T5 Questions

[Rjukan]

Hello, I have an Aquatic Life 24" 6 bulb fixture that I am thinking about using on my 60g cube (24" high). It came with the stock mounting legs which I was hoping to use since hanging it would require me to move an existing ceiling light fixture. The problem is every T5 fixture i see on people's tanks are suspended and are usually several inches above the water surface. The legs that came with this unit put it only about 4" off the water surface. Is that going to be a problem?

Another question I have is concerning bulb choice and arrangement. I am going with ATI bulbs and I'm thinking of using 3 blue+, 2 coral+, and one true actinic. I plan on keeping a mixed reef, and I like the look of some blue but not overpowering. Would 2 coral+ be too white? Also how would i arrange these bulbs?

Last but not least what's your opinion of using this fixture vs a single Kessil A360WE? If you had the choice which would you use and why? Thanks!

 

[pshootr]

The legs that came with the fixture should be just fine. When you see fixtures hung up higher it's usually because there are LEDs in them also. It sounds like you're bulb choice should be pretty good for what you are after. I would keep the actinic somewhere in the middle and then the coral Plus on either side of that bulb, and then decide whether to put 2 blue Plus in the front or back.

If I had to choose between a kessil, or a T5 fixture, I would probably choose the kessil. Mainly for the Shimmer. T5 do an excellent job at growing Coral.

However my preference would be T5 LED combo.

 

[Daniel Waters]

Legs are fine for mounting purposes. If you have fish that like to splash water and have a screen top, you may want to be sure to use the acrylic shield.

Your bulb choice is what I actually use on my 6 bulb fixture. It is whiter than these tanks you see running just blue LEDs but it is hardly white when compared to someone running an aquablue special bulb, a 10k or 6500K daylight type bulb.

The T5 bulb order isn't really that big of a deal. Just try to place the same type of bulb on each end, so the coral plus bulbs might go in the 2nd and 5th slots for instance. I'd place the actinic in the 3rd or 4th slot since you have just the one bulb. Blue plus in the other slots. This assumes the fixture doesn't have separate channels. If you have a 2 bulb channel and a separate 4 bulb channel, I'd run an actinic and blue plus on one channel for dawn / dusk application.

As far as the kessil A360 versus the T5 fixture, it's two totally different types of lighting. The 6 bulbs of T5 are going to give you much more par most likely than one A360 but unless you plan on doing clams or acros, you may not need that much par anyway. The T5 light is going to look flatter but will eliminate shadows. Nice even distribution across the whole tank. The kessil will give you a more "dynamic" look, as you will have very noticeable shimmer (too much for me personally by themselves but I love the kessils combined with t5s). You will notice shadows much more if you have rockwork that has caves and overhangs with the kessil. Shadows aren't necessarily bad if you like that visual contrast. If you like a really, really deep blue look, the kessil will be able to achieve that more so than your T5s. If you like the idea of changing the color of the tank throughout the day, LEDs are much better for that as they can be adjusted (but you would need a controller).

 

[Rjukan]

Pshootr and Daniel thanks so much for the replies. Daniel your response was exactly what I was hoping for when I posted this.

The fixture does have a nice clean acrylic splash shield which I will be using, the fish I have aren't splashers at least they haven't been so far lol. The main thing I was worried about was the distance of the fixture to the water for how much power it will put out.

I was really hoping someone would chime in with a similar bulb setup, but DW having the same bulbs is awesome. Your description of it being more white than the all blue, but not as white as a 10k or aqua blue is exactly what I was hoping to hear. I watched a great video on youtube that someone did using 7 popular combos and the one with coral+ was my fav but it was just the coral+ with the actinic.

The fixture is actually a 3 channel, it has moonlight LEDs as well as the 2 bulb and 4 bulb split. Should I use the moonlight as part of the ramp up and down, or use them as actual moonlight? I'm leaning towards the latter.

So, the reason I mentioned the Kessil is because that's the light I've been running since setting the tank up in Feb. There are aspects of it that I really like, ie the controller, the sleek look of the fixture and mounting arm, and to a lesser extent the actual light produced. I've posted about it in the aquascape forum, I was going to change my aquascape to better utilize the spread of light from the Kessil, but once I started messing with my rock I realized I like the way I have it and I would rather change the light. I also realized that the shimmer from the Kessil isn't as important to me as I thought prior to buying it, it's almost distracting.

Hopefully others will reply as well, but I appreciate your responses and I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy those ATI bulbs in the next day or 2 and give the T5 fixture a try. How should I go about getting the coral used to the new fixture? Shorter times with the 6 bulbs running and slowly adding time over the course of a few weeks or months? Thanks again.

 

[Daniel Waters]

Per the LED moonlights, use them however you want. I suspect if they are true moonlights that they will put out very little light and probably won't even be noticeable except when on by themselves.

The T5 lighting is going to look totally different than your Kessil. I personally found the kessil shimmer too much by themselves and perfect when ran with T5 combinations. You'll just have to try out the T5s and see what you think over time.

As far as acclimating your corals, it depends on what you are keeping and what intensity you've been running your kessil at. In general, I find corals handle T5 lighting very well and I never had to worry about bleaching a coral like I would worry when adjusting my LEDs. Assuming you have been running your kessil at least as high as 75% intensity, I'd recommend running 4 bulbs for your normal photo period and add in 2 bulbs for one hour during the middle of your photo period. Add 30 mins to an hour on your 2 bulb duration each week till you get to where you want it. Monitor your corals' responses each week after lighting changes accordingly. If you've been running lower intensity, I'd probably start with just the 2 bulb channel for the entire time period and add in the extra 4 bulbs in the middle of the day for 1 hour and increase duration by 30 mins to 1 hour each week from there.

 

[Rjukan]

Assuming you have been running your kessil at least as high as 75% intensity, I'd recommend running 4 bulbs for your normal photo period and add in 2 bulbs for one hour during the middle of your photo period. Add 30 mins to an hour on your 2 bulb duration each week till you get to where you want it. Monitor your corals' responses each week after lighting changes accordingly. If you've been running lower intensity, I'd probably start with just the 2 bulb channel for the entire time period and add in the extra 4 bulbs in the middle of the day for 1 hour and increase duration by 30 mins to 1 hour each week from there.

I've been ramping up the intensity over the last couple months from 50% and I'm up to 80% as of a couple days ago. But with the way the aquascape is most of the coral have been somewhat shaded, or are at the bottom in direct light. So the par has been pretty low, I would say in the 50-80 range for the majority. Except for a stylo and monti that have been up high on the rocks. I will probably go the route of having the 2 bulbs on for the entire day, and ramp the 4 bulbs up from 1 hour like you suggested. Thanks man.

 

[Rjukan]

Do you think I will have any heat issues going to the T5 fixture? The tank is in the basement and it's pretty steady ambient temp all year, I have an AC going in the summer on hot days. It doesnt get above 76 down there.

 

[pshootr]

Do you think I will have any heat issues going to the T5 fixture? The tank is in the basement and it's pretty steady ambient temp all year, I have an AC going in the summer on hot days. It doesnt get above 76 down there.

I don't see heat being any issue because you are climate-controlled. T5 to produce a bit of heat but you're going to have clearance between the fixture and the water surface. So I don't see it being an issue

 

[Rjukan]

Ok thanks pshootr, I appreciate the quick response. I saw someone else had switched to LEDs because of heat and I got worried since I didn't consider that factor at all. Another downer I thought of this morning was the electric consumption increase, but I'm hoping it wont be too bad.

 

[pshootr]

Ok thanks pshootr, I appreciate the quick response. I saw someone else had switched to LEDs because of heat and I got worried since I didn't consider that factor at all. Another downer I thought of this morning was the electric consumption increase, but I'm hoping it wont be too bad.

You're welcome

I would imagine if the fixture was inside of a canopy, then it might be more of a concern. But with a floating canopy or mounted on the tank with legs, I don't see it being an issue at all. Still less power consumption than a metal halide.

 

[YHSublime]

Ok thanks pshootr, I appreciate the quick response. I saw someone else had switched to LEDs because of heat and I got worried since I didn't consider that factor at all. Another downer I thought of this morning was the electric consumption increase, but I'm hoping it wont be too bad.

I switched for heat issues. But those were actually in my room with the tank. I have a place that was built in the 1940's, and it holds heat great, but not so much cold. In the summer, I was running my lights, and then the AC to counter the heat from the lights, and my electric bill became very expensive. Another thing you'll need to consider is the bulbs They should be changed yearly, and you'll have to put them through a burn period. Bulbs aren't the most expensive, but it's an additional expense to consider. The coral that you currently have in your tank will do fine with the Kessill. You won't have to replace the bulbs, you wont have to acclimate your coral over, and you wont have to worry about the additional heat/energy.

The Kessil will be much cheaper over time, but as mentioned, you'll get different colors, coverage, and growth. I also agree that the superior combo is LED/T5.

 

[Rjukan]

Thanks for posting Sublime, were your ears ringing? Lol

I didn't consider that the fixture would heat up the space it's in, I was only thinking about the fixture heating the water. Thanks for bringing that up. I don't expect to have the same problem in my space, but it could be a possibility on hot summer days. A fan would probably be the answer for me to help move the cool air in from the AC in the other room.

The coral I currently have are more or less starter corals, just waiting for them to really color up and start growing so I know I have my system dialed in. Once I see they are doing well I will start filling in the spaces with higher end, and more demanding coral.

I would just stick with the Kessil but I'm not in love with the look/shimmer, and I don't think the fixture is strong enough to penetrate the depth of the tank, especially considering the way I have my rock set up. I'm willing to pay for the bulbs and electricity if the trade off is great growth and color. I picked up this t5 fixture used for a good price, I figure it's worth giving it a shot. If it doesnt work out I think I would be able to sell it and get most of my money back even with the new bulbs.

Speaking of new bulbs... I'm guessing ATIs never go on sale huh? I was hoping to snag them on a black Friday sale or something.

 

[pshootr]

Thanks for posting Sublime, were your ears ringing? Lol

I didn't consider that the fixture would heat up the space it's in, I was only thinking about the fixture heating the water. Thanks for bringing that up. I don't expect to have the same problem in my space, but it could be a possibility on hot summer days. A fan would probably be the answer for me to help move the cool air in from the AC in the other room.

The coral I currently have are more or less starter corals, just waiting for them to really color up and start growing so I know I have my system dialed in. Once I see they are doing well I will start filling in the spaces with higher end, and more demanding coral.

I would just stick with the Kessil but I'm not in love with the look/shimmer, and I don't think the fixture is strong enough to penetrate the depth of the tank, especially considering the way I have my rock set up. I'm willing to pay for the bulbs and electricity if the trade off is great growth and color. I picked up this t5 fixture used for a good price, I figure it's worth giving it a shot. If it doesnt work out I think I would be able to sell it and get most of my money back even with the new bulbs.

Speaking of new bulbs... I'm guessing ATIs never go on sale huh? I was hoping to snag them on a black Friday sale or something.

I believe last year BRS put ATI bulbs on sale. And as far as I know you only have to burn in bulbs if you use a dimmable fixture.

As far as bulb replacement. BRS did it video on their studies relating to this. Their studies suggest that bulbs can indeed be used longer than a year.

 

[pshootr]

When it comes to cost comparison between T5 and led. There is more than one way to look at it. For example if you use three radians for $1,500 and the fixtures last between five and seven years. You are not likely to spend $1,500 on T5 bulbs during those years.

Of course you have to factor in the initial cost of the T5 fixture. However they're relatively inexpensive.

Another side note. When it comes to using a single technology for lighting. Than, from Tidal Gardens has stated that he would pick T5. I am not saying that I would do that if it were up to me. However I am willing to admit that his opinion is much more valuable than mine. [emoji16]

 

[Bpb]

The aquatic life mounting legs are fine. Different reflectors arent all equally effective. I don't necessarily mean better or worse. The Giesemann matrix has more of a flat plate reflector and is designed to be run very close to the water. It will have more lateral spread than say an ATI fixture which has reflectors that wrap around the entire individual bulbs. The aquatic life is somewhere in between. I used the old 4 bulb fixture with fans and timers and what not (discontinued now) and it was just fine on my 55 gallon. Grew acropora everywhere no problem. I won't make any LED-T5HO comparisons because you cant make a cost comparison. Different fixtures have different costs. Utilities arent the same everywhere. People don't observe the exact same bulb change schedule, ect. I just know that T5HO is so ridiculously easy to use and grows coral so well, that I cant see one good reason to switch. Possibly saving $200 for one or two years during the end of the usable life of a top end LED fixture once the cost of purchase broke even, to me, isnt worth changing something that is working so beautifully. Your results may vary

 

[Rjukan]

I believe last year BRS put ATI bulbs on sale. And as far as I know you only have to burn in bulbs if you use a dimmable fixture.

As far as bulb replacement. BRS did it video on their studies relating to this. Their studies suggest that bulbs can indeed be used longer than a year.

When it comes to cost comparison between T5 and led. There is more than one way to look at it. For example if you use three radians for $1,500 and the fixtures last between five and seven years. You are not likely to spend $1,500 on T5 bulbs during those years.

Of course you have to factor in the initial cost of the T5 fixture. However they're relatively inexpensive.

Another side note. When it comes to using a single technology for lighting. Than, from Tidal Gardens has stated that he would pick T5. I am not saying that I would do that if it were up to me. However I am willing to admit that his opinion is much more valuable than mine. [emoji16]

Pshootr, again thank you for your input. I also heard that about burn in, and my fixture isn't dimmable. I'm going to keep an eye on BRS this week and hope for a sale, if they dont have anything by next Friday I'm just going to buy them.

That's a interesting take on cost of T5 vs LED, in this case I guess LED would win since the unit was $349 plus $100 for the controller and another few bucks for the mounting arm that equates to about 5 years of T5 bulbs. Actually I guess it would be close if you only get 5 to 7 years out of a LED unit. In my case it will be fine since I'll end up using that Kessil on a 20g I want to plumb in to my system some time over the winter once the golf season is officially over.

I have seen some TG stuff and i appreciate their experience and use of T5 lighting. I cant help but wonder what you're using pshootr? You mentioned you like a LED T5 combo, is that what you have?

 

[Rjukan]

The aquatic life mounting legs are fine. Different reflectors arent all equally effective. I don't necessarily mean better or worse. The Giesemann matrix has more of a flat plate reflector and is designed to be run very close to the water. It will have more lateral spread than say an ATI fixture which has reflectors that wrap around the entire individual bulbs. The aquatic life is somewhere in between. I used the old 4 bulb fixture with fans and timers and what not (discontinued now) and it was just fine on my 55 gallon. Grew acropora everywhere no problem. I won't make any LED-T5HO comparisons because you cant make a cost comparison. Different fixtures have different costs. Utilities arent the same everywhere. People don't observe the exact same bulb change schedule, ect. I just know that T5HO is so ridiculously easy to use and grows coral so well, that I cant see one good reason to switch. Possibly saving $200 for one or two years during the end of the usable life of a top end LED fixture once the cost of purchase broke even, to me, isnt worth changing something that is working so beautifully. Your results may vary

I read a review on another website from when this fixture came out that was done by a reputable light focused hobbyist, and he surmised that the unit is a good one with a quality ballast and German reflectors. I had used a Tek5 back in the day (2009) which I was very happy with, and he rated this higher than that.

Bpb, thanks for chiming in. I appreciate your input and I feel like it's more reason for me to give the T5 a chance. I think the Kessil will work out great over a more shallow tank, and I'm looking forward to having it on the 20g.

 

[Rjukan]

Off topic but lol, Bpb you posted on a thread I replied to on another site that I just checked in on (haven't looked since the end of July). You have a great looking tank with no background... Your avatar was a dead give away. Too funny.

 

[pshootr]

Pshootr, again thank you for your input. I also heard that about burn in, and my fixture isn't dimmable. I'm going to keep an eye on BRS this week and hope for a sale, if they dont have anything by next Friday I'm just going to buy them.

That's a interesting take on cost of T5 vs LED, in this case I guess LED would win since the unit was $349 plus $100 for the controller and another few bucks for the mounting arm that equates to about 5 years of T5 bulbs. Actually I guess it would be close if you only get 5 to 7 years out of a LED unit. In my case it will be fine since I'll end up using that Kessil on a 20g I want to plumb in to my system some time over the winter once the golf season is officially over.

I have seen some TG stuff and i appreciate their experience and use of T5 lighting. I cant help but wonder what you're using pshootr? You mentioned you like a LED T5 combo, is that what you have?

No problem Eagle 2

I am still in the research/planning stages for a tank. I have a 30 gallon bowfront, that I was going to set up with a sump and skimmer. I also have a 24 in. four bulb T5 fixture for it. But I am already thinking about going bigger. So I think I might end up throwing an AquaClear power filter on the 30 gallon. And just add a few fish and maybe a few softies. Then save the sump/skimmer money, for a bigger tank.

 

[rkpetersen]

Do you think I will have any heat issues going to the T5 fixture? The tank is in the basement and it's pretty steady ambient temp all year, I have an AC going in the summer on hot days. It doesnt get above 76 down there.

With that kind of setup, the most you would likely need is a fan blowing air across the water surface in the summer to keep the temp from creeping up.