The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[acabgd]

Is there any consensus on how long to run the ATI Sunpower 2 channels? I have a 6x39W fixture and currently run 2 B+ for 8hrs and the rest for 6hrs. Is this okay? Corals are relatively new so I can't judge by color and/or growth...

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by acabgd

Is there any consensus on how long to run the ATI Sunpower 2 channels? I have a 6x39W fixture and currently run 2 B+ for 8hrs and the rest for 6hrs. Is this okay? Corals are relatively new so I can't judge by color and/or growth...

Im running about 12 hours and 7 hours. Every tank is different though and you seem to be a good starting point. Simply add 1/2 hour every other week and watch for changes. If they are positive then continue , if they are negative back then off 1/2 hour.

[sahin]

Originally Posted by TropTrea

Im running about 12 hours and 7 hours. Every tank is different though and you seem to be a good starting point. Simply add 1/2 hour every other week and watch for changes. If they are positive then continue , if they are negative back then off 1/2 hour.

+1

I've always run the main T5 tubes for around 7 hours and the rest around 10-12 hours.

[Dapg8gt]

Anyone know if I can use the sunpower clips /sockets in the powermodule? The bulb swaps on the powermodule are really difficult to the point when I feel I can break the bulb. I figured they were maybe old and swapped them all out with the reflectors but it makes me not want to swap the bulbs due to how difficult it is..

My sunpower is really easy to swap bulbs I was just wondering if they will fit or if there is a negative as to not use then.

[acabgd]

Originally Posted by TropTrea

Im running about 12 hours and 7 hours. Every tank is different though and you seem to be a good starting point. Simply add 1/2 hour every other week and watch for changes. If they are positive then continue , if they are negative back then off 1/2 hour.

Originally Posted by sahin

+1

I've always run the main T5 tubes for around 7 hours and the rest around 10-12 hours.

Thanks for the replies guys. Time to slowly increase the duration apparently. Cheers!

[sahin]

Originally Posted by acabgd

Thanks for the replies guys. Time to slowly increase the duration apparently. Cheers!

Take it slow and keep a careful eye on the corals. If you see any corals lightening/bleaching then back off slightly.

IME with T5's its best to have the main lights around 7-8 hours max to retain that deep colour...Pastel/pale colours is not my thing.

[acabgd]

Originally Posted by sahin

IME with T5's its best to have the main lights around 7-8 hours max to retain that deep colour...Pastel/pale colours is not my thing.

Agree. I'm at 6 hrs now for main lights so I still have some room to increase.

[bwrag]

Originally Posted by TropTrea

You only have one full spectrum bulb and that is only 1/3 full spectrum, 1/3 blue, and 1/3 purple. So for my color taste I would expect it to way to blue. But color taste is a personal thing and some people will like this combination.

As far as your corals are concerned they should have no issues with this combo.

You were right about to blue I also added buildmyled 14K strip to it and looks good now

Front

BML 14kstrip
blue+
uv+
blu+
coral+
blu+
blu+


back

[h0bite]

Hi all, can someone can tell why would I use Aquablue special bulb and True actinic bulb.
Are they usefull or pointless ?
Thanks

[Drae]

Originally Posted by h0bite

Hi all, can someone can tell why would I use Aquablue special bulb and True actinic bulb.
Are they usefull or pointless ?
Thanks

Aquablue special kinda washes the color out of actinic and blue spectrum bulbs. True actinic bulbs bring florescent colors out of corals and fish. Two totally different bulbs and purposes.

[h0bite]

Originally Posted by Drae

Aquablue special kinda washes the color out of actinic and blue spectrum bulbs. True actinic bulbs bring florescent colors out of corals and fish. Two totally different bulbs and purposes.

So, these bulbs are useless for coral growth.

[rtparty]

Originally Posted by h0bite

So, these bulbs are useless for coral growth.

No. The Aquablue is a great grower actually. The actinic won't grow anything though.

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by h0bite

Hi all, can someone can tell why would I use Aquablue special bulb and True actinic bulb.
Are they usefull or pointless ?
Thanks

Not at all. As other said and will repeat as is tis very important that people understand this.

1. Aqua Blue is partly Blue and Partly full spectrum. It will give some coral growth but most importantly it will bring out some of the reflective colors in the corals.

2. Atinic Bulbs are designed to simply bring out the florescent colors. However they do produce a slight amount of growth. In a T-5 fixture with multiple bulbs they are great to reduce the actual PAR as well when it is in excess for the corals the fixture is lighting.

3. The Blue bulbs Blue Plus, Super Blue are the best bulbs for coral growth and getting a high amount of usable PAR to the corals. But they do little for reflective colors. These Blue bulbs also do a fair job on florescent colors.

A well lighted tank is a balance between growth, florescence, and reflective colors. However everyone has a different perspective on how this balance should look to there eye. And for different corals the effects change with the same lighting.

[Av8bluewater]

Originally Posted by TropTrea

Personal opinion would be too blue for for my personal choice when you get to daylight. But color is an individual thing.

I tried different Buddy combos and with the T-5's what I recommend is
2 405nm
2 505nm
4 470nm
7 450nm
This will make the Florescence pop unbelievably for a dawn to dusk effect.

Then for your T-5's Run 1 GE and 2 Purples with the rest being Blue Plus. If that is to white for you then try 3 coral plus with the rest Blue Plus.

Thanks
If you ran a Reefbrite actinic...
For my 12 hour What two bulbs would you pick?
Also.. I just moved my fixture from about 10" to 8". I was reading a TOTM thread and the guy said he has his 3-4" and believes it's necessary to really bring out best colors. What are you guys doing? My tank is 24" deep corals in bottom half.. Well mid tank.. will grow to 3/4.
Anyone got links to individual bulb PAR values?

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by Av8bluewater

Thanks
If you ran a Reefbrite actinic...
For my 12 hour What two bulbs would you pick?
Also.. I just moved my fixture from about 10" to 8". I was reading a TOTM thread and the guy said he has his 3-4" and believes it's necessary to really bring out best colors. What are you guys doing? My tank is 24" deep corals in bottom half.. Well mid tank.. will grow to 3/4.
Anyone got links to individual bulb PAR values?

If you run the reef fright atinic still go with the GE, purple plus, and the rest Blues.

As far a height of the water I run mine between 3" a 6" above the surface of the water.

I try not to go go by PAR numbers as without knowing the spectrum of the bulb the Par numbers can be misleading. The green light and yellow light is recorded by par meters equal to blue light. Yet Green and yellow light has near zero effect on coral growth.

[rogergolf66]

Ok so once again I'm playing around with different ideas and combos. Learning a lot about t5 and coral light preference.

Ok so reminder the 8x54 ati unit is to much light for my tank. To make things worse even more light I have 2 led strips 460nm

So I'm thinking

7:30- 7:30pm led strips
9:00- 4:00pm 6 bulb t5 w/combo
Blue plus x3
Actinic x2
Purple plus
10:00-12:00 2 bulb t5 w/combo
GE 6500
Purple plus.

I am thinking the actinic will lower the par to stop bleaching the coral but the 6 bulb combo will bring in great color.
Having the 2 bulb on for short time to help the reflective colors. The times are a bit shorter to minimize duration to also help stop the bleaching. If this works out I can increase duration slowly.

Looking for thoughts and feedback of pros and cons growth color or problems?

Thx

Roger

[acabgd]

Huh? If you think you have too much light wouldn't it be more logical to run 2 bulbs, then add other 6 bulbs for a couple of hours?

[rogergolf66]

Well I had to much light with differnt combo. Im thinking that the 2 actin8 will lower the par enough.

Im also looking at it with the led I have 3 light switches
Led
6 bulb and 2 bulb

So since everything on with differnt combo was to much light. I lowered the par on 6 bulb but should help increase color of corals. Figured the 2 bulb could be a short durantion to just help peak the par back up for a short time to help the corals reach a point just before photo inhibition then turn off let the blue light keep them going the rest of the day.

Just a thought. Looking for feedback

[Dapg8gt]

I have noticed some real positive results swapping in 2 Actinic bulbs in place of blue plus.. My colors are starting to darken up so I'm going to slowly drop the light closer to the tank to contain the light spill..

I'm running
Front
B+
A
C+
B+
A
B+
C+
B+
I have my main daylights on for 6 hours and actinics start 2 hours before and end 2 hours after..

I may swap out the coral+ bulbs for a Ge 6500k and 2 purple + and see if I like the colors better imo the coral + kinda make the tank a little dull..

Do the purple + put out a lot of par? Do you think swapping an Actinic for the extra P+ I want will put me back up to the bleaching zone =).. I'm going to have to tinker with it and test the levels and wait I guess.. I think I want at least 5 B+ for growth right?

[rogergolf66]

I agree on the dullook witb cp. Thats why I out in the ge 65k I only had 1 purple pluss. Ordering another pp and actinic this week. I like the 65k ge looks more like my 20k mh radium tank. They r side by side so easy to tell the different look

[Dapg8gt]

Yeah I ran the ge before and liked it but switched to the c+ based on this thread to give it a shot.. It's OK just dull imo.

[Av8bluewater]

Did you guys notice better growth with a GE6500?

[rogergolf66]

Im to new to the 6500k to determine but I like the color better

[Dapg8gt]

I just personally like the color better than all coral + didn't notice a difference on growth at all.. Looking back it's when I was the happiest with the combo. Not sure what the Actinic I have to run is going to do to it though. It's crazy how just 1 bulb can change the way it looks to your eyes.

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by Dapg8gt

I have noticed some real positive results swapping in 2 Actinic bulbs in place of blue plus.. My colors are starting to darken up so I'm going to slowly drop the light closer to the tank to contain the light spill.. ?

The colors look deeper because with the Atinics there is less visable light to wash them out.

Originally Posted by Dapg8gt

I have my main daylights on for 6 hours and actinics start 2 hours before and end 2 hours after.. ?

Timing has many variable to it between your total usable PAR and the Corals your keeping. If you could go ideal it would 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. But this can seldom be perfect as our lights are either to powerful or too week, But yo do not want your lights on for less than 8 hours or more than 16 hours.

Originally Posted by Dapg8gt

I may swap out the coral+ bulbs for a Ge 6500k and 2 purple + and see if I like the colors better imo the coral + kinda make the tank a little dull.. ?

This is part of the reason why seldom recommend them unless someone wants a deep blue tank. With a lot of Blue light there color balance or red and greens is barly noticable. While the GE realy pops the yellos and greens in the tank.

Originally Posted by Dapg8gt

Do the purple + put out a lot of par? Do you think swapping an Actinic for the extra P+ I want will put me back up to the bleaching zone =).. I'm going to have to tinker with it and test the levels and wait I guess.. I think I want at least 5 B+ for growth right?

The purple plus hit both ends of visable spectrum Blues and Reds. They probably do produce more PAR than most people give them credit for because 2/3 of there light is in the blues which are recorded poorly by most PAR meters.

I run two Purples with my GE. Unfortunatly the GE bulb is weak in the red end of the spectrum and it becmes personal preference if you want torun two or just one purple bulb to kick the reds a little. With an 8 bulb fixture my favorate combo is

front
1 Blue >>> dawn to Dusk
2 Purple
3 Blue
4 GE
5 Blue
6 Purple
7 Blue >>> dawn to Dusk
8 Blue
rear

Please note I custom wired my fixture.