The never-ending T5 bulb discussion

sb1227 · Post by **sb1227** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 5:59 pm

Well, I'm still not really happy with my bulb mix on the 40. I've been using this order...back to front: ATI blueplus, Geismann aquablue plus, UVL aquasun, Geismann actinic plus. Icecap retro fixtures and reflectors.
I'm down to mostly LPS in this tank, and the colors seem good, corals are doing well but the Leptastreas and Echinophora all seem to be getting too much light. All are on the sand, if I put them higher they begin to show signs of bleaching. I have one Micromussa doing great high up, would like to put one of the new ones up with it, but want to hold the purple/green color of that one. Alot of corals, mainly SPS, I put high just lose color and look washed out.
I'd like to bring out the color in those, and hold the color in the rest. I'm considering switching the Aquasun for either a KZ coral lamp or ATI pro color....or maybe just another ATI blue plus.
Anyone have suggestions? Opinions?

Fishfood · Post by **Fishfood** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:01 am

I was reading up on this stuff myself. It was a few weeks ago and I have since forgotten what all I read but I found the KZ bulbs interesting.

It seems to me that the T5 on Icecap ballasts are too much for lps, and softies. I don't have much direct experience with this other than the 2 T5 bulbs I have on my tank have caused things to bleach and die on me. I move stuff to the bottom of the tank and it all does better, and this is with only 2 80w bulbs. I can't see how people keep things under those 8 bulb setups with Icecap ballasts.

I'd maybe drop the Geismann bulbs if you wanted to go mostly sps. The best looking T5 sps tanks I've seen were running combos of the ATI blue plus and Specials with maybe a KZ bulb or two in them. I still think that would be overkill on and lps/softy tank.

If i keep my tank up and go towards sps I'm going to go with blue plus and specials and maybe a KZ red with my 2 VHO actinics.

sb1227 · Post by **sb1227** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 1:50 pm

They aren't overdriven, just run on the small ballast most use. They're actually Sunlight Supply retro kits, I looked at them....duh.

It's still an awful lot of light for the tank, though.

I ordered another ATI blue plus and the KZ pro coral to replace the UVL midday bulb, I'll try the KZ bulb first and if I like it, I may have to do the blueplus in place of the actinic plus....Good grief.

This is why I'm not a fan of T5's. Great idea, but a pain in the a** to find the mix you like....at least for me.

I do love the overdriven blueplus on the 120 though.....definately sticking with them.

Fishfood · Post by **Fishfood** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 9:20 am

If I don't end up having to move I will probably add more T5 to the tank and give sps a try again. I'd probably go with an Icecap ballast to overdrive them since the tank is so deep. I think the 660 will let me add 3 or 4 more 54w bulbs to the tank to go along with the 2 80w T5s I have and the 2 4ft VHO's I have. I'd probably go with 2 Actinic VHO and get a mix ATI blue+, ATI Specials and 1 KZ bulb. Its just a waiting game for me now.

do you think the Icecaps would be overkill?

mykpoz · Post by **mykpoz** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 9:25 am

i've run nothing but t5's for the past 2 years.

Growth has always been decent, and i could tell by the corals when i needed to change lights, because I wouldn't notice any recent growth from them.

I will say that once I started overdriving my t5's with the icecap, i started to get insane growth from everything in the tank....

zoa's went nuts, sinulara, some sort of encrusting sponge, and the favia that was dieing started coming back.

over driving is really the way to go.....
there is a guy on RC that has done tons of metering and research on them and can recommend a setup (whcih i recommend) you can get awesome color outta them since there is such a range of temps available.

Fishfood · Post by **Fishfood** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 10:21 am

but with my 2 overdriven bulbs things got worse in my tank. My green sinularia died, zoas, shrooms and branching hammers all started to die until i moved them to the bottom of the light. This was just off of 2 80W bulbs on an icecap 440.

mykpoz · Post by **mykpoz** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:23 am

i would assume you acclimated them yes?

thats too bad

was this also when you were running your MH's?

i think you were using them when the MH's were off yes?

Fishfood · Post by **Fishfood** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 12:34 pm

this was after I sold everything off. I kept one frag of the sinularia and it did well under the MH with the T5s on just a little for the actinic. All the stuff I'm having problems with has been added to the tank after the fact and is only under the 2 T5s and 2 VHO's

Redfish · Post by **Redfish** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:13 am

You guys need to hurry up and figure the right combination out. I have equipment for 9 five footers on the 225 but no bulbs yet.

Fishfood · Post by **Fishfood** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:29 pm

I don't think there is a right answer Phil. I'd say go with a mixture of ATI aquablue Specials and ATI Blue Plus with some kind of daylight bulb. I might give the KZ bulbs a shot if i add more to my tank.

mykpoz · Post by **mykpoz** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 2:57 pm

Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Aquablue
ATI Pro Color
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Aquasun
UVL Aquablue
ATI Pro Color
UVL 75/25
ATI Blue Plus

maybe?

there is a guy on RC "the grim reefer" who has tested all sorts of t5's and is constantly testing and trying new bulbs, that is just a 8 bulb configuration wtih an extra ATI Pro Color added in towards the back...

Fishfood · Post by **Fishfood** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:11 pm

I like what I saw with some of the European tanks. If I do add more I'll probably go similar to what they had. The only problem is most of them were zeovit users also and I'm not going to go down that road. All I know is many of the pictures I saw looked great and they were going heavy on the ATI blue plus and Specials with some KZ sometimes.

sb1227 · Post by **sb1227** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 8:16 pm

Every combination of them I've tried the blueplus were the way to go. Definately want a bunch of them.

I had given the idea of 3 blueplus and one aquablue alot of thought. I am curious to see the coral light, if it doesn't do it, I'll do the blueplus in it's place.

What have you got in that tank, Phil?

Fishfood · Post by **Fishfood** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 12:22 am

I didn't think Phil had anything in the tank. He keeps taking it up to Dave to hold for him

Sue, is that Coral Light the KZ bulb?

sb1227 · Post by **sb1227** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:09 pm

Yeah, got them today but won't have time to try them till Thursday or so....

Doesn't Phil have three or four tanks full of stuff at Dave's? I hear rumors.....