T5 bulb combo question

[steevareno]

I'm switching from MH over to T5's on a 65gal tank. I've read all about PAR, individual relectors, etc..but there are so many bulb choices! Was wondering what mix of T5 bulbs people use. I will be buying a 36" fixture w five 54watt bulbs. TIA for the input.

[steevareno]

Opps, think they are 39watt bulbs instead of 54

[saltnut]

I just got the 6 x 39watt fixture and went with the RC recommended front to back
Blue plus
UVL Super actinic
UVL Aquasun
GE6500K Daylight
Blue plus
Aquablue
So just skip the 2nd blue plus

[steevareno]

Awesome. Thanks! That sounds like a good combo. Which fixture did you buy?

[RichConley]

I'm running


2xGE daylight
2xBlue+
2xSuper Actinic


Looks good to me at this point, although some things are a little silly looking. I've got some red blastos that look hot pink, which I dont like, because theyre red, not pink.

[steevareno]

thanks for the input. Getting tough to pick 5 bulbs with so many choices!

[steevareno]

The aquatinics fixture has 5 bulbs so now my question is should i go with 1 daylight bulb and 4 actinic/blue plus -or- 2 daylights and 3 actinic/blueplus. If i go with 3 actinic/blueplus what would look better, 2actinics/1 blueplus or 1actinic/2 blueplus?

[smcnally]

That would be crazy blue IMO. I just ordered a 4 lamp setup and only ordered 1 actinic bulb. One 60" actinic bulb was plenty for my 125 gallon tank.

[steevareno]

so you vote for 2 daylights bulbs?

[delta]

Running
2- 54w actinic plus and
2- 54W midday 6000

For me the color is perfect. Tank looks ice white, coral and fish color are right on the money.

[saltnut]

I got the Tek light from reef geek
6 x 39watt

[steevareno]

My fixture should be here by Friday. I'll take some before and after pics going from Halides to T5's.

[smcnally]

My fixture should be here by Friday. I'll take some before and after pics going from Halides to T5's.

Mine came today...now I just have to finish building my tank :D

[steevareno]

Nice! Did you get the Aquatinics TX5? Mine came today...now I just have to finish building my tank :D

[smcnally]

No, I got a 4 bulb retro kit from ReefGeek. I'll probably add 2 more bulbs later, but I figured I'd see what I get from 4 bulbs first.

[steevareno]

What size tank are they going on?

[JayM]

I run 8 36" T-5s on my 92. 4 daylight, 4 actinic on a retro fixture with individual reflectors on the bulbs. I also run an LOA 65W 6500k PC bulb in the back corner of my canopy. You can see how they are shoehorned in. :D It adds up to about 375W of light. When I replace them, I might go 5 actinic/3 daylight to offset the PC bulb in the back

[SteveDola]

Blue plus
UVL Aquasun
UVL Super actinic
GE6500K Daylight
Blue plus

would be my suggestion...you could also switch out the 6500k bulb for a 3000k bulb.

[smcnally]

What size tank are they going on?
The actual area it will cover is 28L x 23D x 19T I just wired it up last night, here's a picture:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v703/smcnally/dsc04605.jpg

I run 8 36" T-5s on my 92. 4 daylight, 4 actinic on a retro fixture with individual reflectors on the bulbs. I also run an LOA 65W 6500k PC bulb in the back corner of my canopy. You can see how they are shoehorned in. :D It adds up to about 375W of light. When I replace them, I might go 5 actinic/3 daylight to offset the PC bulb in the back
You could probably get away with 5 or 6 bulbs if you used individual parabolic reflectors.

[JayM]

The actual area it will cover is 28L x 23D x 19T I just wired it up last night, here's a picture:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v703/smcnally/dsc04605.jpg


You could probably get away with 5 or 6 bulbs if you used individual parabolic reflectors.

Where would you get individual parabolic reflectors? The IceCap retro T-5 reflectors I got look pretty much like the reflectors on this fixture.

[smcnally]

Here you go http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/IceCap/SLR_Reflectors/

[steevareno]

Blue plus
UVL Aquasun
UVL Super actinic
GE6500K Daylight
Blue plus

would be my suggestion...you could also switch out the 6500k bulb for a 3000k bulb.

Sounds like a good combo. Those fixtures look good guys

[steevareno]

I just got through switching my two 250watt HQI's for the Aquatinics TX5. I think the halides may have been overkill for a 65gal tank. The heat from the halides drove the temp up tp 85 even with a fan blowing full blast across the water. This made some SPS RTN and some have lost their color. I think the benefit of no heat and lower eleectricty costs make the T5's a great choice. Plus the color looks great and there's so many combos of bulbs you can mix together. I have 2 maxima clams too so i guess time will tell to see if it's worth it.

[steevareno]

Just an update of what bulb choices i went with and some crappy cell phone camera pics. I really like the Aquatinics fixture so far.
2 ATI Blueplus
1 GE 6500K daylight
1 ATI Blue special (12,000K)
1 UVL Super actinic 420 nm
I think next i will find room for an Icecap T5 retro kit powering two daylight bulbs and have the rest ATI blueplus and UVL superactinic for a total of seven bulbs. The 2 daylights will be overdriven with the Icecap 430 ballast i think.

[steevareno]

color looks similar to a 14K Pheonix bulb IME.

[steevareno]

further back w TX5 fixture

[steevareno]

last one with my new Maxima

[SteveDola]

nice maxima

[steevareno]

Thanks! It's only 2"s. Got it from clamsdirect