PDA

View Full Version : I need advice on bulbs please.


Kodiak5500
10/04/2008, 10:40 PM
The bulbs that fix my fixture, http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+12772&pcatid=12772 Nova extreme T-5. 4-24w bulbs.

It comes with SlimPaq 460nm Actinic and 10000°K T-5 HO lamps.


The replacements I could possibly get are,

-T-5 HO Reef White 10000°K Fluorescent Tubes

-T-5 HO Daylight SlimPaq Fluorescent Tubes

-T-5 HO Reef Blue 420nm Actinic Fluorescent Tubes

-T-5 HO Actinic SlimPaq 460nm Fluorescent Tubes

-T-5 HO Actinic SlimPaq 420nm Fluorescent Tubes

-Super Actinic 420 nm T-5 HO Fluorescent Tubes


Please someone explain the difference between the "reef white" "daylight", the 420 vs the 460 nm. The Super actinic and the HO actinic?

I would greatly appreciate someone to break this down to me, and explain what would be best for me. I want max coral growth! I have a 15g nano.

nathenvan
10/04/2008, 11:57 PM
good company that make t-5 bulbs are ATI, UVlighting, and Geissman. www.reefgeek.com has all of them. this post might help. http://www.reefmonkey.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=174749

Kodiak5500
10/05/2008, 09:49 AM
bump please

Chibils
10/05/2008, 10:14 AM
Send a pm to "The Grim Reefer." He's the resident T5 expert and can tell you anything you need to know.

Kodiak5500
10/05/2008, 10:41 AM
I would like to order them today, my only day off.

blind1993
10/05/2008, 11:42 AM
dont get that fixture,

it doesnt have individual reflectors


get this

http://www.aquabuys.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ss_tekl_48_4&Category_Code=d1a&Product_Count=4

yeldarbj
10/05/2008, 12:01 PM
I agree with blind1993, but if this is going on your 15g nano reef, the individual reflectors are probably not such a big deal. Those bulbs are not the best choices. If you have to pick from those, I'd probably try 1 Reef White, 2 Reef Blues, and 1 420 actinic.

blind1993
10/05/2008, 12:04 PM
i thought it was a 55g,

get this one instead

http://www.aquabuys.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ss_tekl_24_4&Category_Code=d1a&Product_Count=7

Kodiak5500
10/05/2008, 12:09 PM
The fixture has reflectors. The bulbs do not have individual reflectors. I already have the fixture I dont need a new one, just new bulbs.

yeldarbj, Why would you choose 3 blues and 1 white? Please explain the difference in bulbs I am completely lost.

yeldarbj
10/05/2008, 12:38 PM
If you already have the fixture, then buy bulbs from somewhere else!!! You'll get much better bulbs. I think blind1993 is referring to the fixture having a single reflector for all 4 bulbs. Better T5 fixtures or retro kits have an individual reflector for each light.

More blue light usually makes corals look better. It's really 2 blues, 1 actinic (purple not very bright), and 1 white. The overall effect should be a blue white.

If you can get other bulbs - get 2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 AquaBlue, and 1 ATI Pure Actinic or UVL 75/25.

Kodiak5500
10/05/2008, 12:44 PM
Thats fine I can get bulbs from somewhere else. I dont know of any websites. I just listed the bulb that were replacements for my fixture. Will any T-5 24'' bulb fix my fixture?

I still dont understand the bulbs. No one has explained them to me, they have just told me what to get. I am looking for coral growth. I thought blues were made for looks and to penetrate deeper into the tank, the spectrum blue can go deeper than white.

Assuming that white and blue supply light to different sections of the tank why would I get 3 blues and 1 white?

And your saying that actinic is a purple?

Please take a second to explain this all to me or give me a link with detailed information.

I dont mean to come off sounding like an ***, but I just want to know why and what I am ordering.

Thanks!!

Kodiak5500
10/05/2008, 12:48 PM
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+3818&pcatid=3818

could a VHO work with a T-5 fixture?





whats the difference between

-VHO
-HO
-T-5
-MH

ect...

does a fixture have set watts per bulb? like mine has 4-24w bulbs, is it possible to get 4-30w bulbs? I am clueless when it comes to lights.

blind1993
10/05/2008, 12:53 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13488045#post13488045 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kodiak5500
Thats fine I can get bulbs from somewhere else. I dont know of any websites. I just listed the bulb that were replacements for my fixture. Will any T-5 24'' bulb fix my fixture?

I still dont understand the bulbs. No one has explained them to me, they have just told me what to get. I am looking for coral growth. I thought blues were made for looks and to penetrate deeper into the tank, the spectrum blue can go deeper than white.

Assuming that white and blue supply light to different sections of the tank why would I get 3 blues and 1 white?

And your saying that actinic is a purple?

Please take a second to explain this all to me or give me a link with detailed information.

I dont mean to come off sounding like an ***, but I just want to know why and what I am ordering.

Thanks!!

t5 actinic deliver bad par but the whites give off amazing par.

actinic are there to make the corals colors pop and arent for growth


whites are there for growth.


that is as simple as it gets

yeldarbj
10/05/2008, 12:55 PM
Find the T5 Q&A thread (scroll through the first 3-4 pages of the Lighting & Equipment forum. Read about 10 of the most recent pages and you might get a better idea of bulb choices.

Both ReefGeek.com and AquariumSpecialty.com are great vendors to buy T5 lights from.

If you already have a T5 fixture, you need to buy T5 bulbs, 4 -24 watt bulbs.

Kodiak5500
10/05/2008, 12:57 PM
"t5 actinic deliver bad par but the whites give off amazing par"

what is par?

actinics, or blues (assuming they are the same thing) arent for growth?
^
assuming this, 4 whites would make corals go crazy but would look horrible?

blind1993
10/05/2008, 12:58 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13488117#post13488117 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kodiak5500
"t5 actinic deliver bad par but the whites give off amazing par"

what is par?

actinics, or blues (assuming they are the same thing) arent for growth?
^
assuming this, 4 whites would make corals go crazy but would look horrible?

with 4 white they wouldnt look horrible they just wouldnt have that pop.

Kodiak5500
10/05/2008, 01:09 PM
yes but coral growth would be insane?

blind1993
10/05/2008, 01:10 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13488186#post13488186 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kodiak5500
yes but coral growth would be insane?

i dont know about insane but it would be great.

The Grim Reefer
10/05/2008, 01:34 PM
Order your fixture there and order new lamps from reefgeek. The Stock lamps will give you OK looks and growth.

Get 2 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Aquablue and 1 UVL Aquasun

Those lamps are going to give you as much intensity as you need on a 15 and look nice too. Whats the since of having a tank if your not going to use lamps that make the corals look good, growth be damned.

Kodiak5500
10/05/2008, 01:37 PM
Is ATI a brand like UVL?

whats the difference between the Blue Plus and the Aquable and Aquasun?

/bow to Grim, thanks. Please continue to quench my thirst for the knowledge of lights!

Kodiak5500
10/05/2008, 01:43 PM
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/Bulbs/24W_Blue_Plus_T5_HO_Fluorescent_by_ATI

X2

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/Bulbs/24W_12000K_Aquablue_Special_T5_HO_Fluorescent_by_ATI

X1

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/Bulbs/24W_10000K_AquaSun_T5_HO_Fluorescent_by_UV_Lighting

X1

How does that look? What will this combination yield for me? (Ie, coral growth and color of lights ect..)

The Grim Reefer
10/05/2008, 01:51 PM
Thats right as far as the order

The Blue Plus are a nice Blue lamp that pops colors and will fluoresce corals.

The Aquablue is a Actinic Daylight combo that looks white with a slight blue tint. Also helps with fluorescense

Aquasun is a daylight full spectrum lamp

The Aquasun and Aquablue both have a lot of PAR (Range and intensity of light to make stuff grow) the Blue Plus have a little less PAR but not by much. These 4 lamps should give you enough intensity to grow anything in that tank

Kodiak5500
10/05/2008, 02:16 PM
How will it look and how much better will it be compared to what im running now..

SlimPaq 460nm Actinic. x2

10000°K T-5 HO lamps. x2

The Grim Reefer
10/05/2008, 03:02 PM
More blue Hard to say about the color but it should pop better

Kodiak5500
10/05/2008, 03:37 PM
Will it enhance coral growth?

LuisC
10/05/2008, 05:38 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13488715#post13488715 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
More blue Hard to say about the color but it should pop better


Sweet you got the grim in here. He is a T5 Guru :smokin: .

Kodiak5500
10/05/2008, 05:49 PM
Thats what Ive heard lol.

The Grim Reefer
10/05/2008, 06:20 PM
More PAR = More Growth The ATI and UVL lamps have more PAR than the stock ones.

yankee26th
10/06/2008, 02:19 PM
What is your opinion about Geisemann T5 bulbs? :beer:

The Grim Reefer
10/06/2008, 03:05 PM
ATI's are slightly better but the Giesemanns work.

yankee26th
10/06/2008, 03:22 PM
"The Man the Myth the Legend" The Grim Reefer. Thank you for answering my post. Yes I am going to go with the ATI and UVL Combo. My only problem is I'm looking for a retro fit kit to install them. My current set-up is I have 3x250w DE ReefLux 12k MH bulbs in Lumenarc III pendants. I want to supplement with the T5's. I have 2 IceCap 660 Ballasts that can power them. I need a retro fit kit, complete with reflectors, that I can wire them to. Any suggestions? Thanks --- Chris

The Grim Reefer
10/07/2008, 12:26 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13495368#post13495368 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by yankee26th
"The Man the Myth the Legend" The Grim Reefer. Thank you for answering my post. Yes I am going to go with the ATI and UVL Combo. My only problem is I'm looking for a retro fit kit to install them. My current set-up is I have 3x250w DE ReefLux 12k MH bulbs in Lumenarc III pendants. I want to supplement with the T5's. I have 2 IceCap 660 Ballasts that can power them. I need a retro fit kit, complete with reflectors, that I can wire them to. Any suggestions? Thanks --- Chris

Call reefgeek and get a price on the Ice Cap retrofit kit minus ballasts, I dont remember the exact price but it was a good deal.

yankee26th
10/07/2008, 11:13 AM
I didn't know that they would remove a ballast from a retrofit kit. Thanks for the 411.