Who's using T-5s?

[DgenR8]

Hey all,
The time has come for my tank to undergo some changes. I'm adding something I saw at MACNA called a Chloramine blaster to my RO/DI, and I want to completely change my lighting.
I'll start another thread about the Chloramine blaster, and I want to discuss T-5 lighting here.
I'm currently running a Hamilton tar ballast pushing two 6' VHO actinics, an IceCap 660 pushing three 6' 50/50 VHO and three 400 watt Iwasaki 6500K.
I've decided that the three 400 watters are going to go. I just don't need that much light. I am not sure yet what I'm going to replace them with, but I do know that it will be three 250 watt bulbs.
I plan to continue having three stages of light. I will of course keep my IceCap 660, and I'll be replacing the Hamilton VHO ballast with an IceCap 430.
This would be the ideal time to chuck the VHOs and use those amazingly bright T5s. I have a few questions that I could probably answer by searching, but I want your opinions.
Most important to me is that the actinic look good. The reason I don't like PCs is that they appear "fake" to me. I went with VHO originally because I like the look of corals as they flouresece under VHO actinic lighting. Do you get that same effect from T-5?
Can you get T-5s in 6' length?

 

[kevin21]

hey larry,

here is a pic of my bulb configuration. the beautiful blue you see if called actinic+. there are awesome and i believe they come in 6' length.

 

[qy7400]

Larry,
Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢m doing the same homework right now. I have not come across 6' bulbs yet, I think the largest right now is 80W 5'. The T-5 appears to run best under SLR as opposed to a common reflector that you're probably using for the VHO. I'm currently trying out the Current T-5 24" setup over a 10G and seems OK. I think color and appearance wise I'll like a retro better but this gave me a good idea and I can play musical bulbs later.

 

[pecan2phat]

The "true actinics" are no comparison to the URI VHO super actinics. They have no intensity and are more purpleish. URI is suppose to come out with a T5 actinic though.

T5s (with individual parabolic reflectors) overall are more efficient then VHOs for bulb longevity, light output, space needed & energy efficiency but IMO, they run hotter than VHO bulbs and did I say the actinics suck.
Key to T5s is to make sure you have enough tube configurations to get the "right" look, the PAR will definitely be there.
I also think Joe is correct that they only come as large as 5' @ 80w for now.

 

[DgenR8]

I can live with the 5 foot bulbs over my 6 foot tank, but the actinic thing is turning me off. That's my issue with PCs, I don't like the actinic.
With a 660 and a 430 I should be able to run at least 5 five foot T5s. Maybe I should keep 2 VHO, just for actinic. Run those on the 430, and put 3 (4?) Daylight T-5s on my 660.
I still have two brand new VHO actinic bulbs. That kinda makes this idea make more sense.
How are the T-5s for daylight compared to VHO?

 

[terranova]

I have the T5's in Ocean Blue that came with my AquaMedic 48" fixture, and I looove them, but it seems you're trying to stray away from the blue?

 

[kevin21]

liana,

i didnt have the option of ocean blue when i bought the tek light. Is ocean blue just like the actinic+?

larry, im not sure what your looking at either? no actinic or actinic supplement?

 

[Johnsteph10]

I've used a lOT of different T5s over time.

The actinic are just pathetic. The good T5s right now are the Blue+.

The Helios super blue bulbs are nice, too for a blue look.

There will never be 6 foot T5s because of their fragile nature.

URI has some 4 foot Super Actinics out now but they are in short supply and there isn't much feedback available yet.

I went the opposite way - I got rid of all my supplemental lighting and went with my 3x400w 10k Reeflux - in my honest opinion, it looks great and I'm saving a LOT of electricity.

 

[DgenR8]

I'm looking for actinics more for the dusk/dawn effect than anything else. I'm thinking that what ever halides I decide on will be blue enough that I won't need to supplement them.

 

[Long Island Andy]

larry

stick with the 2 VHO's , its hard to get that look with any other type of bulb IMHO

andy

 

[onegreenray]

i agree with andy. stick with the vhos there is no other bulb out there that will bring out the flourescent nature of the corals.


but if you can live with out that look go with just the halides like john said.

 

[DgenR8]

I guess I was thinking along the right lines when I posted this thread.
I'll continue running 2 URI VHO actinics, then I think I'll try 3 daylight T-5s and continue looking into what halides I want to use. I'm thinking about the XM 250 watt D/E 14 K, but that might be too blue.

 

[onegreenray]

larry click on my red house. you can see the difference in the single end moguals that are 250. the last update in tank photos shows the older style coral vue 14ks, the pic before was the reeflux 250 10 k which is a little pink in color. i like the 14k bulbs as they are more blue but not too blue. i also am running 2 4 foot vho actnics as well.

 

[DgenR8]

Don't make me go over there digging for what pic is what. Post 'em here with a description.

 

[Corpus Callosum]

I use the Ocean Pro and Sun Pro bulbs. 1 sun pro for every 2 ocean pro. Ocean pros are around 14k-20k with the sun pros at 10k.

I purchased my bulbs from aquatinics.com and use the 2 Pure Actinics as well which are nice and purple - not blue like the actinic plus bulbs.

I love T5s and will never use other lighting again for shallow tanks, shallow being under 3 feet deep.

 

[onegreenray]

ok lazy:

right side is the 250 watt reeflux, left side is an 250 xm 10k

the whole tank as it is now with coral vue 250 watt single ended 14k bulbs

this is with coral vue 250 watt single ended 10ks

this is the ushio 250 watt single ended 10k's

aslo the first two pics have 2 4 foot vhos as actnics, last two i was using pc's as actnics.

hope this helps larry.