T5s Q&A

Would the KZ Fiji Purple be in the 650 - 720 nm range like the ATI Pro Color? Does anyone know what kind of color it would put out with a UV Aquasun?

 

What is the best T5 retro on the market? Icecaps seem to be more expensive but everybody love's the TEK... I need some good info on both before making my decision, I am trying to go with a really good eye popping look to the tank, so I will most likely run 3x24" T5 retro's with a 70w MH. I am going to try and get one of the fiji purple bulbs with as much actinic as I can

 

As an icecap user I'd probably go with the tek fixture or a normal ballast. You lose a lot of the color when overdriving the bulbs and get a lot more white although usable light.

 

So you think i should get another 660 ballast and run 2 more bulbs? Here is the bulb choice i was thinking about going with but i want it to look blue and overdriving the bulbs im not sure if it will.
Front
blue plus
uvl actinic white
aqua blue
blue plus

What ya think?

 

Would you happen to have some pictures of your tank? You have the same lighting i was going with but ya kinda scared me with lose lot of color when overdriving.
Also i was thinking about doing this bulb setup metionied above.

 

Depends what you mean by best Nano.... Ice Cap is nice due to the overdriving ballast but not everyone needs it or for that matter wants the spectrum shift or heat.... Ice Cap have decent reflectors, not Aquactinics anymore but still good.
Teks retros are nice as well but I don't like the fact that the reflectors are now 3.25" wide instead of 2" wide. Sure you get a little more spread per bulb but if you are needing alot of bulbs(like me) and you can't afford to have wide reflectors Aquactinics is the way to go.
Most packages have the same ballasts in them, either Workhorse, Advance or many online places are throwing in Ice Caps at great prices.

If you want eye popping, add some blue bulbs coupled with a TRUE actinics type bulb and you will have some nice POP of irredescence.

How are you planning on doing the retro?

Happy lighting!

 

I was thinking you swap the 660 out for some Workhorses or other "cheap" normal driven ballast. In my eyes 6 overdriven lamps will rock your corals. I would be afraid you will wash them out. Heck I am washing many of my pieces out now with only 640 watts of normally driven bulbs over my tank.
Honestly I would alternate the blue and white bulbs with that combo, I would swap the Aquablue with the Blue+, you will get a better blend and if you have a dawn and dusk setting the tank will be lit better with your blue bulbs alternated not at just the ends.

If you plan on 6 overdriven, I would start with a SMALL photoperiod and work up, you will be surprised how the coral will react.

Happy lighting!

 

Thanks for the help frag! Basically I am going to build a box, most likely out of oak or something nice. Put the 2 retros in there, keep it an open top, just the box shape should be fine. Then hang it from the ceiling. Then I am going to hang a 70 watt MH from the ceiling as well. It will hopefully look and preform better than the nova's, I am getting growth but color is sub-par IMO. I plan to go with a 14K MH bulb, then a true actinic and a fiji purple for the T5's... Any recommendations would be great! I plan to order the T5 retro, most likely the TEK's from REEFGEEK because bulbs are included for only 150, that is a heck of a deal considering other online stores are charging 140+ for just the retros. Are the ballasts even worth it? I do not wan't to overdrive the bulbs, what is a really good ballast in your opinion? What would you do if you where in my position? Thank you for the help, anyone else want to chime in please feel free

 

Ya that is what is changing my mind about the Icecap's, any idea on how long your bulbs actually last with decent spectrum's?

 

I believe it is about 6-9 months, depending on the bulb.