The T5 Q&a Thread

[hottuna]

Grimm and co. : I finally found a combo I really like ...its simple but looks great.....uvl 75/25 + uvl actinic white...in a one to one ratio ...great color rendition...and just the right amt of actinic pop...

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by mcliffy2
Sorry, forgot that info - the stealth has 3 fans (it does active cooling similar to ATI). bulbs are 4 blue plus, 2 Fiji purple, 1 UV aquasun, 1 ati procolor, 2 AS duo, 1 ATI AB special, 1 AS special.

Fans are a good thing, without them it wont put out any more light than a Tek.

You might want to break down your lighting so the high power lamps (Aquasun, Aquablue,Duo and Specials) are only on a couple hours a day.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by aquaconnect
Grim,

I was wanting some suggestions for a 65 gallon mixed reef. I have some lps (acan's, chalices, duncan's), but do have a carpet anemone, some sunset monti and a very select few other acros, with a colony of tubs blue zoa's. I recently took down my 180 gallon due to just too many heat issues with halides and chiller issues, so I am down sizing to a 65 gallon, but want to keep my 'rarer' corals. At this point, money isn't too big of an object because I sold off so much of my other stuff while my friends babysit my cool corals.

So what would you suggest for me fixturewise and bulb type/combo? I will have a canopy I can use to go retro, or can go without it and do a fixture. I just want to go for the best, so it doesn't really matter as long as I don't have any heat issues and have to have a chiller. Otherwise, I'll just sell what I have left because I'm tired of messing with heat and chillers! A person can only have so many floods due to those things!

6 lamp Ice Cap T5 retro. Get tge VHO T5 version.

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

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by Malifluous
Hy Grim,
A few years ago you made a suggestion for me that worked out really nice, Like any true reefer I have since upgraded my tank to a 70 gallon. it 36 L X20H X 18 wide. I would like to use four 39 watt t5's. It is a mixed tank. The lights are about 3-4 inches from the top of the tanks so the distance from light all the way to the bottom is 24" . I rreally like the blue look but i am thinking I may need to lean toward aquasuns or 6000 k bulbs to penetrate the deep tank.

I was thinkin about using
1 aquasun
1aquablue
1 actinic plus
1 UVL super atinic

Should I replace one bujb with a aquablue plus. Any help would be lovely. Thanks for all your work grimm

That will work although you should use 6 lamps over that tank.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by tike
I am thinking of going with 3 aquablue specials and one blue plus aon a tek 4x 54watter over a 48 x 15 x 18 60 gallon sps heavy tank. Will this be sufficent?

Look kinda ugly in my opinion but it will work I would add a Aquasun in place of an AB if it were mine./

[jmadison]

Does anyone know where i could piece together an 18" t5 kit(ballasts, caps, etc.) Having trouble finding a ballasts and reflectors for 18's. Do you think I could run a ballast for a 24" setup w/o running into big problems? Im sure that the bulbs life would be shorten somewhat. Also does anyone know if they make HOt5's in 18"?

Thanks to everyone in advance.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by labragg1
Hey Grim--or anyone who wants to answer this.

I have a 65gal mixed reef. Mostly zoo's, mushrooms, lps, a clam, and a few sps.

Running two Ice660's overdriving 2x 36" bulbs each on SLR reflectors.
Currently running the following:
2x ATI Blue Plus
2x ATI Aquablue Special

Getting ready to order from Reefgeeks as the bulbs are overdue for replacement and was wandering if I should do something different?
I like the color (nice blue)--but wouldn't mind a little more pop--especially from my zoo's.
Any thoughts?

Like I said--I really like the color--but my curiosity has me wandering if there's another combo that I would like even better.

Thanks for all your awesome input!!!

Try this

Front
Blue Plus
UVL 75/25
Aquablue
Blue Plus

That will give you a little more actinic and some red.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by mountaindew
i use both 4 ft and 2 ft t5 lights on different aquariums.
all fixtures are sunlight supply brand.
the aquariums with the 4ft bulbs act like they start to suffur from spectrum shift after only 4 or 5 months, while the tanks with 2 ft t5s do just fine!
anybody else notice this? or have this problem?

Grab one of the azoo fan arrays fosters and smith sells and clamp it on the rear of the tank blowing across the fixture, keeping the lamps cooler should help with the lamp life.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by kmacartney
Grim,
What is the par comparison between the pro-color and the aquasun?

There is no comparison, the Pro Color has a little less PAR than a Blue Plus

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by bryman
So I've been planning to go T5 for my new 90G setup, probably either a Aquatinics Solar Flare or ATI Powermodule. Last Sunday I went to the IMAC conference in Chicago and saw James Fatheree speak, mostly about clams. He did have a few slides on the end that compare MH to T5 setups, which he says he is currently doing research on. He compared a 150x2 MH fixture to a (I think) 6 bulb T5 Aquatinics fixture with PAR ratings. To my suprise, his findings were that the MH destroyed T5 at all depths, sometimes by a factor of 3. Can anyone explain how this would happen? I know bulbs make a difference but still the difference in PAR was quite dramatic. I was really excited to go T5 but now I don't know. Thanks.

Aquactinics only 6 lamp fixture is the solar flare, ain't no way 150 watt halides beat that. Been a lot of other people besides me measure numerous T5 and halide systems and the results have shown in most cases the T5's and halides arent that far apart.

Sanjay Joshi did a test with a Tek light and the word I got was if was equal to 175 watt halides. Don't know the specifics as the resu;ts haven't been released yet.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by MammothReefer
Any reason why I shouldn't use ATI PRO Color, and ATI Blue Plus as supplemental lights for my x2 400w 14k SE's

I'm thinking the following

ATI Blue Plus 60"
ATI Pro Color 60"
400w SE 14k (x2 in line)
ATI Pro Color 60"
ATI Blue Plus 60"

My 14k is a pretty stark white, so I'm hoping this will make my corals "pop" a bit..the idea of a red t5 seems interesting. I could also do the same combo, but instead of to Pro Color, get a 2x Blue Plus, 1 Pro Color, and 1 ??? Thoughts would be great. Thanks!

Instead of 2 pro colors use one Pro Color and 1 ATI Actinic.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by scunfcu
If I only want to stick to the ATI T5 combinations, for Aquactinics TX5 Five bulb combination.

How about this for best colors display.

Front to back

Aquablue special (12000k)
Blue Plus (20000k) 450n
Pro color
Blue Plus (2000k 450n)
Aquablue Special (12000k)

Should be fine

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by hottuna
Grimm and co. : I finally found a combo I really like ...its simple but looks great.....uvl 75/25 + uvl actinic white...in a one to one ratio ...great color rendition...and just the right amt of actinic pop...

Doesn't it look a little pink?

PICTURES!!!

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by jmadison
Does anyone know where i could piece together an 18" t5 kit(ballasts, caps, etc.) Having trouble finding a ballasts and reflectors for 18's. Do you think I could run a ballast for a 24" setup w/o running into big problems? Im sure that the bulbs life would be shorten somewhat. Also does anyone know if they make HOt5's in 18"?

Thanks to everyone in advance.

Xheck marine depot, I think Nova makes an 18" T5 setup.

[bryman]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
Aquactinics only 6 lamp fixture is the solar flare, ain't no way 150 watt halides beat that. Been a lot of other people besides me measure numerous T5 and halide systems and the results have shown in most cases the T5's and halides arent that far apart.

Sanjay Joshi did a test with a Tek light and the word I got was if was equal to 175 watt halides. Don't know the specifics as the resu;ts haven't been released yet.

Thanks Grim,
I'll stick with my T5 plan. What do you like better for a standard 90G:
Aquactinics Constellation
Aquatinics Solar Flare
ATI Powermodule

Or any other fixture?

Thanks much!

[labragg1]

Thanks Grim!!!!

[tike]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
Look kinda ugly in my opinion but it will work I would add a Aquasun in place of an AB if it were mine./

Master Speakist....
I am running that combo right now and some of my corals have faded since I done this combo. So i thought maybe they weren't getting enough punch. These corals are about 8-9" below the lights.

I will just keep this combo and see what develops.

Thanks Grim!

[Malifluous]

Does the actinic+ and blue+ look the same?

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by bryman
Thanks Grim,
I'll stick with my T5 plan. What do you like better for a standard 90G:
Aquactinics Constellation
Aquatinics Solar Flare
ATI Powermodule

Or any other fixture?

Thanks much!

I have a 105 which is only 20" tall that I use a 7 lamp Constellation on. With 4 Blue Plus, 2 actinics a Aquasun and 75/25 it's throwing enough light in the tank that 2 BTA's are hiding behind the rocks tanking the light of the bank shot off the back glass. I love this thing. On a 90 with a couple of Aquasuns and maybe an Aquablue in the mix you can grow anything you want in the tank. I like the 7th lamp so I personally would pick it over the other two..

Any of the three fixtures would work but if you want any lower light critters in the tank I would stay away from the Solar Flare.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by Malifluous
Does the actinic+ and blue+ look the same?

Yes

[Malifluous]

Thanks Grim!!

[bryman]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
I have a 105 which is only 20" tall that I use a 7 lamp Constellation on. With 4 Blue Plus, 2 actinics a Aquasun and 75/25 it's throwing enough light in the tank that 2 BTA's are hiding behind the rocks tanking the light of the bank shot off the back glass. I love this thing. On a 90 with a couple of Aquasuns and maybe an Aquablue in the mix you can grow anything you want in the tank. I like the 7th lamp so I personally would pick it over the other two..

Any of the three fixtures would work but if you want any lower light critters in the tank I would stay away from the Solar Flare.

Thanks very much for the advice again. If I hang a Constellation 4-5" above the 90G tank, would I be able to keep clams on the bottom on a 3-4" sand bed?

[hottuna]

grimm: not really.pink..besides I am keeping anemones .not sps .....and everything looks good to me...pics ? might be a while before I can do that...
But suffice it to say - I really like the uvl bulbs...except for the super actinic.
P.S. you have been a big help with this whole t5 quest for an appealing combo.keep up the good work !

[jennmac415]

oh darn, hottuna, I wanted to see pics of your combo too.

[spider8u]

Hey Grim this is the bulb combination you told me to go with. Is there any way i could change them around to get a little more blue look. Also are the UV 75/25 bulb and the UV Aquasun suppose to have a dull pink look or a bright pink look reason for asking is when i have all my other bulbs on these 2 bulbs look really dull just want to make there working ok thx

ATI +
Super Actinic
UV Aquasun
ATI +
GE 6500K
Blue Plus
UV 75/25
ATI +