I have all the Blue+ bulbs come on first, and even that is quite white...(bluish white) and then the rest come on an hour later and the tank is just stark white...and the burn period is about 9 hours all day. The LPS's look ok in the morning and better at night, but seem stressed durring the brightness of the day...and the fixture is already 10" above the water now...

What would be a better bulb/configuration to implement in order to hopefully stop the bleaching (too white?) and give the tank a deeper water look...(bear in mind that I have bangaii cardinal fish in there and they look blinded sometimes)?

All help is appreciated.

 

[ssublime1]

Hi Grim, long time listener first time caller. I'm looking for a nice even combination with high PAR for a 6 bulb setup. I am following your recommendations, I've noticed sometimes you recommend a Fiji Purple and others you recommend a different bulb. I'm wondering what your reasoning for this is?

I'm brand new to T5's and have been using MH for the better part of my reef tank experience. I'm planning on having a mixed tank with SPS, LPS, maybe a couple softies and some clams. My main concern is maintaining and intensifying the SPS coloration.

This is my projected setup for now:
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue for a 14K look

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15394942#post15394942 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mnemonix
Cheers.
Is there any need for concern in regards to tip burn etc due to the fixture being too low if I place it below 6"? If I acclimatize the corals at the bottom of the tank and then bring them up?

Really can't say. It depends on what the corals are use to. If they were under 1000 watt halides previously I doubt it.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15395039#post15395039 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by daveonbass
I have a 58 gallon tank with a 36" ATI PM over it. Front to back:

Front
Blue+
Fiji Purple
Blue+
Blue+
Aquablue Special
Blue+

it looks like the pic...

The light used to be about 6" off the water...But lately the corals have started to not come out...and most of my new additions are bleaching...

I have moved the light up to 10" and even provided a shaded area over the tank to literally BLOCK the light on one side of the tank. That helped and those coral that bleached came back into color (massive shading). But once I removed the "board" that was shading the tank...the corals started to bleach again. So the shade is back.

I love the ATI PM but it seems that it is almost too much light. It's extremely bright white...and I was hoping for a deep water blue light, even more purple.

Also I have just now started to add in SPS...and all my params are in order...but the tank just seems so bright white. I have all the Blue+ bulbs come on first, and even that is quite white...(bluish white) and then the rest come on an hour later and the tank is just stark white...and the burn period is about 9 hours all day. The LPS's look ok in the morning and better at night, but seem stressed durring the brightness of the day...and the fixture is already 10" above the water now...

What would be a better bulb/configuration to implement in order to hopefully stop the bleaching (too white?) and give the tank a deeper water look...(bear in mind that I have bangaii cardinal fish in there and they look blinded sometimes)?

All help is appreciated.

Try replacing the Aquablue with a UVL Super Actinic. If that doesn't work try also replacing a blue plus with a second super actinic.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15395599#post15395599 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ssublime1
Hi Grim, long time listener first time caller. I'm looking for a nice even combination with high PAR for a 6 bulb setup. I am following your recommendations, I've noticed sometimes you recommend a Fiji Purple and others you recommend a different bulb. I'm wondering what your reasoning for this is?

I'm brand new to T5's and have been using MH for the better part of my reef tank experience. I'm planning on having a mixed tank with SPS, LPS, maybe a couple softies and some clams. My main concern is maintaining and intensifying the SPS coloration.

This is my projected setup for now:
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue for a 14K look

With fewer lamps the fiji is a way to boost reds that is subtle and doesn't make the tank look too pink. In 60" lamps it comes down to the fiji or Pro Color because UVL doesnt make 60" lamps.

Your mix should look good.

 

[gerald31]

Hi Grim, I just got myself a giesemann 8 x 39w t5 for my SPS dominated reef tank. I used to ran a 250mh but switched to T5 because it can give me a better spread across the display. Can you advise what is a good T5 tubes setup that can give me gd par reading for growth yet good colour. I'm also running ULNS.
My current set-up is-

front
giesemann Aquablue +
giesemann Aquablue
ATI Aqua blue special
giesemann Aquablue +
ATI-procolour
giesemann Aquablue +
giesemann Aquablue
giesemann Aquablue +

I was looking at white tube replacement to a Giese.6500k for growth but is concern that the overall look will be yellowish.

The tough part is that from where I come from we only have Giesemann & ati bulb.

Thanks in advance.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15396190#post15396190 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gerald31
Hi Grim, I just got myself a giesemann 8 x 39w t5 for my SPS dominated reef tank. I used to ran a 250mh but switched to T5 because it can give me a better spread across the display. Can you advise what is a good T5 tubes setup that can give me gd par reading for growth yet good colour. I'm also running ULNS.
My current set-up is-

front
giesemann Aquablue +
giesemann Aquablue
ATI Aqua blue special
giesemann Aquablue +
ATI-procolour
giesemann Aquablue +
giesemann Aquablue
giesemann Aquablue +

I was looking at white tube replacement to a Giese.6500k for growth but is concern that the overall look will be yellowish.

The tough part is that from where I come from we only have Giesemann & ati bulb.

Thanks in advance.

Front
Blue (ATI Blue Plus or GMann Actinic Plus)
Aquablue (either one)
Blue
Pro Color
Blue
Gmann Miidday
Blue
Blue

That will be plenty of PAR and look a whole lot better than all those stupid Aquablues.

 

[kyle1284]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15394249#post15394249 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I would add a Blue Plus and a UVL 75/25. I'd probably grab 2 blue plus lamps then try replacing the midday then aquablue with the 2nd blue lamp

what brand is that blue plus bulb?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

ATI

 

[Lyfey]

Grim do you think an IC pre-wired 48" 4 bulb retro kit will fit inside a NOVA EXTREME 8x54w? Was thinking of jerry-rigging this up.. get to use the fans and the mounting brackets and such.. what do you think?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15397184#post15397184 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lyfey
Grim do you think an IC pre-wired 48" 4 bulb retro kit will fit inside a NOVA EXTREME 8x54w? Was thinking of jerry-rigging this up.. get to use the fans and the mounting brackets and such.. what do you think?

Yeah, you should be able to drop that right in. Not sure there is room for the IC ballast above the plate on the retro or not. You might have to mount the IC ballast remote but that would be pretty slick too. If you go for it make a build thread.

 

[JAHGYDI]

just got a kz fiji purple bulb it looks exactly like my ati aquablue special am i trippin?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15400425#post15400425 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JAHGYDI
just got a kz fiji purple bulb it looks exactly like my ati aquablue special am i trippin?

Take a walk outside for about 5 minutes then go back in and look at the lamps. The Aquablue will be slightly blue and the Fiji Purple will be slightly purple. Could be your eyes just don't pick up the subtle difference but it is there.

 

[jwiz63]

Another plea for the wisdom of the all knowing and EXTRAORDINARILY kind Grim for lighting advice. I'm a new and trying to become learned reefer with a 75 gallon tank and the 48" nep. From the pictures I have seen I prefer a whiter / brighter look rather than a deep ocean blue, but I don't want to inhibit the health and growth of my corals. Right now I only have softies and a couple lps but hope in time to be able to handle sps and maybe clams.

It looks like a common suggestion for lights is:

ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500 K daylight
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aqua blue

I believe I saw this as giving a 12-15k look.

Am I correct in saying the higher k rating the bluer it will be?

What is desired for good growth and health or is that too general due to the variance in coral requirements?

Would replacing the Fiji Purple with a UVL Actinic plus make this less blue but acceptable?

Have I missed any links that give good pictures of the different lamp combinations in a close vicinity to each other? I looked but only could find the scatter pictures in this fine thread, thus my questions above.

Thank you so much for all the time you put into helping us poor souls who are trying to find our way and treat our guests well (while not going broke with mistakes )

 

[rs1831]

Hey Grim,

I'm curious if you would have any advice on supplementing some halides. I have 2x250's and I am going to supplement it with 2x54 t5's. I'm thinking about using Hamilton 14k and would like to know what would go well with them. I want my light to be a crisp white with a hint of blue but I still want my corals to pop.

Thanks

 

[gerald31]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15396270#post15396270 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Front
Blue (ATI Blue Plus or GMann Actinic Plus)
Aquablue (either one)
Blue
Pro Color
Blue
Gmann Miidday
Blue
Blue

That will be plenty of PAR and look a whole lot better than all those stupid Aquablues.

Thks so much. I will try out this new combo.

 

[eros]

Grim,
Someone on another thread said you posted your results from the new Icecap T5's. I tried looking but this thread is massive and I couldn't find it. Can you help me out? I'm very curious about these new bulbs. Thanks
Steve

 

[jasonrp104]

Just saying thanks again. The combination of bulbs you gave me has my tank looking awesome