The T5 Q&a Thread

[tinnghe]

Originally posted by tinnghe
ok finally i nail it down to 2 choices, i have a 120g with 48x24x24 im thinking either to get a solarflare or a ati powermodule 8x54 what would u suggest?

Pros and cons can they be hang from the ceiling

[jamesdawson]

Originally posted by PCIALF
Hi Grim

Someone bought my existing light this weekend so I could no longer wait for a ATI 8 bulb fixture to come back in stock and am going with the 8 light TEK on a 120 is this light going to perform well also? or am i selling it when the ATI's are available
thanks

Thanks

I have owned both and theres no comparison. The ATI to Tek comparison is like comparing a Porsche to a Yugo. If you want to keep SPS, a Tek is mediocre at best.

Its always best to buy quality at the beginning. Get a Solar Flare or a Constellation if the ATI is not available, they will do just as good a job.

Just my opinion/experience,

James

[Milhouse]

So I always see people ask about which bulbs to get. That's perfectly understandable to me. I also see them ask about order of the bulbs. Grimm, I'm trying to understand your thinking behind this. What are the determining factors for you when it comes to the order? I'm putting this light over a softies/lps/anemone tank for my son. There should be no SPS in it(well, that's the plan, lol). I ordered him a 30" C-USA Sundial(4x24w). These are the bulbs I'm using.....KZ Fiji Purp, one of the C-USA 10k's that comes with the fixture, a Giesemann Actinic Plus and a Pure Actinic.

I don't have the fixture yet so I'm not sure how it's wired. My assumption is that bulb 1 and 3, and 2 and 4 are on the same wiring. So I'm thinking I would do.....

1 Act Plus and 3 Pure actinic.
2 10k and 4 Fiji Purple.

What do you think about this combo? Would you change anything? If so, what's the reasoning behind the change? Thanks again.

[The Grim Reefer]

It's gonna light the ends up better than you think

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K or ATI Sun Pro
UVL 75/25
Blue Plus

Originally posted by Phanman1
Hey Grim,

I just purchased the aquactinics constellation fixture and wanted to know what kind of bulbs you recommend. My tank is 60L 18W 26H and i know i might be a little dim on each of the sides as the lighting fixture is 48". I plan on keeping mostly SPS for corals and fish of course.

Let me know what kinda bulbs you would go for please and thx.

[The Grim Reefer]

I would overdrive 4 lamps and run 2 normally driven

Front
ATI Blue Plus
Actinic ND
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus ND
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus

Originally posted by danielson1506
Hi, I'm planning a 120G, 48X24X24 and would like clams on the sandbed and a couple sps on the rocks. I was thinking on 6 bulb icecap retro non overdriven but wasnt sure if it would be sufficient for 24" height for clams on the sand. Is it necessary to overdrive the bulbs to have clams at the bottom? I am kind of tied with electricity use and that is why I'm choosing t-5s instead of 2-250W halides + actinic. Would overdriven with 4 bulbs be sufficient?

So

6X bulb retro - 324Watts?

4X bulb Overdriven - 340 Watts?

Or combo of the two?

Looking for a 12-14k look, would this combo look right?

6X bulb
Front
blue plus
75/25
Aquasun
super actinic
aquablue
blue plus

4X bulb overdriven
blue plus
Aquasun
Super actinic
blue plus

Which combo would be great for me? Thanks

[dreed]

Grim,
First, I have read through this entire thread as well as others over the night. I was hoping to see in you answers, a group of ideas I could put together to decide on my lighting setup. I really didn't want to have to hold you at the keyboard longer than you already are but I find myself there now. I'm positive that you know how much we all appreciate your answers and you can see that many of us have found joy in your suggestions of setups. This is why I'm asking you for suggestions.

My tank is on it's way to my house now and is a reef ready 65g, 36x18x24 tall one. I was limited on space so i couldn't do the 48 wide thing or go deeper than 18". I read all over and looked at almost every vendor for a light setup and can't decide. With my depth and plans to be able to put sps, softies and lps anywhere I want, would the 36" 39W setups be sufficient for me or would I need any MH's? Should I go with a 4, 5 or 6 bulb setup? More? Would I need to place the lights on the tank to get deep enough penetration to the sand or would I be able to stand the fixture off of the lip about 3-4 inches? I plan on using a canopy but tailoring it to give sufficient room and venting for the fixture I get. That's why I need to wait on building the stand/canopy.

I don't like the idea of putting my ballasts on the top of the cover unless it's a clean combined box setup so I don't think I'd like a retro setup in there. I can build the cover with an open back and have slots on the sides along the cooling vents and fans of the fixture.

What bulb and position setup would you recommend for a setup like this?

Thanks for everything you do for us here. This thread is what BBS's were made for.

Dave

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by jpatrician
I am downsizing my 120 and I am setting up a 60 gallon cube (24x24x24) rimless. I preferably would like to stick to all t5 and not have to use my MH's from the old setup. Are there any suggestions for enough t5 lighting to support a mixed reef? So far highest wattage 24" fixtures I am finding are 6x24w.

You will need to stick with a fixture with good individual reflectors.
a 6x24 ATI Powermodule would be fine.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by snaza
I just put an icecap reflector in the housing and fitted perfect. still only 1 reflector for 2 bulbs as they are pretty close together. would this help? would it still be better to get individual reflectors?

2 lamps in one reflector aint gonna work right,

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by hndakd
Hi grimm,

you do a great service to this community

my question for ya is.... I just replaced a nova extreme 8x54 for a 6x54 tek. What would your recommendations be for bulbs. I have a bunch left over from the nova that i would like to reuse. right now im running

front
superactinic
blue plus special
ge 6500
blue plus
uvl 75/25
blue plus

this is on a 90 48/18/24

thanks

Should be good. Maybe flip the front two lamps.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by Phillips
I know the number of bulbs in the fixtures aren't the same, but has anyone measured the difference in performance between these two lines of fixtures?

Does one get more PAR per bulb out of one or the other?

I'm trying to figure out which to order and the price difference is not small.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Running 4 lamps a aquactinics 39 watt fixture did 194 over my tank. ATI 4x39 watt powermodule did 302. 54 watt fixtures are going to be a little better showing for the Aquactinics because the better ballasts than their 39 watt fixtures..

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by reefermike1
hey grim, im setting up a prop tank that is 48x12x12. will be mainly for growing sps, but starting out small ill only have a dozen frags or so from my display. on a tank that size only 12" tall, do u think ill be able to get away with 2x48" bulbs and have the frags right under them(possibly overdriven)? or do u think ill need 4 bulbs?

thanks

Normally driven will be fine, just add more lamps as you fill it up

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by chark
What T5 lighting would you suggest for a 185 gal 60x30x25? What bulbs would you use?

8x54 watt retrofit or ATI Powermodule.

[jpatrician]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
You will need to stick with a fixture with good individual reflectors.
a 6x24 ATI Powermodule would be fine.

Thanks Grim!

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by EvilE
Grim, I got my new bulbs from reefgeek today!! They look fantastic! Thanks much!! I put the bulbs in this order (due to the way I wired up the endcaps/ballasts)
Front:
blue+
aquasun
blue+
super actinic blue

Is that order ok? I have a Blue+ and the actinic as my dusk/dawn lights--thanks!

Blue Plus
Actinic
Aquasun
Blue Plus

You want the actinic lick hitting the viewing side of the corals, not the back side;

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by sbcaes
are there ANY 20"
t5 fixtures? or if not. how would you (grim)
go about making one? (i'm guessing using 18" t5s? or something of the sort?)

I think Current makes a 18 or 20" Nova. Check marine depot.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by sbcaes
hrmm does anyone know if the maker of t5's comes from china? and if so who is the manufacturer? any reason for not making t5's in the 18-20" lengths?

There are some chinese made T5's.

18" nova HO t5 fixture http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt..._HO_10K_460nm_<20in_Units&vendor=

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by tinnghe
ok finally i nail it down to 2 choices, i have a 120g with 48x24x24 im thinking either to get a solarflare or a ati powermodule 8x54 what would u suggest?

Either will be fine. Go with the one with a design you prefer.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by PCIALF
Hi Grim

Someone bought my existing light this weekend so I could no longer wait for a ATI 8 bulb fixture to come back in stock and am going with the 8 light TEK on a 120 is this light going to perform well also? or am i selling it when the ATI's are available
thanks

also you recommended

Front
Blue Plus
Super Actinic
Aquablue
Pro Color
Blue Plus
UVL Aquasun
Super Actinic
Blue Plus


is this the same with this fixture?

coming from 2 - 150 DE MH 10k and 2-96w actinics am I going to have to ease to the 8 bulbs lit or will the coral be ok

Thanks

Ease into it. That is goint to be a pretty substatial increase in light. Grab yourself an AZOO fan array from dr fosters and smith. Clamp it on the back of the tank so it blows across the fixture.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by tinnghe
Pros and cons can they be hang from the ceiling

Either can be hung or sat right on the tank. Aquactinics might have legs for the flare.

[tinnghe]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
Either will be fine. Go with the one with a design you prefer.

can either one of them be hang? does it come w a kit?

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by Milhouse
So I always see people ask about which bulbs to get. That's perfectly understandable to me. I also see them ask about order of the bulbs. Grimm, I'm trying to understand your thinking behind this. What are the determining factors for you when it comes to the order? I'm putting this light over a softies/lps/anemone tank for my son. There should be no SPS in it(well, that's the plan, lol). I ordered him a 30" C-USA Sundial(4x24w). These are the bulbs I'm using.....KZ Fiji Purp, one of the C-USA 10k's that comes with the fixture, a Giesemann Actinic Plus and a Pure Actinic.

I don't have the fixture yet so I'm not sure how it's wired. My assumption is that bulb 1 and 3, and 2 and 4 are on the same wiring. So I'm thinking I would do.....

1 Act Plus and 3 Pure actinic.
2 10k and 4 Fiji Purple.

What do you think about this combo? Would you change anything? If so, what's the reasoning behind the change? Thanks again.

You want the actinic front of center so its light primarily hits the viewing side of the corals. Either actinic or blue should be the first lamp because that sets up the overall color you will see.

On your fixture I would do

Fiji Purple
Actinic
10K
Blue Plus

and see how it looks

Blue Plus
10K
Actinic
Fiji Purple

would be the next mix I would try.

[Phillips]

Running 4 lamps a aquactinics 39 watt fixture did 194 over my tank. ATI 4x39 watt powermodule did 302. 54 watt fixtures are going to be a little better showing for the Aquactinics because the better ballasts than their 39 watt fixtures

Thanks Grim! Oh man that's a crucial bit of info!

It's the 39 watt fixtures I'm looking at, so I think I'll order the 6 x 39 watt ATI, and if my bulb combo is too bright, I will just hang it further above the tank.

Thanks for sharing all your info/knowledge/opinions! We'd be lost on this new T-5 frontier w/o you!

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by dreed
Grim,
First, I have read through this entire thread as well as others over the night. I was hoping to see in you answers, a group of ideas I could put together to decide on my lighting setup. I really didn't want to have to hold you at the keyboard longer than you already are but I find myself there now. I'm positive that you know how much we all appreciate your answers and you can see that many of us have found joy in your suggestions of setups. This is why I'm asking you for suggestions.

My tank is on it's way to my house now and is a reef ready 65g, 36x18x24 tall one. I was limited on space so i couldn't do the 48 wide thing or go deeper than 18". I read all over and looked at almost every vendor for a light setup and can't decide. With my depth and plans to be able to put sps, softies and lps anywhere I want, would the 36" 39W setups be sufficient for me or would I need any MH's? Should I go with a 4, 5 or 6 bulb setup? More? Would I need to place the lights on the tank to get deep enough penetration to the sand or would I be able to stand the fixture off of the lip about 3-4 inches? I plan on using a canopy but tailoring it to give sufficient room and venting for the fixture I get. That's why I need to wait on building the stand/canopy.

I don't like the idea of putting my ballasts on the top of the cover unless it's a clean combined box setup so I don't think I'd like a retro setup in there. I can build the cover with an open back and have slots on the sides along the cooling vents and fans of the fixture.

What bulb and position setup would you recommend for a setup like this?

Thanks for everything you do for us here. This thread is what BBS's were made for.

Dave

If you are using a canopy grab a 6x39 watt Ice Cap HO retrofit from reefgeek. I would call them and explain that you want to mount your ballasts on the back side of the canopy so you need extra long lamp wires. Problem solved. Just mount the ballasts horizontally on the upper brace on the back of the canopy.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by tinnghe
can either one of them be hang? does it come w a kit?

I am pretty sure both can. ATI comes with the hanging kit. You would need to check on the flare.

[dreed]

I started to look at their setups. Do I have to go with the VHO kit or just be fine with the HO setup. Should I mount the ballasts inside the back wall or outside? I'm trying to get away from external items so if they can be inside, I'd be happier. I can run a cooling fan at each end from the back towards the front of the caps and have an opening in the top center of the back panel for release of the hot air. Wow, I just confused myself. I think you'll get what I mean.

Would this work and what bulbs would you suggest since he gives the option?

How high should they be from the water level? That'll determine my hood height will be.

Thanks a bunch.

Dave