The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[andrewbram]

I have a 75 gallon reef. I have 4 by 54 t-5. It is two glo t-5 2x54 ballast. If I use better bulbs then what i have will it be enough to put an sps anywhere or do I need to buy one more ballast and run 6 bulbs total. I am on a budget so best bang for my buck first and what types of bulbs. thank you for your time

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally Posted by cdivine

I just purchased four UVL bulbs. The 454, Aqua Sun, 75/25, and super actinic to go over 48x12high frag tank. They were on sale and in the past they were my favorite bulbs. Now I'm catching up on this thread and I'm reading that the quality control isn't all that great. Did I make a bad purchase? Why are the new UVL bulbs, so different from the old UVL bulbs?

Always looked good, just doesn't have good PAR retention.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally Posted by gibbus123

Hi I decided to replace my 8x39module to an ATI dimmable. Would an 8x39sunpower dimmable be ok for a full SPS tank(42x24x24)? Or would I benefit more from a 10x39 power module?

Oh what bulb combination for a 14k look?

Be plenty

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally Posted by njw26

I'm running a 8 bulb 54 watt t-5 fixture on my 55 gal mixed reef tank. i just bought 5 blue plus, 2 purple plus and an aqua blue bulbs. Any specific order i should put them in the fixture???

Aquablue about center with a purple front and rear of it by a slot or two so you get even light distribution

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally Posted by andrewbram

I have a 75 gallon reef. I have 4 by 54 t-5. It is two glo t-5 2x54 ballast. If I use better bulbs then what i have will it be enough to put an sps anywhere or do I need to buy one more ballast and run 6 bulbs total. I am on a budget so best bang for my buck first and what types of bulbs. thank you for your time

What do you have for reflectors? 4 good T5's with good reflectors (LET brand) is enough for SPS anywhere below the lamps. 3 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Purple Plus and a KZ New Generation

[andrewbram]

well at moment the reflector came off an old light it is one piece reflector but it comes half way up each bulb. so the look like individual reflectors. so with 4 bulbs how many blue and how many white? The t5 thing is new to me just want to do it correctly. I can get two more bulbs and run 6 if needed that is allowed by household 6

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally Posted by andrewbram

well at moment the reflector came off an old light it is one piece reflector but it comes half way up each bulb. so the look like individual reflectors. so with 4 bulbs how many blue and how many white? The t5 thing is new to me just want to do it correctly. I can get two more bulbs and run 6 if needed that is allowed by household 6

Do 6 then, 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Purple Plus and a GE 6500K

[andrewbram]

thank you very much.

[gibbus123]

Mr grim, what bulb combination would be like a 14k color? Im getting a 8x39wat dimmable sunpower and would like to have a 14k look to it. Thanks.

[andrewbram]

Sorry to ask one more question Grim. I try and buy local when I can so are Giesemann bulbs any good. I am going to replace my 4 now and get my additional two bulbs and ballast later. If the Giesemann aren't suffiecnt I will order the ATI

[xdannyxrocksx]

I have a 40 breeder mixed reef. I have zoas,chalices,frogspawn, and various pieces of sps. I have a 6 bulb sunlight supply TEK fixture. What would be a good bulb combination for color and growth. Don't want it to be mostly blue but also not too yellow. Helps is appreciated in advance.

[okbishop]

Might be a repeat but this is a big thread. VHO or T5's?

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by xdannyxrocksx

I have a 40 breeder mixed reef. I have zoas,chalices,frogspawn, and various pieces of sps. I have a 6 bulb sunlight supply TEK fixture. What would be a good bulb combination for color and growth. Don't want it to be mostly blue but also not too yellow. Helps is appreciated in advance.

With 6 bulbs over a 40 brreeder you actually have to avoid over power it. What I'm running on my 40 breeder frag tanks are:

UVL Super Atinic
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Purple Plus
UVL 75/25 AquaBlue
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Super Atinic

But I got a good prce on UVL bulbs years ago and have a stock pile of them. If I were buying everything new today I might replace the 75/25 Aquablue with something like a New Generation or a GE 6,500K.

[xdannyxrocksx]

T5 sorry.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally Posted by gibbus123

Mr grim, what bulb combination would be like a 14k color? Im getting a 8x39wat dimmable sunpower and would like to have a 14k look to it. Thanks.

5 Blue Plus, 2 Purple Plus and a GE 6500K should be about there.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally Posted by andrewbram

Sorry to ask one more question Grim. I try and buy local when I can so are Giesemann bulbs any good. I am going to replace my 4 now and get my additional two bulbs and ballast later. If the Giesemann aren't suffiecnt I will order the ATI

Giesemann will work but I don't think they have anything comparable to a Purple Plus

[rtparty]

Originally Posted by The Grim Reefer

Giesemann will work but I don't think they have anything comparable to a Purple Plus

I haven't seen the AquaPink in person but the spectral chart is the same as the Purple Plus.

[andrewbram]

thank you Grimm looks like I will have to order at least a purple plus

[xdannyxrocksx]

Thank you troptrea. I will try that lineup.

Hey grim what do you think?

[Jstn]

How is the par rating on the kz bulbs? I have a 4 bulb comb, (front to back) ATI blue, ATI ab special, ATI blue kz fiji, and a few of my sps seemed to die off. My red planet was very green and my plum crazy was basically green (supposed to be purple) I recently upgraded the figi from the kz new gen, which i must say was even worst that the fiji ( sps looked terrible). After a month I swapped the kz figi for another ati blue plus, my sps seemed to start recover and i really like the color of my tank. My lps haven't noticed much difference, but as you can see in my avatar that one acan REALLY pops now.

Am I going to suffer any problems running this much blue? TIA

Im also thinking of trying a purple plus (imo the ATI bulbs are better than the giessman and it seems the over priced KZ)

[Useful_Idiot]

I have a standard 29 gallon with acans and other lps. Would a 2 bulb 36" LET retrofit from reefgeek be enough light to support them? They always did better in the shade in my big tank. Could I use 2 blue plus or would one blue one purple plus be necessary? For a splash shield what is better plexiglas or glass? TIA.

[rtparty]

Originally Posted by Jstn

How is the par rating on the kz bulbs? I have a 4 bulb comb, (front to back) ATI blue, ATI ab special, ATI blue kz fiji, and a few of my sps seemed to die off. My red planet was very green and my plum crazy was basically green (supposed to be purple) I recently upgraded the figi from the kz new gen, which i must say was even worst that the fiji ( sps looked terrible). After a month I swapped the kz figi for another ati blue plus, my sps seemed to start recover and i really like the color of my tank. My lps haven't noticed much difference, but as you can see in my avatar that one acan REALLY pops now.

Am I going to suffer any problems running this much blue? TIA

Im also thinking of trying a purple plus (imo the ATI bulbs are better than the giessman and it seems the over priced KZ)

What fixture are you running? What size tank? Without that info it is hard to recommend if it is the bulbs or not.

For a 4 bulb combo I would use 2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Purple Plus or KZ Fiji Purple and 1 KZ New Generation.

The KZ bulbs have really good PAR. ATI and KZ are both made by Sylvania so they are very comparable. I think that KZ bulbs are extremely overpriced as well.

ATI has a new bulb called the Coral Plus out but I have no idea when it will be in the states. If ATI follows suit, we won't see it for a few months. Hopefully I am wrong though.

I would also move your Purple bulb out of the back. It isn't doing anything productive in the very back of the tank. You want it in the second or third slot.

[rtparty]

Originally Posted by Useful_Idiot

I have a standard 29 gallon with acans and other lps. Would a 2 bulb 36" LET retrofit from reefgeek be enough light to support them? They always did better in the shade in my big tank. Could I use 2 blue plus or would one blue one purple plus be necessary? For a splash shield what is better plexiglas or glass? TIA.

2 bulbs should provide enough PAR but finding a good bulb combo is gonna suck.

If you go with 2 bulbs I would go with an ATI Blue Plus and an ATI Aquablue.

[3fish]

I also have a 29 gallon (30x12x18) mainly lps and a clam was looking at switching from 2 fixtures of 2 bulb t5 coralife to an aquatic life 4 bulb t5. Thought it would give me more options for bulbs and dimming. Now I'm wondering if I should stick with what I have and just buy bulbs. Just a pain having 2 fixtures sometimes.

[pokeycow]

question i have 4 build pc 96w and wanting to switch to a better lighting system im currently growing lps and some softies and wanting to get into some sps and and claims and still keep some fish what lighting would be good for doing that. thank you for the help and input