The T5 Q&a Thread

[jennmac415]

Grim... what is the difference in the look of the 75/25 bulb and the aquasun?

[Corndork2]

Grim and all is a 4x54w Tek II fixture enough to keep a Dersa or squamosa clam in a 75g tank? I also want to keep LPS and montipora high in the rockwork. Also what bulb combo works best?

[ahullsb]

Hi Grim I had a question for you. I have an outer orbit fixture running 2 150 watt mh's. I'm running 14k Ushio's. It also has 4 t5's I'm using for actinics. Can you recommend a good combo?

[ooja3k]

Is it possible to overdrive my 36" nova extreme t-5 fixture?? it would require getting a ic660 i think, correct me im wrong...

would it be worth it as a cheapish upgrade? (i just don't have the money for a whole new fixture...) would it be worth it even though i don't have individual reflectors?

[Vinnie71975]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
Just the standard set up will be fine

Blue Plus
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Blue Plus

Just keep the high light critters up on the rocks. If you want a scallop go to a seafood place. They don't usually do too well in a Aquarium.

Sweet thanks can you tell me who makes each of these bulbs(im a newbie on been in the hobby about 6 months)

[Vinnie71975]

Originally posted by Vinnie71975
Sweet thanks can you tell me who makes each of these bulbs(im a newbie on been in the hobby about 6 months)

Also the bulbs i have now are as follows.

Current T5 HO 54w 460nm antinic x2

Current T5 ho 54w 10kk x2

thats what is says on the bulbs anyway.

Going buy what you recommend Grim would it be ok to just change out one 10k for a Blue Plus? i cant really afford 90 dollars for new bulbs when the fixture has brand new bulbs in it(the woman says no lol)

[dsn112]

Grim, last time I bother you.

Here is what I have on hand to put in my fixture for LPS and softies. 24" deep

6 bulb extreme pro.

I have 3 ATI BLUE PLUS
1 UVL Super Actinic
1 UVL 75/25
1 UVL Aqua Sun
1 Giesemann Actinic Plus

What should I use out of these?

[nayotte]

I am running a 220 gallon 30" deep. I have a halide/powercompact combo but just bought this light for a frag tank. Would this work on my 220?

[dwiseman]

Looking to upgrade my current lighting which is 4 110 watt VHO's over a 90 gallon mixed reef tank. Because of electricity and the results people are getting from T5 I would like a recommendation for my 90 gallon. Currently the VHO's are retro kits from Hellolights that are mounted in the AG pine canopy. I would like to use that canopy.
Any suggestions would be great

[jamesdawson]

Originally posted by dwiseman
Looking to upgrade my current lighting which is 4 110 watt VHO's over a 90 gallon mixed reef tank. Because of electricity and the results people are getting from T5 I would like a recommendation for my 90 gallon. Currently the VHO's are retro kits from Hellolights that are mounted in the AG pine canopy. I would like to use that canopy.
Any suggestions would be great

Go to ReefGeek and order normally driven (HO) T5 retro kit and upgrade to IC SLR reflectors which are 2 1/2" wide. Put as many pairs of bulbs as you can into the space your canopy can hold. Also buy 2 cooling fans and mount them in the canopy to blow air across the ends (on both sides) of the bulbs. Just make sure your canopy has vents so the fans suck in cool outside air and blow so the heat can escape entrapment in the canopy. If necessary use a hole saw to cut holes to match the fans.

Good luck,
James

[norcal99]

Hey Grim looking for your opinion on a T5 setup for a 55 gallon (48 1/4 x 12 3/4 x 21). I was considering a 6x54w set of lights and want to do an SPS dominated tank and am curious if this is enough light. At first glance I was looking at the Sunlight Supply stuff then wondered if the Icecap SLR retros are really that much better? I wouldn't mind spending the extra $$ if the ballasts are really that much better. Is the very high output vs the high output just a different ballast over driving the bulbs?

For bulbs, I want a combination that gives maximum growth and coloration. I was thinking something like this:

front
blue +
aquablue
aquasun
aquablue
kz fiji purple
blue +
back

This is more of a starting place but what are you thoughts on fixtures and bulb choices?

[dwiseman]

James

The fans are already in place because of the heat the VHOs create. Can I use anything from the VHO retro to be used for the T5s. Still pretty new at the T5s

Thanks

[LobsterOfJustice]

I posted this in a separate thread in this forum, but it was suggested that I post it here as well:


I am in the market for a T5 retrofit in the 24-36" range. This tank will be used primarily as a refugium, so I would like to be able to grow sea grasses, cheatomorpha, halimeda, etc, but it would be nice if I could have the option of keeping corals in it temporarily as needed. I have a piece of plywood maybe 10" above the tank which I will screw the retrofit into. The tank is a 30g breeder, so it is relatively shallow.

How many bulbs, and what brands should I be looking at? I found the following one which seems to be good, but I'm not sure two bulbs is going to be enough. I've used halides before, but I'm new to T5's so I dont know what will be enough.

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...unlight_Supply

[jamesdawson]

Originally posted by dwiseman
James

The fans are already in place because of the heat the VHOs create. Can I use anything from the VHO retro to be used for the T5s. Still pretty new at the T5s

Thanks

You can't reuse the VHO endcaps as T5s are a different size. I guess you could reuse the wiring as long as you wire up the T5s to the T5 spec ballasts in accordance with their wiring diagrams.

If your VHO ballasts are IceCap, then you could certainly re-use these to run your T5s and not have to buy ballasts. Keep in mind they will overdrive. If they are not IceCap brand, I don't know if they would work. Maybe ask Grim.

As much as I like T5s, I will readily admit that UVL Super Actinic VHOs are far superior at delivering the "pop" we expect from our actinic so you might consider still running 1 VHO that way, space permitting.

James

[dwiseman]

If I had the room what about running 2 VHO Super Actinic along with 4 54W T5s. If that sounds good would my T5s be the following
ATI Aqua Blue
UVL Aquasun
UVL Aquasun
Blue Plus

[reefcrazy0821]

hey grim..i am looking into the tek t5 6x54 for a 75 gallon with some softies and will be adding alot of sps and lps soon...would that light be too much for my softies?and what would be the best bulb combo for this setup?

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by jennmac415
Grim... what is the difference in the look of the 75/25 bulb and the aquasun?

Aquasun looks a little more orange and doesn't have as much actinic spectrum

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by Corndork2
Grim and all is a 4x54w Tek II fixture enough to keep a Dersa or squamosa clam in a 75g tank? I also want to keep LPS and montipora high in the rockwork. Also what bulb combo works best?

Should be OK but stick with good PAR lamps

Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
UVL Aquasun
ATI Aquablue

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by ahullsb
Hi Grim I had a question for you. I have an outer orbit fixture running 2 150 watt mh's. I'm running 14k Ushio's. It also has 4 t5's I'm using for actinics. Can you recommend a good combo?

2 Blue Blue and 2 UVL Super Actinics

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by ooja3k
Is it possible to overdrive my 36" nova extreme t-5 fixture?? it would require getting a ic660 i think, correct me im wrong...

would it be worth it as a cheapish upgrade? (i just don't have the money for a whole new fixture...) would it be worth it even though i don't have individual reflectors?

I would just wait until you can afford a good fixture. I would be concerned about the fixtures ability to vent the additional heat created by overdriving.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by Vinnie71975
Also the bulbs i have now are as follows.

Current T5 HO 54w 460nm antinic x2

Current T5 ho 54w 10kk x2

thats what is says on the bulbs anyway.

Going buy what you recommend Grim would it be ok to just change out one 10k for a Blue Plus? i cant really afford 90 dollars for new bulbs when the fixture has brand new bulbs in it(the woman says no lol)

Do a Giesemann Aquablue instead. That should give you a tad more blue and a bump in PAR.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by nayotte
I am running a 220 gallon 30" deep. I have a halide/powercompact combo but just bought this light for a frag tank. Would this work on my 220?

If your only keeping softies and LPS in the lower half of the tank it would do OK but SPS would have to be high in the tank.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by dsn112
Grim, last time I bother you.

Here is what I have on hand to put in my fixture for LPS and softies. 24" deep

6 bulb extreme pro.

I have 3 ATI BLUE PLUS
1 UVL Super Actinic
1 UVL 75/25
1 UVL Aqua Sun
1 Giesemann Actinic Plus

What should I use out of these?

Front
Blue Plus
75/25
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Actinic Plus
Blue Plus

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by norcal99
Hey Grim looking for your opinion on a T5 setup for a 55 gallon (48 1/4 x 12 3/4 x 21). I was considering a 6x54w set of lights and want to do an SPS dominated tank and am curious if this is enough light. At first glance I was looking at the Sunlight Supply stuff then wondered if the Icecap SLR retros are really that much better? I wouldn't mind spending the extra $$ if the ballasts are really that much better. Is the very high output vs the high output just a different ballast over driving the bulbs?

For bulbs, I want a combination that gives maximum growth and coloration. I was thinking something like this:

front
blue +
aquablue
aquasun
aquablue
kz fiji purple
blue +
back

This is more of a starting place but what are you thoughts on fixtures and bulb choices?

Your only going to get 4 lamps over that tank. Get the Ice Cap HO set up. Thats plenty of light for SPS over a 55.

Front
Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
Aquasun
Blue Plus

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by reefcrazy0821
hey grim..i am looking into the tek t5 6x54 for a 75 gallon with some softies and will be adding alot of sps and lps soon...would that light be too much for my softies?and what would be the best bulb combo for this setup?

That or the Aquactinics Tx5. With the aquactinics the intensity is better but the fixture is thin eneough that you can slide it towards the back of the tank some so the sand bed wont get as much light.

Front
Super Actinic
Blue Plus
Aquasun
Blue Pus
Aquablue
Blue Plus

or

Blue Plus
Super Actinic
Aquasun
Blue Plus
Aquablue

for the aquactinics.