The T5 Q&a Thread

[Fishdisease]

Wow, my head is about to explode too. Although this is a fantastic thread.

Here it is, quick and dirty. I have no preconceptions about lights, fixtures or MH vs T5. I want to go T5 and I have a 90g (24" deep) that is softy/LPS dominated and I'd like to keep the possibility of clams/SPS open. My only prob is that I'm in Canada.

So..Should I go 6 or 8 bulb and is there anything better the Tek?

Also, where are you guys getting the best deals?

Thanks!

[fish-unit]

yeah thanks so much im going out to buy some t5/reflectors today do you know much about the hagen ones? they are the only available t5ho ain new zealand

[ebayes11]

Grim, I've got a hypothetical question for you. In a 170 gallon tall tank (35" deep) would an 8-bulb T5 retrofit with IC 660s and reflectors allow the growth of clams on the sand? I realize it would limit sps placement but could some lower-light corals still thrive?

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by Fishdisease
Wow, my head is about to explode too. Although this is a fantastic thread.

Here it is, quick and dirty. I have no preconceptions about lights, fixtures or MH vs T5. I want to go T5 and I have a 90g (24" deep) that is softy/LPS dominated and I'd like to keep the possibility of clams/SPS open. My only prob is that I'm in Canada.

So..Should I go 6 or 8 bulb and is there anything better the Tek?

Also, where are you guys getting the best deals?

Thanks!

Not sure what you options are in the great white north. 6 lamp Tek will work but if you ant to go with a lot of clams go 8. I like reefgeek.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by fish-unit
yeah thanks so much im going out to buy some t5/reflectors today do you know much about the hagen ones? they are the only available t5ho ain new zealand

really know nothing about hagen.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by ebayes11
Grim, I've got a hypothetical question for you. In a 170 gallon tall tank (35" deep) would an 8-bulb T5 retrofit with IC 660s and reflectors allow the growth of clams on the sand? I realize it would limit sps placement but could some lower-light corals still thrive?

I wouldn't try clams in a 35"tall tank with T5's.

[PCIALF]

This is the perfect bulb combo for appearance!!! Thanks

I also found out my LFS reads this forum I was told that i should have bought a 250w MH and that my coral will be dead in 6 months and I should sell it all to him, Amazing closed minded

Thanks

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
Giesemann: PowerChrome Actinic Plus
Giesemann: PowerChrome Actinic Plus
Giesemann: PowerChrome Pure Actinic
ATI Procolor
Giesemann: PowerChrome Actinic +
UV Lighting Aquasun
Giesemann: PowerChrome Aquablue
Giesemann: PowerChrome Actinic Plus

[skerz]

Mr. Grim,

Would an IceCap retro 660 SLR 4x24w (with the right bulb config.) be enough to penetrate and cover a 36"x14"x24"tall tank. Would like to keep a mixed reef w/ sps elevated in tank.

I could make the 36" 4x39w work but, aesthetically the 24w would fit better within the eurobracing.

thanks for any advice.

[sbcaes]

hey guys does anyone know of any other manufacturers of 18" t5 bulbs besides current usa? how do those bulbs compare to say ati or geismann bulbs? and what have you?

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by PCIALF
This is the perfect bulb combo for appearance!!! Thanks

I also found out my LFS reads this forum I was told that i should have bought a 250w MH and that my coral will be dead in 6 months and I should sell it all to him, Amazing closed minded

Thanks

Greed and ignorance spreads bad information like you wouldn't believe

Glad you got the look you were after

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by skerz
Mr. Grim,

Would an IceCap retro 660 SLR 4x24w (with the right bulb config.) be enough to penetrate and cover a 36"x14"x24"tall tank. Would like to keep a mixed reef w/ sps elevated in tank.

I could make the 36" 4x39w work but, aesthetically the 24w would fit better within the eurobracing.

thanks for any advice.

If you stick with the Ice Cap reflectors and can live with high PAR lamps you might just be better off not using the ice cap ballast on that setup if you want to keep lower light corals. If you do overdrive I would go with the 36" lamps, the 24's are pushed a lot harder and would probably make some things not too happy.

I'd try this for a normal Ice Cap HO system with regular ballasts

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/27
UVL Aquasun
ATI Aquablue

SHould have plenty of PAR for SPS in the upper half of the tank.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by sbcaes
hey guys does anyone know of any other manufacturers of 18" t5 bulbs besides current usa? how do those bulbs compare to say ati or geismann bulbs? and what have you?

Not sure anyone else is making that size T5's. Currents 48" 10K's are OK and the blue looks good but the PAR is pathetic

[Fishdisease]

So I can find a good spot to buy the Giesemann bulbs, but what are the acceptable alternatives to the ATI Procolor and the UV Lighting Aquasun bulbs if I cant track those down? And I assume that this combo is also good for growth?...with the 6500K ATI bulb in there.

Oh and btw I'm going with the 8 bulb tek light fixture for my 90gal (which is in the planning pahse).

Thanks for all of the help Grim.

Originally posted by PCIALF
This is the perfect bulb combo for appearance!!! Thanks

I also found out my LFS reads this forum I was told that i should have bought a 250w MH and that my coral will be dead in 6 months and I should sell it all to him, Amazing closed minded

Thanks

[ihopss]

I am going to use the tek 8x54,and would like somone's opinion on my lighting configuration.This tank is a 75G ,I am going to upgrade to a 120G in the future, that is why I'm going to with the 8x54
Will this work for sps&lps
1)54W 10000K AquaSun T5 HO Fluorescent
(1)54W Super Actinic T5 HO Fluorescent
(3)54W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent
(1)54W Pro Color T5 HO Fluorescent
(1)54W 75/25 14000K AquaBlue T5 HO Fluorescent
(1)54W 6500K Daylight T5 HO Fluorescent

Thank you..

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by Fishdisease
So I can find a good spot to buy the Giesemann bulbs, but what are the acceptable alternatives to the ATI Procolor and the UV Lighting Aquasun bulbs if I cant track those down? And I assume that this combo is also good for growth?...with the 6500K ATI bulb in there.

Oh and btw I'm going with the 8 bulb tek light fixture for my 90gal (which is in the planning pahse).

Thanks for all of the help Grim.

[/QUOTE]

You can use a GE 3000K in place of the Pro Color and a Guisemann Midday instead of the Aquasun

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by ihopss
I am going to use the tek 8x54,and would like somone's opinion on my lighting configuration.This tank is a 75G ,I am going to upgrade to a 120G in the future, that is why I'm going to with the 8x54
Will this work for sps&lps
1)54W 10000K AquaSun T5 HO Fluorescent
(1)54W Super Actinic T5 HO Fluorescent
(3)54W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent
(1)54W Pro Color T5 HO Fluorescent
(1)54W 75/25 14000K AquaBlue T5 HO Fluorescent
(1)54W 6500K Daylight T5 HO Fluorescent

Thank you..

Should be fine except I would add another blue plus instead of the GE lamp. You are gonna have a ton of PAR on a 75, go for the extra blue.

[ihopss]

Thank You....
Is this going to be to blue.

[Fishdisease]

Thank you for your help Grim.

I just talked to the aquarium division at Sunlight Supply (the dudes who make the Tek Light) and I asked what the difference was between the Horticultural Model and the Aquarium Model.

The only differences I was told was that the horticultural model has only 1 switch for all 8 lamps while the aquarium model has 2, and that the reflective material was slightly different on the aquarium model making it easier to clean up.

So knowing that I can get the horticultural model for $50 less is having the capability to run dusk/dawn cycles important to the health of the reef? Do those of you with Tek Lights run the dusk/dawn cycle?

Thanks once again!

[skerz]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
If you stick with the Ice Cap reflectors and can live with high PAR lamps you might just be better off not using the ice cap ballast on that setup if you want to keep lower light corals. If you do overdrive I would go with the 36" lamps, the 24's are pushed a lot harder and would probably make some things not too happy.

I'd try this for a normal Ice Cap HO system with regular ballasts

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/27
UVL Aquasun
ATI Aquablue

SHould have plenty of PAR for SPS in the upper half of the tank.

when you say ''normal Ice Cap HO system with regular ballasts'' does that mean slr set up with a non icecap 660 ballast or use the the icecap 430 ballast.

do all icecap ballasts overdrive bulbs making them ''very high-output'' or just the 660.

thanks, i appreciate the help.

[jimfed1]

Alright Grim
Got a question for ya. I am running a pair of 250 watt retros, with Reeflux 12k bulbs. I want to supplement with a pair of some really bright BLUE actinic T5's. Which bulb would be a great match for this scenario. I have bulbs now that say "Tru" on them, and they don't seem very bright.
Thaks for all your help with this thread.

[skerz]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
If you stick with the Ice Cap reflectors and can live with high PAR lamps you might just be better off not using the ice cap ballast on that setup if you want to keep lower light corals. If you do overdrive I would go with the 36" lamps, the 24's are pushed a lot harder and would probably make some things not too happy.

I'd try this for a normal Ice Cap HO system with regular ballasts

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/27
UVL Aquasun
ATI Aquablue

SHould have plenty of PAR for SPS in the upper half of the tank.

what would be the optimal bulb config. for setup w/ ic 660...
4x24w t5v-ho
3x39w t5v-ho


also could anyone point me to any links/sites with info/testing results regarding the
24" 4x24W or 36" 4x39W Powermodule T5 High-Output Fixtures by ATI.


thanks again

[skerz]

.

[scholl]

hey Grim,

you still good with this combo for 6x39 tek for sps, clam, softies on the bottom of 65gal 24 deep?

thanks

ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

[kudora]

just bought an entire set up with a custom 60x18x18 tank(84 gallons) with a 3" sand bed lighted by 2 65w pc.
it came with a frog spawn, leather and some shrooms, would like to get the reef geek slr 4x54 retro HO

1. what bulbs would you recommend on this set up?
2. what range of coral could i keep with this set up?
3. what set up would you use if you had this tank







first post!!!

[reefbaby1]

Grim, I currently have a mixed reef 75 with a no name brand ebay special Odesey PC 4 blub 65 watts and a 2 bulb hagen glow t5 over it now. We love the color and growth. But the pc's burn out all the time. We want to up grade to an all t5 fixture. We really want to make sure our corals don't get bleached mostly our acans. We don't really have any softies. Mostly LPS, SPS, and a lot of zoas.

So here is the question, I have read this entire tread all the way back to 2006 and am still not 100% sure which way to go.

4x54W Powermodule
6x54W Powermodule
TX5 5-Lamp T5
Solar Flare 6 Lamp

and what bulb selection

I don't want to hurt any thing by over doing it, or spendng any unnesscary money. But at the same time I want to improve our growth and coral colors with out over doing it. I was thinking the 4x54w powermodule would be good but doesn't seem like I will have as big of light color control with only 4 bulb selection. Also doesn't seem like it will be as much light as I have now. Remember my PC's really stink.

So really the bottom line is, are 4 blubs better that what I have now, and is 6 going to be an over kill.

Maybe 5 is the best to split the diff. If I fry all my corals my wife will kill me.