The T5 Q&a Thread

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Just doing my research....

Just doing my research....

I am looking to set up my acrylic aquarium that I just built, measurements are L48"xH24"xD20" I know that I want some T5's in my canopy that I am going to build, I want to be able to house all corals, I really like SPS! But my question to all, especially Sir Grim is, what lighting system should I get?

1) IceCap Retrofit 48" 4x54W T5 w/ 660 Ballast with a 175w MH Icecap Retrofit

2) IceCap Retrofit 48" 4x54W T5 w/660 Ballast and IceCap 48" T5 workhorse Ballast Retrofit

3) TEK 48" 8x54W fixture

4) ATI Sunpower 48" 6x54W

Basically my price range is ~ $700

Any pro's or con's of any of the following? Thanks in advance.
 
i need some input on some bulb selections.
i just bougth a 48" TEK 8 bulb and need some advice on how to set the bulbs.
I use to run 2-20k 250w mh with 2 39w blue + and 2 24w blue +
so i guess i like it blue.
tank specs are 48x24x20
i will be growing sps and some lps on the bottom
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15417181#post15417181 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PogoMonogo
Hey grim, thanks for all this t5 help. I have a 90g with a 2x250w hqi and 4x54w t5. I am going to be switching to an 8 bulb tek light. How far down do you think sps, at the moment I have 1 or 2 around halfway down. Any suggestions for bulb combo as well?
Click to expand...


Half way should be fine

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
GE 6500K Daylight
Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
Blue Plus

Grab a spare Blue Plus. You may not like the look of 2 75/25's in your dusk/dawn set so if you don't you can pull one out and hold it for your first lamp change
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15417199#post15417199 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Saldarya
I have decided to go T5 on a 220G tank, 72"x24"x30" tall.

This tank is an upgrade from my current tank which uses 2-250W Radiums on an M80 ballast.

Looks liek I can fit 8, maybe 9 60" blubs above the Tank with an icecap retrofit.

So, a couple questions.

1. Will the 5' bulbs provide enough light spread down the sides of a 6' tank that the edges will not appear shaded?

2. What bulb combo woudl come close to the radiums visual appearance?

3. How will I do on a 30" tank as it relates to par? Clams on the bottom, the SPS can be in the top 24" of the tank.

4. Will i get a bigger bang for the buck if I just used the 10 bulb 5' ATI Powermodule versus the retrofit?

Thanks a ton!!
Click to expand...

I think I would go for the powermodule and keep it as low to the tank as possible. You can sit it right on top if you want. I think having it lower, the better reflectors and more concentrated lamp positioning would give you more light over the taller tank.

For lamps

Front
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus

I think the 3rd and 7th lamps are dusk/dawn on that fixture, if I got it wrong just shift the positions so you have 2 blue plus lamps in the slots for D-D.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15417423#post15417423 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by unseen_clone
i need some input on some bulb selections.
i just bougth a 48" TEK 8 bulb and need some advice on how to set the bulbs.
I use to run 2-20k 250w mh with 2 39w blue + and 2 24w blue +
so i guess i like it blue.
tank specs are 48x24x20
i will be growing sps and some lps on the bottom
Click to expand...

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

That will look pretty blue but still pick up yellows, pinks and purples like a 20K halide.
 
Re: Just doing my research....

Re: Just doing my research....

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15417252#post15417252 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tallreeefer13
I am looking to set up my acrylic aquarium that I just built, measurements are L48"xH24"xD20" I know that I want some T5's in my canopy that I am going to build, I want to be able to house all corals, I really like SPS! But my question to all, especially Sir Grim is, what lighting system should I get?

1) IceCap Retrofit 48" 4x54W T5 w/ 660 Ballast with a 175w MH Icecap Retrofit

2) IceCap Retrofit 48" 4x54W T5 w/660 Ballast and IceCap 48" T5 workhorse Ballast Retrofit

3) TEK 48" 8x54W fixture

4) ATI Sunpower 48" 6x54W

Basically my price range is ~ $700

Any pro's or con's of any of the following? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Option one but get spec ballasts instead of the workhorse. That will give you 3 stage lighting. Each T5 ballast controls 2 lamps so you turn each of them on then the IC.
 
Grim, i have a quick question:

Im running a radium 250w on an HQI E ballast (vertex) over a 30cube, Im wanting more POP to the colors and hopfully some of the crispyness of he radium gone.

Ive been thinking about suplimenting with t-5 HO Pure Atinics (24w each) to give POP and hopfully a violet hue in the tank.

DO you think two 24w T5HO Pure atinics will do much to the 250w radium (in a lumenmax II)

I was wanting the Giesemann T5 Professional 2x 24'' Retrofit Kit (with ballast) and relflectors. and using two 24w pure atinic powerchrome bulbs.

Im also not sure if the giesemann brand ballast that comes with the kit for 2x 24w bulbs will be able to power another 24w because i might want to upgrade to 3 in the future (maybe the third one a 420 attinic)

Let me know what you think, Im just worried im going to spend this money and it not even show through due to the intensity of the radium.
 
I have a 90 gl AGA. Currently have 4 lights with IC 660. Lights are as follows:

Back
Blue Plus
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Blue Plus
Front

My LPS and zoo's on the bottom are doing great. However, I have added a small milli and acro at the top and after several months they don't appear to be doing as well.

I plan to add 3 additional lights at the end of the year with a second 660 ballast but until that point would I be better with the following:

Back
Blue Plus
Actinic White
6500 Daylight
Blue Plus
Front

Or would another 4 bulb combination be better to allow for better SPS growth at the top while keeping the LPS and zoo's happy at the bottom? The two SPS frags are about 7" below the water and 13" below the lights.

Lights are about 6" off the water and closer to the back of the tank over the rock.

Thanks
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15418378#post15418378 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KevinYates
Grim, i have a quick question:

Im running a radium 250w on an HQI E ballast (vertex) over a 30cube, Im wanting more POP to the colors and hopfully some of the crispyness of he radium gone.

Ive been thinking about suplimenting with t-5 HO Pure Atinics (24w each) to give POP and hopfully a violet hue in the tank.

DO you think two 24w T5HO Pure atinics will do much to the 250w radium (in a lumenmax II)

I was wanting the Giesemann T5 Professional 2x 24'' Retrofit Kit (with ballast) and relflectors. and using two 24w pure atinic powerchrome bulbs.

Im also not sure if the giesemann brand ballast that comes with the kit for 2x 24w bulbs will be able to power another 24w because i might want to upgrade to 3 in the future (maybe the third one a 420 attinic)

Let me know what you think, Im just worried im going to spend this money and it not even show through due to the intensity of the radium.
Click to expand...

I am not a fan of Giesemann T5 equipment because of the companies claim it isn't necessary to cool T5 lamps to get maximum performance which I know for a fact to be incorrect. For supplementation it isn't a big deal so it isn't a bad choice if you like the look of the fixture.

That being said the Giesemann pure actinic lamp will add violet without adding additional blue to the look while the halide is running. The ATI, UVL and sfigiloi actinics all add a decent amount of blue. It is still more toward violet but they have more blue to it. Which is going to give you what you want is really impossible to say.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15418378#post15418378 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KevinYates
Grim, i have a quick question:

Im running a radium 250w on an HQI E ballast (vertex) over a 30cube, Im wanting more POP to the colors and hopfully some of the crispyness of he radium gone.

Ive been thinking about suplimenting with t-5 HO Pure Atinics (24w each) to give POP and hopfully a violet hue in the tank.

DO you think two 24w T5HO Pure atinics will do much to the 250w radium (in a lumenmax II)

I was wanting the Giesemann T5 Professional 2x 24'' Retrofit Kit (with ballast) and relflectors. and using two 24w pure atinic powerchrome bulbs.

Im also not sure if the giesemann brand ballast that comes with the kit for 2x 24w bulbs will be able to power another 24w because i might want to upgrade to 3 in the future (maybe the third one a 420 attinic)

Let me know what you think, Im just worried im going to spend this money and it not even show through due to the intensity of the radium.
Click to expand...

I am not a fan of Giesemann T5 equipment because of the companies claim it isn't necessary to cool T5 lamps to get maximum performance which I know for a fact to be incorrect. For supplementation it isn't a big deal so it isn't a bad choice if you like the look of the fixture.

That being said the Giesemann pure actinic lamp will add violet without adding additional blue to the look while the halide is running. The ATI, UVL and sfigiloi actinics all add a decent amount of blue. It is still more toward violet but they have more blue to it. Which is going to give you what you want is really impossible to say.
 
violet hue is good, i dont need extra blue.. its a radium. :)

color pop is what im really after, the violet is just an add on for me :)

"the pure atinics will still get the colors to pop good, with the best color coming out of the greens". do you if these are true?

do you know if this or any retrofit kit ballast will be able to run 3 24w bulbs.

they all state they run 2, but i might be looking to upgrade to 3 in the future.
 
Yeah, they push the greens a little better than just running a blue plus T5. Tek makes a ready fit retro that is 2 lamps. You could maybe throw 2 in for a total of 4 lamps. If you do that I would run 3 actinics and a blue plus. The Blue Plus will just be enough blue to richen the look of the actinics a bit when you are in dusk/dawn mode and isn't really going to make a drastic difference when the halide is on.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15417526#post15417526 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
Half way should be fine

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
GE 6500K Daylight
Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
Blue Plus

Grab a spare Blue Plus. You may not like the look of 2 75/25's in your dusk/dawn set so if you don't you can pull one out and hold it for your first lamp change
Click to expand...

Thanks again grim. I have had this setup for about 2 years, and i have around 40 acros across the top of my tank. Going from the 10k's to the 8 bulb t5, do you think i can expect loses? Some people tell me with a similiar set up, they burn their sps, but i have a hard time believing this. Thanks again dude.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15418746#post15418746 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PogoMonogo
Thanks again grim. I have had this setup for about 2 years, and i have around 40 acros across the top of my tank. Going from the 10k's to the 8 bulb t5, do you think i can expect loses? Some people tell me with a similiar set up, they burn their sps, but i have a hard time believing this. Thanks again dude.
Click to expand...

It really depends on the halide setup. Some of the cheesey halide setups don't have crap for PAR.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15418763#post15418763 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PogoMonogo
its a current outer orbit.
Click to expand...

Not the best but not the Ebay crap either.

If you were running a 20K lamp or it was a 150 watt halide be careful. Otherwise I don't really think you will have a problem but keep an eye on things. Anything that was high in the tank but not directly below the halide reflector is going to get a whole lot more light. I suspect that is how many of these corals get "burnt"
 
Grim,

If I add vents to my T5 setup and use ATI 80 watt bulbs, what useful bulb lifespan (polyps not getting brown) would I get?
 
grim,
i run a nova extreme pro on my 75 gal.
the lights are dual controlled (from the front) 1st and 5th on one line and 2,3,4,6 are on the other.
have a good setup suggestion? i have mostly soft corals but i'd like to add some additional sps besides the small montipora and caps i have.
b+
procolor
b+
6500
aquablue
aquablue
was my initial thought. not enough blue in there?
 
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