The T5 Q&a Thread - Page 24

Boca Kris · #**576** 12/27/2007, 05:13 PM

Hey Grim...Im on the process of ordering the bulbs you recommended for my 55g w/ a TX5 from Aquactinics. The ATI Actini bulb you recommended...is it the same as this one?

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

ooja3k · #**577** 12/27/2007, 05:59 PM

I believe he recommends the ATI Super Actinic to most people....

But im not sure why. / Could be wrong...

He recommended it to me at least.

Boca Kris · #**578** 12/27/2007, 06:04 PM

I didnt see any other 'Actinic' bulbs from ATI on this page...am I missing something!? I wanted to get the bulbs he recommended, but thats the only one I think I am having a hard time finding!

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/Bulbs/

youngtimothy · #**579** 12/27/2007, 06:37 PM

I have a 100 gallon 48x18x26 with 4x48 ATI's with an Icecap 660 they currently are
ATI Blue plus
ATI aqua blue
ATI aqua blue
ATI blue plus
I'm adding another Icecap 430 and two bulbs what do you suggest I add with my current setup? and what do you suggest when I change all bulbs? I'm looking for good growth and color for mostly SPS and LPS and some zoa's. thank you

jennmac415 · #**580** 12/27/2007, 06:46 PM

I think that combination looks great and it has great par also for growth have you seen Grim's par thread for all the most popular bulbs?

jennmac415 · #**581** 12/27/2007, 06:49 PM

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=1

here is a link

Potsy · #**582** 12/27/2007, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Boca Kris
I didnt see any other 'Actinic' bulbs from ATI on this page...am I missing something!? I wanted to get the bulbs he recommended, but thats the only one I think I am having a hard time finding!

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/Bulbs/

Grim recommends the UVL Super Actinic. It has the highest PAR of the actinic bulbs.

VP · #**583** 12/27/2007, 08:05 PM

I got a huge beautiful green bubble tipped anemone for Christmas and would like to upgrade my pc's to T5's but know almost nothing about what to get. My tank is a 125 with a divided hood, front portion has about 10" of room and the 2nd half of the hood has about 6" of room for lighting. The tank is a 125 gallon 60" x 22" x 22". I have all soft corals but want to keep the anemone healthly and green. Anyone have suggestions on how many lights, wattage, ballast, etc. I will have to get individual reflectors for each light because of my hood configuration.

TIA! Happy Holidays everyone!

Boca Kris · #**584** 12/27/2007, 08:06 PM

Ahh-HA!
THATS why I coundt find it! So you must be talking about this bulb:
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...by_UV_Lighting

Thank you so much for the help! I certainly appreciate it!!

ooja3k · #**585** 12/27/2007, 08:08 PM

Ya sorry my bad...

its the UVL super actinic...

WHOOPS!

Boca Kris · #**586** 12/27/2007, 09:29 PM

Thanks a bunch everyone! Bulbs are on the way! Im so excited!

The Grim Reefer · #**587** 12/28/2007, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Boca Kris
I didnt see any other 'Actinic' bulbs from ATI on this page...am I missing something!? I wanted to get the bulbs he recommended, but thats the only one I think I am having a hard time finding!

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/Bulbs/

Yep thats the one.

I normally recomend the UVL Super Actinic cause they have more PAR but really I couldn't see any difference in the look each gives. In your case I think too much PAR was an issue which is why I recoed the ATI.

Check and see if he still has the Sfigoli Actinics on clearance, if he does do that instead. Saves you some decent coin and looks just as good.

The Grim Reefer · #**588** 12/28/2007, 02:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by youngtimothy
I have a 100 gallon 48x18x26 with 4x48 ATI's with an Icecap 660 they currently are
ATI Blue plus
ATI aqua blue
ATI aqua blue
ATI blue plus
I'm adding another Icecap 430 and two bulbs what do you suggest I add with my current setup? and what do you suggest when I change all bulbs? I'm looking for good growth and color for mostly SPS and LPS and some zoa's. thank you

I would add a UVL Super Actinic and Aquasun. Set Up your new ballast with one Blue Plus and the Super Actinic for dusk/dawn.

The Grim Reefer · #**589** 12/28/2007, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by VP
I got a huge beautiful green bubble tipped anemone for Christmas and would like to upgrade my pc's to T5's but know almost nothing about what to get. My tank is a 125 with a divided hood, front portion has about 10" of room and the 2nd half of the hood has about 6" of room for lighting. The tank is a 125 gallon 60" x 22" x 22". I have all soft corals but want to keep the anemone healthly and green. Anyone have suggestions on how many lights, wattage, ballast, etc. I will have to get individual reflectors for each light because of my hood configuration.

TIA! Happy Holidays everyone!

Thats going to be hard to retro into but it can be done. If a fixture instead of a canopy is an option the 72 Nova Extreme Pro (Pro is very important) runs a tad over 600 bux at premium aquatics and would work for you.

For a retrofit into the hood you need the Ice Cap T5 retro kit reefgeek sells. You need 2 1/2" per lamp so you should be able to mount 4 39 watt T5's (they are like 35 1/2 inches long with the endcaps installed) to the underside of each lid section and 2 more to the 6" section. That is assuming your hood has a top that is split so you have a 36" opening on each side. If not the fixture is your only option.

Boca Kris · #**590** 12/28/2007, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
Yep thats the one.

I normally recomend the UVL Super Actinic cause they have more PAR but really I couldn't see any difference in the look each gives. In your case I think too much PAR was an issue which is why I recoed the ATI.

Check and see if he still has the Sfigoli Actinics on clearance, if he does do that instead. Saves you some decent coin and looks just as good.

I did wonder about having TOO much light. I have a standard 55G, and 5 bulbs seems like alot, but I have seen the same fixture used on tanks my size and even smaller. (I think they have this unit on a 45G at Aquactinincs)

I did order the UVL Super Actinic, and I did see that Sfiogoli on clearance. Maybe its worth ordering now while its on clearance as a back-up.

So, my bulbs will be:
Front:
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actininc
UVL Aquasun
UVL Actinic
ATI Aquablue

Do you think thats gonna be overkill on my tank? I plan on adding some softies, and eventually even try my hand at some LPS, maybe even a coupla SPS.

And thanks again for the help!

mwlude · #**591** 12/28/2007, 11:46 AM

I am up grading to a 120g 48X24X24
I currently have 2 110 vho atinics and 2 T5Ho with IC SLR
Current bulb set up on my 55g
VHO Atinic T12
ATI Aqua blue T5HO
UVL Aqua sun T5HO
VHO Atinic T12

I currently have mostly softies, mushrooms, and zoos. It seems that I currently have too much light as my mushrooms and zoos try to grow move to the shade even towards the bottom. So I was thinking for my 120 I would only have 4 t5 w/ ic slr and 2 t12 atinics

The final set up would be 4 t5 with the ic slr and 2 Vho T12

What 2 T5 bulbs whould you suggest to add to my current set up? Also do you think it would be benifical to switch the 2XT12 atinics to 2 X t5 eventually?

fishlibrary · #**592** 12/28/2007, 11:47 AM

What is the last choice be ?

1. KZ CL
2. KZ CL
3. Slyvania Coralstar
4. ?????? (please select from KZ, UVL, D-D, Sylvania only)

Potsy · #**593** 12/28/2007, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Boca Kris
I did wonder about having TOO much light. I have a standard 55G, and 5 bulbs seems like alot, but I have seen the same fixture used on tanks my size and even smaller. (I think they have this unit on a 45G at Aquactinincs)

Do you think thats gonna be overkill on my tank? I plan on adding some softies, and eventually even try my hand at some LPS, maybe even a coupla SPS.

I don't think you have anything to worry about, especially with two actinic bulbs in the mix. I have an Aquactinics TX5 over my 38 gallon with five high par bulbs - 1 aquasun, 1 blue plus, and 3 aquablues - and my corals are doing well (however my fixture uses the 39watt bulbs but probably same amount of par). Some of them are even growing faster than when I had them in a 75 gallon with 2 x 250 watt halides. I'm even able to keep a full sized crocea clam which surprised me.

Here's a tank shot:

hobbysalty · #**594** 12/28/2007, 02:08 PM

How long have you had those lights over that tank?

Potsy · #**595** 12/28/2007, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hobbysalty
How long have you had those lights over that tank?

Six months.

hobbysalty · #**596** 12/28/2007, 02:21 PM

Wow, good results. Do you think that the slower growth before was cause by light saturation levels or by wave lenght or a combination of the two?

chull13 · #**597** 12/28/2007, 03:18 PM

Grim Reefer,

I know you have probably answered this a million times but I would like your opion on a 6 36" T5 configuration overdriven with 660s that will give me the most par but great color. Mixed softy/LPS/SPS tank. (24" deep) What bulbs to use???

Thanks

jennmac415 · #**598** 12/28/2007, 04:07 PM

what size tank... seems like alot of light if you overdrive them ... may end up frying things... but Grim will know more than me.

Potsy · #**599** 12/28/2007, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hobbysalty
Wow, good results. Do you think that the slower growth before was cause by light saturation levels or by wave lenght or a combination of the two?

I really don't know. I don't think it was a spectrum issue; I was running 10k bulbs so the growth should have been on the faster side. I also don't suspect light saturation since halides only have the intensity edge over T5s under the point source of light. T5s hold the advantage at the sandbed and off to the sides, so I think some of my corals are actually receiving more intensity this time around.

I suspect that my 75 gallon had a lot more in the way of phosphate and other growth inhibiting nutrients. The liverock arrived over a day late and so had a lot of die off in the display and I was never able to get a handle on the nutrients. This time around I started out with dry Fiji rock from twopartsolutions.com - no nutrient/phosphate feeding decay to worry about and so it's probably a healthier environment now for my corals.

jennmac415 · #**600** 12/28/2007, 04:43 PM

Grim... I bought some extra bulbs from a fellow RC reefer... so these are the bulbs I now have in my possesion... what combination should I now use to get a 14-15,000K look with good growth, popping of all colors,(blues, greens, reds, blues and pinks) good flouresceing blah blah...you know what I mean...

6 ATi Blue Plus
2 UVL super actinic
4 GE 6000K
2 Ge 3000K
2 ATi Aquablue special
2 D&D Actinic plus
2 Geisemann Aquablue plus

Here is my current configuation which I don't like at all...

remember ... 7 rows side by side to make 72"

1. ATi Blue plus
2. UVL super actinic
3. GE 6000K (Had the GE 3000 here and liked it better than the way it is now, but still not blue enough overall...probably want to add it back in the new combination..)
4. Ati blue Plus
5. GE 6000K
6. ATI blue plus
7. Ati Aquablue special

thanks AGAIN... and again and again and again and again.........