The T5 Q&a Thread

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Has anyone seen or have a UVL Indigo Sun in use? Just curious as to what this bulb gives us color temp wise. Is it UVL's answer to the Fiji Purple?
 
Grim:

Are these two fixtures a toss-up for performance or is one going to give better results?

48" Aquactinics Constellation
48" 6 bulb ATI Sunpower

I want to upgrade from my TX5. I want wider coverage.
 
Last edited:
VHOs for T5s

VHOs for T5s

Hello,

I have a standard 75 with 5 110 watt VHOs (3 aquasuns and 2 super actinis).

I was thinking about changing the aquasuns out with a 4x54W SLR T5 very high-output kit from Reef geek and keeping the 2xVHO super actinics.

Would this give me better lighting? If so what type of bulbs would be best to use?

Thanks
 
Grim, first let me thank you for putting up with all of our questions!

A bit of background:
-75 Gallon Standard 18x48x21 Tank

-48" ATI Powermodule
-Aquablue Special
-75/25
-Aquablue Plus
-Aquablue Special

My questions:

-What do you feel the limit of my prosperity would be when considering clams/anemone/sps? Which, if any, do you feel would be out of my league?

-I intend on hanging the fixture instead of resting it on the tank, how far above the tank could the fixture be hung before it is detrimental to the performance?

-Does that lamp configuration seem ok?

Thanks!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15400912#post15400912 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 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 :D )
Click to expand...

14K is a good guess.

Higher K is more blue

Replacing the fiji will make it more blue

There used to be a thread with T5 only pictures but it is pretty old. I don;t have the link to it.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15401060#post15401060 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 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
Click to expand...

If you mean the lamps they seem to be about the same as the equivalent UVL lamps. The difference will be the longevity of the lamps. The Ice Cap labeled ones have beefed up electrodes that will theoretically increase the life over other lamps when overdriven.

Testing between a regular driven and overdriven 4 lamp setup showed about a 30% increase in PAR. The overdriven setup had the lamps spaced about 1/2 inch further apart so I would estimate these lamps are getting about the same 35% increase being overdriven I got when I first tested the Ice Cap ballasts vs regularly driven
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15401791#post15401791 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gsxunv04
is the ati blue+ the actinic bulb with the highest PAR value?
Click to expand...

It is the highest PAR Blue Lamp. It isn't an actinic. Actinic lamps are violet and have UV output like a Black Light which is why they cause corals to glow. The Blue Lamps also have some UV output too, at least the good ones, ATI Giesemann, Ice Cap/UVL, Aquascience etc,
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15402394#post15402394 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by A.VOID
Grim:

Are these two fixtures a toss-up for performance or is one going to give better results?

48" Aquactinics Constellation
48" 6 bulb ATI Sunpower

I want to upgrade from my TX5. I want wider coverage.
Click to expand...

The ATI will punch a little deeper but the Aquactinics will have a wider pattern. If I had a 24 inch tall tank 18 inches deep I'd want the ATI. If it was 18" tall (or taller) and 24" deep Id want the Constellation.
 
Re: VHOs for T5s

Re: VHOs for T5s

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15402538#post15402538 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 7Dragons7
Hello,

I have a standard 75 with 5 110 watt VHOs (3 aquasuns and 2 super actinis).

I was thinking about changing the aquasuns out with a 4x54W SLR T5 very high-output kit from Reef geek and keeping the 2xVHO super actinics.

Would this give me better lighting? If so what type of bulbs would be best to use?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I have a friend that runs that same setup. Works nice. He is running the actinics front and rear with a Blue Plus or UVL 454, ATI Aquablue, UVL Actinic White and GE 6500K Daylight. Looks 14K-ish
 
Re: what two bulbs?

Re: what two bulbs?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15405475#post15405475 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hamiltonguy
I have a two bulb 24" T5HO fixture and was wondering what two bulbs would allow me to keep most corals (I'm assuming I won't be able to keep SPS with just two bulbs)

The links are for wavelength graphs.

I was thinking:

T5 German Midday:

http://oceanaquatics.com/store/prod...n-Midday-24"/

T5 German Actinic+ :

http://oceanaquatics.com/store/prod...tinic+-24"/
Click to expand...

SHould be fine. You could use the Aquablue instead of the daylight but I personally don't like that look. Tends to miss some colors. Just place the Blue lamps in the front.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15401933#post15401933 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Crippler
Has anyone seen or have a UVL Indigo Sun in use? Just curious as to what this bulb gives us color temp wise. Is it UVL's answer to the Fiji Purple?
Click to expand...

Actually like an Aquablue
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15405892#post15405892 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TylerHaworth
Grim, first let me thank you for putting up with all of our questions!

A bit of background:
-75 Gallon Standard 18x48x21 Tank

-48" ATI Powermodule
-Aquablue Special
-75/25
-Aquablue Plus
-Aquablue Special

My questions:

-What do you feel the limit of my prosperity would be when considering clams/anemone/sps? Which, if any, do you feel would be out of my league?

-I intend on hanging the fixture instead of resting it on the tank, how far above the tank could the fixture be hung before it is detrimental to the performance?

-Does that lamp configuration seem ok?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Change the first and last lamps to the Blue Plus. The Aquablues are nearly white. As long as the clams are below the lamps they should be fine as long as you keep the fixtre to within a few inches of the top.
 
Quick question:

What's the bluest T5 light out there? I need it in 60". I need it just for color when taking photos. These will be set behind Iwasaki 250w 65k's on half the tank and Ushio 250w 10k's on the other half.

It's a prop tank.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15406639#post15406639 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralfragger101
Quick question:

What's the bluest T5 light out there? I need it in 60". I need it just for color when taking photos. These will be set behind Iwasaki 250w 65k's on half the tank and Ushio 250w 10k's on the other half.

It's a prop tank.
Click to expand...

ATI Blue Plus or Giesemann Actinic Plus
 
Thanks. I can get the Giesemann local. So the Actinic Plus is bluer than the pure actinic. Much bluer? It's the pure actinic I have now.

I was comparing the pure actinic to those new blue LED strips that people are buying. Dang - those things are BLUE. How does the actinic plus compare colorwise to the blue led strips?
 
Just an FYI, so I was trying to get a T5 combo to match the 14k Phoenix. I ended up finding a PERFECT match. 2:1 ATI Aquablue:ATI Blue Plus. And the PAR is awesome with this combo. So my NEP fixture is as follows.

Front
Aquablue
Aquablue
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus
Aquablue

Just thought I would let you guys know what I came up with as I know a lot of people seemed to want to match the 14k Phoenix.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15407376#post15407376 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralfragger101
Thanks. I can get the Giesemann local. So the Actinic Plus is bluer than the pure actinic. Much bluer? It's the pure actinic I have now.

I was comparing the pure actinic to those new blue LED strips that people are buying. Dang - those things are BLUE. How does the actinic plus compare colorwise to the blue led strips?
Click to expand...

The Gmann Pure Actinic has very little visible light which is more violet.

The Actinic Plus is VERY Blue.
 
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