The T5 Q&a Thread

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by djmicl
How would this configuration of T5 look?

Any suggestions Grim?

Front
Blue,
Giesemann Pure Actinic plus,
Auquasun 10k,
Actinic plus

The Auquasun 10k is the only bulb I don’t have yet.

I have A 55 gallon and I would like to have a Variety of Corals LPS,Soft Coral,SPS Zoa.


Thanks

That should be duckyswell. About the color of the more blue 14K halides.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by rsg4
whats the best bulbs for a 6 bulb fixture?

ATI Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Blue Plus

[djmicl]

That should be duckyswell. About the color of the more blue 14K halides.

Grim,

What do you mean by "About the color of the more blue 14K halides"?

[The Grim Reefer]

It will be a little blue but not like a 20K halide. Should have nice pop.

[Phanman1]

Hey Grim,

Why do you pic the Aquasun over the Fiji Purple bulb? I heard that the Fiji Purple is better. Please explain if this is true or not.

thanks,
John

[The Grim Reefer]

I ran a Fiji Purple for a while, color me unimpressed. The PAR is nowhere close to an Aquasun or Aquablue. It really isn't anything special looks wise, sort of a variation on an Aquablue. For less money UVL make a interesting lamp called the 75/25 "Aquablue" which I like better. Nothing blue about it really. It looks like a ATI Aquablue with the yellow and green removed.

[djmicl]

It will be a little blue but not like a 20K halide. Should have nice pop.


Grim,

So what would you change in my configuration? or do you think it would look fine?

Front
Blue,
Giesemann Pure Actinic plus,
Auquasun 10k,
Actinic plus

[speeddemonlsr]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
No regative to using that at all. You will just have to play to see if there is any benefit to running it with the rest of the lights on. I would probably use it as the front lamp rather than the middle.

I tried to add it and there was no difference when I added the bulb the t-5 are way move intense and drowned out the bulb like it wasnt even there. Good try thought right, well I guess I will add a 5th bulb to my setup but which one??? Again I want the most pop and some more blue hue so another super atinic, aqua blue?

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by djmicl
It will be a little blue but not like a 20K halide. Should have nice pop.


Grim,

So what would you change in my configuration? or do you think it would look fine?

Front
Blue,
Giesemann Pure Actinic plus,
Auquasun 10k,
Actinic plus

I'd rather have the UVL or ATI Actinic but other than that you B fine.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by speeddemonlsr
I tried to add it and there was no difference when I added the bulb the t-5 are way move intense and drowned out the bulb like it wasnt even there. Good try thought right, well I guess I will add a 5th bulb to my setup but which one??? Again I want the most pop and some more blue hue so another super atinic, aqua blue?

Blue Plus or Super Actinic. Super Actinic will fluoresce greens better, blue plus hits reds and oranges better and provides more lblue light

[ooja3k]

Does anyone following this thread have current pics of their tanks with the lighting suggestions that Grim is giving???

I think it would be helpful and interesting for many reefers to see how the bulb combinations come out...

Thanks!!!

[flyguy7150]

will pots pics of my lights tomorrow...when i get my third set of retro slrs

[ooja3k]

nice!

[swamprat]

Hey Grim,
On a 18"wide, 20" deep 4' long tank would you recommend 6 normal driven or 4 overdriven lamps? Only softies and LPS, no SPS.


Thanks,
Tom

[jennmac415]

Grim... what is the par of the UVL 75/25 bulb?

Thanks!

[TeresaQ]

I have read most of this post, but still dont know what bulbs to buy. I have a 150 gal, softies. zoos, leathers, shrooms, and would like a few things like candy cane. I have two fixtures that have 8 bulbs each. 39wtts each bulb. when I bought these, they had 5 10,000k and 3 actinic. just about everything melted. No one on another forum could tell me why my corals melted. I have since figured out it was my lights. I need to know what bulbs will not melt my corals so I can restore my tank. I am ready to throw them out and go back to mh.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by jennmac415
Grim... what is the par of the UVL 75/25 bulb?

Thanks!

It was slightly lower than a Blue Plus which isn't bad.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by TeresaQ
I have read most of this post, but still dont know what bulbs to buy. I have a 150 gal, softies. zoos, leathers, shrooms, and would like a few things like candy cane. I have two fixtures that have 8 bulbs each. 39wtts each bulb. when I bought these, they had 5 10,000k and 3 actinic. just about everything melted. No one on another forum could tell me why my corals melted. I have since figured out it was my lights. I need to know what bulbs will not melt my corals so I can restore my tank. I am ready to throw them out and go back to mh.

I seriously doubt T5's would be intense enough to melt down shrooms etc. in a 150 unless you are running ATI Powermodules or something. If your system has multiple switches turn of some lamps and see if that helps. I guess you could have a batch of bad lamps that are putting too much UV in the tank but that would be a huge longshot.

As for lamps I don't know what brand you are using but I would go with this

Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Actinic
Giesemann Midday
Blue Plus
Giesemann Midday
Blue Plus
ATI Actinic
Blue Plus

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by swamprat
Hey Grim,
On a 18"wide, 20" deep 4' long tank would you recommend 6 normal driven or 4 overdriven lamps? Only softies and LPS, no SPS.


Thanks,
Tom

4 or 6 normally driven. I would probably go with this

Front
Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
Blue Plus

See how it does and just add a couple more if you think you need it.

[NeveSSL]

Grim:

For a 10k look (ie, a little more white) in a 4 bulb setup from ReefGeek, what would you recommend?

Also, what would you recommend as extras to possibly experiment with?

Thanks much!

Brandon

[swamprat]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
4 or 6 normally driven. I would probably go with this

Front
Blue Plus
UVL Super Actinic
UVL Aquasun
Blue Plus

See how it does and just add a couple more if you think you need it.

Thanks Grim

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by NeveSSL
Grim:

For a 10k look (ie, a little more white) in a 4 bulb setup from ReefGeek, what would you recommend?

Also, what would you recommend as extras to possibly experiment with?

Thanks much!

Brandon

Blue Plus
Aquablue
UVL Aquasun
Blue Plus

GE 6500K daylight for an extra

[NeveSSL]

Awesome.

Thanks much!

Brandon

[Boca Kris]

Hi Grim!
About a month ago you gave me some stellar advice on light, and I wound up with the Aquactinics TX5 unit. Your recommendations for bulbs at that time was:

Front
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Actinic
UVL Aquasun
ATI Actinic
Aqua Blue (is that ATI or Geismann?)

Are those all 54W HO bulbs? I have a standard size 55G and hope to add some corals/softies/etc down the road. I have it on top of my tank now with only 3 bulbs (10K & 2 actinics) and the temp was 83 degrees! Should I Lift the fixture up off the glass top? How far up would be good? And would you still recommend those bulbs for my setup?

Sorry for all the questions, but I know you know your stuff!
Thanks a million!

[fishyz]

Hey Grim, I think you have convinced me to convert to T5's. I have a standard 90g currently with power compacts. I plan to do a lps dominated tank with a few sps if possible, and a clam. A few lfs's have recommended T5's, but I'm unsure of what exactly to get, and how many and what type of fixtures/bulbs. Any recommendations for a nice blue color? Thanks so much!