Strictly T5 thread
 

After seeing another thread with 2 members talking about T5's thought i would start a T5 thread strickly for T5 questions. Bascally people can refer back to the thread to see what is a good choice and what other people are running. So what are you running?


I think alot of people have been mis-informed on bulb choices because seeing someone buy 4 pure actinic's they are just asking for an algae break out.

I have a custom canopy that i am running 6 x 54w T5HO's and 250w MH as follows:

KZ True Blue Attinic
KZ New Generation
Hagen Power Glo 18K
Hagen Power Glo 18K
KZ New Generation
KZ True Blue Attinic

250w 10K Ushio MH (will be 14K on my next lamp change)
This lamp arrangement was recommended to me by 2 fellow canreefers as well as my LFS. The 18K are supposed to be similar to Fiji Purple, however i don't think they are.

http://i468.photobucket.com/albums/r...n/IMG_0227.jpg

I have a 6x24 ATI Sunpower over my new tank now. I'll post some pics and more info tonight.

Perfect timing. I have a T5 and was just going to order new bulbs. At the moment I am
using 4 Actinic+ and 2 Midday. Power chrome. Tank is a FOWLER and I was going to just
order what I had. As I am not to sure what may be better. Any suggestions ? Would be
great as I really am unsure. I have read that people think these bulbs are only so so.

Thanks for starting this thread lorenz0.

This is what I was told I would be good for a TEK 8 bulb fixture:

"I like 2 actinics for the dawn dusk, a couple of daylight bulbs and 4 x aqua-blue plus, nice color around 14K."

Does this mean the actinics only need to be on morning and evening?

I've got an 24" Odyssea 4 bulb over my nano:

Back to Front:

Aquascience 22K
Odyssea 12K
Aquascience 22K
Odyssea Actnic

I'll try to post a pic later today.

I use a 22K and an Actnic for my Dusk/Dawn effect but you leave them on with your daylights unless you want to have a really yellow/white tank.

All depends on what you want to do with the tank. Than again what fixture do you have?

also sounds like you have a good source for Giesemann bulbs. personally this is what I would do:

pure actinic
Fiji purple
aquablue+
actinic+
aquablue+
actinic+

This set up you will still get that blue glow from the tank. Stay away from to many pure actinic's. This is second hand info for me and i have no intentions of finding out but they cause crazy algae outbreaks.


I am starting to stray away from the 10k/midday bulbs. to me they are to white and running to many has been known to bleach out corals. Your on the right path with the aquablue+ (Giesemann or ATI) as they are similar to a 14,000k bulb. for an 8 bulb fixture, i would run the same set up as i listed above but add 1 more actinic+ and aquablue+

I have the Sunlight Supply T5. I have moved in a toadstool mushroom and a leather only
because they have gotten way to big for my reef tank. I think that is what they are!
Anyhow I am using Giesmann bulbs as I order from J&L. Hope I can say that! I really do
want to keep it basically fish only. I have never had an issue with algae using the bulbs
I have. Is your tank preety dark then?

I got a 4 tube TEK light. I love it, its bright.

Present Bulbs

Giesmann Actinic+
Giesmann Midday
Giesmann Midday
Giesmann Actinic+


Next month i'm swapping to Korallen-Zucht Fiji Purple and AquaScience 17500K

That is how my 4 bulb is set up as well. Why are you switching out the bulbs? Are they
better do you think? I like how mine look as well it is on my reef tank. I just replaced to
of the 4 bulbs. 1 Actinic+ and 1 Midday. Last year I just replaced all bulbs at once. Did
not know any different. I am such a chicken to try new things. I would love to see how yours looks.
Thanks BPC

My Aquascience 22K are about as blue as my actinic but they at least have some PAR ratings. I'm contemplating putting in another 22K but might see if I can get a Geissman Actinic+ in Saskatoon. Might as well put as much PAR in there as I can.

I've been running a Tek T5 for about a year now and I still really like it.

The best bulb configuration I have found thus far for my tank

Aquscience Blue
KZ Fiji Purple
KZ New Generation
KZ New Generation
KZ Fiji Purple
Aquscience Blue

Light schedule :

Blues on 3:00
KZ's on 4:00
KZ's off 9:00
Blues off 10:00

I find the shorter light period has helped with my colour, tank temperature, and reduced algae growth.

I thought the Actinics+ offer nothing to fish or coral, just eye appeal for our viewing?

Greg, I see you have the 6 x T5 Tek.... 48" I assume since you have a 90 gallon tank. Is there any reason why you did not go for the 8 bulb fixture (other than cost perhaps...). Are 8 T5s too much light for a 90?

I really debated about going with the 8 bulb fixture when I bought my TEK, but with the standard width on the 90 I figured that the extra bulbs on the end would be wasted as more light would spill to the outsides of the tank rather than in, especially with eurobracing.

Some days I regret not getting the 8 as it would have added just a little extra par but I am happy with the 6. The 8 bulb wouldn't work out to that much more $$, I think they are about $50 more than the 6 bulb but then I guess you can add on another $60 for the two extra bulbs.

OA has the 8 bulb fixture on sale for only $14.70 more than the 6 bulb, plus the extra cost of two bulbs of course. Seems like the way to go.

I have been meaning to ask this question for sometime now, and this thread is the ideal place to ask.

From what I have read, T5 bulbs should be replaced approximately every 12 months. Why?? Is this based on quantitative measurements, or is it because Joe's Fish Store needs to sell you new bulbs once a year for his kids college fund?

Greg, you KNOW what you need....don't fight it.

I've heard that T5s that are not overpowered into VHO should last 14-18 months

I fight the brave fight ;)

On the zeo system KZ actually recommends that you replace your bulbs every 6 months :neutral: I really think this is overkill.

A year seems to be ok but they do really lose a great amount of par.. I need to find the post by ihavecrabs, he did some par readings on his old T5's just before he changed them and then the new readings, it was really a big difference.

That is enough proof for me.

I found the thread

http://canreef.com/vbulletin/showthr...&highlight=par

a big loss in par over 10 months.

Leah, I went with the Geismann Bulbs when I got my TEK light, at the advice of Wendell, @ Ocean Aquatics. Myka was the one who told me she had the same bulbs as we do, and swapped to the Korallen-Zucht Fiji Purple and AquaScience 17500K. Said she liked them better. So, I figured, what the heck. It's been about 12 months on these bulbs now, so they all need a change. I should maybe change 2 at a time, spread the cost out a bit. But I know I'll screw that up LOL. So, I'll just change all 4 at once, keep it simple

Keep in mind that PAR drop reported by ihavecrabs is with a fixture that isn't actively cooled. Of course you're going to burn the schnikeys out of the lamps without active cooling (in addition to getting lower PAR values). You're better off going with a higher quality fixture than a TEK because in the long run your lamp replacement costs will outweigh the up-front difference in the cost of the fixture. Comparing a TEK fixture to something like an ATI, Sfilligoi, Fauna Marin, etc. is like comparing a Seaclone to BK. I'm sure there is obviously some PAR drop in the better fixtures but I doubt it's as rapid as the uncooled TEK and comparable fixtures. This is one of those cases (similar to skimmers) where you really get what you pay for.

I'm going to have to get a PAR meter so I can monitor the PAR changes in an actively cooled fixture.

Thats a very good point which is why i have been debating swapping out my TEK for a powermodual down the road, also the 8 bulb power modual is close to the same size as the 6 bulb TEK light. But yes active cooling plays a big part when it comes to the life span of the bulbs but for most people the TEK is not that bad of a fixture.

Cool, before I go and spend the extra bucks on a ferrari T5 fixture it would be nice to see the par drop in a XXXX time span as compared to the TEK's. :)

you can get a similar effect by running a fan across the bulbs on a TEK

I think this is a great thread. We need a thread with just pictures of the tank (FTS) with the combos of lights. This would be a big help also.

WHAT!!?? I thought my TEK light was one of the good ones??? Almost $500 with bulbs. active cooling now??? I can't win for trying.

T5 comparisons
 

I have been an advocate of T5's for some time now. I have never used metal halides over a reef tank, only reptiles, so I can't really comment on T5's vs. MH's. I get good growth, great colour rendition which I can tailor to suit my likes. Here are my tanks that are on T5's. I apologize, my quick editing has left the tanks looking dull, and they are much more vibrant in person.

85 gallon display:

Top
AquaScience Blue 22000
AquaScience Special 15000
KZ Fiji purple
AquaScience Special 15000
AquaScience Blue 22000
AquaScience Blue 22000
BOTTOM

Two 4" fans running air across the length of the bulbs.

Dawn/Dusk Bulbs
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k9...-dawn-dusk.jpg
Dawn/Dusk Tank
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k9...-dawn-dusk.jpg

Daytime Bulbs
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k9...5s-daytime.jpg
Daytime Tank
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k9...ay-daytime.jpg

40 gallon Frag Tank

TOP
KZ New Generation
AquaScience Blue 22000
KZ New Generation
AquaScience Blue 22000
BOTTOM

Open to air, no active cooling (I will add fans at some point, I'm just lazy right now)

Bulbs (I was running 2 Fiji Purple instead of the instead of the AquaScience Blue 22000 but I switch to get colour instead of growth)
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k9...40-gal-T5s.jpg
Tank
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k9...al-display.jpg

10 Gal Canreef Contest Tank

AquaScience Blue 22000
AquaScience Blue 22000

Two 3" Fans drawing air out of the hood.

Bulbs (Notice the difference between the left and right bulb. The one on the left is 5 months old; the one on the right is brand new)
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k9...10-gal-T5s.jpg
Tank
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k9...al-display.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e6...0/IMG_2313.jpg

back to front

Giesemann Pure actinic
Korallen-zucht fiji purple
Korallen-zucht new generation
Korallen-zucht coral light (10,000k)
Korallen-zucht new generation
Aqua medic reef blue

WOW, those Fiji Purples are really Purple.

Myka, can we see some pics of your tank and the light it produces. Now, seeing how Purple they are, I dont know. I am used to the blue now.

here is one i have always found interesting

2 ATI blue+, 2 ATI blue special, 2 ATI pro color

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/jartanyon/cl.jpg

I also notice most of you have your lights 8-12" off the water. Is there a specific reason for this? I have my light hung form the celing, on a retractable string hanger, and we lower it to like 3" off the water. Is that bad? I have the Plexi cover on the light

The more I look at bulbs online, the more confused I get.........

My 85 definitely has a warmer, almost red/pink hue. The Fiji Purple does a helluva job! I think the two AS Special 15000's really counteract any blue spectrum that the AS Blue 22000 put out, at least to the naked eye. Obviously the light is still getting to the corals, it just looks nothing like my other two T5 tanks! It doesn't have the blue tinge whatsoever.

That's the joy of T5's. you can configure them to suit your preferences/needs. The bad part is a bulb costs ~$25-$40 per, and a 6 to 8 bulb fixture can cost up to $320 a year in bulbs. With the IceCap ballast's I use (660), the bulbs are overdriven to ~145% of their normal output.

ie. 39 watt 3' bulbs overdriven to ~56.5 watts.

So my 6 T5's on the 85 = ~340 watts. Almost a 400 watt halide, gah!

You overdrive your T5? what ballasts should I use for my 24W bulbs? I am never satisfied, am I LOL

Here are some pics. My old point and shoot camera makes everything bluer than it actually is and washes out all the colors. But I thought I'd stay true to my word and post some pics - next step is buy a real digital SLR camera.

My lamps are from front to back:

ATI Blue+
ATI Aquablue Spezial
ATI Blue+
ATI Blue+
ATI Aqualblue Spezial
ATI Blue+

For a frame of reference with respect to the disparity between the way things look in the pictures and how they look in real life I did have 1:1 ratio of Blue+ and Aquablue Spezial but it was too white.

Now I'm considering trying out a KZ Fiji Purple in place of one of the Aquablue Spezials

http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/v...g?t=1237951838

http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/v...g?t=1237952152

http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/v...g?t=1237952192

That last pic is just one that I took with the flash and the color is truer to real life (unfortunately it's not one of the tank)

Dumb Question, please don't laugh! On my tanks I keep the light 3 inches from the top.
I do not have the light cover, but I have always kept the glass lid thing on my tanks.
My question is should I take off the glass and purchase the acrylic for my fixture's.?
Then raise the light or leave it? Good lord. Thanks for all the light picture's. It helped
huge with my decision. Depending on what you guys think I may order the covers with
new bulbs. I keep tossing the idea around and around. Not sure of the benifits of removing the glass. That and worried about the evaporation.....help!
Thanks any help would be great!
Leah

Leah, I have a glass top made for my tank as well. I now, never use it. I found the glass, 4mm, would block a noticeable amount light. That and I was forever cleaning it. Then, with no glass, and no plexi cover on my lights, I was cleaning my reflectors, but not as much as the glass. The plexi cleans up so much easier than the reflectors. Have you decided on new bulbs yet? what are you going with?