The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by drifty
I am setting up a 4 x2x2. Tank will be mainly sps, should I use either normal or overdriven tubes. I will use either 4 or 6 tubes in a retro kit.
Thanks for any advice

4 overdriven would work and you can add 2 more normally driven for a dusk dawn too.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by snaza
regardless of colour which bulb would give best SPS growth? 10k, 20k, 14k. just say i had the same brand bulbs with different K ratings.

The GE Daylight, UVL Aquasun and ATI/Giesemann Aquablues have the highest PAR output.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by Vinnie71975
So what your saying is lose the Midday bulb? Is this because of the "Look" or are they just not good for coral? So you would recommend

Fiji Purple 54 Watt T5 Lamp x2
Pure Actinic 48" 54 Watt
ATI Blue Plus

Or

UV Lighting 48" T5 75.25 Bulb 14000K x2
Pure Actinic 48" 54 Watt
ATI Blue Plus.

Which would be better for overall coral health and growth? Remember i really don't care if it has a certain look, as long as it is whats best for health and growth.

Blue Plus
Fiji Purple or 75/25
Midday
Pure Actinic

Would be fairly white

you could do

Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus

It would look like a strong blue, just beyond 14K. It would have pretty good PAR.

[revclyburn]

Hey everyone


my current tek 6x54 has these bulbs and I want to, better yet, have to switch them out because their old. I current have these:

ATI BLUE
D&D AQUABLUE
CURRENT ACTINIC
D&D AQUABLUE PLUS
D&D MIDDAY 6000K
ATI BLUE

What would be comparable to this?

RevClyburn

[lubyone1]

Hello,

I'm setting up a new 125 gallon (72x18x23) in the next few weeks/months and I'm looking for some lighting advice. I know I want to go the T-5 route as we already have a moisture problem in the house (3 halides will only make this worse).

Right now I currently run 6 VHOs off 2 660 ballasts on my 75 so utlizing these ballasts would be best. I'm fairly certain I want to go to a retro fit canopy on my 125.

How many bulbs do you think I'll be able to fit over my tank (2 rows of 6)? Should I go all t-5 or should I use 2 72" VHOs for supplementation?

Also, which bulbs would you recommend. I was thinking the V-HO bulbs but have no clue what combination to get.

Thanks in advance for your help!

edit: I should mention I want to go SPS/LPS!

[The Grim Reefer]

Try this

Blue Plus
Aquablue
Pro Color
Blue Plus
Aquablue
UVL 75/25

The 75 25 lamp has pretty decent PAR and adds some actinic. I am not sure you really gain that much using a standard actinic in an SPS tank. Every lamp in that mix except the pro Color has actinic in the output.

Originally posted by Nanz
I have a 75 gallon reef with a 6 bulb Tek T5 light fixture. I am currently running the following bulbs in the order.

• 54W 12000K Aquablue Special
• 54W Super Actinic UV
• 54W Pro Color ATI
• 54W Blue Plus ATI
• 54W 12000K Aquablue Special
• 54W Blue Plus ATI

The bulbs in blue start up at 9am and shut off at 9pm. The other bulbs start up at 11am and shut off at 8pm.

I plan to start putting SPS in this tank and I wondered if I should switch some of the bulbs. My first concern was to swap the 54W Pro Color ATI for a 54W 10000K AquaSun UV

Should I also switch a 54W 12000K Aquablue Special with a 54W 75/25 14000K AquaBlue

Please help if you can

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by revclyburn
Hey everyone


my current tek 6x54 has these bulbs and I want to, better yet, have to switch them out because their old. I current have these:

ATI BLUE
D&D AQUABLUE
CURRENT ACTINIC
D&D AQUABLUE PLUS
D&D MIDDAY 6000K
ATI BLUE

What would be comparable to this?

RevClyburn

Ati Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Actinic (or Sfigioli if still available)
ATI Aquablue
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus

[cfarrow2]

I know this is prolly a dumb question but......If the spectrum for true actinic bulbs should peak at 420 or so nm, why do vendors sell bulbs advertised at 460nm? Is there really a big difference in their actual peaks? If so, which is better to use for my tank? I only have some softies right now (mushroom, zoos, GSP) but would like to add some LPS one of these days. I'm in the market for new T5s for my 216 Watt fixture and just want to know: 420 or 460? Thanks for any insight into this minor conundrum!

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by lubyone1
Hello,

I'm setting up a new 125 gallon (72x18x23) in the next few weeks/months and I'm looking for some lighting advice. I know I want to go the T-5 route as we already have a moisture problem in the house (3 halides will only make this worse).

Right now I currently run 6 VHOs off 2 660 ballasts on my 75 so utlizing these ballasts would be best. I'm fairly certain I want to go to a retro fit canopy on my 125.

How many bulbs do you think I'll be able to fit over my tank (2 rows of 6)? Should I go all t-5 or should I use 2 72" VHOs for supplementation?

Also, which bulbs would you recommend. I was thinking the V-HO bulbs but have no clue what combination to get.

Thanks in advance for your help!

edit: I should mention I want to go SPS/LPS!

Order an 8 x39 watt Ice Cap Retro MINUS BALLASTS from reefgeek. Then grab a cheap VHO ballast to run 1 VHO Actinic

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Aquasun
VHO Actinic
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

If you want to use 2 VHO's

Front
Blue Plus
VHO Actinic
Aquasun
VHO Actinic
Aquablue
Blue Plus

The Aquablue is nearly white and the Aquasun is slightly pink so the look isn't going to be nearly as blue as you might think.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by cfarrow2
I know this is prolly a dumb question but......If the spectrum for true actinic bulbs should peak at 420 or so nm, why do vendors sell bulbs advertised at 460nm? Is there really a big difference in their actual peaks? If so, which is better to use for my tank? I only have some softies right now (mushroom, zoos, GSP) but would like to add some LPS one of these days. I'm in the market for new T5s for my 216 Watt fixture and just want to know: 420 or 460? Thanks for any insight into this minor conundrum!

420 is violet and causes fluorescence in certain colors, mainly greens and doesn't produce a large amount of visible light. 460 is blue and and pops red and orange colors really nice, also provides a lot of visible light.. The 460 also has strong PAR where the 420 is rather weak.

[revclyburn]

hey Grim

any info on the Aquascience Duo T5 bulbs?

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by revclyburn
hey Grim

any info on the Aquascience Duo T5 bulbs?

A little more blue than an Aquablue and a little less PAR.

[spiderman123]

Hey Grim I have a Nove extreme 8 x 54 (432watt) unit on my tank but i only want to use 6 bulbs. Right now its FOWLR but will be putting some Mushroom Corals in there later.I am looking for a good bulb combination that will bring out the colors in the fish what would you suggest thx

[cfarrow2]

Thanks Grim! 460 it is.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by spiderman123
Hey Grim I have a Nove extreme 8 x 54 (432watt) unit on my tank but i only want to use 6 bulbs. Right now its FOWLR but will be putting some Mushroom Corals in there later.I am looking for a good bulb combination that will bring out the colors in the fish what would you suggest thx

Blue Plus
ATI Actinic
UVL Aquasun
Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
Blue Plus

[markjglover]

How much negative impact does overdriving bulbs have on their lifespan? I am thinking about the Icecap 660 ballast...

[martinphillip03]

Grim, Par 154 vrs Par 302. Is that basically twice as much light.

Marty



Either the Constellation or ATI will do fine. The 4x39 watt Tek did 154 over my tank. Same lamps, same location, same time the 4x39 Powermodule did 302 [/QUOTE]

[cato]

Apologies if I missed this info.

What do you think of the ATI True Actinic 03 T5 bulbs? I have tried the Giesemann and they weren't all that great IMO. Thanks.

[revclyburn]

hey Grim

what would this look like:

2 GE's
1 URI AQUASUN
2 URI SUPER ACTINIC
1 GEISMAN PURE ACTINIC

trying to narrow down the bulbs I want and the extras just in case I don't like the color

rev

[Vinnie71975]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
Blue Plus
Fiji Purple or 75/25
Midday
Pure Actinic

Would be fairly white

you could do

Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
Fiji Purple
Blue Plus

It would look like a strong blue, just beyond 14K. It would have pretty good PAR.

Man didnt see that you had posted and i ordered my bulbs i went with.

1 x ATI T5 54 Watt 48" True Actinic 03
2 x Fiji Purple 54 Watt T5 Lamp (KZCLP54)
1 x ATI T5 54 Watt 48" Blue Plus (ATI1013)


Hope these will be ok for coral!

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by markjglover
How much negative impact does overdriving bulbs have on their lifespan? I am thinking about the Icecap 660 ballast...

As ong as you cool the lamps not much. I think a year should be possible.

[gravity316]

I acquired a used 125 gallon tank and I woul dlike to have some tangs and corals. Right now I am thinking I would like to get some sps, but may change when the time comes. The tank came with 2 Coralife 36" power compact lights. Each light has 2 96 watt bulbs.
1. what kind of lighting would be best? T5, MH, ect
2. What wattages would i need?
3. Will MH cause the need for a chiller?

Thanks for your advice

[The Grim Reefer]

Yeah. And the ATI had a splash sheild too.

Originally posted by martinphillip03
Grim, Par 154 vrs Par 302. Is that basically twice as much light.

Marty



Either the Constellation or ATI will do fine. The 4x39 watt Tek did 154 over my tank. Same lamps, same location, same time the 4x39 Powermodule did 302

[/QUOTE]

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by chirocato
Apologies if I missed this info.

What do you think of the ATI True Actinic 03 T5 bulbs? I have tried the Giesemann and they weren't all that great IMO. Thanks.

I like the ATI, have a little more blue in them.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by revclyburn
hey Grim

what would this look like:

2 GE's
1 URI AQUASUN
2 URI SUPER ACTINIC
1 GEISMAN PURE ACTINIC

trying to narrow down the bulbs I want and the extras just in case I don't like the color

rev

You have some kind of religious belief against blue lamps

Do 1 Super Actinic and 2 Actinic Plus Gmanns (Blue Lamps)