The T5 Q&a Thread - split

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by bucfan

Using the above principal I plan to go with this combo for my next set of bulbs. 4 ATI B+, 2 Gies Super Purple, 2 ATI ABS. I am dropping my current Actinic, Tropic and Aquablue Azure from the mix to go more blue. From an install standpoint how would you place the bulbs. I was planning for B+, SP, ABS, B+, B+, ABS, SP, B+. Is that good? The outer 2 bulbs run 8 hours and the inner 2 run 3 hours.

If you want to go more blue I'd stick with one Azure - its a very neutral blue white. I run 5 blues, one ABS and two purples. I came to this because an LFS here uses only blues and purples, and swears by it. He seems to have good results, lots of fixtures and lots of high end corals. So gave it a shot, and it does look pretty rich(2 purples and 6 blues). It was just a little dim for my tastes and the yellows looked a little greenish yellow for me.

I then added the ABS and it corrected the issue. This tank is LPS heavy and I'm planning on running the bulbs there as long as possible, so this is really the bulb hand-me down/reject bulb tank. Anyhow, the one ABS did the trick. Its definitely more bluish than I would prefer for an SPS only tank. I put one ABS in for a comparison for you and I think it would be too white/washed out if you are looking for a bluer mix.

Two ABS:



One ABS:



For the arrangement, B+, SP, B+, ABS, B+, B+, SP, B+ for one ABS, for two your arrangement looks good.

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by Idal305

If I wanted to give the tank a tad bit bluer look when all the bulbs are on, what would you recommend. I was thinking swapping the second aquablue azure for another actinic blue or even trying a super actinic.

So far I'm using blue+ and super actinic fory dusk/dawn. Liked it a little more than actinic blue and super actinic. Blue+ brightens up the tank a little more for viewing pleasure.

To go Bluer, you could replace the Actinic with a blue. Replacing the Azure with a blue will just make the tank seem dimmer but not more shifted toward blue in my experience.

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by bucfan

Using the above principal I plan to go with this combo for my next set of bulbs. 4 ATI B+, 2 Gies Super Purple, 2 ATI ABS. I am dropping my current Actinic, Tropic and Aquablue Azure from the mix to go more blue. From an install standpoint how would you place the bulbs. I was planning for B+, SP, ABS, B+, B+, ABS, SP, B+. Is that good? The outer 2 bulbs run 8 hours and the inner 2 run 3 hours.

Oh, I forgot to ask...why so short for photoperiod? The time for all the bulbs to be on should be 6-8 hours. The time for the two bulbs to be on is really up to you, its for your viewing pleasure and for the fish to have a normal day/night cycle, this is typically 11-12 hours.

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by archmod

Interesting point...I have been noticing this as well in my research. Seems the old "white light grows and blue light colors up" that applies to halides does not necessarily apply to T5 as PAR seems good on most bulbs and we can also fine tune the spectrum...as long as the overall spectrum is covered and you don't go all blue

Yes and this is a big point in favor of T5s. They are hard to screw up as long as you have a decent fixture. Tom here on reef central has a frag tank with a 1:1 ABS and Actinic ratio with unreal colors and growth, I tried that mix and for me it looks like doo doo. But it works.
I've seen tanks with only actinic bulbs(frag tanks usually), only Blue and actinics, and in Europe, plenty of tanks with no blue bulbs at all, or maybe just one or two.
For every variation, I have seen success. Krzytoff had a mix for a long time that I tried out and for me it was too washed out and white. Just recently he posted his current mix, which is too blue for my tastes. Its really up to you because they all work.

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by bucfan

So then should I go with 2 Tropics, 2 Super Purple and 4 Blue+? That gives me great growth and color.

I think that will be very ugly. It will probably grow coral well but that is a lot of red and yellow.

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by shred5

Lamps in the 6500 k usually have more par and a wider spectrum of light..
Actually some 6500k lamps have almost more blue than bluer lamps.. The bluer lamps usually just have less of the other spectrum's..

Yes par is not a issue much anymore if you have a decent fixture and lamps.. This is halides, T5 and leds so basically it comes down to spectrum and what you like.

What I don't think people realize is coloration has to do almost as much with spectrum the coral prefers as well as spectrum a coral does not like.. Corals don't care for red or uv so they create pigments and proteins to either block or change the colors of these spectrum's of light .. These proteins and pigments are what create the colors in corals.. There are also ones that are made to enhance the spectrum they like..

This is mainly with sps and shallower water corals that are used to a wide spectrum of light and UV.

People focus so much on par because of photosynthesis but there is so much more ..

One last thing, you are right on when you say par is not an issue with these fixtures. My shallow reef has two 6 bulb fixtures and corals have done better with it high up rather than lower. One LFS near me is not bringing in a selection of Aussie SPS anymore because he said they are being collected at deeper points and they don't do well with the amount of light we cook our reefs with.

T5s were trying to emulate the punch of MH, but if you look at a lot of Par maps for MH tanks, the T5 Par exceeds that easily. Not a lot of MH tanks can boast over 300 par near the sand.

[shred5]

Originally Posted by mhucasey

One last thing, you are right on when you say par is not an issue with these fixtures. My shallow reef has two 6 bulb fixtures and corals have done better with it high up rather than lower. One LFS near me is not bringing in a selection of Aussie SPS anymore because he said they are being collected at deeper points and they don't do well with the amount of light we cook our reefs with.

T5s were trying to emulate the punch of MH, but if you look at a lot of Par maps for MH tanks, the T5 Par exceeds that easily. Not a lot of MH tanks can boast over 300 par near the sand.

I have been saying the same thing especially with t-5 where coral get blasted with light from all sides more evenly.. I believe we have hit Photoinhibition with some of these lamps and fixtures.

The only time a coral gets hit in the wild with light from all sides is high noon and even still some shading is going on..

I have had to raise my fixtures up on my frag tanks too and they are about 8 inches deep I believe.

Deeper tanks are a little different but most stick with tanks under 24".

[bucfan]

Originally Posted by mhucasey

Oh, I forgot to ask...why so short for photoperiod? The time for all the bulbs to be on should be 6-8 hours. The time for the two bulbs to be on is really up to you, its for your viewing pleasure and for the fish to have a normal day/night cycle, this is typically 11-12 hours.

Mt fixture allows 4 bulbs to be controlled at one time. If I keep all 8 bulbs on 5 hours I think I will fry the corals or at least that's what I've been told. It's also a hybrid lamp (ATI LED Powermodule) so LEDs on @ 50% max from 9 am to 11 pm which gives the fish their day-night cycle.

[bucfan]

Originally Posted by mhucasey

I think that will be very ugly. It will probably grow coral well but that is a lot of red and yellow.

Ok then how about 1 Tropic or ABS and 5 Blue+ with 2 purple/pinks. For the purple/pink a combo of Gies Super Purple, ATI Purple+ or KZ Fiji Pink. Of those 3 which one is the best purple and should I stick with 2 bulbs of the same brand or combine 2 different brands?

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by bucfan

Mt fixture allows 4 bulbs to be controlled at one time. If I keep all 8 bulbs on 5 hours I think I will fry the corals or at least that's what I've been told. It's also a hybrid lamp (ATI LED Powermodule) so LEDs on @ 50% max from 9 am to 11 pm which gives the fish their day-night cycle.

Oh ok with the LEDs it makes sense

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by bucfan

Ok then how about 1 Tropic or ABS and 5 Blue+ with 2 purple/pinks. For the purple/pink a combo of Gies Super Purple, ATI Purple+ or KZ Fiji Pink. Of those 3 which one is the best purple and should I stick with 2 bulbs of the same brand or combine 2 different brands?

I really can't say with the tropic but I have an abs with two Fiji purples and 5 blue bulbs on the one tank and it looks really good in my opinion. Hold on to your old bulbs and try both and see what you like better.

As for purple bulbs, In my opinion there is no better purple bulb than the Fiji Purple. I buy them from BRS, usually during the yearly sale at the beginning of the year. More expensive but worth it to me.

[bucfan]

Originally Posted by mhucasey

I really can't say with the tropic but I have an abs with two Fiji purples and 5 blue bulbs on the one tank and it looks really good in my opinion. Hold on to your old bulbs and try both and see what you like better.

As for purple bulbs, In my opinion there is no better purple bulb than the Fiji Purple. I buy them from BRS, usually during the yearly sale at the beginning of the year. More expensive but worth it to me.

So then 2 Fiji Pinks, 1 ABS and 1 B+ is what I'll go with. I also have a Coral+ so I can could swap the ABS out if I don't like that. Should I run the ABS and Fiji Pinks on my short cycle and go full B+ on the long cycle? Or should I include a FP on the long cycle understanding it's 4 bulbs so 3 B+ and 1 FP?

[kmu]

Anyone tried the Hamilton T5 Actinic Royal Blue bulb?

Is it similar in Color to an ATI Blue Plus or to a ATI Actinic Plus?

THX in advance

[bucfan]

Should I run the 3 B+ and ABS for 3 hours and 2 B+ and 2 purple for 8 hours?

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by bucfan

Should I run the 3 B+ and ABS for 3 hours and 2 B+ and 2 purple for 8 hours?

I would do it the other way around, with the blue and ABS on longer.

[mhucasey]

Originally Posted by kmu

Anyone tried the Hamilton T5 Actinic Royal Blue bulb?

Is it similar in Color to an ATI Blue Plus or to a ATI Actinic Plus?

THX in advance

I haven't seen it but I have pretty much all the other blue bulbs that re available from the major MFG. What is the draw from the Hamilton-Price? Availability?

[bucfan]

Originally Posted by mhucasey

I would do it the other way around, with the blue and ABS on longer.

That would be 4 heavy duty bulbs for 8 hours, would that not be too much?

[bucfan]

This is the final combo I have come up with based on bulbs that I have. Plan to install bulbs soon. Using ATI LED Powermodule lamp.

ATI B+
Gies Super Purple
ATI Coral+
ATI Blue+
****LED****
ATI Purple+
ATI ABS
Gies Super Actinic
ATI B+

vs

ATI B+
ATI Coral+
ATI Blue+
Gies Super Purple
****LED****
ATI Purple+
ATI ABS
Gies Super Actinic
ATI B+

Inner 4 bulbs will run 3 hours. Outer 4 bulbs will run 8 hours. Please offer any comments or suggestions regarding which option is better.

[the reefer]

What order do you recommend on a ATI dimmable 6 bulb fixture using
3 blue+
1 actinic+
1 purple +

[the reefer]

Forgot to add 1 coral plus in the list.

[wcharon]

Originally Posted by the reefer

What order do you recommend on a ATI dimmable 6 bulb fixture using
3 blue+
1 actinic+
1 purple +

I have that combo and really love it but also have Reefbrite. From from to back i have B+, A+, C+, B+, P+ B+.

[bucfan]

Originally Posted by bucfan

This is the final combo I have come up with based on bulbs that I have. Plan to install bulbs soon. Using ATI LED Powermodule lamp.

ATI B+
Gies Super Purple
ATI Coral+
ATI Blue+
****LED****
ATI Purple+
ATI ABS
Gies Super Actinic
ATI B+

vs

ATI B+
ATI Coral+
ATI Blue+
Gies Super Purple
****LED****
ATI Purple+
ATI ABS
Gies Super Actinic
ATI B+

Inner 4 bulbs will run 3 hours. Outer 4 bulbs will run 8 hours. Please offer any comments or suggestions regarding which option is better.

Anyone?

[bucfan]

Here's a tank update. Running ATI LED Powermodule now 6 months.

[archmod]

very nice bucfan

[wicz101]

Originally Posted by mhucasey

My impression is that in a combination with white bulbs, after one or two blue bulbs are added the "Pop" doesn't increase all that much, just the blue cast over the reef. An Actinic can push up the "pop" without changing the color toward the blue side as much. Rather than add a bunch of blues I'd use their spots for bulbs that will enhance the visible colors of the reef.
With a truly white reef, where all the major colors reflect properly, the blue corals look much nicer to me than a more heavily blue tank where everything has a bluish cast, yellows look greenish, etc.
I still think based on your description that you would like the recommended combo:
Blue +
Super Actinic
Aquablue Azure
Fiji Purple
Actinic Blue
Aquablue Azure

I finally ordered new bulbs and went with the above suggestion..... my 6 bulb ATI sunpower has two channels that I run to create the dawn/dusk effect ("blues" going on 1 hour prior and off 1 hour after whites go off)

channel 1 (Blues):
channel 2 (whites):

from back to front
channel 1
channel 2
channel 1
channel 1
channel 2
channel 1

the order I was thinking is:

Actinic Blue
Aquablue Azure
Fiji Purple
Super Actinic
Aquablue Azure
Blue +

My question is what is the best order for these bulbs to be in and should the dawn/dusk effect still be used with this combo or should they just all come on at the same time, open to all suggestion?