The T5 Q&a Thread

[jadeguppy]

I'm looking at custom aquatics. Is the Helios T5 III, Via aqua a good buy? I haven't heard much about the brand. Since I don't need an icecap to overdrive the bulbs and would like them to last longer, is there a particular set-up that anyone recommends? I grim says 4 bulbs will fit. I'd like to be able to turn the blue/ actinic lights on by themselves for transition light. Do I need 4 ballasts to do this?

p.s. Grim is the lighting man!

[timrandlerv10]

Add a couple of blue plus T5's and you should get what you want. I wouldn't overdrive the T5's. If you could do 4 T5's I would run 3 blue plus and 1 Super Actinics with 10K halides. Run a blue Plus and the Actinic 12 hours a day, the 2 other blue pluses for 10 or 11 and the halide 4 or 6. Your halides will last longer and you will have good growth plus a lot of vieing time with the very blue look you want.


BP - SA - BP - BP

what manufacturer?

what do you mean dont overdrive...dont use the 660, use the 430?

[Whalehead9]

This is an amazing thread. Great Work Grim.
I have a two part question
1. I have 2 x 430 Icecap ballsts and can each run 3x80W bulbs to go on my 6' 125gallon? Should I stagger them even if they are different bulbs, or all in a line?
2. 24"x24"x14"tall breeder flat is the frag rack along side it. It will be all sps. The custom canopy will have an icecap 660 running 4slr retrofits. What would be the best bulb configuration for straight out growth and coral color enhancement. (I don't care how how it looks as long as everything grows well and doesn't brown out)

Thanks

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by timrandlerv10
Add a couple of blue plus T5's and you should get what you want. I wouldn't overdrive the T5's. If you could do 4 T5's I would run 3 blue plus and 1 Super Actinics with 10K halides. Run a blue Plus and the Actinic 12 hours a day, the 2 other blue pluses for 10 or 11 and the halide 4 or 6. Your halides will last longer and you will have good growth plus a lot of vieing time with the very blue look you want.


BP - SA - BP - BP

what manufacturer?

what do you mean dont overdrive...dont use the 660, use the 430?

Both Ice Cap ballasts overdrive the lamps. Use a standard T5 ballast to run the lamp at their normal wattage. PB is ATI, Super Actinic is UVL, Reefgeek sells both lamps.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by jadeguppy
I'm looking at custom aquatics. Is the Helios T5 III, Via aqua a good buy? I haven't heard much about the brand. Since I don't need an icecap to overdrive the bulbs and would like them to last longer, is there a particular set-up that anyone recommends? I grim says 4 bulbs will fit. I'd like to be able to turn the blue/ actinic lights on by themselves for transition light. Do I need 4 ballasts to do this?

p.s. Grim is the lighting man!

Just get a 4 lamp T5 retro. It will have 2 ballasts so you can run 2 lamps at a shot. The Helios stuff is ok but you have to use their lamps so it really limits your choices.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by Whalehead9
This is an amazing thread. Great Work Grim.
I have a two part question
1. I have 2 x 430 Icecap ballsts and can each run 3x80W bulbs to go on my 6' 125gallon? Should I stagger them even if they are different bulbs, or all in a line?
2. 24"x24"x14"tall breeder flat is the frag rack along side it. It will be all sps. The custom canopy will have an icecap 660 running 4slr retrofits. What would be the best bulb configuration for straight out growth and coral color enhancement. (I don't care how how it looks as long as everything grows well and doesn't brown out)

Thanks

The 430 can only run 2 T5's of any length. The 660 can run 3. I would use the 3 Ice Cap ballasts to run 6 lamps over the 125 I wouldn't stagger the lamps.

For the frag tank a standard T5 setup will be fine. Run 2 Aquasun lamps and 2 Blue Plus.

[jadeguppy]

Just get a 4 lamp T5 retro. It will have 2 ballasts so you can run 2 lamps at a shot. The Helios stuff is ok but you have to use their lamps so it really limits your choices.

Limiting lamp choices is not what I want. Thanks for letting me know! What system do you suggest? I've seen you suggest reefgeek bulbs.

I see the 48" 4x54W Tek 2 T5 High-Output Retrofit Kit w/ Bulbs, is that a good ballast with bulb flexibility?

[ganjero]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
The 430 can only run 2 T5's of any length. The 660 can run 3. I would use the 3 Ice Cap ballasts to run 6 lamps over the 125 I wouldn't stagger the lamps.

For the frag tank a standard T5 setup will be fine. Run 2 Aquasun lamps and 2 Blue Plus.

I thought the 660 can run 4 lamps

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by jadeguppy
Limiting lamp choices is not what I want. Thanks for letting me know! What system do you suggest? I've seen you suggest reefgeek bulbs.

I see the 48" 4x54W Tek 2 T5 High-Output Retrofit Kit w/ Bulbs, is that a good ballast with bulb flexibility?

Yep, that will be fine.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by ganjero
I thought the 660 can run 4 lamps

I was talking about the 80 watt lamps. The 430 can run 2 and the 660 can run 3. The 660 can run 4 lamps of 54 watts and less.

[pito]

Why not stagger the lights? Would'nt that give him better coverage?

[The Grim Reefer]

If you stagger the lamps all you are really doing is giving moderate light at best to the ends but you decrease the area of strong intensity. Without ataggering the lamps you will have strong intensity to at least 8" from each end.

[The Grim Reefer]

If you stagger the lamps all you are really doing is giving moderate light at best to the ends but you decrease the area of strong intensity. Without ataggering the lamps you will have strong intensity to at least 8" from each end.

[Dave VG]

Ok so if i were to put together an eight bulb retrofit T-5 with 4 bulbs VHO on a Icecap 660 and 4 HO bulbs ballast unknown what would a good bulb config be. I have two 10,000 k and two 460 nm bulbs allready.

[erickrm]

Hey grim, I am replacing the bulbs in my dads fixture for his 90G 4 center ones are over driven and the 2 outer ones are normally drive. Here is the combo let me know if it is good one.


ATI Blue Plus
ATI Pro color
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Special
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

The Blue Special was given to me so i gave it to him so basically he needs to buy 5 new bulbs,

thanks grim.

[green1181]

I am in the process of upgrading my lighting. I have decided to put 4-24" T5-HO bulbs in my canopy. Will a ballast made for 2 larger bulbs
work on 4 24" bulbs? I cant find a single ballast to run 4 bulbs.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by Dave VG
Ok so if i were to put together an eight bulb retrofit T-5 with 4 bulbs VHO on a Icecap 660 and 4 HO bulbs ballast unknown what would a good bulb config be. I have two 10,000 k and two 460 nm bulbs allready.

You are only going to fit 6 lamps over that tank.
for lamps try

Front
UVL Super Actinic (HO)
ATI Blue Plus
10K
460
10K
460 (HO)

Once the 460 and 10K's hit a year replace the 460's with Blue Plus and the 10K's with 1 ATI Aquablue and 1 UVL Aquasun

[docsky]

Grim,
I have 2 icecap 660's running 4 vho bulbs on a 150g 73x18x28.5. how many and what size t5's can should i run over this tank. mostly lsp currently but would like to move into more sps.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by erickrm
Hey grim, I am replacing the bulbs in my dads fixture for his 90G 4 center ones are over driven and the 2 outer ones are normally drive. Here is the combo let me know if it is good one.


ATI Blue Plus
ATI Pro color
UVL Super Actinic
ATI Blue Special
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus

The Blue Special was given to me so i gave it to him so basically he needs to buy 5 new bulbs,

thanks grim.

Try this if you have a lot of SPS
Front
Super Actinic
Aquablue Special
Pro Color
Aquablue Special
UVL Aquasun
Blue Plus

or more blue and good for SPS up on the rocks.

Front
Super Actinic
Blue Plus
Pro Color
Aquablue
UVL 75/25
Blue Plus

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by green1181
I am in the process of upgrading my lighting. I have decided to put 4-24" T5-HO bulbs in my canopy. Will a ballast made for 2 larger bulbs
work on 4 24" bulbs? I cant find a single ballast to run 4 bulbs.

No, you will need 2 ballasts. Well you could use a Workhorse to run 4 T5's but I am not a fan.

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by docsky
Grim,
I have 2 icecap 660's running 4 vho bulbs on a 150g 73x18x28.5. how many and what size t5's can should i run over this tank. mostly lsp currently but would like to move into more sps.

You can run 3 80 watt T5's on each ballast. for lamps I would try

Front
ATI Blue Plus Ballast 1
ATI Actinic Ballast 1
GE 6500K Daylight B2
Blue Plus Ballast 1
ATI Aquablue B2
Blue Plus B2

[vt4lifecuf]

i have a 90G with 50lbs of live rock, planning to add some beginner corals for easier maintenance. How many T5 would be enough? 2? 4? or 6 at lower wattage.

[pito]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
If you stagger the lamps all you are really doing is giving moderate light at best to the ends but you decrease the area of strong intensity. Without ataggering the lamps you will have strong intensity to at least 8" from each end.

Will that 8" of less intense light be visually noticeable?

[docsky]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
You can run 3 80 watt T5's on each ballast. for lamps I would try

Front
ATI Blue Plus Ballast 1
ATI Actinic Ballast 1
GE 6500K Daylight B2
Blue Plus Ballast 1
ATI Aquablue B2
Blue Plus B2

Grim
Will this be enought light for most sps?

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by vt4lifecuf
i have a 90G with 50lbs of live rock, planning to add some beginner corals for easier maintenance. How many T5 would be enough? 2? 4? or 6 at lower wattage.

4 would be plenty for softies and LPS