The T5 Q&a Thread

[viodea]

I'm looking for a 48" T5 lighting. I'm thinking ATI 6x54W Powermodule, Constellation, or Tek light 8x54W.
I don't want to hang the light off my ceiling. Does ATI come with mounting to set on top of the tank? Is it a good idea to just set it on top of my tank? Does it come with splash guard?

Grim, I remember you post PAR reading for ATI and Tek. ATI is almost twice the reading as Tek. Do you have a reading for Constellation compare agains ATI & Tek?

thanks

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by MikeD
I have phoenix in pendants now and it just seems like it washes out the color a bit. It's not this crisp blue white color. So I thought it may either be the halide or the combo of T5s over the tank. The Elos spectra seemed whitish yellow without a lot of blue in it. Not sure if the Reeflux is better 12k.

The other bulbs I was considering was a radium 20k or a Giesemann 14k.

As for T5's... the actinic and blue plus is a nice combo and I love the way it looks for dusk mode. But I thought it may just be 1 bulb that's making those colors pop a lot in the above picture... I just don't have enough exp with the bulbs though. Is it a pro color? A KZ bulb - I know they have a new 14k bulb too) just not sure. What's your take on this?

Mike

The Pro Color is a reddish ATI lamp. The KZ Coral Light is the same as a ATI Aquablue. If you still have those yellowish Elos halides throw them in the the blue/actinic T5's.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by viodea
I'm looking for a 48" T5 lighting. I'm thinking ATI 6x54W Powermodule, Constellation, or Tek light 8x54W.
I don't want to hang the light off my ceiling. Does ATI come with mounting to set on top of the tank? Is it a good idea to just set it on top of my tank? Does it come with splash guard?

Grim, I remember you post PAR reading for ATI and Tek. ATI is almost twice the reading as Tek. Do you have a reading for Constellation compare agains ATI & Tek?

thanks

ATI or Aquactinics either one could be set right on the tank. I think Aquactinics has legs available. As far as I know the ATI is hang or sit only. Both have splash shields.

The Constellation is a little below what a Powermodule will be. Only had a 39 watt ATI to compare so I can't say what the 48" version would do.

[MikeD]

Powermodule is hang only. I just got mine for my coral only / nano tank.

Grim,
So you think it's best to stick with the Elos 10K Spectras with just the BluePlus and Super actinics? And not mess with the halides and or throw in a fiji purple maybe?

Mike

[viodea]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
ATI or Aquactinics either one could be set right on the tank. I think Aquactinics has legs available. As far as I know the ATI is hang or sit only. Both have splash shields.

The Constellation is a little below what a Powermodule will be. Only had a 39 watt ATI to compare so I can't say what the 48" version would do.

Were you comparing 39W ATI with 6 bulbs against 54W Constellation with 7 bulbs?

Does the ATI have some kind of mounting to keep it from moving or worst, falling into the tank?

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by MikeD
Powermodule is hang only. I just got mine for my coral only / nano tank.

Grim,
So you think it's best to stick with the Elos 10K Spectras with just the BluePlus and Super actinics? And not mess with the halides and or throw in a fiji purple maybe?

Mike

I'd try it and see what you think. You could try doing the 14K halide with 2 Blue Plus, on actinic and 1 Pro Color and see if the added red gives you what your looking for. It will for sure bring out pink and purple colors.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by viodea
Were you comparing 39W ATI with 6 bulbs against 54W Constellation with 7 bulbs?

Does the ATI have some kind of mounting to keep it from moving or worst, falling into the tank?

The ati is either hung or just set right on the tank. I supose you could make something to keep it from falling in the drink.

Going from 4 lamps to 7 wouldn't change the peak PAR all that much. Going from a 39 watt to 54 watt lamp would probably be a bigger change. Just going based on the better reflector performance of the Tek. My guess is the cooling is about equal, both use the same ballasts.

[snaza]

Regardless of colour would 10k or 20k be better for SPS? or is it more about PAR than K rating?

thanks

[The Grim Reefer]

PAR for the most part but you also want the right spectrum. A blue/green lamp providing 400 PAR is going to give you somewhat better growth than a green/yellow lamp with the same amount of PAR, thats the theory anyway. It's best to give them a broad spectrum just to cover your bets.

[jerome736]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
If you are keeping a mixed reef a 4 lamp retro will be fine

Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus

Do you have any recommendations in terms of manu/brand of retro kits?

[Scuba_Steve]

I just ordered the 2 blue plus with 6 Icecap reflectors. I also got a Ge 6.5k, and 2 Sfiligoi super actinics because they were on clearance. This way I should have a lot to experiment with. Of the bulbs I now have, what would be the best combo to start with. BTW the two Uri super actinic & two Uri 50/50 bulbs are about 4 months old.

[The Grim Reefer]

jerome736

Ice Cap HO retro from reefgeek. He uses standard HO T5 ballasts in those kits.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by Scuba_Steve
I just ordered the 2 blue plus with 6 Icecap reflectors. I also got a Ge 6.5k, and 2 Sfiligoi super actinics because they were on clearance. This way I should have a lot to experiment with. Of the bulbs I now have, what would be the best combo to start with. BTW the two Uri super actinic & two Uri 50/50 bulbs are about 4 months old.

Blue Plus
Sfigioli actinic
GE
50/50
Super Actinic
Blue Plus

[timespinner]

Hi Grim, I have a 110-gallon 60" L, 24" T, 18" W SPS-dominated tank and am considering T5s. I'm considering a 6x54 icecap slr retrofit overdriven setup. Is this the best setup, and what bulbs and bulb order would you recommend? Thanks!

[Scuba_Steve]

You rock grim! I appreciate it!

[SWANN]

Hey guys,

Im new at T-5's and im going to put an order in for 3 x 60'' T-5 retro ice cap kit from reefgeek. I will be useing these instead of the VHO's that I used in the past. Anyways, any suggestions on what bulbs/brand well give the super atinic -purple look!? Gonna want it to wash out the white from the 2 x 10k 400wat MH, ...i'll also have a third 20k MH in the middle. All this over a 180gal.

If someone thinks going with 4 X 48" T5 will be better than the 3X 60" please tell me why? Im leaning toward the 3 X 60" because the MH are in the middle of my canopy, and only one VHO in the past could fit behind the MH/toward the back. Although i may be able to get 2- T5's in the back since there smaller than the t12's

[mjstover]

Hey Grim I just got the new Current Sundial T5 24" for my 16 gal. It is mostly SPS with some LPS. What would be the best combo of blubs for nice growth and color. I would lean more twards better color if that matters. I also just wanted to say thanks for all the advice you give out to everyone it is very much appreciated

[mjstover]

OH yeah and I forgot to ask. Do you think this will give me better results then a MG SunPod 150 20k XM???

[mjstover]

I ment( MH)

[snaza]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
PAR for the most part but you also want the right spectrum. A blue/green lamp providing 400 PAR is going to give you somewhat better growth than a green/yellow lamp with the same amount of PAR, thats the theory anyway. It's best to give them a broad spectrum just to cover your bets.

Thanks, would an ATI blue plus be a blue/green and a 10k bulb be a green/yellow? the reason i ask is i have a 6 bulb setup over my 48x20x20 and one of my aquaz ocean pro 20k blew. should i get another aquaz 20k or an aquaz 10k. the 20k has more PAR but i want to give a broad spectrum so thought 10k. the few SPS (up high) i have will be sitting under this bulb hence the question.

front

Aquaz Blue pro
Aquaz ocean pro
ATI Blue plus
KZ Fiji Purple
Aquaz 10k or 20k
ATI Blue plus

one other question is i see guys with the same 75g tank running 2 x 400w MH in a SPS tank. they obviously get great growth and colours. How could i do something similar with T5 only in my tank. would i need 8 bulbs all over driven? something im thinking about in the future but for the time being is 6 bulbs normal driven enough with my current setup to get any growth out of SPS and to keep the happy up high in the thank?

sorry for all the questions

thanks again

Aaron

[zachofalltrades]

Well, a bit of a newb question in the midst of these 10000 pages of technical T5 questions but here goes....

If my display is only a 36" long 30 gallon, and right now I have 3-48" t8 bulbs (2 6500k and 1 460nm actinic) for a grand total of 96 watts, which I'd feel like I'm doing good if 50% of that made it into the tank because they're in a wal-mart fixture. Would a 2-39w T-5 fixture be an improvement? This is the one I have in mind because it's time to replace my bulbs and this would cost pretty close to new bulbs anyways:

Current USA Nova Extreme

I only have a couple of softies right now and will be happy keeping just them for a while. I'd be thrilled if the mushrooms would thrive and start splitting, actually.

[snaza]

Hi Grim,

I read this. is it true?

The other thing to understand is that the loss of light with distance from fluorescent lamps (NO, VHO, T5, etc.) is not as rapid as it is with metal halide. This means you don't have to shove corals very close to the tubes to provide them with light. In fact, you may have more light lower in the tank than near the tubes.

thanks

[kenyacat]

Grim, can you give me your opinion?

I am a relative newbie. Only had my 29 gallon for a year. Am upgrading to a 55 with the 29 as my sump/refuge.

I have no corals at the moment and will probably start with the corals that are listed as easy. I do have a huge Sebae anemone (which is why I have no room for corals).

I was thinking the 48" Tek Light 4-54w T5 light. That gives me 216 watts. Or should I go with the 6-54w T5 fixture? Using the 3-5 watt rule the four light fixture gives me 216 watts and my total would be 275. 6 lights would give me 324 watts. Which would you suggest?

Also which light bulbs would you suggest?

Thanks

[spleen93]

Originally posted by snaza
Hi Grim,

I read this. is it true?

The other thing to understand is that the loss of light with distance from fluorescent lamps (NO, VHO, T5, etc.) is not as rapid as it is with metal halide. This means you don't have to shove corals very close to the tubes to provide them with light. In fact, you may have more light lower in the tank than near the tubes.

thanks

This doesn't make sense to me. There's no way that you can have more light lower in the tank than nearer the light source since drop off is inversely proportional to the distance away from the bulb (or was it the square of the distance?) The only way that you MIGHT have that if you had some weird reflector issues but I would say that for the vast majority of tank setups, you're gonna have lower light farther away from the bubs.

[The Grim Reefer]

Should do really good.

Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Actinic
ATI Pro Color
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue (Or Blue Plus for a more blue look)

Set the actinic and the Blue Plus towards the back as a pair for Dusk/Dawn.

Originally posted by timespinner
Hi Grim, I have a 110-gallon 60" L, 24" T, 18" W SPS-dominated tank and am considering T5s. I'm considering a 6x54 icecap slr retrofit overdriven setup. Is this the best setup, and what bulbs and bulb order would you recommend? Thanks!