Strictly T5 thread

[lorenz0]

Originally Posted by Leah

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.

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.

Originally Posted by Treebeard

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 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+

[Leah]

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?

[banditpowdercoat]

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

[Leah]

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

[TheMikey]

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.

[digital-audiophile]

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.

[Leah]

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

[banditpowdercoat]

Originally Posted by Leah

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

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

[Zoaelite]

I don't know about the algae out break Lorenzo, I think that has something more to do with excess nutrients over to much of a blue spectrum. Besides algae grows faster at a lower spectrum (around 6700k) while actinics occupy the 20K spectrum. I'm running the 8 fixture Tek 5 over my frag tank now with 3 actinics, 1 figi and 4 day lights and I love the color it brings out in my corals. The actinics add a "pop" to the florescent corals and I my favorite time to watch them is at dusk/ dawn for that exact purpose.
Levi

Originally Posted by lorenz0

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+

[lorenz0]

Well to me pure actinic's are a waste of a bulb now. after further researching your only gaining looks from them due to their low par output. But i do agree, the really do bring out the colors which is why i wish i could fit a larger fixture (lol 10 bulb with 2 pre actinics). As of now i am leaning more towars running a 50/50 ratio of 14,000k bulbs and 22,000k bulbs. why i like the 22,000k bulbs is they still benifit the corals with a great par reading but at the same time the really bring out the color, just not as good as the pure actinic's. As of today my new set up is:

aquascience blue
KZ fiji purple
KZ coral light new gen
Aquascience blue
KZ coral light new gen
Aquascience blue

I am going to run this for a month or 2 and see how it benifits the tank but i do wish i had 1 more bulb in there... or 2