T5 Lighting ?

[galaxie66]

First off allow me to introduce myself as I'm new here. I've got a 125 gallon Reef Tank 72"X20"X18" with 160lbs. of live rock and about a 3" sand bed. Right now I keep soft corals and polyps, I'm from Canada. My question regards T5 Lighting, I am now using VHO with 2 Actinic03 and 2 White Actinic. I've just purchased a Tek Lighting T5 H.O. 6 Bulb Fixture with 2 Advance Ballast with German aluminum reflectors. the bulbs that came with the fixture are 3 Giesemann Powerchrome Aquablue+ and 3 Powerchrome Actinic+.
My questions are as follows:
1. What is the best way to configure these bulbs?
2. How many hours of lighting are used for best result?
3. Is there a way to phase in these lights so not to cause stress to the tank?
4. How close to the water should this fixture be?

I've got 15 years into this hobby and just recently moved up to the 125 from a 65. I now have 6 fish that include a Flame Angel, Powder Brown Tang, Atlantic Blue Tang, Royal Gramma, Six Line Wrasse and Percula Clown. There are also 4 Cleaner Shrimp, 1 Blood Shrimp about 2 Dozen Hermit Crabs, About 20 different Snails. Sorry about the length of this first post and thank you for any and all help that is sent in advance.

 

[CarlaW]

First off, welcome to Reef Frontiers, you will like it here!!!!!

I am not really familiar with this fixture, does it have separate ballasts for the actinic and daylite bulbs? I would alternate the actinic and daylite, and if it is possible, have the actinics come on for an hour or 2 before the daylites for a dawn-dusk effect. I would run the actinics 10-12 hours, and the daylites8-10, depending on whether you develope heat issues. I think you could place them 6-8 inches off the top. Like I said, I am not real familiar with this fixture, do you have a pic of it?
Again, welcome, hope you enjoy!!!

 

[jesshimom]

I'm on my third tek light hood, and I love them. I have that exact six bulb fixture for my new 90. I felt the 4 tube wasn't bright enough as the tank was much deeper than my 60. I originally thought it ran each cord on three tubes. So I alternated the tubes and one cord had two blue and one white. I set them up on a timer for that one to come on first for a couple hours then the other four tubes, etc.

Well we got it all installed and the timers set and duh, it's four tubes and two tubes per cord. I haven't pulled the canopy off to redo it but my plan is two blue on one cord and the other four on the other cord with having the blue come on first for two hours before and two hours after the main lights. I do run a good sized clip on fan on the canopy as they do heat up a bit. I noticed with the 6 bulbs was pushing me over 80 and I wasn't going over 80 with the other fixture. I'll add another fan this weekend and/or cut holes in the canopy top.

That's what I did with mine. Let us know how you like yours.



I've been running them about12 hours total which I'm not sure if I'm right on with the time, it's more because I want to see the tank when I go to work (early) and in the evening as well. I haven't seemed to have any problems with my 12 hour cycle. I know my softies and LPS all just do great under this lighting.

 

[Krish]

Just wanted to say Welcome to the Forum! I've never had, or used T-5 lighting, so I couldn't say fos sure, but we have tone of people here that do use them and would be able to steer you in the right direction with them. Best of luck to ya!

 

[galaxie66]

T5 lighting?

Thanks Charlie, no i don't have a picture and yes there are 2 ballast's, thanks for your input, Clarence.

 

[galaxie66]

T5 Lighting?

Thanks jesshimom, I'm running my T5's with the actinic coming on 1hr. before and after with a total of about 7 hrs. for now to avoid a blome and will gradually increase it for a total of 10hrs.

 

[waynesworld]

I have an icecap 660 retro 4x54w kit on my 55g and it is super bright. The icecap 660 overdrives the lights from 54w each to 80-85w each. They say these tlights with the individual reflectors put out about the same par as a 250w mh bulb. My corals are going nuts with these light and I love them. They are mounted under my canopy so the tank is eacy access for cleaning, feeding etc. I would highly recommend t-5, only if each bulb has individual reflectors.

 

[swissgaurd]

welcome to the best forum you will like it here

 

[Reefdaddy1]

galaxie, T5 lighting in the TEK unit is a great unit. Sunlight Supply does a great job making them. That said,

1. What is the best way to configure these bulbs? Giesemann Bulbs are the ATI Makers now. They great Bulbs. I would keep Them for sure. Configure one cord to turn like 11 am the other to turn on 1 pm Run till 6 pm then turn off the second set and run the first till 9pm to start. It will get them aclimated pretty good. RUn the 03 First and last and the acintic in the middle

2. How many hours of lighting are used for best result? No more then 10 hours to begin with. this can be expanded to 12 later on

3. Is there a way to phase in these lights so not to cause stress to the tank? with multiple cords it should be easy. Time them in as stated above.

4. How close to the water should this fixture be? I would go about 4 to 5 inches max. They are fairly low heat so that should not be concern.

Now it really all depends on your needs. If you are basically raising soft corals, I would down grade that time alittle to like 8 hours total till aclimation is had. But I run my T5 units 10 to 12 hours depnding on how the corals look. Having 15 years in the hobby should give you a good idea if they looked stressed. T5 will put out a ton of light so go by feel in the beginning and stretch it out as you go.