The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[Froggy]

Originally Posted by Michigan Mike

No evidence I'm aware of, do what Grim recommended.
TEK fixtures are vented enough where that is a good way to cool it, either way will work but a fan on the side must not over-cool the center of the bulbs by blowing too much.

Not all fixtures are the same so try to use good judgement, I couldn't cool my fishneedit or other fixtures the way Grim said unfortunately.

Thanks, I will just leave it as is then.

On a side note, I am a huge fan of the GE 6500 bulb. My personal opinion is that I like the look of a brighter tank and the GE bulb gives me that. I agree they look best when mixed with enough other bulbs to balance them out. I love one in my 8 bulb mix but probably would feel differently about them in a 4 bulb combo.
I currently use 5 Blue plus, 1 GE 6500, 1 Purple plus, and 1 Coral plus in my 8 bulb TEK. I love the brightness with all bulbs on but there is still enough other spectrum to balance out the look. I get plenty of florescence on capable corals but of course they do not have the midnight bowling glow. Other SPS show nicely with full lighting.
I have even gotten away from a really blue dusk/dawn look too and started using 2 Blue plus, 1 coral plus, and 1 purple plus as dusk/dawn. It actually looks really nice together in a 4 bulb mix in my opinion.

Joe

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by Froggy

Thanks, I will just leave it as is then.

I have even gotten away from a really blue dusk/dawn look too and started using 2 Blue plus, 1 coral plus, and 1 purple plus as dusk/dawn. It actually looks really nice together in a 4 bulb mix in my opinion.

Joe

I running simular to your 8 bulb set up only using 2 Purple + rather than a Coral +. However I only have two bulbs wired into my dawn to dusk. I did run a Purple+ plus a Blue + but thought it looked to purple overall and went back to two Blue Plus.

The idea of a Coral Plus instead of a Purple plus is an interesting idea with a blue+ on dawn to dusk. The coral plus is mostly blue with just a tint of "white" and red. So it should not look that purple overall. But will it be too bright for my taste in the dawn to dusk time period?

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by Froggy

Is this the recommended way to cool T5's in fixtures without active cooling? It was originally suggested to me by Grim to cool my TEK by blowing an external fan above the center of the fixture. The reason for this was that it is easy to accidentally over cool the T5 bulbs by blowing on the label end cold spot and this is just as bad on the bulbs as them running too hot. I am currently running a fan that blows on the vent slots above the center of the TEK fixture. Is there evidence that I should change the placement of the fan?
Joe

I had seen some long term graphs on temperature verses time and bulb effeciency.

As far as effecieny of the bulb goes a bulb does get more effecient as it increases temerature up to a point. The ideal most effecient temp did vary slightly between the different bulbs. As far a the life expectancy of the bulbs go the life expectancy of a bulb was the exact oposite of the operating temperature once you exceeded an initial threshold temperature. Basicly if the bulb is glowing you are already fairly close to that internal threshold temperature. But if your looking at frequency shift this is something that is the first sign that a bulb is starting to age.

Some of the factory tests were well beyound what we would encounter. I'm talking about the effects of operation outside in Artic conditions, to the operation in a hot desert.

If a fixture is well designed and the cooling vents are not blocked I doubt that you can do a lot to increase the bulb effecieny on 80% of the fixtures with fans.

[Froggy]

Originally Posted by TropTrea

I running simular to your 8 bulb set up only using 2 Purple + rather than a Coral +. However I only have two bulbs wired into my dawn to dusk. I did run a Purple+ plus a Blue + but thought it looked to purple overall and went back to two Blue Plus.

The idea of a Coral Plus instead of a Purple plus is an interesting idea with a blue+ on dawn to dusk. The coral plus is mostly blue with just a tint of "white" and red. So it should not look that purple overall. But will it be too bright for my taste in the dawn to dusk time period?

You should try the coral plus in your dusk/dawn and see what you think. It is not too bright for me as I am used to the GE bulb in my daylight mix. What I personally like about the coral plus in the dusk/dawn is the viewing time I have. The coral plus allows all coral color to display without masking certain colors under too blue of lighting. I enjoy both the full lighting and dusk/dawn more now. The look is still a change in perceived brightness when the GE 6500 is off. I really like it personally.
Joe

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by Froggy

You should try the coral plus in your dusk/dawn and see what you think. It is not too bright for me as I am used to the GE bulb in my daylight mix. What I personally like about the coral plus in the dusk/dawn is the viewing time I have. The coral plus allows all coral color to display without masking certain colors under too blue of lighting. I enjoy both the full lighting and dusk/dawn more now. The look is still a change in perceived brightness when the GE 6500 is off. I really like it personally.
Joe

Yes it is one of the things I have been debating on. My long term plan is to put my 120 display tank under roughly 250 Watts of LED's and and 108 Watts of T-5's. I see advantages and disadvantages to both systems. Combining the two will hopefully give me the best of both worlds.

Which ever way I finally go I'll be putting another large tank on line in the near future that I'm pulling out of storage. The Blue Plus/Coral Plus does sound like a good option of my 108 watts of T-5's. The LED's can easily handle to midday lighting with a lot of variability on the amount of white I get. And the predawn to post dusk will definatly be LED's on this set up.


Dennis

[Michigan Mike]

Originally Posted by TropTrea

I had seen some long term graphs on temperature verses time and bulb effeciency.

As far as effecieny of the bulb goes a bulb does get more effecient as it increases temerature up to a point. The ideal most effecient temp did vary slightly between the different bulbs. As far a the life expectancy of the bulbs go the life expectancy of a bulb was the exact oposite of the operating temperature once you exceeded an initial threshold temperature. Basicly if the bulb is glowing you are already fairly close to that internal threshold temperature. But if your looking at frequency shift this is something that is the first sign that a bulb is starting to age.

Some of the factory tests were well beyound what we would encounter. I'm talking about the effects of operation outside in Artic conditions, to the operation in a hot desert.

If a fixture is well designed and the cooling vents are not blocked I doubt that you can do a lot to increase the bulb effecieny on 80% of the fixtures with fans.

I'm trying to understand what you say but its really too much for most people dude & I'm not sure you are explaining yourself correctly, its not the first time this has occurred.
These things have been covered before and simply. Links?

[TropTrea]

What I'm trying to say here is the following.

1. Every different type of florescent bulb regardless if is T-5, T-8, T-12, HO, Standard or its color temperature has it own seperate ideal temperature at which it is most effecient.

2. The biggest destroyer of florescent bulbs is heat ofer time. The hotter they run the shorter there life expectancy is.

a if they are kept below there most effecient temperature they will last
longer but may not be putting out the quality of light they would at
the most effeciet temperature.

b if they are kept above the most effecient temperature there life span
will be greatly shortened and they will not be putting out the quality
of light the would at the most ideal temperature.

3. As a bulb deteriorates from a combination of heat and age the amount of light they emit decreases and the spectrum of the light they emit changes.

[darb85]

Ok about to pull the trigger, this is what was recommend for a SPS/LPS Reef, 30x18x12 dimensions, a while ago and wanted to make sure before I spend 100 dollars on bulbs

2 Blue+
1 KZ Fuji Purple
1 KZ Coral Light II New Generation.

Yea or neigh?

[Michigan Mike]

Originally Posted by darb85

Ok about to pull the trigger, this is what was recommend for a SPS/LPS Reef, 30x18x12 dimensions, a while ago and wanted to make sure before I spend 100 dollars on bulbs

2 Blue+
1 KZ Fuji Purple
1 KZ Coral Light II New Generation.

Yea or neigh?

Should be fine.

[darb85]

Originally Posted by Michigan Mike

Should be fine.

Thank you sir!

[Michigan Mike]

Originally Posted by darb85

Thank you sir!

Your welcome, its very similar to the popular ATI combo of 2 blue,1 purple,1coral plus.

You have a 29g tank, like mine? Correct?

[nemeth27]

Hey everyone, I'm thinking about moving my coral plus into my dusk setting and taking out one of my blue +s. has anyone done that and would I put the coral plus in front or back? Thanks for your help.

[Michigan Mike]

Originally Posted by nemeth27

Hey everyone, I'm thinking about moving my coral plus into my dusk setting and taking out one of my blue +s. has anyone done that and would I put the coral plus in front or back? Thanks for your help.

Coral in back, blue in front. Not really a good dawn/dusk combo IMO but whatever you like is all that matters.

[john reefer]

Got in my ATI bulbs the other day. They make my cheap fixture look much better. 2 blue plus one purple plus one coral. Thanks for the info

[Froggy]

Originally Posted by nemeth27

Hey everyone, I'm thinking about moving my coral plus into my dusk setting and taking out one of my blue +s. has anyone done that and would I put the coral plus in front or back? Thanks for your help.

I put a coral plus into my dusk/dawn and I like it. I have a TEK fixture so my dusk/dawn is 4 bulbs. I use 2 blue plus, 1 coral plus, and 1 purple plus. It is a bit against the norm but I like it because I get more fuller spectrum viewing time this way. All of the coral color still show nicely, unlike in a very blue spectrum dusk/dawn mix. I use a GE6500 in my full lighting mix so I still feel like I get the relaxed not as bright look, during my dusk/dawn time period. The only thing I can say is try it and see if you like it. Some wont and others will. You might like it and you may not. I personally do.
How many bulbs is your fixture? I don't know if I would like it or not with only two bulbs. I would make a 4 bulb bank the dusk/dawn if you have the ability to do so for a better blend. I have my coral plus in the back by the way.
Joe

[darb85]

Originally Posted by Michigan Mike

Your welcome, its very similar to the popular ATI combo of 2 blue,1 purple,1coral plus.

You have a 29g tank, like mine? Correct?

Its close, but I built a custom 30" Long, 18" wide, 12" depth tank. So a shallow reef for me. I love it. I suppose you could call it a 30 breeder

[Michigan Mike]

Originally Posted by darb85

Its close, but I built a custom 30" Long, 18" wide, 12" depth tank. So a shallow reef for me. I love it. I suppose you could call it a 30 breeder

Even better than a 29g! I would much prefer a wider and shallower tank, awesome dimensions. I would love a rimless tank like that compared to my freebie 29g that my neighbor gave me!

[beaglelax]

I have a question I have an 8 bulb 48" T5 fixture. It comes with 4 10K bulbs and 4 460NM atinics. The tank is a standard 75 with a hanging fixture. I want to keep soft corals and some sps in the tank nothing that demands high light or high flow. I am going for the calm reef look.

So for the question becuase I am not strong on the lighting side what would be my best 8 bulb combination ?

Thank you

[Michigan Mike]

Originally Posted by beaglelax

I have a question I have an 8 bulb 48" T5 fixture. It comes with 4 10K bulbs and 4 460NM atinics. The tank is a standard 75 with a hanging fixture. I want to keep soft corals and some sps in the tank nothing that demands high light or high flow. I am going for the calm reef look.

So for the question becuase I am not strong on the lighting side what would be my best 8 bulb combination ?

Thank you

I don't get what kind of look or overall color you want, I get that you don't need tons of PAR or intense light.
Do you want a sunnier-white, white/light blue, medium blue, deep blue?
Do you have a lot of corals that flouresce?

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by beaglelax

I have a question I have an 8 bulb 48" T5 fixture. It comes with 4 10K bulbs and 4 460NM atinics. The tank is a standard 75 with a hanging fixture. I want to keep soft corals and some sps in the tank nothing that demands high light or high flow. I am going for the calm reef look.

So for the question becuase I am not strong on the lighting side what would be my best 8 bulb combination ?

Thank you

Starting with what you already have for minium initial cost. Simply swap out 2 of the 10,000K's for ATI Blue plus bulbs. This will give you enough blue light but may be a little strong on the white light for you. So as you statrt later replacing bulbs move to a bluer look until you get what you like.

My next swap would be replacing the one atinic and one of the 10,000K with a purple plus and another blue plus.

Swap number 3 would be dependent on personal preference but you would again pull a 10,000K and another atinic. Replace one with another blue plus and depending on how white or blue you want to go replace the other with either.
Coral plus (deep blue effect)
Aqua Blue Special (fairly blue effect)
GE 6,500K (bright effect with a slight blue tint)

Im running a simular 8 bulb set up with the following on a 120 gallon tank:
1 GE 6,500K
2 ATI Purple Plus
5 ATI Blue Plus
30 Watts of 454 nm LED's.

Some eople here would say it is too white others would say it is too blue. There is large amount of personal preference in the color.

[beaglelax]

TropTrea,

Thank you for the quick reply, for your final setup how does your corals look/grow with those bulbs ?

[steelwrap]

Originally Posted by Michigan Mike

You should try 2 blue plus bulbs next the GE6500 & see if that is better than 2 purple bulbs.
Hey we are close ! I'm near St.Joseph, MI. Very close! Lol




Have freshwater fish/tanks needing to go soon! PM me before summer!lol

O>K> this is driving Me crazy, I'm thinking now of going a LITTLE bluer, but still have fish look good (clown, PJ cardinal, hippo,royal gramma, yellow clown goby,sixline) and coral pop and growth. so 2-blue puls 1-purple plus(?) and ??????. What is difference between coral plus and aquablue special? They both say 15000k? Do I need purple plus? waht about 2-blue plus and some combo of coral plus and aquablue special? It's hard for me to picture since I've never seen these color bulbs just Mt 10000 and 12000k and 429nm and 460 nm. Thanks

[Michigan Mike]

Originally Posted by steelwrap

O>K> this is driving Me crazy, I'm thinking now of going a LITTLE bluer, but still have fish look good (clown, PJ cardinal, hippo,royal gramma, yellow clown goby,sixline) and coral pop and growth. so 2-blue puls 1-purple plus(?) and ??????. What is difference between coral plus and aquablue special? They both say 15000k? Do I need purple plus? waht about 2-blue plus and some combo of coral plus and aquablue special? It's hard for me to picture since I've never seen these color bulbs just Mt 10000 and 12000k and 429nm and 460 nm. Thanks

A little bluer would be the ATI aquablue special, KZ koral light or Gmann aquablue plus.
More blue than that needs a ATI coral plus, KZ new gen.

No you don't dont need a purple bulb, but it pops your reds&yellow colors in your fish a lot.

[jasonmxrcr]

I really need some help here. I have preordered the ATI led powermodule from reefgeek. I don't have the slightest clue as to what 4 bulb combo to go with. I was hoping to use the led's for sunrise/sunset and a couple of the t5 for a high growth midday pop. I would be fine with 12 to 14 k look during midday. And transitioning to a bluer look for morning and night. Going from metal halide to t5 I really don't have any experience with t5's. Adding LED's to the mix further complicates the choices. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

[toofrigginswt]

I have the 10x54 ATI powermodule. Initially I had the following:

Blue +
Blue+
Blue+
GE 6500k
Blue +
Coral +
Blue +
Purple +
Blue +
Blue +

The above setup was waaaay too white for me and started making all my sps look brown.

So I played around with my bulbs and found that I liked the following:

Blue +
Blue+
Blue+
Coral +
Blue +
Blue +
Blue +
Purple +
Blue +
Blue +

Is there anything wrong with my setup the way it is now? Am I covering all of the spectrum? It's on the bluer side, which i like but I just want to make sure if that I'll still be able to get the proper growth and color. My tank is 60x24x20. Thanks in advance.