T5s Q&A

If you haven't read yet, I am running 8x80w on my 180 and am very pleased. The Ultimate tanks that Oceanic make would be a great canidate for T5, BUT you might, unlike I did, want to consider overdriving the lamps, which would take them just shy of 100w a piece. Yes you will use more wattage but with the 3" extra that the tank is you might want to if you are planning on having SPS to the bottom of the tank. Granted I have a 6' tank with 5' lamps but I wouldn't recommend me trying to grow SPS in the bottom corners, well I COULD grow SPS but the PAR values in the far corners were 191 and 113uMol/m2/sec so if I choose digitatas or green birdsnest it would most likely do fine.
So back to YOUR tank, the standard driven lamps will grow SPS just fine mostly to the bottom, but the bottom could then be left for LPS and so on.
Out of all the available 60" T5 lamps(which isn't all that much) I would definetly go with the ATI. You will see the best results that way.

Tek makes 60" SLRs for retros but they are 3" wide, it will be too wide to cram as many bulbs in as you would like. I would go with either Aquactinics 36" and double them up or do the same with say Ice Cap SLRs.

Good luck and happy lighting!

 

Lighting issues?

I have a 150g tank, 24" depth, I am using a Sunlight Supply Sun Blaze 48 (T5HO 54W) with 8 bulbs. Right now I am only using 4 bulbs, 3 aquablue+ 1 actinic+. I did have some midday bulbs on but I found algae growth went crazy. My tank parameters (Ca, Mg, pH, Alk/KH, SG) are all fine and I have no problems with LPS and mushrooms and fish don't bother the corals. My problem is with sps (Acropora), it seems to do fine for a couple of weeks then the tips go white and it slowly dies off. I always put them at the top of the tank in med/high flow. Is this a lighting issue? Can you suggest a combo of bulbs, when they should come on (ie stages/timing), should I be running all 8 or stage them? (ie. 4 on in morning, 4 more coming on in afternoon, 8 on for a while then 4 off...etc) As long as it doesn't affect my lps & mushrooms. I am very new to this hobby (6months) , so any help is greatly appreciated.

 

So you are only running four lamps on the 8 lamp unit due to algae issues? What are your parameters? Sounds like you have some excess nutrients in the system. Its one thing for a system to have diatoms due to the light but if you are having rampant algae issues I suspect there is an underlying nutrient issue. This should DEFINETLY be addressed, not only for the SPS's sake but for the entire systems sake.

Ok, on to the SPS... White tips typically means new growth, but the fact that they die afterward is weird... What do they look like when they die? How long does it take?
I can tell you that having SPS in a system that is only 6months old and you only have the same amount of exp could be the reason the SPS are hurt.
Granted my system is only 6months old but I have been keeping marine for 6 years and my system is a Frankenstein of multiple tanks....

Back to your question, I would get the tank cleaned up and healthy so you can get all 8 lamps running. I would make sure your tank is stable and has some kind of zooplankton growth, do you have a 'fuge? Then I would start flirting with the SPS again.

As far as lamp combo goes, what type of color temp do you like, more white, more blue, don't care?

Happy lighting!

 

lighting issue clarification

So you are only running four lamps on the 8 lamp unit due to algae issues?

I'm only running 4 bulbs because I only have 6000 k bulbs for the other 4 bulbs and found them too yellow and some algae growth. With the 4 bulbs I am currently running color is better and no algae problems.


Ok, on to the SPS... White tips typically means new growth, but the fact that they die afterward is weird... What do they look like when they die? How long does it take?

I've had the sps for a couple of weeks now and slowly the color part is disapearing and only the white skeleton is remaining.

Back to your question, I would get the tank cleaned up and healthy so you can get all 8 lamps running.

I guess part of my question is should I be running all 8 bulbs?

I would make sure your tank is stable and has some kind of zooplankton growth, do you have a 'fuge? Then I would start flirting with the SPS again.

I don't have a 'fuge I'm in the process of getting one started.

As far as lamp combo goes, what type of color temp do you like, more white, more blue, don't care?

I like the blue but don't want it too blue, plus I just want whats best for the corals. Thanks for your help.

 

I'm only running 4 bulbs because I only have 6000 k bulbs for the other 4 bulbs and found them too yellow and some algae growth. With the 4 bulbs I am currently running color is better and no algae problems.
The 6000k lamps will generate great PAR values in turn helping the corals grow faster, but like you stated the yellow-ness of the lamps is a turn off for most. Couple them with ATI Blue+ or Giesemann Actinic+ to offset the yellow. A True Actinic lamp with the Blue+ will offset nicely and cause the corals to pop.
I've had the sps for a couple of weeks now and slowly the color part is disapearing and only the white skeleton is remaining.

I think this has a lot to do with the age of the tank, putting SPS into a system that is too young will create issue in the SPS. Also what is the temperature of the tank?
I guess part of my question is should I be running all 8 bulbs?
Yes I would be, you have an eight lamp unit, might as well use it, or sell it and get a four lamp unit and pocket the difference!
I like the blue but don't want it too blue, plus I just want whats best for the corals. Thanks for your help.
A 1:1 ratio of Aquablue+ coupled with Actinic+ or BLue+ will give you a slightly blue but not too blue look. You will also have nice PAR values.
I have 2 6000k 3Actinic+ and 3Aquablue+, it is bluer than 10,000k but not too blue heavy. Also the 6000ks boost the PAR values as well.


Happy lighting!

 

Dr. Fragenstein,

I am planning a 180g mixed reef tank (6'x2'x2'). I'm waffling back and forth between T5s and a MH/T5 mix. That said, for no good reason I prefer T5s (I say no good reason because I have no real experience with reef tanks much less lighting one). But, despite the ample evidence to the contrary, I see quite a few contradictory posts on what you can keep under T5s as opposed to MH.

I would like to make this a mixed reef tank but I don't necessarily need to be able to grow all corals at all depths (and I'd like to be able to grow clams. My concern is that I don't want to find that "gotta have" coral and not have somewhere in my tank to put it.

I see that you have 8x80w T5s over your 180. If you were to start again from scratch is there anything you would do differently? Maybe stagger the bulbs to span the full 6'? Overdrive some or all with IceCap ballasts? Try to fit a few extra bulbs, maybe 10x80w?

edit: forgot to add that I trying to "do this right" as best I can the first time around. I'll spend the money on the "best" reflectors, bulbs, etc.

Thanks,

Michael

 

Good questions there Michael.. I was in the same boat as you when I started my build... People said T5 could grow corals, but only seeing MH tanks or MH/T5 tanks I was leery.. Even after talking to T5 maunfactors and seeing pics of T5 tanks I was still hesitant..
I was told I would need 10x80w or 8 OD lamps to keep coral THE WAY I DO NOW....
I am sure you have read a few of my posts or at least a few in this thread so I will try to refrain from being redudant.
I am happy with the way the retro turned out and happy with the overall coral growth, but saying that do I think about changing stuff sometimes? Of course, in life regardless of what you are talking about the grass is always greener right?

If you mimic my set up you will be able to grow corals all over the tank, maybe not SPS all over the tank but darn close.... If you haven't see the pics of my PAR levels or recent pics you can link to my build thread in my sig...
Off the lamps in the 6" to the glass I still have enough to grow monti caps, birds nest and so on... People ask me a bit, why didn't you stagger them. Well, I wasn't planning on growing coral all the way to the glass, who does? and quite frankly it would have been more work for me to do so. I know that is a poor excuse but with the fact that I wasn't planning on having coral to the edge, why do the extra work for something I didn't want or need?
In the center of the tank, I have enough PAR on the sand to grow most SPS fairly well. So in my eyes I may not have enough all over the sand bed to grow SPS but in a good third of it I do. And again, that wasn't really my objective, having staghorns sprouting from the sandbed.
As far as clams go, the ones that like more light, croceas, and maximas, also like to be in rocks, they are rock boaring clams... So they will not really appreciate being placed on the sandbed anyway, esp the croceas. To them it can actually be damaging.
The giant clams like the gigas the like sand do not need as much light... so with careful husbandry you can grow clams on the rocks in the sand and wherever else with T5.
I have held off on clams for the fact that I think my flame angel will nip at it. I will most likely try one when we get our ORA shipment tomorrow but you better believe I will be crossing my fingers!

Alright to answer your other concerns... Would I have gone with 10 lamps? Thought about that quite abit... I decided that I would A. Have little room to access the tank, which I do ALL THE TIME, B. I would waste light illuminating my sand and in the back my powerheads and overflow box... I did think 9 would work but would be a pain to add just one lamp, it would be easier ballast wise to add 2 80watters, at least in my eyes.
I think the 8 is working for me but I did leave room to add lamps if I think I need it in the future.
Ice Cap ballasts, thought about it... Initially I skipped it as I could get ALL my ballasts for significantly less than one IC ballast, and at the time I had seen little evidence to support the benefit of OD lamps. I still am unsure if the pros outweigh the cons on IC ballasts but that is for the individual to decide. If I would OD any of the lamps I would do the daylight only as I HATE the way I have seen Actinics, or Blue lamps come off on IC ballasts, well hate is a little strong, I don't care for them.
Again if I so choose I could easily snip the wires and butt splice the IC ballasts in, it would take me minutes to do.

I hate to be vague here Michael, thats where I was... I wanted someone to tell me WHAT to do and KNOW that it would work... My setup will work if you so choose to duplicate it, but then again, adding more lamps or ODing some will not hurt either, you will just pay a little more upfront and longterm.
I guess you just need to weigh your pros and cons...
The ONE thing I would change though is when I got salt creep on my SLRs before I put my REAL sump in, I wish I would've cleaned them right away... Now they are stained and most likely I will be replacing them... If I would've cleaned them sooner they would've been shiney like the day I bought them.

Good luck and you know where to find me!

 

Thanks for the thorough and encouraging reply!

I think I will start with a "copy" of your approach. I like the idea of later being able to tweak things (changing ballasts, etc.) should the desire arise.

I plan to have a fairly open layout with the rock a fair distance from the sides so I don't think I'll stagger. As you point out, there won't be anything needing that much light near the ends.

It feels good to have a decision out of the way. Now I just need to avoid threads on HD lighting...

I plan on putting the lights together myself (or retro kits if I can find a non-IceCap ballast kit with good reflectors). I'm also building the hood and would like to keep it relatively short (as compared to the odd looking tall hoods typical of MH lighting). I'll have fans for cooling but do you think it would be useful to mount the endcaps to aluminum frames and have the entire top of the fixture open with mesh as done here:

Picasa Web Albums - Nikolay - Drinda

But maybe not quite so close to the water. Would fans be necessary in a set-up like that? I like the ideas of being a little more aggressive with passive cooling than in typical hoods where the endcaps and reflectors are in a closed box made of wood.

I'm off to start putting together a shopping list.

Thanks again!

 

Find a dealer that sells Aquactinics SLRs, they are some of the best and only 2" wide... Others are 3" or so.
I personally use Workhorse ballasts but thats me.
I take it you have seen my retro?

 

I had read good things about the Aquacticnic reflectors and I have my eye on the Workhorse 7 ballast. I considered the Icecap ballast but there is a thread in the Icecap forums at RC which casts some doubt (at least to my mind) on the effectiveness of overdriving.

"I take it you have seen my retro? "

I have seen some pictures of the lights (with the focus being on the colors) but haven't seen any detailed information or shots of it. I feel like a bit of a stalker as I have gone through many of your posts here and at RC looking for details ;D You're prolific!