T5

countrykat · 09/19/2012, 06:46 PM

I got a 4 bulb T5 hood from a hydroponics company online. It came with 4 65k bulbs. I put in a blue + , actinic +, and a pink. All bulbs are Giesemann. I have to clean the glass every other day due to algae. Nitrates are 0 and PO4 is .01 using a red sea test kit. Does a ballast have to be matched to the lights being used? I'm thinking that the ballast is not near strong enough to run the lights I have.

mordibv · 09/19/2012, 07:04 PM

Is this tank newly set up? Tanks do go through an algae cycle.
Remove the pink bulb and see what get . I do not think the ballast are the problem.

countrykat · 09/19/2012, 07:19 PM

This, to date has been a 2 1/2 year project. The live rock and sand were in my 30 gal for almost a year. A year ago spring I set up the 75 and added the T5's. The rock that is in the tank is 2 1/2 years old. I would think leaching should be done by now. When I added the lights the algae started. That's why I thought that the ballast was not strong enough.

65K hood ballast not strong enough to handle the bulbs I put in it. Not sure what else could be giving me this problem.

The only other thing I am going to test is the water change salt tank to see if there are P04 in that. RO/DI water is used for that.

mordibv · 09/19/2012, 08:21 PM

If the bulbs are a year old then replace them .

09/19/2012, 06:46 PM	#1
countrykat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 303	T5 I got a 4 bulb T5 hood from a hydroponics company online. It came with 4 65k bulbs. I put in a blue + , actinic +, and a pink. All bulbs are Giesemann. I have to clean the glass every other day due to algae. Nitrates are 0 and PO4 is .01 using a red sea test kit. Does a ballast have to be matched to the lights being used? I'm thinking that the ballast is not near strong enough to run the lights I have.

09/19/2012, 07:04 PM	#2
mordibv Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Western Mass Posts: 1,499	Is this tank newly set up? Tanks do go through an algae cycle. Remove the pink bulb and see what get . I do not think the ballast are the problem. __________________ It's hard to take advice from those who do not show the fruits of their labor . Current Tank Info: No tank ATM

09/19/2012, 07:19 PM	#3
countrykat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 303	This, to date has been a 2 1/2 year project. The live rock and sand were in my 30 gal for almost a year. A year ago spring I set up the 75 and added the T5's. The rock that is in the tank is 2 1/2 years old. I would think leaching should be done by now. When I added the lights the algae started. That's why I thought that the ballast was not strong enough. 65K hood ballast not strong enough to handle the bulbs I put in it. Not sure what else could be giving me this problem. The only other thing I am going to test is the water change salt tank to see if there are P04 in that. RO/DI water is used for that. Last edited by countrykat; 09/19/2012 at 07:25 PM.

09/19/2012, 08:21 PM	#4
mordibv Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Western Mass Posts: 1,499	If the bulbs are a year old then replace them . __________________ It's hard to take advice from those who do not show the fruits of their labor . Current Tank Info: No tank ATM