Thinking of adding T5's to BML lights

booyaa138 · 04/17/2017, 06:07 PM

I have 2 60 inch BuildMyLed MC 20k fixtures. These lights awesome but I can't get another since they don't make them anymore. I'm thinking about supplementing T5's. Everything in my tank opens up nicely but I feeling that the growth could be better. I'm thinking of adding 2x80w T5's
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/t5-ho-...-lighting.html

What do you guys think? Also what bulbs should I run?

alton · 04/17/2017, 06:22 PM

What size tank?

booyaa138 · 04/17/2017, 08:32 PM

sorry i forgot that. 60Lx18Wx24H. mostly LPS and softies right now. Want to get into alittle SPS soon.

reret10 · 04/17/2017, 08:42 PM

Tagging along.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

alton · 04/18/2017, 05:16 AM

My office tank 65g 36x18x24 with one one 20k BML XB set at 80% with SPS frag

A year later and I swapped the Hybrid Euphyllia around with the Frogspawn

Since then I have added a second BML actinic set at 50%. If you are wanting to add
lamps one would definitely be true 03 actinic, not sure about the second choice? Not sure if you want more blue or full spectrum

booyaa138 · 04/18/2017, 12:03 PM

Thanks for the pictures. I like the more natural look and not so much blue. anybody else know a good combo of T5 bulbs to use?

hann1bal · 04/18/2017, 12:09 PM

ATI Blue+ are the best bulbs but if you want a nice clean whiter bulb I recommend the ATI Coral+. The two together is a slam dunk IMO.

hann1bal · 04/18/2017, 12:14 PM

Two great vids about T5 spectums:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-TbkPJhHkY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OSS_PoUX6o

booyaa138 · 04/18/2017, 12:24 PM

thanks for the links. gave me a good idea of what they look like. I really just want everything to grow and be healthy. If that means a more blue color then I am fine with that.

booyaa138 · 04/18/2017, 12:24 PM

anybody else have BML lights with T5's supplement?

booyaa138 · 04/18/2017, 12:43 PM

also another question. Do I need to run 60inch T5's or can I get away with 48inch bulbs?

alton · 04/18/2017, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by booyaa138

also another question. Do I need to run 60inch T5's or can I get away with 48inch bulbs?

Most run 60" on there 72" tank, so I don't think 48" would be out of line on a 60".

booyaa138 · 04/18/2017, 01:27 PM

thanks alton for the help. Sorry for so many questions, I don't know anything about T5's

booyaa138 · 04/18/2017, 01:29 PM

how about a lighting schedule? maybe only like 2 or 4 hours for the T5's?

booyaa138 · 04/18/2017, 01:33 PM

another question is placement. LED's in the middle with T5's on the outside or the other way around?

hann1bal · 04/18/2017, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by booyaa138

another question is placement. LED's in the middle with T5's on the outside or the other way around?

Most fixtures I have seen have had LED's in middle and T5 on outside. I don't know much about timing since I only have T5's.

booyaa138 · 04/18/2017, 02:36 PM

thanks hann1bal

Anybody know how long I should run them?
Anybody have tank pics with this combo?

booyaa138 · 04/18/2017, 11:56 PM

bump backup for some more looks and some more opinions

alton · 04/19/2017, 04:57 AM

I would run lamps and leds 8 to 10 hours. Remember at the end of the day we are trying to mimic the sun.

booyaa138 · 04/19/2017, 11:53 AM

alton, right now my lighting schedule is like the sun. slowly ramp up until about 1pm. then for about 2 hours I keep the lights at 100%. after that I slowly ramp down until the lights are off. I run around a 12 hour light schedule. from 9am to 9pm.
My thinking was to include the T5's around the mid part of the day. At first maybe 1 hour and then slowly bump it up to maybe 4 hours total time.

booyaa138 · 04/19/2017, 11:55 AM

or I could turn down the LED's and run the T5's for a longer time.
This is where I'm not quite sure what I'm doing.

booyaa138 · 04/20/2017, 11:11 AM

still trying to figure out which 2 bulbs to run.
Blue+ and Coral+
or maybe Actinic and Coral+

wildman926 · 04/20/2017, 12:22 PM

I run BML and two 21LEDUSA strips, with a pair of T5 HO ATI Coral +. The LEDs are for actinic only. It looks very natural, and gives me the pop for the colors and the T5's give lots of color from the full spectrum.

The actinics are on for 8 hours a day, the Coral + are ran for 4 hours a day. Here are some dated pictures of the tanks. They have changed a little, but not much. The pics are very close to what I see in person

booyaa138 · 04/20/2017, 12:28 PM

Thanks Wildman. maybe since my BML's are 20k and give me a full spectrum then I could go with both T5's as atinic or blue+

Really just looking for the best growth and health of the corals

booyaa138 · 04/20/2017, 12:29 PM

beautiful tanks by the way

04/17/2017, 06:07 PM	#1
booyaa138 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 415	Thinking of adding T5's to BML lights I have 2 60 inch BuildMyLed MC 20k fixtures. These lights awesome but I can't get another since they don't make them anymore. I'm thinking about supplementing T5's. Everything in my tank opens up nicely but I feeling that the growth could be better. I'm thinking of adding 2x80w T5's http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/t5-ho-...-lighting.html What do you guys think? Also what bulbs should I run?

04/17/2017, 08:42 PM	#4
reret10 Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Riverside, California Posts: 421	Tagging along. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ Some people take things with a grain of salt, others take it with a half a cup per gallon.

04/20/2017, 12:22 PM	#23
wildman926 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: CTX Posts: 2,904	I run BML and two 21LEDUSA strips, with a pair of T5 HO ATI Coral +. The LEDs are for actinic only. It looks very natural, and gives me the pop for the colors and the T5's give lots of color from the full spectrum. The actinics are on for 8 hours a day, the Coral + are ran for 4 hours a day. Here are some dated pictures of the tanks. They have changed a little, but not much. The pics are very close to what I see in person __________________ Beware of recommendations by those who don't actually use their recommendation!! The search function actually works quite well!! Tanks:Planet Aquarium 150g LPS, Planet Aquarium 90g Softie

04/17/2017, 06:22 PM	#2
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	What size tank?

04/17/2017, 08:32 PM	#3
booyaa138 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 415	sorry i forgot that. 60Lx18Wx24H. mostly LPS and softies right now. Want to get into alittle SPS soon.

04/18/2017, 05:16 AM	#5
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	My office tank 65g 36x18x24 with one one 20k BML XB set at 80% with SPS frag A year later and I swapped the Hybrid Euphyllia around with the Frogspawn Since then I have added a second BML actinic set at 50%. If you are wanting to add lamps one would definitely be true 03 actinic, not sure about the second choice? Not sure if you want more blue or full spectrum

04/18/2017, 12:03 PM	#6
booyaa138 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 415	Thanks for the pictures. I like the more natural look and not so much blue. anybody else know a good combo of T5 bulbs to use?

04/18/2017, 12:09 PM	#7
hann1bal Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 223	ATI Blue+ are the best bulbs but if you want a nice clean whiter bulb I recommend the ATI Coral+. The two together is a slam dunk IMO.

04/18/2017, 12:14 PM	#8
hann1bal Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 223	Two great vids about T5 spectums: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-TbkPJhHkY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OSS_PoUX6o

04/18/2017, 12:24 PM	#9
booyaa138 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 415	thanks for the links. gave me a good idea of what they look like. I really just want everything to grow and be healthy. If that means a more blue color then I am fine with that.

04/18/2017, 12:43 PM	#11
booyaa138 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 415	also another question. Do I need to run 60inch T5's or can I get away with 48inch bulbs?

04/18/2017, 01:27 PM	#13
booyaa138 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 415	thanks alton for the help. Sorry for so many questions, I don't know anything about T5's

04/18/2017, 01:29 PM	#14
booyaa138 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 415	how about a lighting schedule? maybe only like 2 or 4 hours for the T5's?

04/18/2017, 01:33 PM	#15
booyaa138 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 415	another question is placement. LED's in the middle with T5's on the outside or the other way around?

04/18/2017, 02:36 PM	#17
booyaa138 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 415	thanks hann1bal Anybody know how long I should run them? Anybody have tank pics with this combo?

04/18/2017, 11:56 PM	#18
booyaa138 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 415	bump backup for some more looks and some more opinions

04/19/2017, 04:57 AM	#19
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	I would run lamps and leds 8 to 10 hours. Remember at the end of the day we are trying to mimic the sun.

04/19/2017, 11:53 AM	#20
booyaa138 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 415	alton, right now my lighting schedule is like the sun. slowly ramp up until about 1pm. then for about 2 hours I keep the lights at 100%. after that I slowly ramp down until the lights are off. I run around a 12 hour light schedule. from 9am to 9pm. My thinking was to include the T5's around the mid part of the day. At first maybe 1 hour and then slowly bump it up to maybe 4 hours total time.

04/19/2017, 11:55 AM	#21
booyaa138 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 415	or I could turn down the LED's and run the T5's for a longer time. This is where I'm not quite sure what I'm doing.

04/20/2017, 11:11 AM	#22
booyaa138 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 415	still trying to figure out which 2 bulbs to run. Blue+ and Coral+ or maybe Actinic and Coral+

04/20/2017, 12:28 PM	#24
booyaa138 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 415	Thanks Wildman. maybe since my BML's are 20k and give me a full spectrum then I could go with both T5's as atinic or blue+ Really just looking for the best growth and health of the corals

04/20/2017, 12:29 PM	#25
booyaa138 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 415	beautiful tanks by the way