The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by nexusnight

wow this thread is huge!!! Im just going to ask to save me time lol, im getting a 60" 8bulb ati sunpower and would like bulb suggestions. I have a 140g 72"*20"w+22"d. Its a mixed reef tank. i realy like acans and lps(chalice,scoly,torch ext) and have a nice colection of zoas and some sps mixed throughout the tank. I am switching from 5 hydras as the acans and chalice seem to colour morph and i have to run them really low(intensity) to not cook stuff. Thought and help is greatly appreaciated

I little thought here I had been running 5 Blue Plus, 1 GE, and 2 Purples and had very poor coloring and growth on my ACAN's. An ACAN experts suggestion I got rid of one of the Purple Plus bulbs as went to another Blue Plus and the acans showed considerable improvement. My Acans had good growth and fair color before and I had not seen any change in them. Zoas are my worst coral some varieties (with a lot of green in them) seem to do great and others (sith more red in them) are very poor for me and eventualy just die.

As a note he recommended that I go to 1 10,000K bulb and 5 Blue Plus which is what he uses on his 120 gallon tank for Acans.

[Dapg8gt]

Random question for those with experience with the powermodule and ballasts in general.

I got a used 8x54w powermodule and it was working fine. I replaced the reflectors and after putting it back together the last bulb in the bank won't fire. I swapped bulbs to different positions (all new) and still it's just the one. I changed the end caps/sockets on that one cause I have spares but still no go. The ballast is making a slight hum and if I take the unit bulb out it kills both (normal) but then it just instead of firing the bulbs both blink.

Most research I've done shows both bulbs not firing with a bad ballast. Do you guys think it's the ballast? I ordered another one regardless from Reefgeek just wanted to make sure I am moving in the right direction. I checked the wiring and all seems good everything else works perfect. Just guessing a channel on the ballast is bad. Thanks in advance

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by Dapg8gt

Random question for those with experience with the powermodule and ballasts in general.

I got a used 8x54w powermodule and it was working fine. I replaced the reflectors and after putting it back together the last bulb in the bank won't fire. I swapped bulbs to different positions (all new) and still it's just the one. I changed the end caps/sockets on that one cause I have spares but still no go. The ballast is making a slight hum and if I take the unit bulb out it kills both (normal) but then it just instead of firing the bulbs both blink.

Most research I've done shows both bulbs not firing with a bad ballast. Do you guys think it's the ballast? I ordered another one regardless from Reefgeek just wanted to make sure I am moving in the right direction. I checked the wiring and all seems good everything else works perfect. Just guessing a channel on the ballast is bad. Thanks in advance

If you swapped bulbs and the same spot still is not working then it eliminates the bulbs. Wiring can go bad but that is very rare unless you got salt water in the system. But the ballast humming is a good indication that something is wrong with the ballasts. Quality ballasts should not humm and ATI is known to be using some of the best ballasts on the market today.

As a Side note I will often rewire fixtures so if you want to verify it is the ballast you could switch the wiring between tubes so a different ballast is firing that tube and the questionable ballast is trying to fire another tube. If the problem moves to the new tube you confirmed it is the ballast. If not then try new wiring since you already changed the sockets.

[Dapg8gt]

Originally Posted by TropTrea

If you swapped bulbs and the same spot still is not working then it eliminates the bulbs. Wiring can go bad but that is very rare unless you got salt water in the system. But the ballast humming is a good indication that something is wrong with the ballasts. Quality ballasts should not humm and ATI is known to be using some of the best ballasts on the market today.

As a Side note I will often rewire fixtures so if you want to verify it is the ballast you could switch the wiring between tubes so a different ballast is firing that tube and the questionable ballast is trying to fire another tube. If the problem moves to the new tube you confirmed it is the ballast. If not then try new wiring since you already changed the sockets.

Thanks Dennis I will give that a try to see if the problem moves. I am really leaning on its a ballast problem as all else checks out. I noticed the guy put the end plates in the wrong orientation so the fixture was not cooling itself properly.. So I am gonna go thru the whole thing to make sure he didn't do anything else like that lol.. Thanks and I got you Pm on the led help I really appreciate it. If I go that route you will be the first person I lean on for info =).

Off to tear apart the fixture.. Talk about tight fitting harnesses and equipment ha ha.

[DiscusHeckel]

Originally Posted by TropTrea

No this is not a surprise to me at all. Your lighting now is not as white and is not pumping out a lot of yellow green light that is virtualy useless to corals for growth. Instead you have more blue which is the energy that corals thrive upon.

Hi Dennis,

Thanks for your reply, but I made a mistake in my post. The correct version is as follows:

Before changing to 3 ATI Blue + and 3 ATI Coral +, I used to use 1 X ATI aquablue special, 1 X ATI coral +, 3 X ATI blue + and 1 X KZ fiji purple. I wrote 3 X Coral + in my previous post by mistake.

I have no idea about the spectral plot on my previous combination, but I am finding that my present combination promotes better colouration and faster growth. Does it come as surprise to you?

My apologies ...

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by DiscusHeckel

Hi Dennis,

Thanks for your reply, but I made a mistake in my post. The correct version is as follows:

Before changing to 3 ATI Blue + and 3 ATI Coral +, I used to use 1 X ATI aquablue special, 1 X ATI coral +, 3 X ATI blue + and 1 X KZ fiji purple. I wrote 3 X Coral + in my previous post by mistake.


My apologies ...

There is not a drastic difference between the two. Unfortunatly I need to make a big assumption here that the fiji purple is simular to the purple plus since I do not have plot dat for the fiji purple. But yes I think your new combo has just a little more concentration of blue light than your old combo so growth should be up slightly. Also there is slightly less green and yellow in the new combo so florescense should be more obvious. But again not a huge difference like some of the combos some people come up with.

Note the scaling is slightly different between the two plots.

[rogergolf66]

I have ati 54x8 and its a bit to blue for me. I would like a lighter daylight when all bulbs on. Currently I have
Blue +
Purple +
Blue +
Coral +
Blue +
Blue+
Coral +
Blue +

What changes wouls u recomend ti make it just a touch brighter

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by rogergolf66

I have ati 54x8 and its a bit to blue for me. I would like a lighter daylight when all bulbs on. Currently I have
Blue +
Purple +
Blue +
Coral +
Blue +
Blue+
Coral +
Blue +

What changes wouls u recomend ti make it just a touch brighter

For just a little bit brighter look swap out one of the coral plus for an Aqua Blue plus. If you want it considerably brighter then use a GE 6,500K, 2 Purple Plus, and 5 Blue Plus. Any brighter than that and you will sacruficing coral growth.

[Froggy]

Originally Posted by rogergolf66

I have ati 54x8 and its a bit to blue for me. I would like a lighter daylight when all bulbs on. Currently I have

Blue +

Purple +

Blue +

Coral +

Blue +

Blue+

Coral +

Blue +



What changes wouls u recomend ti make it just a touch brighter

To go brighter I would change out your coral plus bulbs for another purple plus and a aqua blue special. It is still a bluish light but a lot brighter than the coral plus bulbs.
Joe

[Bpb]

I'd personally change out the purple plus for a ge6500k

[Froggy]

Originally Posted by Bpb

I'd personally change out the purple plus for a ge6500k

If anything I would change a coral plus for the GE 6500. I think the GE needs a purple plus/Fiji purple to balance the spectrum.
Lighting is subjective though. The original poster did say he wanted a little less blue and a bit brighter and I think the GE may be more than he is looking for, I could be wrong. I feel the aqua blue special would be the first step. My personal preference is two purple plus with the aqua blue but some may like one purple plus and one coral plus along with the 5 blue plus.
Joe

[souk]

Like others here, I also have a 8x54 ATI SP. I've been looking through the past post and saw a few recommendations but most of them listed as a mix reef or no info was listed about what they where keeping. So I wasn't sure if it would maximize color and growth for my tank. I have a 48x24x16 setup with 99% sps with a few orange ricordea(sp), red goniopora, and a rbta.

My current setup f to b:

B+
ABS
B+
B+
Uvl actinic white
B+
ABS
B+

It seems to be missing something....

My last setup was a 6 bulb fixture and I was using 2 c+, 1 ABS, and 3 b+. My red goni and orange shroom turned transparent. I believe it was from too much red from the c+, maybe I'm wrong.....

From looking at a couple of the suggestion, it contained 2p+ or 2c+. If it's the red that is causing the transparent what do you guys recommend me trying?

TIA

[Froggy]

Originally Posted by souk

Like others here, I also have a 8x54 ATI SP. I've been looking through the past post and saw a few recommendations but most of them listed as a mix reef or no info was listed about what they where keeping. So I wasn't sure if it would maximize color and growth for my tank. I have a 48x24x16 setup with 99% sps with a few orange ricordea(sp), red goniopora, and a rbta.

My current setup f to b:

B+
ABS
B+
B+
Uvl actinic white
B+
ABS
B+

It seems to be missing something....

My last setup was a 6 bulb fixture and I was using 2 c+, 1 ABS, and 3 b+. My red goni and orange shroom turned transparent. I believe it was from too much red from the c+, maybe I'm wrong.....

From looking at a couple of the suggestion, it contained 2p+ or 2c+. If it's the red that is causing the transparent what do you guys recommend me trying?

TIA

I think your current setup is missing the red. What is the look you are looking for? Your shroom might have received too much intensity and not necessarily too much red spectrum.
I would start with either 5 blue plus or 4 blue plus and 1 actinic. From there it depends on what look you want. I personally would add 1 or 2 purple plus. Your decision then is how white or blue you want the tank. Blue would be a coral plus. A bit brighter would be an aqua blue special. Even whiter and brighter would be a GE 6500.
My personal combo I like is
4 blue plus
2 purple plus
1 actinic
1 aqua blue special

A good start for you would be 5 blue plus, 2 purple plus, 1 coral plus
or
5 blue plus, 1 purple plus, 2 coral plus. You could mix in an actinic in place of one of the blue plus also.
Grab an extra aqua blue special and GE 6500 and see what you like.
Joe

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by souk

Like others here, I also have a 8x54 ATI SP. I've been looking through the past post and saw a few recommendations but most of them listed as a mix reef or no info was listed about what they where keeping. So I wasn't sure if it would maximize color and growth for my tank. I have a 48x24x16 setup with 99% sps with a few orange ricordea(sp), red goniopora, and a rbta.

My current setup f to b:

B+
ABS
B+
B+
Uvl actinic white
B+
ABS
B+

It seems to be missing something....

My last setup was a 6 bulb fixture and I was using 2 c+, 1 ABS, and 3 b+. My red goni and orange shroom turned transparent. I believe it was from too much red from the c+, maybe I'm wrong.....

From looking at a couple of the suggestion, it contained 2p+ or 2c+. If it's the red that is causing the transparent what do you guys recommend me trying?

TIA

Well here is a quick evaluation of your present plighting you have two Aqua Blue Specials that is lot of white light less the red and you do not have a single red bulb to fill in that part of the spectrum. I would suspect your tank is a very bright blue green color.

The old system you had 2 Coral plus Bulbs and an Aqua Blue Special. All three of these bulbs are basicly full spectrum with the Coral Plus being just under 50% as bright as the Aqua Blue Special. You did have some red in that combo from the Coral Plus bulbs and I doubt it was too much red. But I think overall you had too much white light again.

The combinations you used with 2 Aqua Blue Specials, or 1 Aqua Blue Special and 2 Coral plus are all brighter than if you used one GE 6,500K. In most cases you do not want to go any brighter than a single ge bulb in a 6 or 8 bulb fixture.

I'm assuming you like a bright tank in mid day rather than a blueish looking tank. So I would recommend you go with one GE and 2 Purple Plus with the rest of the bulbs being Blue Plus. If this looks to bright for you than replace the GE with an Aqua Blue Special and only run one Purple plus with the others all Blue Plus.

Note you donlt have to buy all new bulbs that your sure you will keep. Try the old Aqua Blues before buying new ones.

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by Bpb

I'd personally change out the purple plus for a ge6500k

Wow that would be 1 GE 6,500K and two Coral Plus Bulbs which would be extremly bright. But still have a slight yellow/green cast from the GE 6,500K

[DiscusHeckel]

Originally Posted by TropTrea

TUnfortunatly I need to make a big assumption here that the fiji purple is simular to the purple plus since I do not have plot dat for the fiji purple.

Hi Dennis,

I have found Fiji purple's spectral plot in this thread (post #437). I am not sure whether it is official or not.

regards

[rtparty]

Originally Posted by DiscusHeckel

Hi Dennis,

I have found Fiji purple's spectral plot in this thread (post #437). I am not sure whether it is official or not.

regards

It's not official but it's the best you'll find. KZ doesn't release spectral plots for anything.

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by DiscusHeckel

Hi Dennis,

I have found Fiji purple's spectral plot in this thread (post #437). I am not sure whether it is official or not.

regards

With the detail on that plot I'm sure it is not official. Official plots are usualy not as detailed to allow for manufacturing variables especialy between different bulb batches.

But thanks for the link and I plugged there numbers into my charts and looked at the purple plus plot I ran about a year ago. The simularities are fantastic with the exception of roughly a 15nm shift on the peaks. All things considered the 15 nm could be a matter of difference in calibration of the spectrum anylizer I used, The spectrum anylizer they used, the actual difference between the differnt trafe name bulbs measured or any combination of all of the above.

But with the simularities here I would not recommend either of these bulbs as being superior or inferior to the other based on the plot data.

[therra978]

woot picked up a 4X39 Sunpower dimmable for my 57G Rimless

Im going with:

Blue +
Fiji Purple
UVL Super atinics
Blue +

And Im hoping to supplement kessils down the road.

[souk]

Originally Posted by TropTrea

Well here is a quick evaluation of your present plighting you have two Aqua Blue Specials that is lot of white light less the red and you do not have a single red bulb to fill in that part of the spectrum. I would suspect your tank is a very bright blue green color.

The old system you had 2 Coral plus Bulbs and an Aqua Blue Special. All three of these bulbs are basicly full spectrum with the Coral Plus being just under 50% as bright as the Aqua Blue Special. You did have some red in that combo from the Coral Plus bulbs and I doubt it was too much red. But I think overall you had too much white light again.

The combinations you used with 2 Aqua Blue Specials, or 1 Aqua Blue Special and 2 Coral plus are all brighter than if you used one GE 6,500K. In most cases you do not want to go any brighter than a single ge bulb in a 6 or 8 bulb fixture.

I'm assuming you like a bright tank in mid day rather than a blueish looking tank. So I would recommend you go with one GE and 2 Purple Plus with the rest of the bulbs being Blue Plus. If this looks to bright for you than replace the GE with an Aqua Blue Special and only run one Purple plus with the others all Blue Plus.

Note you donlt have to buy all new bulbs that your sure you will keep. Try the old Aqua Blues before buying new ones.

Yes, it is a bright blue and at times I do see the green; even when it's just the b+. And yes, I do like a brighter look for mid day but I'm willing to try a dimmer blue look. I appreciate the suggestion and will give it a try.

I looked at Rtpartys suggestions for others too and will try it for blue/dimmer look to what I currently have.

Thanks again.

[rogergolf66]

Ok I have spent the last 2 months watching and reading this thread. Asking some questions here and there. Wanted to say thanks to everybody for all the help.

I have 1 more question that I think can help me really get an understanding of the different bulbs ok here it is.

All for the same dimension tank 4x4x2 120 gal all have 8x54w ati fixtures
Tanks 1 sps tank
Tank 2 LPS tank
Tank 3 zoa tank
Tank 4 softie tank

What would be the 4 different bulb recommendations for these 4 different tanks? I know its a lot to ask but I think it will help me understand intensity of each bulb and coral light requirements under t5.

Thanks so much. And for the record I do have 2 of those tanks running.

Roger

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by rogergolf66

Ok I have spent the last 2 months watching and reading this thread. Asking some questions here and there. Wanted to say thanks to everybody for all the help.

I have 1 more question that I think can help me really get an understanding of the different bulbs ok here it is.

All for the same dimension tank 4x4x2 120 gal all have 8x54w ati fixtures
Tanks 1 sps tank
Tank 2 LPS tank
Tank 3 zoa tank
Tank 4 softie tank

What would be the 4 different bulb recommendations for these 4 different tanks? I know its a lot to ask but I think it will help me understand intensity of each bulb and coral light requirements under t5.

Thanks so much. And for the record I do have 2 of those tanks running.

Roger

This is tough and does rewuire alot of generailzation . On the most part a lot of the varience can be taken up with the timing of your lights. But simply saying SPS need more light and Softies less can be over generalization.

SPS usualy are higher light demanding Corals. But there are a few exceptions. Ignoring the exceptions most of mune and RT's suggestions without using Atinic bulbs should work fine with 8 bulbs.

LPS now your expanding the range of lighting needs again. LPS's like Buncans are realy low light Corals and some others have needs simular to those of SPS corals. So again I would keep the same lioghting but monitor your lighting cycle for most of them. If your cycle drops under 8 hours/6 Hours you can add an Atinic to get you closer to the 12/8 hour cycle that is ideal.

Zoos. My favorate coral but also my biigest pain in the neck. Some grow fantastic for me with a lot of green in them and those with a lot of red in them are nearly impossible for me to keep. Some Zoo experts told me it because I have to much red lighting with using 2 purple plus bulbs and I reduced to one now and am seeing somne improvement. But again some Zoos like more light than others but with coral placement to account for that it should not be an issue. Some of the best Zoo tanks I saw were using all Blue Plus and Atinic Bulbs with 1 Coral Plus or 1 off brand 10,000K. They were all very blue tanks.

Softies There is a range here as well but most fall in the medium to low lighting requirement range. On my 8 bulb fixture I had the best results where they went wild with growth when I had a ballast go out for me and was waiting for a replacement. I would not recomend an 8 bulb fixture for softies but if that is what you have run at least two atinic bulbs to help reduce the PAR.

[Brando5185]

I have a 6x54W light and I am running
ATI Blue+
ATI ABS
ATI Purple+
ATI Coral+
ATI Blue+
Coralife 10K

The tank has assorted LPS and some zoas, 2 BTA's and one LTA. Should I be running different bulbs? I have been reading through here and seem to notice people reccomend more Blue+ than I am running.

[andyrm66]

Interesting
http://archiv.korallenriff.de/Lichttest/T5-1.pdf

[andyrm66]

Looks like this is very old news.