The T5 Q&a Thread

[ReefEnabler]

nice I like the symmetry of that!

do ATI fixtures have a different ballast for every 2 bulbs? so a 4 lamp powermodule would have 2 power connections?

[Robb in Austin]

Ryan,

Were you talking to me?

If so, I have the Aquatinics TX5, not an ATI Powermodule. The TX5 does have 2 ballasts and 2 switches. 1 switch controls lamps 2 & 4, the other gets 1,3, & 5.

HTH.

Robb

[DARKSILENTTYPE]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
Front
Blue Plus
Actinic
Pro Sun
Blue Plus
Pro Color
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus

Thanks Grim for the advise on my setup .

I called an ordered these bulbs and was told the PRO SUN is no longer made .

Can you help me out one more time and give the best option for a replacment ATI bulb for the PRO SUN

Thanks again

John

[ReefEnabler]

Originally posted by Robb in Austin
Ryan,

Were you talking to me?

If so, I have the Aquatinics TX5, not an ATI Powermodule. The TX5 does have 2 ballasts and 2 switches. 1 switch controls lamps 2 & 4, the other gets 1,3, & 5.

HTH.

Robb

hehe I was asking anybody who has an ATi fixture after all its the QA thread hehe. I assume its the same and that the ATI 4 bulb has 2 ballasts also?

[jennmac415]

Grim... do you think it is ok to not have any of the ATi aquablue special bulbs in the combo? I took the one out last night to see what the color looked like without it... and I liked it much better...what bulb could I relace it with... I know that most everyone has the aquablue and likes it, I don't know if mine is bad or what, but it just makes the whole tank looked washed ut IMO..I have moved the order around and around and just don't like this bulb. What other bulb could I use that would not hurt growth/par?
here is what I run...14 bulb constellation

front
1. Ati blue plus
2. UVL Super actinic
3. UVL Aquasun
4. Ati blue Plus
5. Ati Aquablue special would take this out and replace it with something else...but what? 75/25??? another actinic???
6. Ati blue plus
7. Ati blue plus

[tsouth]

Alrighty I did 19 pages of readin gand I still want a confirmed answer lol. The total width of my canopy available for lighting is give or take 10-11 inches. My tank is a standard 55 and am hoping to purchase a 4x54 retro from reefgeek with the slr reflectors. Do you by any chance know if this retro is really 10 inches wide? The ordeal is that I have moonlights that will be in the middle of the 4 bulbs thus giving me very limited room to deal with. Also, you seem to recommend these bulbs here most of the time
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
Are these sufficient for keeping a mixed reef? I would like to explore my way towards sps and clams I'm hoping for the coloration of a 14k setup. Thanks for your time!

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by PCIALF
so you are saying

front
Giesemann: PowerChrome Actinic Plus
Giesemann: PowerChrome Actinic Plus
Giesemann: PowerChrome Actinic Plus
ATI Procolor
Giesemann: PowerChrome Aqua Blue +
UV Lighting Aquasun
Giesemann: PowerChrome Pure Actinic
Giesemann: PowerChrome Actinic Plus

is this enough par or do i need another aquasun or put the midday back in

sorry to be a pain just want to do this right

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

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by snaza

There isn't much difference in PAR between the white and good Blue Lamps, If you like the look of an extra blue do it.
[/quote]

so would this be ok?

aquaz blue pro
ati blue plus
aquaz ocean pro
kz fiji purple
aquaz blue pro
aquaz blue pro

there isn't really any yellow spectrum or do the fijis have some? ati are $45 here and aquaz are $20. thats why im not using all ati blue plus
thanks aaron. [/QUOTE]

Just use the AquaZ lamps then. There isn't a whole lotta difference in the look of the blue plus and blue pro. Just swap out the ATI with another blue pro

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by dwiseman
Grim

Spent the past month or so getting ideas on what to do with my current lighting setup. First here is what I have. I have a mixed 90 gallon reef tank 24" deep, 3in sand bed with 4 VHO's retro kit from Hellolights (2 actinics and 2 daylights). Because of our electric bill and the need for additional lighting I would like to switch to T5's.

I would like to replace the VHOs with T5 using the existing AG canopy. Here is my thought and see what you would recommend.

1. 48" Tek 6x54 Watt HO Retro
2. 48" IceCap 6x54 Watt HO Retro (Do they overrun the bulbs). The lower the electric bill the better.
3. Current USA Sundial 4-54 Watt (can place ontop of aquarium)

Using a 6 bulb combination would this work?
ATI Blue Plus
AVL 75/25
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

Any help would be great. Getting much closer to ordering

Just what you have listed with the Ice Cap HO retro

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by jt_redmist
Hi Grim,
I would like to consult with you first before making the big purchase. Going with T-5s on a 125g (72x18x23). I would also like to utilize the two 72� VHO on a 660 ballast that I already own. What retro kit would be best? What bulbs would you choose and in what order? Keeping mostly LPS and softies and maybe a clam or two. I would like to go for the 14K look without sacrificing the health of the inhabitants. Your help greatly appreciated.
Thx,
John

do a 4 x 80 watt retrofit.

Front
VHO
ATI Blue Plus
Giesemann Midday
VHO
ATI Aquablue
Blue Plus

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by MommaFishels
I also have a question before dropping the big coin on a fixture. Thanks for an incredibly informative thread. I must have spent the last 3 hours reading.

I currently have a 75 gal FOWLR, but I'm looking to go mixed reef. I want everything from softies and shrooms, all the way up to SPS. I am just about to order the Aquactinics 48" Solar Flare and want to know if this would be a good fixture for this tank? I would like to have built-in moonlights in an all T-5 fixture (no MH), so that severely limits the choices. But if you think the Solar Flare would be too much, I'll look at something else and find a way to mod some moonlights onto another fixture.

Also, if going with the Solar Flare would work, what bulb combos would you recommend?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

Solar Flare will melt shrooms in a 75. Aquactinics way toying with the idea of making a 6 lamp Constellation fixture with a bank of moonlights instead of the 7th lamp. That would work or if they could build you a normally driven flare. I would contact Aquactinics and see if they can do something for you.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by simion3
Would the sunlight supply 24" New Wave fixture be alright for a 20G frag tank (24"L x 16"H x 12"D)?

Be OK but not great. Just use good lamps

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by wmilas
Kicking around ideas for a 120x36x30 build I'm in the process of putting together. I'd really like to stay away from MH for a few reasons. 1) They don't lay out well (IMHO) in a 3 foot wide tank, plus I'm trying to control heat (and electricity) for this set up.

The tank is going to be a mixed sps/lps/softies tank. I was planning on an icecap 660 slr setup on a custom rack. There would be 3 pairs of 60's driving 3 60" bulbs. So that makes 18 bulbs (9 for each 5 feet) for a total of 1440 watts (1800 overdriven) as far as I can tell.

I was going to space the bulbs so that I can turn them on 3 at a time staggered to simulate sunrise and sunset.

My questions are the following:

1) Is this enough light? I know it sounds stupid as its damn near 2 kilowatts but it IS a big tank.

2) Is this too much light? Again, Its not going to be a SPS dominated tank, but I want the option to keep sps. I'm looking for a well balanced good looking tank as sps is part of the picture, but not the whole picture.

3) I see smaller tanks with 8 bulb setups. On the above setup am I going to have to keep SPS at the top, bottom, in the middle? If I can't keep SPS on the bottom of a 30" tank its no biggie... Its going to be a ssb/dsb anyways so more realistically 26 inches.. but still.

4) How do I mount the cooling fans for the bulbs? Do I mount them on each end of the rack with one set pushing and one pulling? Do I enclose the rack (seems wrong?) Do I have them blow width (3 foot) way?

Thanks much for you time!

You might want to think about a 10th row if you are going to have clams on the sand. Should be fine for SPS in the top half of the tank at least, probably a bit lower.

For fans the method I like is a fan blowing in from the back of the tank so the air blows across the lamps near the endcaps. So yes 3 foot direction. I would probably add one in the center of each banck of lamps to for a total of 6 fans blowing in from the back and make sure their is good venting to let hot air escape out the top

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by DARKSILENTTYPE
Thanks Grim for the advise on my setup .

I called an ordered these bulbs and was told the PRO SUN is no longer made .

Can you help me out one more time and give the best option for a replacment ATI bulb for the PRO SUN

Thanks again

John

GE 6500K daylight UVL Aquasun or Giesemann Midday

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by RyanBrucks
hehe I was asking anybody who has an ATi fixture after all its the QA thread hehe. I assume its the same and that the ATI 4 bulb has 2 ballasts also?

Yep, 2 ballasts

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by jennmac415
Grim... do you think it is ok to not have any of the ATi aquablue special bulbs in the combo? I took the one out last night to see what the color looked like without it... and I liked it much better...what bulb could I relace it with... I know that most everyone has the aquablue and likes it, I don't know if mine is bad or what, but it just makes the whole tank looked washed ut IMO..I have moved the order around and around and just don't like this bulb. What other bulb could I use that would not hurt growth/par?
here is what I run...14 bulb constellation

front
1. Ati blue plus
2. UVL Super actinic
3. UVL Aquasun
4. Ati blue Plus
5. Ati Aquablue special would take this out and replace it with something else...but what? 75/25??? another actinic???
6. Ati blue plus
7. Ati blue plus

75/25 would be my first try, then a blue plus

[snaza]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
There isn't much difference in PAR between the white and good Blue Lamps, If you like the look of an extra blue do it.

so would this be ok?

aquaz blue pro
ati blue plus
aquaz ocean pro
kz fiji purple
aquaz blue pro
aquaz blue pro

there isn't really any yellow spectrum or do the fijis have some? ati are $45 here and aquaz are $20. thats why im not using all ati blue plus
thanks aaron. [/QUOTE]

Just use the AquaZ lamps then. There isn't a whole lotta difference in the look of the blue plus and blue pro. Just swap out the ATI with another blue pro [/B][/QUOTE]

Hi there,

sorry i didn't make myself clear but the bulbs listed are what i have. im fine using a couple ATI but what i wanted to know if there is enough spectrum for SPS with only 1 white, 1 fiji and 4 blue?

thanks

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by tsouth
Alrighty I did 19 pages of readin gand I still want a confirmed answer lol. The total width of my canopy available for lighting is give or take 10-11 inches. My tank is a standard 55 and am hoping to purchase a 4x54 retro from reefgeek with the slr reflectors. Do you by any chance know if this retro is really 10 inches wide? The ordeal is that I have moonlights that will be in the middle of the 4 bulbs thus giving me very limited room to deal with. Also, you seem to recommend these bulbs here most of the time
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
Are these sufficient for keeping a mixed reef? I would like to explore my way towards sps and clams I'm hoping for the coloration of a 14k setup. Thanks for your time!

Yeah, the 10" is right but you can space the lamps however you want so if you have 11" you could leave a gap between 2 of the lamps for moons.

If you are going to have a lot of SPS or clamps do this

Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
UVL Aquasun
Blue Plus

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by snaza
so would this be ok?

aquaz blue pro
ati blue plus
aquaz ocean pro
kz fiji purple
aquaz blue pro
aquaz blue pro

there isn't really any yellow spectrum or do the fijis have some? ati are $45 here and aquaz are $20. thats why im not using all ati blue plus
thanks aaron.

Just use the AquaZ lamps then. There isn't a whole lotta difference in the look of the blue plus and blue pro. Just swap out the ATI with another blue pro [/B][/QUOTE]

Hi there,

sorry i didn't make myself clear but the bulbs listed are what i have. im fine using a couple ATI but what i wanted to know if there is enough spectrum for SPS with only 1 white, 1 fiji and 4 blue?

thanks [/B][/QUOTE]

If your colors look good I wouldn't worry. The Fiji an ocean pro both have red and yellow in them, just not a lot.

[snaza]

[/B][/QUOTE]

If your colors look good I wouldn't worry. The Fiji an ocean pro both have red and yellow in them, just not a lot. [/B][/QUOTE]

looks good now but if i should have more red and yellow i'll swapped a blue pro for an ocean pro. i want wants best for my sps. i can deal with the colour

[tsouth]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
Yeah, the 10" is right but you can space the lamps however you want so if you have 11" you could leave a gap between 2 of the lamps for moons.

If you are going to have a lot of SPS or clamps do this

Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
UVL Aquasun
Blue Plus

Right o. Thank you sir. Is this combination going to be good for lps/softies also?

[andrewkw]

Is ATI still making bulbs? A local reef store has told me they are not but under a new name they will be coming out again soon. I know they went bankrupt but I assumed someone bought them out.

Secondly do you think 6x54w is enough bulbs in a 60x18x24 tank for a mixed reef which will include some sps?

I got a tek fixture for a great price but because its got extra width on the side I'm not sure I can add 2 more bulbs from a retro kit unless I take the light fixture apart. I believe its the ballasts that are on the sides.

[dwiseman]

It appears that reefgeek does not sell the AVL 75/25. What brand and bulb should I go with to replace the 75/25?

[MommaFishels]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
Solar Flare will melt shrooms in a 75. Aquactinics way toying with the idea of making a 6 lamp Constellation fixture with a bank of moonlights instead of the 7th lamp. That would work or if they could build you a normally driven flare. I would contact Aquactinics and see if they can do something for you.

Crap, I was hoping that was not the case. I did talk to Aquactinics and while they are still toying with the idea of a 6 lamp Constellation with moons, they told me that is still quite some time away. I talked with them before you replied, so I didn't know to ask about the possibility of a normally driven Flare.

I placed an order for the flare yesterday (the woman was starting to get impatient, she wants corals) so I have a standard Solar Flare on the way. I ordered the following bulbs along with the unit, what order would you suggest their placement, and/or do you think I should replace any of them with other bulbs?

1x Giesemann Midday
2 x UVL Super Actinic
1 x Aqua Science Duo
1 x ATI Aquablue Special
1 x KZ Fiji Purple

If the Flare will melt shrooms in a 75, what about other things like softies, zoas, etc? Will everything else be fine? Also, how far down in the water column would I likely be able to place LPS, SPS, etc?

[anin]

What is everyone else doing to cool down their tek fixtures? Is there a diy thread/method which works best? thanks