The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by FranktheTankTx
Hi everyone and hopefully Grim Reefer,

I was referred here, and to the Grim Reefer, from some folks at DFWMAS.

I am planning a 135g tank (72x18x24) with Ice Cap retro fit T5's w/ ice cap electronic ballasts and individual reflectors. I will use 2 - 6 bulb kits 35" long each. I want a "blue" look to my tank and want to avoid the red, yellowish tint that some light configs give you. I want the flourescents to pop out not only when the actinics are on but also when the daylight bulbs are on as well.

I have invisioned this for the tank (oh boy, I'm giving away my top secret reef plans).

I will be keeping SPS, clams, zoo's and rics in this tank.

I may be in the same boat as 20 20...

This was my designed bulb config to gain the color I desire:

ATI True Actinic
UV Actinic White (12k)
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aqua Blue (14k)
ATI True Actinic
UV Actinic White (12k)

I planned to go with nothing below a 10k bulb... and as you can see am going to try 12k and above. Perhaps I understand that I may not have as high of growth rate as a 10k or even lower k bulb would give... but really color is more desired here. Plus I feel with 3 "daylight" bulbs used I am throwing "sunlight" at them in a form.

What do you think? Will this work for the corals I plan to hold? Any suggestions or have I nailed it on the head?

Also, I do want to keep some zoo's and rics... I won't burn them up with this light will I? It is possible to keep both with SPS?

Thank you, and thanks for having me in the community!!!

Well, I would give your mix a shot except do the UVL Super Actinic instead of the ATI, has a little more PAR but about the same effect. Of Course I said I would try that. Those UVL "Actinic White" lamps look a little pink. You may or may not like the look you get using them.

For the look you say you want try this

Front
ATI Aquablue
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue

The Blue Plus lamps really have good PAR output and the Aquablues are really high PAR so you should have plenty of intensity

[The Grim Reefer]

I think I got everyone

[flyguy7150]

Ordered another retro kit from reefgeek to have 6x54!!! can't wait till they get here, next wed though. Getting rid of the PC actinics. Bulb order gonna be:

back to front

sunpro
aquablue
pro color
uvl super actinic
aquablue
actinic plus

pro color and uvl SA are the ones replacing the pc actinics
Can't wait, should look good

[gabe3d]

Hi Grim,

What would you suggest for 8 x 80w T5s?

Thanks,
Gabe

[snaza]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
I think I got everyone

What about me! just joking

thanks heaps

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by flyguy7150
Ordered another retro kit from reefgeek to have 6x54!!! can't wait till they get here, next wed though. Getting rid of the PC actinics. Bulb order gonna be:

back to front

sunpro
aquablue
pro color
uvl super actinic
aquablue
actinic plus

pro color and uvl SA are the ones replacing the pc actinics
Can't wait, should look good

You might end up needing to change out an aquablue for a Blue Plus once you add the pro color. Let us know how it goes

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by gabe3d
Hi Grim,

What would you suggest for 8 x 80w T5s?

Thanks,
Gabe

A big friggin tank

** I just Kill Me**

Front
Blue Plus
Aquablue
ATI Actinic
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
Blue Plus
Aquablue

[gabe3d]

Haha, that's actually pretty funny. Thanks for the suggestion.

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
A big friggin tank

** I just Kill Me**

Front
Blue Plus
Aquablue
ATI Actinic
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
Blue Plus
Aquablue

[flyguy7150]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
You might end up needing to change out an aquablue for a Blue Plus once you add the pro color. Let us know how it goes

Hmm is the pro color that red or something??? Yea, I'll definately post up some pics when it arrives.

[woodycb]

Hey Grim,
Ive got a 125 gallon going up stocked with mushrooms/LPS. Thinking of retroing it with 4 80watts or 8 39 watts. What do you recommend and what bulb configuration.
Thanks.

[20 20]

Thanks, Grim!

[psimitry]

Though I try not to draw a causal relationship (as it could have been the result of ANYTHING other than lighting), I did notice that when I replaced my T5HO lamps last year that I experienced quite a lot of Zoanthid die-off as well as a general slowdown of growth throughout the tank.

My roommate has speculated that the 4x54W setup that I had previously running all Geismann lights might have been just the right amount of light for my tank, as opposed to when I switched over to a GE/ATI/UVL setup.

Any possible truth to this? I currently run a Tek reflector setup with a GE Daylight 6500k, ATI 12,000K and Blue plus bulbs and a UVL pure actinic over a 55G tank.

I'm just trying to figure out what went wrong. I used to have a spectacular zoa garden, but now I've had to evacuate a lot of those zoas to my power compact lit nano-cube (and am seeing very good zoa growth again).

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Edit: I should actually note that after I became convinced that the lighting setup was too much, I shifted over a couple of bulbs and currently run just two bulbs (the Ge daylight and the Blue plus). But zoa growth is still next to zero.

[siwelk]

Hey Grim,

I asked you a little while back about the new Nova Extreme Pro 36" 6x39w T5 fixture I had ordered. Well I got it the other day and I was hoping maybe I could get your input on it.

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1269547

Also, I plan to run the stock bulbs during the cycle and for about half of their suggested lifespan, so about 6 months tops. I know that the slimpaq bulbs included have very low par. Could you suggest a better bulb configuration for when I upgrade? During my new bulbs lifespan I only plan to be keeping softies and maybe some LPS during this time. I would be looking for an even amount of both growth and coloration, and i prefer a bluish-tint.

Lastly, my fixture has two separate on/off switches. Starting from the front and calling that bulb "1", one swtich turns on bulbs 1 and 5. the other switch turns on bulbs 2, 3, 4, and 6. Im looking for a configuration that will still allow me to use them on a timer for dawn/daytime/dusk application. Thanks Grim!


-Kyle

[T3D]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
I think I got everyone

Thank you so much..

you da man!

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
That will be OK but get one of those fan arrays you can clamp on to the tank and set it on the back of the tank blowing across the fixture, it will give you some extra output.

Do this for lamps

Front
Blue Plus
Aquasun
Super Actinic
Blue Plus
Aquasun
Blue Plus
Aquablue
Blue Plus

It wont look as blue as you would think, the Aquablue is nearly white and the Aquasuns are a little orange so it evens out.

What do you think about this fixture - Constellation Series Aquactinics 48" 7 lamp T5 fixture
It has the built in fans so does it provide that much more output compared to the 8 bulb Sunlight Tek?

And would these be fine for most SPS?

[blide]

Oh oh oh... Do me....

20H Small Ricordia/SPS tank

Currently using a 250mh XM 20K - Electronic Ballast (ARO)

I was using a Hamilton 14k and my SPS colors were looking great, but my ricordia had less color (No Actinics). So I switched to a 20K bulb and now my rics have tons of color and my SPS don't look as good.

I'm thinking about doing T5's now can you recommend a small 24X4 setup and bulb combo to get the best of both worlds (14K and 20K). Thanks a lot for your time...

[jennmac415]

Grim, can you post the link to the par thread, please... I am trying to find it and haven't had any luck..

Thanks!

[flyguy7150]

Originally posted by jennmac415
Grim, can you post the link to the par thread, please... I am trying to find it and haven't had any luck..

Thanks!

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=918935

[jennmac415]

Aha!!! thanks, Leo!

[jennmac415]

Ok, today I did a dumb thing..

First of all, my tank is 180 gallons, with the 72" Constellation from Aquactinics...I have it on a pulley system about 2 inches above the tank, so that I can get it out of the way to work on the tank as this is an inwall tank and I can only work from the back...SO, I have been contemplating my bulb color for awhile and I had added the GE3000K bulb in the mix some time ago and taken out one of the 2 GE 6500Ks I had in there to see what that would do...decided I really don't like that... too pink and not enough flourescing...Have pretty well decided that I need more blue... but before I order new bulbs, decided to just put the oringinal GE6500K back in, take out the GE3000k and see what it looked like...now....... I can't actually take the fixture down off the tank as it is all attached to the pulleys with some kind of things my husband found... all I can do is life it up.. so just picture me trying to unscrew the lens coverand take it all the way off,, not drop any screws into the tank, then take out both GE3000s without dropping them in the tank and then install the GE6500ks without dropping them in the tank... all while standing up on a 5 foot step ladder on the top rung...what a fiasco!!! AND guess WHAT???? I HATE THE COLOR even more now...it reminded me of why I added the GE3000K in the first place!!! It is way tooooo whilte... NO colors are popping now and I am so mad at myself...because I almost killed myself trying to take out and install the other bulbs...UGH!!!

This is now my configuation which is what I originally started the tank with in August and I do not like it AT ALL!!! All the rocks which are getting a nice coralline covering on them now look white and all the corals look awful...why do I ALWAYS do dumb things,. At least with the GE3000s in there I had some n ice pinks, reds and not all WHITE>>>>> Now I will have to go through that bulb fiasco again when I get new bulbs...

front
ATI blue plus
Uvl Super actinic
GE 6500K
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K
Ati blue Plus
Ati Aquablue

I have been looking at tank after tank and most of the tanks whose color I love are using a mix of ATi Blue plus and ATI Aquablue ( in the "show me tanks with T5s" threads)with maybe some Procolors in there or something else to pop the reds and yellows...

anyway, thanks for letting me vent. I am sure, Grim, that you would like to toss me out to sea about now.

[dobber99]

Trying to decide between Reef Geek's 4x54 watts powered by an Icecap 660 (overdirven) or their standard 4x54 watts standard driven retro kit for actinic supplementation. Currently running 2x150 watt 10k HQI PFO pendants and 4x110 watt VHO super actinic R's on a 4Lx24Hx30D Tank. Mostly SPS and zoa's. The rep at Reef Geek recomended 3 ATI blue plus with one ATI actinic to get the look I want. Currently the tank looks to white even with 4 VHO actinics due to the light being reflected back to the ceiling. Would the standard kit do the job or do I need to overdrive with the 660 icecap?

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by flyguy7150
Hmm is the pro color that red or something??? Yea, I'll definately post up some pics when it arrives.

They are pretty red. Not as brash as the GE 3000K but you do need plenty of blue with it.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by Rob_Reef_Keeper
What do you think about this fixture - Constellation Series Aquactinics 48" 7 lamp T5 fixture
It has the built in fans so does it provide that much more output compared to the 8 bulb Sunlight Tek?

And would these be fine for most SPS?

Hey if its in the budget I wouldn't think twice, grab the Constellation. It has good cooling, better reflectors and ballasts plus it comes with the splash shield so you can sit the thing right on top of the tank if you want. Also has triple switching so you can turn the lights on in 3 stages. SPS easily under one of those bad boys.,

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by blide
Oh oh oh... Do me....

20H Small Ricordia/SPS tank

Currently using a 250mh XM 20K - Electronic Ballast (ARO)

I was using a Hamilton 14k and my SPS colors were looking great, but my ricordia had less color (No Actinics). So I switched to a 20K bulb and now my rics have tons of color and my SPS don't look as good.

I'm thinking about doing T5's now can you recommend a small 24X4 setup and bulb combo to get the best of both worlds (14K and 20K). Thanks a lot for your time...

First things first, must pay tribute to your avitar





It's a lot easier to use the T5's to add blue because then you can use them for dusk/dawn. To cure your current issue you would want to add red and yellow so say a UVL Aquasun or UVL Pro Color and a GE daylight but they will look like crap running alone. I would grin and bare it with the 20K until its time for a new halide then go back to a 10K. Get a standard Tek 2x24 watt retro with 1 UVL Super Actinic and 1 ATI Blue Plus. The 10K halide and Blue Actinic T5 is going to be the best look.

[blide]

Thanks for the response...

I'm really wanting to move away from the MH though and just go with T5's to save on electricty, heat, and etc. So I guess my question was really what 4 bulb combo should I use to get a 14K - 20K look.

The tank is ricordia dominate and has some LPS and and nice pink birdsnest (which needs a 14K look to give off that pink glow).